A Safe Year for Vermont Hunters

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has issued a press release saying that 2006 was one of the safest years ever for hunters.

With more than 80,000 licensed hunters in the state last year, there were four hunting-related shootings reported. This is the fourth year in the past five with four or fewer shootings.

"Vermont's hunters should be very proud," said Christopher Saunders, Hunter Education Coordinator. "Their track record challenges the perception that hunting is dangerous. However, even four are too many. They all could have been prevented."

Hunting is, in fact, safer than football, basketball, baseball, bicycling, waterskiing and swimming, according to statistics from the National Safety Council based on the number of mishaps requiring an emergency room visit per 100,00 participants.

Three of the four shootings were caused by careless hunters. Two shot another hunter thought to be a game animal. The third was a hunter who shot a fellow hunter while shooting at game. The fourth shooting was the result of careless gun handling that resulted in a wound to the hand.

There has been a 75 percent decline in hunting injury rates in the last three decades, largely due to mandatory hunter education classes.

The full news release can be found here.