Hunting is a fun, adrenaline rushing activity that can be rewarding but also very dangerous.

Without proper safety, hunters can easily be injured or even killed.

When rifle hunting or even bow hunting, everyone must stay alert and be careful.

When it comes to improper gun safety, hunters can easily put their lives at risk.

Hunters need to keep in mind critical safety guidelines when going hunting.

There are several important pieces of knowledge to have when it comes to properly handling a gun.

One thing to do is always keep the muzzle pointed away from others in a safe direction. Never point it at a person, unintended animal, or object because you may just accidentally shoot it.

Also remember that when shooting a gun, always be sure of what is beyond your target and never assume it is safe.

Take a walk around your hunting site before your hunt to make sure it is clear. Hunters need to be aware of their surroundings, keeping a safe distance away from buildings and populated areas when hunting.

Another important safety guideline is to be sure that the correct ammunition is used.

Senior Jacob Rhoads always check his ammunition.

“Using the wrong ammunition can be extremely dangerous,” Rhoads said. “The wrong ammunition can cause the gun to become lodged or even explode.”

Smart hunters will know that if the trigger is pulled and the gun does not fire it is either out of ammunition, the bullet failed to be fired, or the incorrect ammunition was used.

In the case of the gun being lodged or a failed bullet, hunters want to handle it with great care in case it accidentally goes off.

Because a gun’s safety is not always reliable, a responsible hunter should never assume the safety is on or functioning properly.

Also, whenever the gun is not in use, always be sure it is unloaded and secured, especially from children.

Rhoads believes this is extremely important.

“I have had a cousin leave out his loaded gun and his young son pick it up,” Rhoads said. “Thank goodness nothing happened, but things sure could have quickly gone wrong.”

Gun safety while hunting is significantly important. However, it is not the only thing to know about hunter safety.

Along with gun safety, another important component to hunter safety is wearing hunter orange. Hunter orange needs to be on the outer most layer of clothing and needs to be visible on all sides of the hunter.

Colors that can be mistaken for wild game, like deer or turkey, should never be worn.

A dangerous mistake could be easily made and someone could end up being shot.

When in a blind it is OK to wear camo or earthy tones, but when walking around in the woods and fields it is important to stick out in case any other people are hunting.

As long as hunters follow these important guidelines and precautions concerning gun and hunting safety, they will be safer when hunting in a blind or in a tree stand.