During hunting season it's important to stay safe.

Executive Director Yvonne Harder from Eastman Safety Training Centre says safety precautions include keeping your firearm pointed in a safe direction away from people, keep your finger off the trigger, remove the ammunition when the firearm is not in use and wear bright orange when hunting. Harder notes bright orange is only required during high power season but recommends it throughout the year in order for other hunters to clearly see you. She adds also knowing what is behind your target so it doesn't ricochet off a hard surface or enter into someone else's backyard. Harder notes it's also important to have a proper stance so that you don't injure your shoulder or have the scope hit your eye during the recoil, something called 'scope bite'.

When at home Harder says it's equally as important to store your fire arm in a safe manner. She explains the fire arm must be unloaded and locked, either trigger locked or in a locked cabinet with the ammunition also in a locked box. Harder says fire arms don't have to be a mystery to children, at the same time children should not have direct access to them. 

"The CFSC (Canadian Firearms Safety Course) and Hunter Education can be done as young as age 12," notes Harder. "Younger kids can sit in but they can't write the test. So just for informational purposes if they're interested in hunting with their parents. Fire arm owners should teach their children basic fire arm safety as young as they feel comfortable and the child is able to understand."

Harder says there's also a safety risk when it comes to tree stands, but can be safe when properly installed which means reading the user manual, following safety guidelines, proper set up and take down as well as wearing a full body harness.  She adds when going hunting a buddy system is a good idea, otherwise letting someone know where you will be and when you expect to be back, in case of an emergency they know where to start looking for you.