Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1972-09-14, Page 18Wi e -Tunes Thursda Se a t. 14 1972 IN SINGLE FILE on the trail, the front gun should point that way, with the following gun in the sling position or over the shoulder. Muzzle control should become second nature with a good hunter. G'unsafet re ven tin By Art Elliott Now that a few ducks are start- ing to show up and the leaves are about to turn, a young man's fan- cy will turn to thoughts of old Bet- sy, the 12 -gauge, and partridge breasts and rabbit tenderloin, venison stew and moose T-bones. Many treasured weapons will come down frail' the gun rack for a fond cleaning and polishing. The waders and bush boots will dragged out from the back of the closet. Inevitably, every gunner going into the field will have to secure a hunting license, whether it be for small game.such as rabbit, phea- sant, grouse, partridge, coon, fox or wolves; deer permit for deer and bear; moose license. The three types cost $3, $10 and $15, with a special rate on the deer li- cense for farmers of $5. They are available from license issuers at many points in the area or from the Wingham office of the Minis- try of Resources: Non-residents pay $125 for the package. It's not quite that simple though. Young hunters attaining the age of 15 must have parental permission to obtain a license. Those 15 to 19 must take a government approved course in safe gun handling from one of several official instructors in the area, then take a written and. practical examination adminis- tered by the. Ministry. Older hun- ters unable ,to produce a pre- viously purchased license are obliged to take the examination, and many of these could profit by the gun safety'course as. well. ,Safety Instructors Hunter safety instructors in this area include Borden Jenkins of Wingham; Jim Turvey, Brus- sels;,, Walter Breckles at Kin - 1 lough and Manfred Dierolf, God,. erich. The first course in the Wingham area is set for Septem- un ber 19 and arrangements should be made well in advance. The day before the season opens is ix) time FIRING AT UNIDENTIFIED targets accounts for many fatalities and woundings. In this example a man crawling under a deadfall might sound and look like a bear or deer to a trigger-happy gunner. If you don't know, don't shoot. It could be your partner. (Staff Photo) - �i to start thinking about a 'license. The fee schedule ranges from $3 to $5 for the safety course; $3 for the examination and $3 for the small game license. A summary of the Ontario hunting regulations is available from instructors or the Wingham office of the Ministry of Re- sources:Also available is a folder on "I -low ta qualify for a hunting license in Ontario" and other helpful literature for the fisher- man, boater and hunter. Curbs Accidefs Conservation Officer Blake Smith, in an interview at the Min- istry office here recently, stated that hunter safety training in On- tario over the past several years has resulted in a fifty percent de- cline in serious hunting acci- dents, despite the fact that gun - toting population continues to grow. ' "The program has demonstrat- ed that it is very much worth while from the standpoint of this important prevention of fatalities and serious injuries," he pointed. out, "but we must keep pounding away on the 'ten commandments' (of hunter safety) not only for the youngsters joining the ranks of hunters, but the veterans too. Men who should know better are still careless when it comes to gun handling," he said. The "ten commandments" of gun safety referred to are: Treat every gun as though it were a loaded gun; be sure of your target before you squeeze the trigger; never point a gun at anything you do not want to kill; always carry your gun so that the muzzle is under control at all times; guns must always be un- loaded when carried into camp or not in use; make sure barrel and action are clear of obstructions; unattended guns should be un- loaded; never climb a fence or accidents jump a ditch with a loaded gun; never shoot at flat or hard objects or the surface of water; avoid al- coholic drinks. Give Demonstration On a recent afternoon, conser- vation officers of the Winghamr office of the Ministry of Re- sources volunteered to . demon- strate some of the , rights and wrongs of gun bandling in the field, resulting in the photos which appear in this issue of The Advance -Times. There are many others which could not be illus- trated here for lack of space, but they are mainly based on com- mon sense, with the theme of "muzzle control" being vital to safe hunting. ^���� ARE �! AAA and L_ !, GUNS NOT PROPS should never be used, o ieah upon at anytime, particularly when loaded. It Looks so ob- viously dangerous, but every fall some learn the hard way and die or limp for the resf'of their lives. (Staff Photo) TWO HUNTERS TOGETHER at a fence can quickly and safely cross by unloading guns and handing them from one to the other across the fehce as demonstrated by Ken Hehry. and Lorne Campbell of the Ministry of Resources staff. Young hunters have a better chance to grow old this way. (Staff Photo) • ACCIDENTAL SUICIDE could be the title fdr this picture as Ken Henry demonstrates how a hunter SHOULD NEVER attempt to cross a fence or deadfall. Recommend- ed procedure is to unload gun or break action,' lean it solidly against far side of fence at a post, then climb over at the EST solid post. Hunters live longer if they do,'t climb ob- tacles with loaded guns. Climbing between posts damages en ces too. (Staff Photo) 'HUNTERS APPROACHED by anyone'must take care that their~ guns do not point at a person. Muzzle control is vital, especially when meeting a ,conservation officer such as Blake Smith Ot left, who would be justified in this example in laying a careless gun handl- ing charge under the Fish and Game Ad which can carry a heavy penalty. (Staff Photo) TURN ON! With a Fall Tune Up Improved gas mileage and performance , Better cold weather starting DIAGNOSTIC CIAL TUNE UP We will analyze your engine with our new DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSER CHECk PLUGS POINTS CONDENSER GAS FILTER PCV VALVE PCV FILTER LABOR 8 CYLINDER - ;10.50 6 CYLINDER -X7.00 EVENING SERVICE * BY APPOINTMENT 10% DISCOUNT ON ALL PARTS WHEN SIDE BY SIDE in the field, hunters should carry guns in such'a way that they point away from anyone. It's an obvious rule frequently broken, with sad results. (Staff Photo) A FREQUENT AND LEGITIMATE "beef" from farmers is about those ignorant hunters who persist in firing at pidgeons on a barn rood. Its frequently damages the roof, causing it to leak, can frighten stock or poultry, startles the farmer, his wife and children and in this case could draw a charge of shooting from a road allowance which is taboo. It also creates ill feeling resulting in much Ibnd being posted. WINE,HAM 357-2323 GM MARK OF EXCELLENCE immmoisompek Come over and havd'a laugh at "The Sign of the Goose" painted by Guenter, Helm. BETTER IDEALS MAKE BETTER, DEALS AT THE SIGN OF THE GOOSE M u• p 6