COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Hunting season is almost in full swing in Alabama.
Just a week ago, searchers found a Lawrence County man dead. He was hunting in the Bankhead National Forest.
Hunting is all fun and games until something goes wrong, and firearm safety is key.
Marianne Gauldin, with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, explains how you should carry your hunting firearm.
“Firearm control is very very important, you want to make sure you always have the mussel of that firearm down and in a safe direction, and to treat every gun as if it’s loaded,” Gauldin said.
In Alabama, there are several forests that are thick and go on for miles and miles, and Gauldin says, that’s how hunters go missing.
“If possible, it’s always good to hunt with a buddy and even if you are with a buddy that someone outside of your hunting party knows your plan, where you’re going, and when you plan to be back, making sure you have a fully charged battery on your phone, a whistle, a flashlight those things are extremely important” Gauldin said.
Gauldin tells News 19, what the main cause of accidents are for hunters here in Alabama.
“The most common hunting accident in Alabama is falling from a height, it’s very important for hunters to make sure they’re attached to the tree with a full body harness every time their feet leave the ground,” Gauldin said.
And lastly, you have to have documentation.
“Make sure you have all the licenses required that’s what our officers see most often, people hunting without the required license, and that could be either a regular hunting license or a baiting license,” Gauldin said.
Before you hit the woods, remember it’s mandatory to wear either a bright orange hat or have at least 144 square inches of orange on your clothing.
