Another historic Wisconsin gun-deer season is now about halfway through, and many lasting memories have been made afield as about 550,000 hunters pursue America’s premier big game animal in the state with the most record-book bucks.
It doesn’t matter if you harvest a wide-racked buck or a fat doe. What really matters is enjoying a safe hunt.
Wisconsin’s mandated hunter safety education program, combined with mandated blaze orange or blaze pink upper-body clothing during the firearms deer seasons, have dramatically reduced hunting accidents and fatalities. The last hunting fatality occurred in 2021.
Firearms safety is a huge part of the equation, and is a major lesson in every hunter safety class. Instructors stress TAB-K:
• Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
• Always point the muzzle in a safety direction.
• Be certain of your target and what’s beyond.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
If every hunter followed TAB-K, accidental shootings would disappear. Fortunately, they are already rare, and hunting remains one of the safest sports. In fact, hunting is statistically safer than golf, basketball, soccer and even walking, according to a study by Families Afield.
Hunters get injured or killed in two ways not officially classified as hunting accidents — falls from tree stands and heart attacks associated with dragging deer out of the woods.
As a hunter safety instructor in Waupaca, I’ve spent at least two recent Saturdays demonstrating the safe way to climb and descend a tree stand. Since I once ran into a hunter on public land whose climbing tree stand had fallen about 10 feet, stopping just short of the ground, I’ve never been a fan of climbers. Use a metal ladder stand well strapped to a tree or a permanent “pill box” type elevated stand that is checked annually for rotten wood and rusty anchors.
The most important piece of equipment for a tree stand hunter is a quality harness made for the person’s weight. It’s designed with a tether strap with multiple loops of stitching that slowly tear in the event of a fall, slowing the person’s descent. Be sure to use a locking carabiner to attach the harness to a lifeline: A rope tied from above the stand to the ground. A sliding Prusik knot that links the lifeline to the harness allows the hunter to climb up or down while secure in the event of a fall.
Make sure to use three points of contact when climbing up or down. This means that two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand are in contact with the ladder at all times.
Always use a haul line to bring your unloaded firearm, bow, quiver of arrows, crossbow or other weapon up and down the stand. This is a separate rope used only for this task. Never climb a stand while carrying any of these items.
I avoid tree stands in favor of ground blinds. When I fall asleep while hunting, I can never fall more than a foot or so out of my chair. I’ve had deer within a few feet of my ground blind, so deer definitely get used to them. One advantage of a tree stand is that the shot is going down and into the ground, reducing chances of a ricochet. It’s usually easier to see a greater distance from a tree, too, but the comfort of a ground blind, with a rain-resistant roof and walls, sure beats an open tree stand on a rainy or snowy morning.
Many deer hunters only get some serious exercise a few weeks a year when pursuing deer. The long walk to and from our stands is one thing, but dragging out a 150-pound deer by ourselves is a sure recipe for stressing the heart. With a little common sense, you can avoid a heart attack.
Many hunters use ATVs or UTVs to not only make the trip to the stand a fun ride, but also makes dragging or hauling a deer out of the woods a snap. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a press release that stresses ATV safety for hunters, encouraging that every rider wear a helmet and a seat belt, if so equipped (UTVs typically are and ATVs aren’t). Long guns must be unloaded, bows can’t have an arrow nocked, and crossbows can’t be cocked and loaded on these vehicles.
Use your head when hauling deer. A plastic sled works great for dragging, even if there’s no snow on the ground. A wheeled deer cart or lawn cart also work well. Get a buddy or two to help, especially if you are older or out of shape. Make frequent stops if no help is available.
Drinking alcohol while hunting or otherwise handling a firearm will increase your chances of an accident. It’s also illegal to be impaired by alcohol or controlled substances while in possession of a firearm. It’s a myth that alcohol warms the body; it actually has the opposite effect.
Be careful with your knife while gutting your deer. In the excitement of a successful hunt, it’s easy to slip. A Wyoming knife is the best way to open a deer. This little tool has a protected razor blade that won’t cut your hands or the animal’s intestines and works almost like a zipper on the chest cavity.
Stay safe so you can enjoy our hunting legacy again next year.
For more information about safe hunting, go to https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/GoHunting.
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London and owner of Wolf River Concealed Carry LLC. Contact him at Ross@wolfriverccw.com.
Hunting more enjoyable when it’s kept safe
