Sheriff Reminds Deer Hunters Safety Should be the Priority

Oakland County, MI – Oct 10, 2022 – Nature’s glorious ever-changing palette of color and crisp temperatures that kick your home furnace into action are unmistakable signs of fall in Michigan.

For many, those fall indicators mean that deer hunting season is upon us. Beginning Saturday, Oct 1 and lasting until Nov 14, Michigan’s bow hunting season will send hunting enthusiasts into the wooded areas of Oakland County and beyond. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard encouraged hunters to exercise caution and common sense during the bow season and the firearm hunting season, which runs for two weeks beginning Nov 15.

“Being outdoors in Michigan during the fall is one of the best times of the year in one of the most amazing places in the world,” Bouchard said. “Please be cautious to make sure that is not a time of unnecessary tragedy. Follow basic safety protocols and make memories, not injuries.”

The sheriff reminds hunters that the following tips will make their hunting experience safer for everyone.


Safe Hunting Tips

When bow hunting:

• Prior to each use, check your bow and arrows for signs of damage or wear.

• Only point your bow and arrow in a safe direction.

• Only nock an arrow when it is safe to shoot.

• Be sure of your target and what is in front of it, immediately behind it, and beyond it.

• Only shoot when you have a safe range or shooting area, as well as a safe backstop or background.

• Do not shoot at an animal standing on a ridge top (a “skyline” shot) where you cannot identify a safe background.

• Do not drink alcohol or take mood-altering drugs before or during bow hunting. It is illegal to hunt while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Let family or friends know exactly where you will be hunting.

• Dress properly for the worst weather conditions you may encounter.

• Carry basic survival gear every time you go into the field, even for short hikes.

• When climbing into an elevated stand, always attach yourself to the tree from the time you start climbing until you are back on the ground.

• Use a full-body harness that is attached so that you will drop less than a foot if you fall.


When hunting with firearms:

• Always tell someone where you are hunting and when you are expecting to return.

• Treat every weapon as if it were loaded. This means point the muzzle in a safe direction and do not put your finger on the trigger unless you are prepared to shoot. Making this a habit will keep you and your hunting partners safe.

• When hunting with a firearm you must wear hunter's orange. This must be visible from all sides and worn on any hunting property. This will make you visible to other hunters in the area.

• Wear hearing and eye protection. It is required at the range, and you should do the same while hunting. Protect your sight and hearing from damage.

• Hunting from a tree, raised platform, or scaffold with a firearm is legal, but extra caution must be used when climbing up or down. Do not carry a loaded weapon as you climb. Falls are one of the fastest growing injuries to sportsmen and women.

For more saftey tips CLICK HERE

October 10, 2022, Oakland County Sheriff and Rochester.Life staff