TEXAS, USA — Hunting season will continue into December, so it’s not too late to make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row for the rest of the year.
John Lippencott, a hHunter's Education Course instructor for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said there's a cardinal rule when handling a gun.
Lippencott said, "Every gun is loaded until you personally check it to see that it's unloaded."
Another rule of thumb is to always make sure that the gun is pointed in a safe direction. If you're in a group, you can point it up to the sky, you can point it at the ground, but never towards someone.
Lippencott also recommends wearing a bright orange safety vest when hunting on the ground.
He explained, "Somebody could mistake you for a deer in long-range. That's why the blaze orange is important."
He said not to have your finger on the trigger until you're ready to pull it.
And don't try to juggle too many things at once, as TPW has seen more accidents as people climb in and out of deer stands.
"The problem with that is if they try and climb up with both hands holding backpacks, seat cushions, coolers and a gun, it's complicated and prone to error," Lippencott said.
In a nutshell- being careful could save a life. For more gun safety tips, click here.