Name: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources official emphasizes importance of rifle safety
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West Virginia Division of Natural Resources official emphasizes importance of rifle safety

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Skip to main contentYou are the owner of this article.Edit ArticleAdd New ArticleYou have permission to edit this article.EditE-EditionsSubscribeMarketplaceNewslettersWV NewsThe Exponent TelegramThe State JournalBlue Gold NewsPreston County NewsFairmont NewsBridgeport NewsWeston DemocratGarrett RepublicanMorgantown NewsJackson Star and HeraldMineral News and TribuneRiver Cities NewsMountain StatesmanRecord DeltaYour Bulletin BoardWVWheelsQuizzesContestsHomeNewsSportsBusinessEntertainmentOpinionObituariesClassifiedsNewsletterse-EditionAdvertiseTVMarketplaceSubmit a TipServicesSubscribeSubmit an ObitSubmit a LegalCapt. Warren Goodson wants to remind hunters to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange this hunting season.As rifle hunting seasons approach, Capt. Warren Goodson of the West Virginia DNR urges all hunters to be safe.GoodsonCapt. Warren Goodson wants to remind hunters to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange this hunting season.As rifle hunting seasons approach, Capt. Warren Goodson of the West Virginia DNR urges all hunters to be safe.CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) — Deer rifle season in West Virginia is right around the corner, and that means more people will be in the woods and carrying firearms.West Virginia Division of Natural Resources officials stress hunting and firearm safety as a way of preventing a tragic mistake or becoming a part such an incident.“The DNR has firearm safety at the top of their list of priorities during the fall season,” said DNR Capt. Warren Goodson. “You have to think of it this way: You are carrying an item that burns gunpowder and shoots a projectile a long distance and has quite a lot of power behind it.”The state agency offers safety courses online, Goodson said.“The online option gives the people who want to take the course the leisure to take the majority of the course at home,” he said. “We still require people to come in and do the firearm safety training in person just as a precaution.”The DNR still offers in-person classes as well, Goodson said.“While taking the course in person, people will be there for 10 hours, which includes the hands-on portion and the exam,” he said. “At the end of the hands-on portion of the course, you will be required to take a 50-question exam to prove [you] have absorbed the information given.”Courses have been held since July, Goodson said.“The DNR encourages those who want to take the course [to do so] sooner rather than later,” he said. “Officers who conduct the course will be in the woods more often with the hunting season setting in.”With hunting being a huge part of West Virginia’s culture, having proper training is important, Goodson said.“I see it as essential to have a hunter education course,” he said. “The biggest part of the course is being aware of where the muzzle of your firearm is pointing. We have been teaching this course for years.”The course is having the intended impact, Goodson said.“West Virginia is lucky to not have as many Class A hunting accidents as we used to,” he said. “When I say Class A hunting accident, I mean a hunter accidentally shooting another hunter. Our biggest safety issue now is when it comes to tree stands.”Some of the success can be attributed to the guidelines they have put into place, Goodson said.“The WVDNR requires all hunters to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange,” he said. “This is to make known to other hunters that you are a hunter and not wildlife. This is the main [factor in] the decrease in hunters accidentally shooting other hunters. I always say this when I teach: I want you to look like a giant pumpkin.”“Please wear your blaze orange,” said Hunter Bunch, manager at McFly Outdoors in Bridgeport.When it comes to killing a deer, hunters need to be wary of what they shoot, Goodson said.“The DNR strongly encourages folks who are wanting to claim a trophy make sure the antlers on the buck are at least 3 inches above their hairline. We want to make sure only mature bucks are being hunted,” he said.Hunters should always be aware of what is at the other end of their gun’s barrel, Bunch said.“The biggest tip I have for hunters going out into the woods is to be mindful of where you are shooting,” he said. “Try to avoid shooting into brush where you vision is obstructed.”“Always check in what you shoot,” Goodson added.Trees can be just as deadly as a rifle if one is not careful, Goodson said.“My final tip I have is to make sure if you hunt out of a tree stand, you are secured to the tree,” he said. “People falling out of tree stands is the leading cause of hunting-related accidents in the state.”For those who want to get their license online can do so at register-ed.com.Gun buck season begins Nov. 20 and lasts until Dec. 3.Load commentsLog InKeep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. 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West Virginia Division of Natural Resources official emphasizes importance of rifle safety

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