Hunter Safety is essential with hunting season right around the corner

BOZEMAN — With hunting season coming, it’s important to stay safe in the backcountry with your firearm.
To purchase a Montana Hunting License, you’re required to take a hunter’s safety course if you were born after January 1^st, 1985 that is approved by Montana fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
FWP will teach you many things about firearm safety in the backcountry, but before practicing at a range, or heading out into the field, always remember the first thing that any instructor will teach you.
"Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, a safe direction is in the direction of something you want to take game wise. Finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, keep the gun unloaded until ready to use," Public relations/marketing manager of Zero In Indoor Shooting Center said, Lee Williams said.
Lots of hunters first time hunters are inexperienced so it’s important that they know the basics and safety to make hunting a activity that’s both enjoyable in safe.
"To be able to do that the right way, you want to make sure you take them out without a live animal and teach them the basics that they need to know," Williams added.
This is especially important for young children who are under the age of 12 and must do the apprenticeship program to hunt.
"If you’re taking your son or daughter out for the first time through the apprenticeship program who haven’t had a chance to take hunter safety, you want to go over the basics with them," said Williams. "Teach them how the firearm works what it does what it can do. Bring them into a range let them get familiar with it, have one of us help out with instruction with safety and basics as well."
The Montana Hunter’s Safety certificate is accepted in all states that require mandatory hunter education.