In an effort to reduce hunting accidents during the opening weekend of pheasant season, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging hunters to review safe hunting practices before heading out into the field. Megan Wisecup, hunter education administrator with the DNR, advises following two simple pieces of advice to improve safety by a large margin: walk in a straight line while moving through grasses and know where the other member of your hunting party are at all times. “Go through the zones of fire with each member of the hunting party, talk about avoiding target fixation and swinging on game,” says Wisecup. “The top pheasant hunting incidents are all related to not being seen. The goal at the end of the day is for everyone to return home safely.” Pheasant season begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. A list of tips for a safe hunt can be found included below.
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- Iowa law requires hunters to wear at least one of the following articles of visible, external apparel with at least 50 percent of its surface area solid blaze orange: hat, cap, vest, coat, jacket, sweatshirt, shirt or coveralls.
- Hunters should stay in communication with each other and to stay in a straight line while pushing a field.
- Discuss the hunting plan that spells out how the hunt will take place, each person’s role in the hunt and where each person will be at all times.
- Know exactly where standers will be located, especially when hunting standing corn or tall switch grass to avoid having the standers get shot by the pushers as they near the end of the field and the birds begin to flush.
- Make sure to unload the gun when crossing a fence or other obstacle to avoid it accidentally discharging.
- Properly identify the target and what is beyond it especially if hunting in fields that still have standing corn.
- If hunting with a dog, never lay a loaded gun against a fence. Hunting dogs are usually excited to be in the field and could knock the gun over causing it to discharge.
- Share the hunt. Take someone new along to help keep Iowa’s great hunting tradition alive.
