Monday December 2nd will be opening day for some controlled deer hunts and muzzleloader deer seasons across much of Southern and Central Ontario. The Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) wants to take this opportunity to remind hunters to always practice safe and responsible hunting.
All hunters are responsible to ensure they are always handling firearms in a safe manner at all times. “Safe use of firearms can’t be stressed enough” says OCOA President Joe McCambridge. “All hunters heading out need to remember to practice safe firearm handling at all times”.
The OCOA would like remind all hunters to remember ACTS and PROVE:
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Assume every firearm is loaded
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Control the muzzle direction at all times
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Trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and out of the trigger guard
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See that the firearm is unloaded – PROVE it safe
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Point the firearm in the safest available direction
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Remove all ammunition
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Observe the chamber
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Verify the feeding path
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Examine the bore
“We want everyone to have an enjoyable hunt and by remembering these safety rules we can ensure that the sport of hunting will continue to be enjoyed by all outdoors people in Ontario” concludes McCambridge.
Anyone with information about a natural resources or public safety related offence is encouraged to call the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources violation reporting line at 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667), contact their local CO directly, or call Crime Stoppers at 1800-222-TIPS (8477).
For more information contact:
Joe McCambridge
President
Ontario Conservation Officers Association
(613) 732-2242
jmccambridge@ocoa.ca