Safety advice as hunting season approaches
Safety advice as hunting season approaches
“Hunting
season is approaching, and it is important hunters keep
themselves and others safe”, says Acting Superintendent
Mike McIlraith of New Zealand Police.
There's a significant increase in the number of hunting-related incidents and Search and Rescue operations at this time each year, with target misidentification being the biggest cause of fatalities.
Acting Superintendent McIlraith says the responsibility is always on the shooter to positively identify their target, saying “the consequences of failing to fully identify a target beyond all doubt are immediate, tragic and catastrophic”.
The Mountain Safety
Council’s insights into hunting season shows that 92% of
misidentified target incidents occur when the individuals
involved are less than 75m apart.
Chief Executive Officer
of Mountain Safety Council Mike Daisley says, “There is a
general perception that the misidentified target incidents
are across a valley, several hundred metres away, when in
actuality they aren’t.”
Acting Superintendent
McIlraith says, “Anyone who is planning to use a firearm
is required to have a valid firearms licence and comply with
the New Zealand Arms Code.
If you do not have a licence
you must be with someone who does – and they in turn must
supervise the unlicensed person closely.”
It's also
important to take care in the outdoors – watch your
footing, know your limits, and look out for each
other.
Plan your trip, tell someone your plans, and take
sufficient supplies including a personal locator beacon.
Outdoor and hunting safety information can be found on
the Mountain Safety Council website, and hunters at all
levels of experience are encouraged to check out this
material.
Ends