If you are showing signs of ungroomed
facial hair, early morning rising, dressing in orange and camo, scoping out the
best tree stand location and preparing the gun for opening day, it’s safe to
say that you have a serious case of Buck Fever!
Buck Fever effects all hunters during the months of November and
December. There are two treatments for
this case, opening day of Deer season and Hunting Safely!
Always
be SMART when out in the woods conquering the beast of the season. S-safe direction, M-make sure, A-always
check, R- respect firearms, and T-trigger caution are five of the MOST
important safety rules of hunting. When carrying or holding a gun, keep the
muzzle pointed in a safe position away from people. Before aiming, always identify your target
and the surroundings around your target.
Always treat your firearm as if it were loaded, this will ensure your
own safety and anyone that might be around you.
Also no fingers on the trigger until you are absolutely ready to shoot.
When in the woods, you must wear fluorescent
orange so other hunters can identify you clearly. With the use of tree stands, wear a safety
harness or restraint to ensure that if you do lose your balance you will not
fall to the ground. Never shoot the gun
directly upwards or at a high angle because the bullet will have enough energy
to travel another 1 ½ miles.
For the
other half of the population, that may not have Buck Fever but dread driving
during deer season for the fear of deer crossing the road, follow these safety
tips. Throughout the fall months, deer
cross roads more often to find a mate during “rut”. Last year, there were 124,000 deer-vehicle
accidents reported. This statistic put
Pennsylvania second in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions resulting in a 1
in 76 chance of hitting a deer.
Remember, that deer travel in packs so if one crosses the road, watch
for others. Deer are more active from
sunset to sunrise so if traveling during those hours keep an eye out. When a deer crosses in front of you, the
first instinct for some is to swerve, that is actually the worst thing that you
could do. If you swerve, you have a
greater chance of losing control of your car and flipping or hitting another
vehicle.
So if
you will be traveling on the road or in the woods this deer season, use caution
and remember these safety tips! To all
safe travels and to those of you that have caught BUCK FEVER, good luck!
