No fatal firearm hunting incident in 2023 or so far in 2024.

As deer hunting has evolved over generations in Wisconsin, several trends have become clear.

Participation is down. Options, including types of legal equipment, are up.

And arguably the most positive change in modern times: deer hunting in the Badger State is safer than it’s ever been.

Data collected by state officials show how deadly the activity used to be for hunters. For example in 1914, 24 hunters were killed and 26 injured in shooting incidents, and in 1970, 13 hunters were killed.

More: What to know about the Wisconsin gun deer hunting season: Dates, licenses, regulations

But in recent years it’s become rare to have a fatality during the gun deer hunting season, historically the period when most shooting incidents occurred.

In fact, six of the gun seasons in the last decade have passed without a shooting fatality.

With the 2024 Wisconsin gun deer season coming up Nov. 23 to Dec. 1, Department of Natural Resources staff held a media briefing Oct. 30 to present the latest information on the deer herd, season outlook and safety tips.

“Our hunting incidents are on a downward trend over the last five seasons,” said Renee Thok, DNR hunter safety administrator.

More: Wisconsin deer harvest in 2024 trending higher than last year

The improvement in Wisconsin deer hunting safety has its roots in a rule that required hunter education training for anyone born after Jan. 1, 1973, and a blaze orange clothing requirement that started in 1980.

Changes in hunter behavior have helped, too. More hunters now hunt from elevated stands, meaning their shots are directed downward and less likely to strike another hunter. Fewer hunters participate in deer drives, too.

Thok began a list of recommendations with the cardinal rules of hunting safety, also known as TAB-K: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded; always point the muzzle in a safe direction; be certain of your target and what’s beyond it; keep your finger out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

Noting the increased use of tree stands, Thok said it was critical to check on the status of buckles and straps on the hunting platforms and replace any that are worn or damaged. She also said hunters should used a full body safety harness to protect against falls and to use three points of contact (for example, two hands and one foot) when climbing or descending.

In addition, hunters should use a lifeline when going up or down a stand.

Thok also touched on the state’s regulation that requires deer hunters to have at least 50% of outer clothing above the waist in blaze orange or fluorescent pink. Hats or head coverings, if worn, must also be at least 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink. Faded or stained clothing is unsafe and should be replaced, according to the DNR.

And it’s also smart for non-hunters and their pets to wear highly visible clothing when outdoors during the gun deer season.

If hunters are using an ATV or UTV, Thok issued a reminder to unload firearms before transporting them.

And she urged people to hunt sober.

Smith: Dr. Robert Riepenhoff, son of my predecessor, takes on firearm injuries and deaths

“Be safe, responsible and sober when in the woods,” Thok said. “Impairment at any time either by drugs or alcohol can have tragic consequences.”

In 2023, 11 shooting incidents were recorded across all Wisconsin’s hunting seasons; none was fatal.

And just three of those incidents occurred during the 2023 nine-day gun deer season. They were: a self-inflicted foot injury Nov. 18 to a hunter in Forest County; a woman shot in the thigh Nov. 19 by a hunter who was hunting with permission on her property in Adams County; and a hunter shot in the leg Nov. 24 by another hunter while the two were participating in a deer drive in Taylor County.

The 10-year average is 5.9 shooting incidents during the state’s gun deer season, according to a 2023 DNR report.

So far in 2024 four non-fatal shooting incidents have been recorded in hunting situations, according to the DNR. One was during the spring turkey hunting season, two during waterfowl seasons this fall and one in which a man shot himself in the foot while attempting to kill a raccoon.

Though the trend toward fewer firearm-related incidents is encouraging, safety experts know their job is never done.

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1973 must have a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license unless hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law. Learn more about safe hunting in Wisconsin and register to take a hunter education course on the DNR’s Outdoor Skills webpage.

To learn more about hunting in Wisconsin, including information on hunter education courses, visit dnr.wi.gov.