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DEC Releases New York State Hunting Safety Statistics
for 2023
Published: March 01, 2024 at
01:45 p.m.
By: Press Release from NYS DEC
DEC Releases New York State Hunting Safety Statistics
for 2023
Second Safest Season on Record, Tying 2019
New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today released hunting safety statistics for the
2023 seasons and thanked hunters for their ongoing commitment to following
responsible practices to keep communities safe. There were 12 incidents
during the 2023 hunting seasons, tying with 2019 for the second-fewest
hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) on record.
“Thanks to New
York’s Hunter Education Program and hunters following the rules of firearm
safety, hunting continues to be a safe activity enjoyed by thousands of New
Yorkers and visitors each year,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Following proven hunting safety tips
is the best way to keep hunting safe and prevent incidents in future
seasons.”
The 12 HRSIs
recorded in 2023 include six two-party firearm incidents and six
self-inflicted incidents; two of the 12 HRSIs resulted in fatalities. The
two fatalities include one self-inflicted incident resulting from hauling a
loaded firearm into a tree stand and one incident from a two-party firearm
incident caused by carrying a loaded firearm while dragging a harvested
deer out of the woods. Hunting Safety Statistics are available
on DEC’s website.
DEC-trained and
certified volunteer instructors teach safe, responsible, and ethical
hunting and trapping practices and the important role of hunters and
trappers in wildlife conservation. New York has an extremely
safety-conscious generation of hunters and trappers, thanks largely to more
than 70 years of dedicated efforts of volunteer Hunter Education Program
instructors. All first-time hunters, bowhunters, and trappers must
successfully complete a hunter or trapper safety course and pass the final
exam before being eligible to purchase a hunting or trapping license. As a
result of these and other steps to increase public awareness of hunting
safety, incidents have sharply decreased from decades ago. For example, 166
hunting-related shooting incidents were reported in 1966.
In 2017, DEC
Commissioner Seggos directed the agency's
Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) to begin tracking and
investigating tree stand injuries for the first time. Tree stand injuries
are under-reported, and DEC is not always notified when tree stand falls
occur. In 2023, eight tree stand incidents were
reported and investigated; none were fatal. Seven of the hunters involved
in these incidents suffered extensive injuries after falling while not
using a fall-arrest harness system. One hunter was wearing a harness, but
it was attached to the stand, not the tree, and when the stand
broke, the hunter fell with the stand. Additional information about tree stand
incidents is available on DEC’s website.
Tree stand
incidents are a major cause of hunting-related injuries, so tree stand
safety has become a regular part of the hunter education course required
for all first-time hunters in New York. The proper use of tree stands and tree stand safety equipment will help to
prevent these injuries and fatalities. Used correctly, a harness and
fall-arrest system keep the hunter connected from the time they leave the
ground to the moment they get back down. Many, if not all, tree stand
incidents could be prevented if hunters follow the "ABCs" of tree
stand safety:
- Always remove and inspect the tree stand
before use.
- Buckle on the full body harness securely
every time.
- Connect to the tree before your feet leave
the ground.
Additional safety
tips for hunters:
- Inspect your tree stand before using it.
Replace any worn or broken parts.
- Buckle your full-body harness securely and
use a tether and a lifeline.
- Connect to the tree before your feet leave
the ground and stay connected from the time you leave the ground to
the time you get back down.
- Let someone know where your stand is located
and when you plan to be home.
- Use a haul line to raise your unloaded gun or
bow or cocked (but unloaded) crossbow with quiver up into the
stand.
- Always carry emergency equipment, such as a
knife, cell phone, flashlight, and whistle in your pockets (not in
your pack hanging in the tree).
A video showing the proper way to climb into and out of a
tree stand can be viewed on DEC's YouTube channel.
DEC encourages
hunters to remember that every hunting-related shooting incident is
preventable. Many, if not all incidents, could have been prevented if the
people involved had followed the primary rules of hunter safety:
- Treat every firearm as if it were
loaded.
- Control the muzzle, keep it pointed in a safe
direction.
- Identify your target and what lies
beyond.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready
to fire; and
- Wear hunter orange or pink.
More information,
including the 2023 Hunting Safety Statistics and 2023 Tree Stand Safety
Statistics, is available on DEC's website.
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