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8 Gun Safety Tips For Parents

Every single year there are over 31,000 deaths because of guns. There are even more injuries than that. What’s tragic is that these accidental shootings can be prevented.

While it is of the utmost importance for everyone to have gun knowledge, if you’re going to have a gun in the same home as a child or teenager, it becomes even more imperative.

Here are 8 gun safety tips every parent should know about.

1. Be on the same page as your partner

It may seem like an afterthought, but gun safety begins with you and your partner teaching the same lesson to your child. When each parent has a different idea about gun safety the child will have a muddled idea about what’s right and what’s wrong.

Take the time to go through a step by step plan with your partner before you start teaching your child. This will be a great time to get all the information needed for gun safety and to create a plan of attack.

2. Real or Fake

There are thousands of different kind of toy guns; some of them super over the top and absurd, others strikingly realistic. It is crucial that your kid knows what is a real gun and what is a fake gun.

Many accidents happen each year when a child doesn’t think the gun is real only to be surprised by firing off a round at someone.

This leads us to our next tip…

3. Always Assume

If your child is not sure a gun is real or fake, they should always assume that it is in fact real. It is necessary that your child treats any unknown gun as if it is a real one.

And they must always assume that the gun, whether real or fake, is loaded. Never assume a gun is not an immediate threat, especially when they find one unexpectedly. They should, in this situation, leave the gun alone and go and find an adult immediately.

4. Not “Adult Supervision”

Adult Supervision is not enough to handle a gun. How would you feel if your child was playing at a friend’s house only to have some unknown adult say it’s okay for them to see or touch a gun they have?

That is absolutely not okay but it is technically ‘adult supervision’.

Make sure you teach your child that they are only allowed to touch a gun with you or your partner and have specific permission. Sadly, some adults are not meant to be trusted and if they feel uncomfortable with an adult trying to show them a gun they should leave immediately and come find you.

5. No Pressure

Explicitly tell them that no real friend would ever, ever pressure them into touching a gun or ask them to get one of your guns.

If they do have a friend like that, your child has to know they can come to you and tell you and you will not get mad at them.

Many times a child will keep something secret, something dangerous, just because they think they might get in trouble with their parent. Make sure they know they can express something like this, even if they already made a mistake, and you’ll be on their side.

While teaching your child is of the utmost importance, there is more you can do. The last few tips were about communication and teaching. The next couple will be more physical deterrents you can take.

6. Store Apart

You should make sure that the gun and ammo are never stored in the same location. Keeping the gun and ammo apart should make it extra difficult for a mistake to occur.

Another good idea is to have different locks for each of them. Say you have a key to your gun safe. You’d want a number lock to where you keep the ammo. And do NOT keep the key to your gun safe with the ammo.

7. More Locks

Not only should the gun and the ammo be under lock, but a trigger lock is a great idea, too. Each layer of protection you create will dramatically reduce the chances of something terrible happening.

Each lock and key, or code, should not lead to one of the others or ever be stored in the same place.

8. Teach

Finally, the best way to protect you, your partner, your children, and everyone else comes with teaching. The more your child knows about how to handle a gun, what is allowed and what is not allowed, the safer everyone will be.

Most of the time the mistakes that come from guns are because of ignorance, a lack of knowing. When you teach your child openly, they will have respect for the destructive and awesome power of a gun.

Having a safe home is a must if you are going to have a gun and a child co-exist. While the news might be full of horrible situations, you can prevent them as much as possible by following these steps.

If, for any reason, you don’t feel that you or your child is safe with a gun in the house, then get rid of the gun. You can keep your gun somewhere else and the peace of mind you’ll have for yourself and your family will be irreplaceable.

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7 Unusual Hunting Laws You Should Know About

Whether you think you saw Bigfoot, are feeling a little sleepy, or aren’t quite sure what a camel is doing in Arizona, these 7 strange hunting laws are for you.

Some of these laws are creations of necessity, long past gone. Others happened just by chance. But all of them are certainly bizarre!

Here are seven hunting laws that are just plain old weird.

Bigfoot – Big Myth, Real Laws

Where:

California, New York, Texas, Washington.

