(Juneau) With Wisconsin’s nine-day gun deer season set to start Saturday, Dodge County’s top cop has a few safety tips. Sheriff Dale Schmidt says one of the most common complaints they get this time of year is trespassing.
“It is very…very important that you know where you are at all times,” says Schmidt. “That you get permission to go on someone else’s property before you go on that property. Even if you shoot a deer, and that runs on somebody else’s property, you have to get permission before you cross over that property line.”
Schmidt says repeatedly trespassing on someone else’s land is a jailable offense. He adds that hunters need to put on their orange gear before heading out.
“Have it on at all times…make sure you’re well visible,” says Schimdt. “I’ve responded here in the county to a hunting accident where one brother shot another brother…very, very tragic. You want to make sure that you can see each other from wherever you are at. And know what you are shooting.”
The sheriff says a good thing to keep in mind is (quote) “know your target and [what’s] beyond it.” He notes that hunters also need to double check that their deer stands are secured.
“It’s another accident that we have frequently…people don’t have very secure deer stands or they’re old and the wood is starting to decay and we’ve had people fall out of their deer stands and die because that plywood…is in really poor shape.”
The gun deer hunt season runs through November 26th.
