Hunting repeatedly shows itself as a safe sport with only a small percentage of the hunting population ever involved in any type of incident. Know how hunters stay safe?

They review and adhere to safety precautions, like the ‘Four Primary Rules of Firearms Safety’, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

With over half a million hunters afield, Georgia reported only 25 hunting incidents in 2020, and 11 of those were tree stand use related. 

The following firearms safety checklist, comprised of only four items, is covered in all hunter education courses and easily can be remembered with the acronym ACTT:

1.    A – Always treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

2.    C – Control the muzzle of the firearm at all times. 

3.    T – Be certain of the Target and what is in front of it and beyond it.

4.    T – Keep your finger outside of the Trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.

For more information on firearms safety, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/hunting/huntereducation or contact the Wildlife Resources Division Hunter Education office at 706-557-3355.

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