Unfortunately, during every hunting season, there are reports of injuries, some of them fatal, even with the most educated and careful of hunters. Each year hunter safety education programs are offered, thanks to over 3,000 volunteer sportsman education instructors and, after the 2015 hunting season, it appears that they are very effective.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, The 2015 New York hunting season proved to be one of the safest on record and was the first year without a hunting-related shooting fatality since the 1950s. There were a total of only 23 hunting incidents, the third lowest number on record, with 10 incidents that were self-inflicted and 13 two-party incidents.

While hunting is safer than ever, accidents can still happen.The Department of Environmental Conservation reminds all of us that every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable. Of the 13 two-party incidents, eight of those victims were not wearing hunter orange. Accidents can be prevented if hunters follow the primary rules of hunter safety; assume every firearm is loaded, control the firearm muzzle in a safe direction,keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire, identify your target and what is beyond, and wear hunter orange.

In 2016,the DEC will be updating the course curriculum to further enhance the program and implement recommendations identified in a 2015 peer-reviewed analysis if New York's education program. Click here for more information.

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