GW: Good advice for any state. And the bullet point about not loading an arrow while carrying the crossbow could have saved a life already this season, if it had been followed. A crossbow hunter stabbed his friend, who was walking ahead of him. When his friend stopped suddenly, his back was pierced and he bled to death.
RALEIGH, N.C. – With crossbows now legal for hunting in North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Home From The Hunt campaign recommends some safety guidelines.
“Many of the safety considerations for using a crossbow are the same as a longbow or compound bow,” said Travis Casper, state assistant hunting education coordinator. “Or even a rifle, for that matter. Hunting safety is exercising caution, following manufacturer’s instructions, obeying regulations and putting into practice what you’ve learned in hunter education, no matter what you’re using.”
As with any method of hunting, always point your crossbow in a safe direction; only shoot after positively identifying your target and what’s beyond it. Know your crossbow’s capabilities and limitations, Casper advised.
He also stressed:
* Never carry a crossbow cocked and loaded with an arrow. * Keep fingers and thumb below the rail at all times. * When cocking, be sure that your foot is firmly planted in the cocking stirrup. * Never dry-fire a crossbow (firing without an arrow can cause sudden breakage).
While using a tree stand, all hunters should maintain three points of contact when climbing up or down; wear a full body safety harness; and check belts, chains and attachment cords before use. With a crossbow in a tree stand, Casper said hunters should:
* Cock the crossbow on the ground before climbing. * Load the crossbow only when in hunting position. * Always use a haul line to raise or lower an unloaded crossbow. * Keep the haul line away from the trigger mechanism – haul stock-first. * Clear away any tree branches before taking a shot.
