State officials are urging extra caution as more hunting deaths have occurred this year than in the past three seasons combined.
There is no well-defined reason for the sudden surge, officials said.
So far in 2023, five hunters have died in firearm related accidents. Fourteen accidents have occurred overall, with firearm related injuries reported in 10 of those. Two of the fatalities occurred during turkey season, when blaze orange is not required. The others have occurred during fall hunting seasons for deer and small game.
“The current data for this season indicates that 50 percent of hunting incidents involving a firearm resulted in a fatality,” said Capt. Branden Jones of NCWRC’s Law Enforcement Division. This year’s fatal incidents have occurred in Perquimans, Lincoln, Northampton, Halifax and Burke counties.
In contrast, a total of 114 hunting accidents were reported between 2013 and 2022. Of those, five were fatalities.
North Carolina ranks seventh in the nation for licensed hunters at 603,995, according to the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA). The state requires hunter safety education for first-time licensees, and was one of the first states in the nation to establish a state-sponsored hunter safety course.
Many firearm injuries occur when hunters fail to properly identify their target and mistake another hunter for game, Jones said, or carelessly handle a firearm, resulting in self-inflicted injuries.
The WRC offers the following important rules of firearm safety:
- Positively identify target before pulling the trigger.
- Always point a firearm in a safe direction.
- Treat every firearm as if it were loaded and never assume it’s unloaded.
- Use binoculars, rather than a rifle scope, to identify the target.
- Keep finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Be sure of the target and that there are no houses, vehicles, powerlines, livestock or people in front of or behind it.
- Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs as they may affect judgement when hunting.
- Comply with blaze orange laws as required.
“Let someone know your whereabouts and approximate return time,” says Jones. “We want everyone participating in hunting activities to keep safety as their number one priority and continue to make memories for many years to come.”
In efforts to reduce hunting-related incidents, NCWRC offers basic hunter education certification courses, both in-person and online.
“Through increased education, access to shooting ranges, and advanced educational opportunities, students and hunters become more skilled and proficient in the use of hunting equipment,” said WRC Engagement and Education Manager, Carissa Daniels. “They also help hunters become more knowledgeable and aware of measures they can incorporate for a safer hunting experience.”
For more information, go to ncwildlife.org.
