The holiday season means different things for different people. Some look forward to wrapping and opening gifts while others anticipate the hours spent decorating their home in festive colors. For hunters, the annual holiday hunt is just as much a part of the holiday ritual. As North Carolinians venture into the woods this month, the Commission’s Home From The Hunt™ campaign reminds hunters to follow basic hunting safety guidelines.

“People look forward to holiday hunting trips together all year long,” said Carissa Shelton, the Commission’s western outreach manager. “With the hustle and bustle of this time of year, it’s important to make sure that safety remains at the front of your mind at all times while in the field.”

Shelton offers four tips for hunters to consider before heading outdoors:

Take time to review hunter education training and equipment instructions.

• Familiarize yourself with all applicable regulations before going afield.
• Repair or replace faulty equipment, especially tree stands, before use. 
• Wear a full-body safety harness and maintain three points of contact while climbing.
  
  Accidents involving tree stands are the leading cause of injury while hunting, so make sure to take adequate time to properly prepare your tree stand and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended safety procedures.
  
  When hunting with a firearm, always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and treat the firearm as if it’s loaded at all times. Hunters should remember to be certain of their target and what is beyond it, and keep their finger off of the trigger until they are ready to shoot.
  
  Hunters must wear blaze orange that is visible from all sides when hunting bear, feral hogs, deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, pheasant or quail with a firearm. Anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season, regardless of whether a firearm or archery equipment is used, must wear hunter orange visible from all sides every day of the week, including on Sundays. 
  
  Following these tips will go a long way to keeping you and your loved ones accident-free during your holiday hunt.