Seasonal, Safety and Weather
Hunting 101: Ultimate Safety Tips for Hunting Season
No more counting the days — hunting season is here! But before you go grabbing your gear, let’s talk about hunting safety. Here’s some tips to help you prepare for an awesome, and safe hunting season.
Hunting Tips
Plan Your Day and Tell Someone
Plan ahead for your hunting trip by scoping out a location, securing the area to avoid injuries, and checking your tree stand to ensure sturdiness. Hunting takes patience and time, so maybe bring a few snacks in case you get hungry or eat before you leave. Clear your schedule so that you won’t have to interrupt your time while in the woods.
Always tell a family member or friend about your hunting plans in case of an emergency. Give them a location and time of when you’re going and when you’ll be back. If something goes wrong, and you don’t return, someone will know where you were last.
Safety Courses and Hunting Laws
Whether you are new to hunting or very experienced, staying up to date on hunting laws and safety advice are tasks that every hunter should touch up on. Hunting safety courses will teach you laws and regulations, game identification and firearm handling. Remember to abide by state and local laws and regulations. Visit hunter-ed.com to get your hunter education certificate for your state. Always have your hunting license and tags on hand and up to date just in case the game warden pays you a visit on your hunt.
Safety Gear
Wearing neon orange didn’t start as a fashion trend, rather as a safety mechanism to make you more visible to other hunters. Check with your state requirements as some require orange to be worn above the waistline. If you decide to take your dog along, make sure he’s geared up too! Throw an orange hunting vest on him to keep him warm and safe.
Stay prepared with the proper hunting gear. Here’s a list of other essentials to take on your hunting trip:
- Camouflage and neon orange apparel
Whether you hunt on the ground or high in a tree stand, being prepared for both is never a bad idea. If you decide to hunt in a tree stand, attach yourself to a harness in case you fall asleep. Be prepared for change, as you never know what you may need until the time happens.
Hunting Etiquette
One factor that can determine whether you have a good time or not is respect for others. Take a look at these “rules” of hunting etiquette:
- Understand safe hunting procedures. Practice safety for yourself and for the sake of others.
- You may not be the only hunter out there, so be respectful of others. Give them a good amount of space to hunt. If they were there first, find a spot elsewhere to hunt. There’s no need for two hunters shooting in the same area when there’s room for everyone. Next time, try showing up at your favorite spot earlier and get there first.
- Respect the land and wildlife by keeping the land clean and picking up after yourself. Be mindful of the impact of your hunting activities and how your actions will affect the environment, wildlife and the community.
- Have good judgment, skills and knowledge. This also means being physically and mentally fit for hunting. Never go under the influence — substances and guns don’t mix!
- Learn about the game you hunt, and know your limits. There are times of the year when certain game is in season.
Follow these rules, and you will enjoy this hunting season for sure!
Does my home insurance cover my guns?
A lot of people wonder if their home insurance covers their firearms. The answer is yes. Firearms are covered, within your coverage limits, under your personal property coverage on your homeowners policy when a covered loss (or a peril) has occurred. If you are a gun owner, you should know the value of each firearm you own to determine whether your standard personal property limit on your policy is enough. If you need more coverage, Alfa has several options to extend coverage to meet your needs. Contact your local Alfa® agent for more information about coverage options for your guns.