Hunters here in New York have a reason to celebrate. The state Department of Environmental Conservation reports that 2015 was the first year on record with no fatalities.

This all started back in 2013, where we are happy to report since then New York has had very safe hunting season. According to the Daily News Online, 2015 was also the third-lowest number of hunt-related shooting incidents with 23 being documented.

“New York has an extremely safety-conscious generation of hunters thanks largely to the dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteer sportsman education instructors over the last 60 years,” according to information on the DEC’s website. “Hunting is safer than ever, but we cannot become complacent as every hunting-related shooting incident is preventable.”

As we get ready for the 2016 seasons, and 2017 season, remember these simple safety rules:

* Assume every gun is loaded, and treat it appropriately.

* Always point the gun’s muzzle in a safe direction.

* Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

* Be aware of your target and its surroundings.

* Wear hunter orange.

People are encouraged by the DEC to see what licenses and safety courses are necessary to hunt and what dates specific game animals are in season.


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