Safety tips for hunting season

WELLINGTON COUNTY – With small game and deer hunting seasons in full swing across the province, the Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) would like to remind hunters to put safety first.

“Wear hunter orange, always handle firearms safely and responsibly, and respect landowners and other hunters while you are out in the field enjoying our beautiful natural resource,” stated OCOA president Bill Ingham in a news release

The OCOA would like to remind all hunters to remember the ACTS and PROVE acronyms:

– assume every firearm is loaded;

– control the muzzle direction at all times;

– trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and out of the trigger guard; and

– see that the firearm is unloaded;

– point the firearm in the safest available direction;

– remove all ammunition;

– observe the chamber;

– verify the feeding path; and

– examine the bore.

 “We wish everyone a safe, enjoyable and successful hunt,” says Ingham. “By remembering and practicing these safety rules we can ensure ... hunting will continue to be enjoyed by future generations.”

Anyone with information about a natural resources or public safety offence is encouraged to call the Ministry of Natural Resources violation reporting line at 1-877-847-7667 or contact their local conservation officer directly.