With approximately a week of deer hunting season left, officials with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) are reminding hunters to take measures to ensure their safety. Three fatalities related to falls from treestands have occurred recently in Alabama.

Ray Metzler, hunter education coordinator with ADCNR’s Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, encourages all treestand users to wear a full body harness and attach themselves to the tree from the moment they leave the ground until they have safely descended. “No one ever thinks that they are going to fall, but it does happen,” Metzler said. “And if you do fall from a treestand, wearing a full body harness and making sure it is properly attached could save your life.”

Hunters are also reminded that Alabama law requires them to wear blaze orange while hunting during gun deer season. Carrying and using a flashlight in dim light conditions is also beneficial. “Other hunters will not mistake you for a deer if you carry and use a small flashlight during dim light conditions,” Metzler said. “It’s just one additional safety measure hunters can take.”