Steve Merlo: Safety first when it comes to guns
| Thursday, Aug 19 2010 07:03 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Aug 19 2010 09:29 PM
Weapon -- An instrument of offensive of defensive combat; something to fight with; anything used, or designed to be used, in destroying, defeating. Weapons can be dangerous and can injure or kill.
You take responsibility of your own personal risk and liability, risk to others, your own property, and the property of others when using a gun. Use guns with care.
Ten Commandments of Firearms Safety:
1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Treat every firearm as though it were loaded.
3. Always make sure the firearm is unloaded and keep the action open except when actually hunting or preparing to shoot.
4. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstruction and that you have the proper ammunition for the firearm you are carrying.
5. Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.
6. Never point a firearm at anything you do not want to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with any firearm.
7. Never climb a fence, tree, or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm.
8. Never shoot at a flat hard surface or water.
9. Store firearms and ammunition separately.
10. Avoid alcohol and other drugs before or during shooting.
And, for kids -- if you find or see any gun, no matter where, never touch it and immediately tell an adult.
Getting started begins with gun safety.
Weston Tkac wanted to start hunting game birds and mammals, but the only way his father would permit it was for the 10-year-old to first memorize the 10-Commandments of Gun Safety. Surprisingly, within a few days the boy had done exactly that, easily answering pointed questions around the house or at the dinner table regarding safe shooting and forcing dad's hand to keep his promise.
I had the privilege of going along with them on their first cottontail rabbit hunt, and after a good warm up session to sight in our rifles, the chase was on. Weston, no stranger to guns, has gone hunting with his father many times before and carried a BB gun since he was five. Taking up the larger and heavier .177 air rifle for hunting was at first a bit of a chore for his size, but before long, his groups got smaller and smaller and finally, with the aid of a rest, he was able to put most of his shots into the center ring.
Our two-pronged attack against the rabbits came next, with Jon aiding and assisting Weston in finding a steady perch whenever we found a bunny, and me following as spotter. Fortunately, the rabbits at this location were very naïve, allowing us to stalk within 20-yards of so of each one before we fired at them.
The kid's a natural. Assisted by a proud father, Weston dropped three great-eating rabbits while missing only two during our hour-long hunt around his Dad's pipe field. Several times, the boy refused to shoot at easy targets because things he didn't want to shoot were in the way, and that really impressed me. When we returned to the vehicles to clean and care for our harvest, he was right there, asking questions and getting his hands dirty with the rest of us.
Now that he's had a taste of real hunting, Weston's next quest is to earn his own, rather than shooting on his Dad's hunting license, by taking the state's mandatory hunter safety course. There is no age limit to obtaining a license--the only requirement being that a person understand and pass a written examination, and I have no doubt he'll be successful.
I think others should emulate the Tkac family's approach to hunting by making gun safety the hub of their shooting lives, too. I also think it's important that each child have a hands-on approach with a parent or adult mentor close at their sides, for more reasons than just shooting.
