Wednesday is the start of Michigan’s firearm deer season, a big date on hunter’s calendars. Before hunters can hit the woods, they have to hit the classroom.
Hunter safety courses are required for anyone born after 1960 that wants a Michigan hunting license. The courses cover things like firearm safety, hunting ethics, regulations, tree stand safety and safe gun storage.
Dan Jennings teaches hunter safety courses at the Berrien County Sportsman's Club. He attributed the drastic drop in deadly hunting accidents to the classes, and the hunter orange laws.
“In the 60s, mid-sixties, there was probably between 10 and 20 firearm deaths during hunting season every year. And that’s fallen to zero and one.”
Jennings said part of the education efforts bleed into older generations as grandparents born before 1960 bring their grandchildren in for classes.
“I think they even come out of the class with a ‘wow, I’ve been doing this all wrong’ I’ve had several grandparents come up and say ‘you guys teach it the right way.’”
Michigan had no hunting-related firearm deaths in 2014 or 2015. The Season starts Wednesday.