New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today that the 2019 hunting seasons in New York were the safest on record. DEC documented seven tree stand incidents and one fatality in 2019.
"Nearly 550,000 New Yorkers and visitors enjoy the sport of hunting each year and the declining number of hunting incidents confirms that today's generation of hunters are the most safety conscious yet," Commissioner Seggos said. "Thanks to the efforts of DEC staff and volunteer hunter education program instructors that teach close to 40,000 students each year, hunting has continued to be a safe and enjoyable activity in New York State."
Of the 12 Hunting Related Shooting Incidents (HRSIs) that occurred last year, seven were two-party firearm incidents, five were self-inflicted, and one resulted in a fatality. All of these incidents could have been prevented if hunting safety rules had been followed. The one fatal incident was caused by a failure to positively identify the target.
Further examination of the seven two-party firearm incidents reveals that four of the victims involved were not wearing hunter orange, reinforcing the importance of identifying the target and beyond, and wearing hunter orange or pink when afield, two of the major principles of DEC's hunter safety courses. For more information on hunter safety basics, visit DEC's website.
