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When walking through woods or fields with a rifle, keep the barrel pointed down toward the ground and never straight ahead. If there’s a need to climb down a hill or cliff, always unload the rifle before starting the descent. Never climb trees or a deer stand with a loaded rifle. Young hunters should wait until they are sitting down in the deer stand and watching for the approach of prey before loading their weapon. Don’t leap over obstacles, such as small boulders, streams, or stumps with a loaded gun. Jumping could cause inexperienced hunters to stumble and drop the rifle. Dropping a firearm can cause it to discharge, possibly injuring the shooter or another person. USING EYE AND EAR PROTECTION While shooting guns, beginner hunters should always wear hearing and eye protection. Guns make a lot of loud noise, and this can damage hearing over time. Wearing protective glasses while hunting in the wild will prevent eye injuries from such threats as insects, briars, and stray tree branches. These glasses also protect eyes in case of an accidental ricochet or a rifle casing that ejects too forcefully.

Eye and ear covers help protect your eyesight and hearing.

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