What:

Well, even though he’s myth and legend, there are several laws pertaining to Bigfoot, or Sasquatch. In California, you cannot hunt him in anyway. In New York, you can only photograph him. In Texas, you can actually hunt him to your heart’s content (good luck)! Washington is the the opposite of Texas, as you cannot even harass him (that’s right, you can’t even ask to take a selfie with you).

Pays to be Different

Where:

Tennessee

What:

It is illegal to shoot an Albino deer in Tennessee. This may sound pretty normal, but you have to understand that an albino deer isn’t genetically different than a regular colored deer. There is no real reason for this law to exist. In fact, when they were discussing hunting laws in Tennessee the person that created this law actually said there was no reason for it, they just thought it would be cool. And now it’s a law.

Leave Joe Cool Alone!

Where:

Arizona

What:

It is illegal to hunt CAMELS in Arizona. Yes, camels. If you frequent Arizona, you probably can’t remember a time you saw a camel walking around the desert. Now… there’s more to the story. This law was only implemented during the Civil War when the US Army imported camels to Arizona because they could handle the heat and carry more than any horse or donkey. Well, after the experiment ended (people loved the camels, by the way) the remaining camels were either sold or let loose. At this point, it was made illegal to hunt camels just to make sure they weren’t picked off prematurely. But now, there’s just no reason for it.

Like a Deer in Headlights

Where:

West Virginia and Tennessee

What:

You don’t need to hit a great shot with your rifle or bow to bring home some grub in these two states. Here, you can bring home any roadkill that you find while out on your travels. Yes, FIND. You don’t need to be the one to do the deed, you just need to find it. Bon Appétit!

No Photography… Kind Of

Where:

Montana

What:

During the hunting season, Montana has disallowed the use of trail cameras, which may not seem too strange. The strange thing is that during the rest of the year trail cameras are completely legal to use. This makes the law seem flimsy at best, with many hunters having their cameras up right until hunting season starts. Many think this strangely adopted law is sure to be off the books soon.

Stay Awake… or Take Your Shoes Off

Where:

North Dakota

What:

Most people have nodded off while waiting for a deer to wander by. But in North Dakota, that’s illegal. Well. It’s partially. You can’t lie down and have your shoes on, is the law. So as long as you stay off the ground or at least remove your shoes, you should be okay.

I Think I Saw Cupid!

Where:

New Hampshire

What:

In the great state of New Hampshire, bowhunters must have their name and address on every single one of their arrows. While you can probably understand how it might useful to have this information on hand should something go wrong, but it seems like a lot of effort that only New Hampshire is willing to do.

 

Some of these laws are a bit of strange ideas and good intentions. Others are a product of their time. But some just don’t seem to make a lot of sense.

These aren’t the only crazy laws out there so make sure you do a little bit of research before you brave the wild, and the law, the next time you’re out there hunting.

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8 Tips for Duck Hunting This Season

There are a lot of tips out there for any eager waterfowler. While some are repeated forever, on every blog in the world, there are other tips that are truly good ideas that can give you a big advantage the next time you’re on the hunt.

Here are 8 duck hunting tips that should truly give you a better chance of success every time you go out hunting!

Matchmaker

Might sound very obvious, but there are so many waterfowlers fouling this idea up. Match your decoy to the duck you’re hunting. Too often a hunter will use a mallard decoy when they’re hunting wood ducks and wonder why it’s not working.

Be Natural

The best camouflage is waiting for you in nature. Use cord to add another layer of camo to your gear, the vegetation around where you’re hunting is, without a doubt, the best concealment you’re going to get.

Ducks are creatures of habit, instinct dictates their movements. Make them feel right at home!

Gun, Too

It’s funny to spend a lot of time, money, and effort making yourself into the master of camo without camouflaging your gun, too.

When it’s the only thing not in camo, a gun will stand out as a big “Keep Out” sign to your would be prize.

Get Out of the Boat

If you’re bringing your boat along with you, try to hunt away from it. No matter how good your boat cover is, it’s not as good as your cover away from the water. While it may seem time consuming, it’s usually worth it.

Ice Breaker

When it gets colder, you’ll want to be vigilant

 about removing the ice around lakes and ponds when you can.

Breaking up the ice and clearing it away will give your prey a prime landing spot when they come around.

Try to break it up into big chunks when possible as they are easier to move. If the ice is thin and you break it up into smaller chunks, use a net to remove as much as you can.

Wind is… North? South?

