Hunting is a dangerous activity and while there is much coverage of gun safety there is almost no coverage of hunting knife safety. The potential to severely injure yourself with a knife exists anytime you have hunting knives in your proximity. It could be from a slice while using or a fall and an improperly stored hunting knife. Here are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe on the hunt.
Make sure your hunting knife is in proper working order. This means that if it is a fixed blade knife make sure that it is sharp. Injuries happen with dull knives more often then sharp knives. Make sure the handle is properly secured and that the guard is tight. If it is a folding knife make sure that all pivots and locks are working properly. This also means keep your knife clean so that you can do a quick visible check of the blade and the mechanisms to ensure that everything is functioning properly.
Carrying a hunting knife improperly could also lead to injury. If you are carrying a fixed blade knife, it should always be carried in a sheath that holdings it tightly so that it cannot fall out. You should also take care to position the sheath in an area that will cause you catch the knife between your leg and your body. Falling in this fashion could push the knife through the sheath and lead to serious injury.
When using the knife, yes I know this sounds like a mother, but cut away from yourself when possible. I know it is not always possible and when it is not take extra precaution to control the cut. It can also be very helpful to keep your blade and your handle clean during use. This can be harder than it sounds when skinning a large animal. So take your time and learn how to make the cuts in the most efficient manner.
Taking a little bit of extra time and realizing that a knife can be more dangerous than a gun is an important part of learning safety on the hunt. Hunting is a very rewarding way to spend a vacation and can make memories that last a lifetime, so make sure that your fire arms and your hunting knives are used properly.
April 15th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
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