** Archived Article - please check for current information. **

#05-257 November 28, 2005

Safety Rules Offered For New S.C. Hunters

Among the many rewards hunting has to offer is the personal satisfaction that comes from introducing a newcomer to the sport. To share, for example, in the excitement when a novice bags his or her first game is the highlight of many a veteran's season. Yet it is not an experience without obligations, the most important of which is firearms and hunting safety.

No one likes to nag, yet no hunter should hesitate for one second to correct the mistakes of the novice in a helpful but a firm manner. Keep in mind that most accidents in the field are a result of carelessness or a violation of a basic safe gun-handling rule.

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources offers a 10-hour Hunter Education course (available in a classroom course, home study, a CD-ROM and online) that is mandatory for all residents and nonresidents born after June 30, 1979, and voluntary for all other hunters. The course includes instructions in the principles of hunter safety and conservation. In addition to firearm and hunting safety, students gain knowledge of basic wildlife management principles, hunting ethics, hunter-landowner relations and hunting techniques.

Graduates of the South Carolina hunter education course will receive certification cards recognized by all states that require mandatory hunter education. For information contact: Hunter Education, DNR, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202 or call (803) 734-3995 in Columbia.

Many things go into making a safe hunter, and not all can be covered in a single outing. Three fundamental ideas, however, cover many safety considerations important in the field:

  1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. No new hunter can be too conscious of this basic rule. Whether in or around a vehicle or in the field, every new hunter should understand that they should handle firearms in only one manner: unloaded, but carried as if they were loaded. New hunters should also be fully aware that a gun's safety is a mechanical device that is not intended to serve as a substitute for common sense and safe handling. Under no circumstance is there any reason for a gun to be loaded until the hunter is in the field and ready to use it.
  2. Muzzle control. A second fundamental rule for every new hunter is always to handle his gun so that the muzzle is never pointed at something he does not intend to shoot. This means carrying a gun so that the muzzle points in a safe direction at all times and also knowing when to unload briefly, such as when going through difficult terrain or crossing a fence or stream. Every new hunter should be aware that muzzle control is a key to safe gun handling.
  3. Target identification. New hunters are particularly prone to become excited and anxious when they believe game is nearby. Yet every new shooter must understand that you shouldn't even think about taking a shot until absolutely sure of the target. Under no circumstances should a shot be taken unless the target is fully and clearly visible and the shooter knows there is a safe background beyond the target. Hunters should take particular caution during the limited-visibility periods of dawn and dusk.

South Carolina hunter education students now have four choices for becoming nationally certified in hunter safety. They can sign up to take the traditional classroom course with instructor; take a home study course from manual and workbook; take the new CD-ROM course at home; or take the online hunting safety course. The CD-ROM and online courses fulfill the same requirements as the 10-hour classroom course and are available by calling (803) 734-3995 in Columbia or 1-800-277-4301 Monday through Friday during business hours, or by visiting http://www.hunter-ed.com/sc/.

To receive certification through the CD-ROM or Internet classes, the student must complete all quizzes and the test at the end of the CD. The student must have an 80 percent pass rate on the score sheet printed out at the conclusion of the CD, and each must sign the score sheet stating he or she has done the work. The student can then call 1-800-277-4301 to schedule an appointment to take the certified hunter education final exam in their area.

The state Hunter Education classroom course is taught by certified volunteer instructors and S.C. Department of Natural Resources instructors in middle schools, high schools and night classes such as technical schools, colleges, civic clubs, industries and sportsmen's groups. The course is taught through lectures, slides, videos and training aids. The statewide schedule for hunter education classroom courses is posted on-line at the DNR Web site under "Education." Students must pre-register for classroom courses.

South Carolina hunter education graduates receive certificates recognized by all states requiring mandatory hunter education. About 8,500 new hunter education students are certified annually in South Carolina, and these new means of teaching could increase the number of students. The South Carolina hunter education course on CD-ROM and via the Internet includes video of actual wildlife for learning field identification, hunting, game practices, interactive games and quizzes.

More News: