After recent accidental shootings, DNR urges hunters to practice caution during deer rifle opener
MINNEAPOLIS — With the Minnesota deer rifle opener set for Saturday, the DNR urges hunters to be extra cautious.
Earlier this month, in separate incidents, two men were accidentally shot by inexperienced hunters during the youth hunting opener. The men suffered non-life threatening injuries, but it's a reminder that accidents are preventable.
"We kind of named this week 'Whitetail Week' for us. We have plenty of sales going on. This is our homecoming," said Sam Oftedahl.
As the week wears on, Capra's Sporting Goods in Blaine will get busier and busier.
Deer hunters are looking for ammunition, blaze orange and a hunting license before Saturday's opener. Oftedahl, Capra's owner, hopes safety doesn't get lost in the excitement.
"As hunters, sometimes we forget that. You are excited about getting that deer and you have to go through those precautions to tell yourself, 'I have to be safe,'" said Oftedahl.
"We have accidents almost every year, so we just want to make sure that people know how to be safe to avoid those accidents," Hannah Wood, DNR conservation officer, said.
Wood is also a former firearms safety instructor. She says hunters of all ages can make mistakes if they're not careful.
"Treat every firearm as if it's loaded. You want to control the muzzle, so don't point it at anything you aren't intending to kill. Keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot," said Wood.
Between 2021 and 2022, there were 13 hunting accidents and one fatality in Minnesota, which prompted at least one change. Hunters are already required to wear blaze orange, but beginning this year their blinds will have to have blaze orange as well. It's a new law that Capra's is happy to see.
"What I would recommend is if you have some old orange, anything that you are not using, drape it over," said Oftedahl. "As hunters our first thing is we have to be safe."
The DNR also said to make sure your gun is unloaded when you are traveling in a vehicle or on an ATV.
They currently have 4,000 firearms safety instructors in the state but are always looking for more. If interested, you can find more information on the DNR's website.