Essential Hunting Safety Tips for Every Season

Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities in America when done correctly, and one of the most dangerous when done carelessly. Every year, preventable accidents — treestand falls, firearm incidents, weather exposure — cut seasons short and change lives. Here are the safety fundamentals that every Nebraska hunter should follow, every hunt, no exceptions.

Treestand Safety

Treestand falls are the number one cause of serious hunting injuries in the United States. More hunters are hurt falling from stands than from any other cause, including firearm accidents. The solution is simple and non-negotiable: wear a full-body harness every single time you leave the ground.

Modern safety harnesses are lightweight, comfortable, and designed to be worn all day. A quality harness with a lineman's belt for climbing and a tether for in-stand use costs less than a decent pair of hunting boots. There is no excuse for climbing without one.

Use a lifeline — a rope that runs from the base of the tree to above your stand — so you are connected from the moment you leave the ground until the moment you return to it. The most dangerous moments are climbing up and climbing down, and a lifeline keeps you attached through both.

Inspect your equipment before every season. Check straps, buckles, carabiners, and the stand platform itself. Ratchet straps and chains degrade over time, especially when left out in Nebraska weather year-round. If anything looks worn, frayed, or corroded, replace it.

Firearm Handling

The basic rules of firearm safety have not changed in a century, and they do not need to. Violating any one of them can result in tragedy.

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Always. Even when you just cleared the chamber. Even when someone hands you a gun and says it is empty. Check it yourself and handle it as though it is loaded anyway.

Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy. Muzzle discipline is the foundation of safe gun handling. Know where your muzzle is pointed at all times — climbing in and out of vehicles, crossing fences, walking with hunting partners, and sitting in a blind.

Be absolutely certain of your target and what is beyond it. In the excitement of seeing game, it is easy to rush a shot. Take the extra second to positively identify your target. In low light, in brush, at distance — if there is any doubt, do not shoot.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire. This simple discipline prevents the vast majority of unintentional discharges. Your finger rests along the receiver or trigger guard until the instant you decide to shoot.

Tell Someone Your Plan

Before every hunt, tell someone where you are going, when you plan to be back, and what to do if you do not return on time. This is especially important for solo hunters working remote public land in western Nebraska, the Sandhills, or the Pine Ridge — areas where cell service is nonexistent and help could be hours away.

Leave a written note with your vehicle's location, the area you plan to hunt, and your expected return time. If something goes wrong — a treestand accident, a medical emergency, getting lost — this information gets search-and-rescue moving in the right direction.

Weather Awareness in Nebraska

Nebraska weather is extreme and unpredictable. A bluebird October morning can become a 40-mile-per-hour north wind by noon. A November rain can turn to freezing rain and coat everything in ice within an hour. December hunts bring sub-zero wind chills that create genuine hypothermia and frostbite risk.

Check the forecast before every hunt and prepare for conditions worse than predicted. Carry extra layers in your pack even if the morning is mild. Bring fire-starting materials in late season. Know the signs of hypothermia — uncontrollable shivering, confusion, slurred speech — and do not hesitate to end a hunt early if conditions deteriorate.

First Aid Kit Essentials

Carry a basic first aid kit on every hunt. At minimum, include adhesive bandages, gauze pads, medical tape, a tourniquet, antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen, and a space blanket. A tourniquet can be life-saving in the event of a broadhead or knife cut that hits a major blood vessel. Learn how to use one before you need it.

A charged cell phone (even without service, for GPS and emergency SOS on newer models) and a whistle for signaling should be in your pack on every hunt.

Hunting safely is not complicated. Wear the harness, handle firearms properly, tell someone your plan, respect the weather, and carry the basics. These habits cost nothing and protect everything.