DNR to introduce new hunter safety champion at the Northwest SportShow in Minneapolis (2005-03-29)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a new number one safety and education program champion: Hunter Ed. Hunter Ed isn't a concept, he's a person who has seen first hand incidents that occur when hunter safety is ignored or someone hasn't taken a DNR hunter education course.

Many of these incidents can be avoided. Hunter Ed knows, because he has seen the way out: DNR hunter education programs including firearms safety training, advanced hunter education, bow hunter education and bear, deer and wild turkey clinics.

People can meet Hunter Ed from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 2. at the DNR booth at the Northwest SportShow which is being held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Hunter Ed will be the person dressed in blaze orange clothing.

This is the 50th anniversary of firearms safety training in Minnesota. Since 1955, 1 million students have been certified which is almost one-in-six Minnesotans. Today, anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979, must complete a hunter safety education program before buying a hunting license.

"When I heard firearms safety training was turning 50 this year," Hunter Ed recalled, "I asked DNR staff for permission to be their hunter education program spokesperson, since I've been involved in the program for decades. I've seen what happens when safety is ignored or someone hasn't completed a DNR hunter safety program."

"We're really excited to have Hunter Ed as our point person emphasizing hunter education and hunter safety," said DNR Chief Conservation Officer Col. Mike Hamm. "We felt the Northwest SportShow in Minneapolis was a great place to introduce Hunter Ed to the public and media."

Since 1994, Minnesota has averaged about 35 non fatal hunting accidents and less than two fatalities per year. Those numbers are dramatically lower than the 1960s when Minnesota averaged 110 non fatal injuries and about 14 fatalities per year. There were no hunting fatalities in 1998 and 2004.

Safety officials credit Minnesota's long-running hunter education program as the primary reason that hunting is safe and getting safer here.

"This has been a long time goal of the DNR," said Hunter Ed. "While one injury is too many; having a year with no fatalities is tremendous."

Hunter Ed sees the safe hunting year as a culmination of Minnesota's volunteer-driven hunter education programs. "We have 6,000 dedicated volunteers who teach more than 23,000 students each year. That is probably the number one reason for the decline," said Hunter Ed.

"More than just the increased visibility, though, Hunter Ed points to the record low count as an indication that hunters overall are paying attention," Hamm said. "We now see hunting incidents become news because they are so rare. We know hunters are making the proper choices out there, as to when and when not to pull the trigger. But even one injury or fatality is one too many. Hunter Ed is going to help us get the word out that hunting is a safe activity and is getting safer due to hunter education programs."

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