You’ll hear a lot of tips about watching the wind when you’re hunting. But really knowing which way the wind is blowing is kinda hard.

How many times have you taken up a handful of dried grass, tossed it in the air, and watched it fall right back down… But you can feel the wind.

A simple way to get a real feel for the wind is to have a small bottle of baby powder you can squeeze out. The powder is so light that even the smallest amount of wind will be obvious and it will show you exactly where it’s blowing.

Speaking of Wind

Most waterfowlers agree that having the wind to their back is best when setting up their shots.

But in truth, this only gives you one good shot at any ducks. After you fire once, the ducks will be retreating away from you so your follow up shots are only worse.

Instead, have the wind be to your side. This way when the ducks react to your first shot, after they cross you, they’ll likely turn around and have to cross you again, giving you a better chance on your second and third shots.

Create your Own Runway

For some, clearing the ice around a pond or lake is too much work, especially if it gets really cold.

Instead of doing that, you can create a faux-landing spot for ducks.

With a simple clear plastic tarp you can make a decoy water spot on dried land.

Try to find a small divot in a field. Remove any branches, grass tufts, or anything else that might poke up. Lay the clear plastic tarp on the ground and sprinkle with a little bit of water. From the air this will look like a clear landing pond and you’ll be able to create your own action.

 

Don’t try to use any decoys on your fake pond though, the lack of movement is too obvious to most cunning ducks.

Ducks are clever, amazing animals. Luckily, we can use their intelligence against them and give us really good chances to bag more ducks than the next waterfowler. Hopefully these tips will lead you to more fun and successful hunts.

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7 Tips For Planning A Deer Hunting Trip

If you’re planning a deer hunting trip for the first time or are trying to plan one that was better than last year’s disaster (it happens) then you’re in the right place!

Planning a trip takes a lot of effort, research, and thought. What might work for one person may not work for you. It’s important to take in account your own preference and skills and apply them when applicable.

After all, only you can truly know exactly what you want from a deer hunting trip. But these 7 tips should help!

Not All States Are Equal

The first thing most people do when planning a deer hunting trip is pick the state to visit. Which state? Well, usually it’s Illinois, Iowa, or Kansas. Why?

Because those states are renowned for having big bucks and great places for hiking and camping.

You know what else they’re renowned for?

Big prices!

If you can find a good deal for a week’s stay in these states, that’s great. But for most of us we should look at Indiana, Kentucky, or Wisconsin. These states have comparable bucks, comparable feel, but a very different price tag!

For some of us though, the things that makes a state expensive aren’t important to us. If you can find yourself a great plan in a state that is absurdly cheap, then it’s even better!

Crossing The Border

If you want to cross the border and do some hunting in Canada, you’ll need to do a little bit of extra planning.

First off, you’ll need to have all the proper paperwork, like your passport and a Canadian Firearms Declaration Form. You can save time by printing this off at home and filling it out. But do NOT sign it at home, you’ll have to do that with the right people as witnesses.

And you’ll also need an Export form for bringing home anything you bag. These are pretty easy to fill out and only have a small fee attached.

Get Permission

You’ll also need the right permissions, whether it be a permit or verbal, to hunt where you’re hunting. Every state and every location is different, so you’ll need to do a little bit of digging first.

Hunting in an open area in one state will require different permissions than hunting on your friend’s private property in your home state, so much sure you know exactly what you need before you head out.

Pack Accordingly

Every single state during each season will warrant a different collection of gear, clothes, and food to enjoy it as much as possible.

If this is your first time going to this location during this season, make sure you do some research to figure out what kind of weather, temperatures, and landscape you can expect.

Some might be tempted to pack for all occasions, just in case, but you will quickly find yourself with way too much gear and nowhere near enough room, or muscle, to carry it all.

Also, you want to make sure you’re prepared to bring home your big buck should you score it. It would be a real tragedy to make your shot only to realize you can’t bring it home.

Hire A Guide

A lot of popular places will offer guides you can hire. This obviously has pros and cons. A few pros are you’ll be better prepared, have a better chance of bagging a big deer (especially if you’re new to this), and you’ll feel safer the whole time.

A few cons would be it’s more expensive, you’re now sharing your vacation with a complete stranger, and you won’t have the freedom that many of us desire.

