Environmental Resources CD Unit C Animal Wildlife Management

Problem Area 6 Safety and Ethics

Lesson 1 Understanding Hunting Safety

Learning Objectives  Explain hunting as a sport.  List important regulations that govern hunting.  Explain firearm handling and safety.  Explain firearm safety in the home.  List basic survival rules.

Terms to Know  Ammunition  Bag limit  Compass  Firearm  Game  Hunting  Hunting gear  Hunting license  Prevention  Season length  Shooting  Solvent  STOP  Topographical map  Trigger lock  Zone

What is hunting?  Hunting is harvesting game for food.  Game animals are animals hunted for food or sport. Game is a crop produced by the land.  Hunting is a wildlife management tool.  It reduces wildlife populations and helps to keep a balance between the number of animals in an area and the ability of the area to provide food.

What is hunting?  All people where hunters at one time.  Before domestication, all where harvested using the “hunting and gathering” technique.  Modern sport hunting is a carryover from the time that hunting animals for food and clothing was necessary for human survival.

Why do people hunt?  Some people like the taste of game.  Many people enjoy learning to identify game signs, calling game and scouting.  Some people like the challenge, both physically and mentally.  Some people enjoy the outdoors and the relaxation that come with being outdoors.

What is shooting?  Shooting is the non-hunting firing of guns to develop skills in aiming, firing and accuracy.  Shooting is usually done at different kinds of targets.  Not all “shooters” are hunters.  Some people enjoy target shooting yet choose not to hunt.

What makes a “safe shooter”?  Eye protection  Ear protection  Muzzle control  Correct stance  Knows their zone of fire  Knows their weapon

What are the responsibilities of a good hunter?  Treat all property with respect and try to leave the land better than they found it.  Respect the landowner’s right to privacy and safety.  Show respect for all wildlife.  Show respect to all who use the outdoors.  Answering for your actions and knowing the difference between right and wrong.

What about a bad hunter?  It takes only a few irresponsible hunters to harm the Image people have of all hunters.  Taking game where hunting is not allowed, or while trespassing, or out of season or before and after shooting hours is called poaching  Poaching is illegal!!!!

What are some important regulations that govern hunting?  The Pittman-Robertson Act  Referred as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act.  Sponsored by Senators: Key Pittman and Willis Robertson, Signed into law in 1937 by President Roosevelt  Pittman-Robertson money is used to finance Hunter Education

What are some important regulations that govern hunting?  A hunting license is a small written document that indicates that an individual has paid a fee and is legally entitled to hunt.

What are some important regulations that govern hunting?  Bag limit-the number of animals that can be legally harvested in one day or season.  Sometimes known as daily limits.  Set by population estimates by the Department of Natural Resources.  Season length-the number of days that a species can be hunted in one year.

What are some important regulations that govern hunting?  Hunting Gear- all of the devices used in taking game and protecting the hunter.  Firearm-a tool that propels a projectile (bullet) by burning gunpowder.  There are laws that regulate the kinds (and sizes) of firearms that can be used with various species.

What are some important regulations that govern hunting?  Ammunition- any combination of powder, shot or bullets used in shotguns, rifles or pistols.  There are laws that regulate the kinds (and sizes) of ammunition that can be used with various species.

How do you handle firearms safely?  Treat every firearm with the same respect due a loaded firearm  Control the direction of your firearm’s muzzle  I.D. your target and what is beyond it  Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that you have only ammunition of the proper size for the firearm you are carrying.

How Safe is Hunting?

How do you handle firearms safely?  What is a safety? A mechanical device that may fail!

How do you handle firearms safely?  Unload firearms when not in use. Leave the actions open.  Never point a firearm at anything you do not want to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm.  Never climb a fence or tree, or jump a ditch or log with a loaded firearm.

How do you handle firearms safely?  Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface or water.  Store firearms and ammunition separately beyond the reach of children and careless adults.  Avoid alcoholic beverages or other mood- altering drugs before or while shooting.

How do you handle firearms safely?  Field Carries  Trail  Sling  Shoulder  Double hand  Elbow  Cradle

How do you handle firearms safely? 2-hand or ready carry Shoulder carry

How do you handle firearms safely? Sling carrySide or elbow carry

How do you handle firearms safely?  Know the vitals of you target species.  Large animals-front chest area contains the heart and lungs.  Turkeys are difficult to kill in the chest area. Target the head and neck regions.

How do you handle firearms safely?  Shoot only within you distance limitations.  Avoid taking long shots.  Be sure aiming point is visible & and is free of obstruction.  Alert animals are risky targets.  Try for a quartering away shot on big game.  Avoid “moving away” shots.

How do you handle firearms safely?  To insure a safe hunting trip for everyone, they plan a shooter’s zone of fire.  A zone is the area in which a hunter plans on shooting.  Points of Note:  Two hunters should not shoot at the same game.  Don’t take an over-the-hill shot.  Know your limitations!

How do you handle firearms safely?  Prevention-taking steps so that accidents can be prevented.  Relax, do not become overeager.  Never load or transport loaded and uncased weapons. IT IS THE LAW.  Transporting includes: vehicle, boat, ATV, bicycle-even on horseback.  Know your “Master Eye”. It makes a difference when aiming.

Activity-Finding Your Master Eye  Face an object about 10 feet away.  Extend your arms straight out in front of you.  Form a small triangle by overlapping your hands  Look through the triangle with both eyes  Focus on the object  Close one eye at a time  Without moving your hands, the eye that keeps the object in the center of the triangle is your dominant or master eye.

How can firearms be safe in the home?  Always carefully and completely unload sporting firearms before bringing them into the home.  Never load a sporting firearm in the home.  Store firearms in your home in a secure location such as a locking steel cabinet or gun safe. Glass front gun cabinets are not considered to be a secure storage area.  Remember to place firearm in their proper storage location.

How can firearms be safe in the home?  Responsible hunters make certain the firearms in their home are not easily accessible to anyone who may not be trained in the safe handling of firearms.  Always use a trigger lock or cable lock-a safety device used to prevent a firearm from being accidentally fired.  Cable locks are available free of charge through Project Childsafe.

How can firearms be safe in the home? Cable LockTrigger Lock

How can firearms be safe in the home?  It is important to clean all firearms prior to storage to prevent rust.  Brush away dirt, sand and leaves from the action and barrel.  Use a solvent, a mixture of cleaning compounds that are high in concentration.

How can firearms be safe in the home?  Put a light coat of oil on the inside and outside.  Avoid touching the firearm with bare hands after cleaning as the chemicals your skin can cause rust or a discolored area on the gun metal.

How can firearms be safe in the home?  Store the firearm in a dry place in order to prevent rust.  An electric ionization rod can be used to help prevent rust.  Firearms and ammunition should be in separate locations.  Make sure key to locks are hidden and out of reach of children.

What are the basic survival rules when hunting?  Now how to use a topographical map- aerial drawings of the area to be hunted.  Know how to use a compass-an instrument used for determining directions.

What are the basic survival rules when hunting?  If lost-remember S.T.O.P. sit down thinkobserveplan  Plan ahead  Know how to build a fire  Carry a cellular phone

What are the basic survival rules when hunting?  Tell someone where you are going  Never hunt alone  Carry food & water  Take along two compasses & a map  Wear proper clothing  Observe weather forecasts

What are the basic survival rules when hunting?  Pack a survival kit.  Spare knife  Spare compass  Whistle  Matches in waterproof container  Second fire making method  Fire starter

What are the basic survival rules when hunting?  Survival kit, continued  Medications  First Aid Kit  Drinking water  Nylon cord  Extra glasses  Sunglasses