Most hunting-related incidents occur when hunters behave in a careless manner or forget the basic rules of firearm safety. Look at incident reports involving hunters and you'll likely find one or more of the following mistakes.
The hunter:
Avoid these kinds of mistakes by observing the rules of safe firearm handling in this chapter.
Pointed the muzzle of a firearm at someone
Did not identify the target carefully and/or whatever was beyond it
Did not keep his or her finger out of trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot
Assumed that a firearm was unloaded and handled it carelessly
Stumbled or fell while carrying a loaded firearm
Fell while climbing into/out of position
Assumed that the firearm was unloaded when crossing a fence
Jumped over a ditch or creek with a loaded firearm
Transported a loaded firearm in a motorized vehicle
Swung out of a safe zone of fire into another hunter's zone