It’s up to you, of course, whether a guide is worth it. In general, if this is your first time doing a hunting trip like this, a guide might offer you a safe way to experience it and then, after this, you won’t need to hire another one again.

Practice

No matter what you’re using for hunting; gun, bow, crossbow, etc. you’ll want to make sure that you’re practicing before you go. 

Nothing is worse than hitting the trails, camping for days, and finally lining up a shot to bag a big buck and then you miss.

You’re never going to 100% sure you’ll hit every shot, but hunting is a muscle. The more you work that muscle the better you get at it, so make sure you practice.

Exercise

Much like practicing for your big shot, you also want to make sure you have plenty of time to exercise before your trip. Sometimes the best spot to bag a big buck is miles and miles away from where you’re camping.

If you’re not in proper shape, this can ruin your trip completely and reduce your accuracy when you do finally try to take a shot.

Every hunting trip will be unique. The location, the season, the people, the game, the mood, and so on will always be a little bit different. But planning the right amount will allow you to enjoy this unique experience without missing out or stressing.

So allow yourself to take the time to make a good, solid plan, follow it through, and then have yourself one hell of a vacation!

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5 Rifle Cleaning Mistakes People STILL Make

It seems like once a week you find out about some idiot that accidentally fired off their gun while cleaning it.

It can be easy to separate from these ‘idiots’ but you’re only one mistake, one second of not paying attention to be grouped with them.

So, to keep yourself from becoming one of them, here are 5 mistakes people keep making… so now you won’t!

Mistake 1: Not making sure the gun is unloaded

Before you start cleaning your rifle, or any gun, you must make sure it is unloaded. Completely. There shouldn’t even be any ammo in the room where you’re cleaning. There’s no reason for it to be nearby.

Now, you must be sure the gun is unloaded. Not a friend. Not your dad. Not the pope. It’s up to you and no one else to make sure a gun is unloaded and stays that way.

Mistake 2: Rushing

Rushing while cleaning a gun is a great way to make sure you make mistakes. Now, maybe the mistake won’t be hurting anyone, but you’ll probably have a very bad time on your hands.

Not only will you be likely not to fully clean your rifle, but you’ll also be more likely to break it.

Cleaning a rifle should be a timeless activity. There is not a time or deadline set to the event. It takes as long as it takes, let yourself take the time.

Besides, most find the cleaning of their rifle to be a zen like experience, one where worry and panic fade into relief and happiness.

Mistake 3: Pointing The Muzzle Around

Sure, you made certain that the gun was unloaded. But that doesn’t mean you should be pointing it at anything you want. You should, always, treat a gun as if it were loaded. Never point it at anything that you don’t want to shoot.

Always keep the muzzle down and always know what or who is on the other side of every wall. A few inches of sheetrock and wood will not stop a bullet.

Also, never play around with the gun. Sometimes when you’re cleaning a gun with a friend, it may be fun to mess around. This is a big no. Horseplay will result in either you likely to break your gun or you’ll end up pointing it somewhere you shouldn’t.

Mistake 4: Thoroughness

There are numerous steps to cleaning a rifle. Slowly taking apart each piece, laying it out in order, cleaning each piece meticulously, and then slowly putting it back together.

Thoroughness on each step is needed if you’re going to have a better weapon on your hands after cleaning.

Most of the time people have a good idea about taking the rifle apart and cleaning the pieces. It’s the reassembling that tends to be the problem.

Each piece should fall into place with little difficulty. When you do face resistance, take a second to clear your mind. Take the piece out and try it again. Most of the time this blockage is a sign that you should not apply more force, something important is not right. Resetting is a great way to put yourself in the right mindset and it usually figures itself out.

Mistake 5: Make it last

I think we were all surprised by how much lubricant we used the first time we cleaned our rifle. It takes a lot of help to keep this pile of metal pieces working efficiently and for many years to come.

Don’t limit how much lubricant you need to use in order to get your rifle right. Have plenty on hand and treat each piece as its own thing. As long as each piece is ready, when you put it together, you’ll have a gun that is ready to use and ready to last.

These five mistakes are the most common ones people keep making when cleaning their rifle. Cleaning your rifle is as serious as shooting your rifle. While these people may act extremely careful, prepared, and diligent when firing their gun, they don’t always have the same respect when it comes to cleaning it, as they should.

A rifle is always a weapon. And it always demands respect.

Happy cleaning!