Commandment 1. Watch the muzzle! Keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times. (Shutterstock image)
September 14, 2017
By Game & Fish Staff
With fall hunting seasons on your mind, here's a list of firearm safety steps every hunter show know.
Contributor Andy Olivera shared this list in the current issue of Texas Game & Fish magazine.
Commandment 1. Watch the muzzle! Keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times. (Shutterstock image)
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF FIREARM SAFETY
1. Watch the muzzle! Keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times.
2. Treat every firearm with the respect of a loaded gun. It might be loaded, even if you think it isn't.
3. Be sure of the target and what is in front of it and beyond it. Know the identifying features of the game you hunt. Make sure you have an adequate backstop — don't shoot at a flat, hard surface or at water.
4. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot. This is the best way to prevent an accidental discharge.
5. Check your barrel and ammunition. Make sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions, and carry only the proper ammunition for your firearm.
6 . Unload firearms when not in use. Leave actions open, and carry firearms in cases and unloaded to and from your shooting location.
7. Point a firearm only at something you intend to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with a gun.
8. Don't run, jump, or climb with a loaded firearm. Unload a firearm before you climb a fence or tree, or jump a ditch. Pull a firearm toward you by the butt, not the muzzle.
9. Store firearms and ammunition separately and safely. Store in secure locations beyond the reach of children and careless adults.
10. Avoid alcoholic beverages before and during shooting. Also avoid mind- or behavior-altering medicines or drugs.
