With September comes the winddown of summer and the first hints of fall. It also means hunting season is back in much of Florida, with bow hunting starting things off. Archery has long been a popular sport amongst 4-H students and hunting enthusiast alike, so it’s always a good time to share some archery safety tips.
Archery Safety Tips
Practicing safety on a daily basis is the best way to avoid accidents with any pastime, and archery is no different. Whether you are shooting indoors to practice your archery skills or outdoors to sharpen up your bow-hunting abilities, these rules will serve you well:
1. Know what is behind your target line. Whether you are shooting at a bullseye target, a deer target, or a bale of hay, you should always know what is behind your target. You should also know what isn’t behind your target line, and that should be humans, animals, and anything you don’t want filled with holes.
2. Keep arrows pointed downrange in a safe direction. This is in case you accidently let an arrow go.
3. Keep arrow tips covered when not in use. When walking around with retrieved arrows, cover the pointed tips.
4. Never retrieve arrows from targets while others are still shooting. Wait until everyone is done shooting before walking to the targets. Archery competitions utilize whistles to let everyone know it’s safe to retrieve arrows.
No matter your age, it’s always important to practice safety. Whether you’re an avid hunter or an archery competitor, I wish you a successful archery season.
CREDIT: DON HARDEN
This column is sponsored by AgAmerica Lending.
BIO: Donald Harden, a Relationship Manager for AgAmerica Lending, grew up in the cattle and citrus business, managing a family ranch of several thousand cattle and horses. He has more than 30 years of experience in the real estate business, and more than 20 years specializing in agricultural sales. Don has owned and operated farm and ranch supply stores, machinery auction companies, and farms. He has served as a director and on the board of the Cattlemen’s Association, as the manufacturer’s representative for ag equipment companies, and as a beef cattle specialist for a national feed company. Don has traveled across the U.S. as a sales rep, conducting seminars and fostering long-lasting business relationships. Don enjoys his work at AgAmerica, as he has never met a stranger. For more information, visit www.AgAmerica.com.