Main Causes of Hunting Incidents
- The four main types of hunting-related shooting incidents are:
- Hunter Judgment Mistakes, such as mistaking another person for game or not checking the foreground or background before firing
- Safety Rule Violations, including pointing the muzzle in an unsafe direction and ignoring proper procedures for crossing a fence, obstacle, or difficult terrain
- Lack of Control and Practice, which can lead to accidental discharges and stray shots
- Mechanical Failure, such as an obstructed barrel or improper ammunition
- From the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) 2007 Industry Intelligence Reports, these are the most common causes of hunting incidents:
- Failure to identify the target (15.5%)
- Shooter swinging on game (12.8%)
- Careless handling of a firearm (11.4%)
- Victim out of sight of the shooter (8.3%)