7.5 Safety Rules

There are some basic safety rules that apply to bows and arrows, just as with firearms. One important safety rule is never dry-fire a bow. Dry-firing a bow means to pull back a bowstring without an arrow, and then release the bowstring. Dry-firing can damage and even break bows. Never dry-fire a bow without an arrow!

Another archery safety rule is to match the arrow to the draw weight of the bow. There are many different types of arrows available today. You can buy aluminum arrows, wood arrows, etc.; but the arrow must be strong enough for the bow you plan to use. Never shoot arrows which don’t match the bow. You can get more detailed information from archery shops and/or archery clubs if you don’t know how to match arrows to your bow. Never use arrows which are bent, cracked, or damaged.

This next special safety rule applies to bowhunting. Never hunt without a covered quiver! The quiver holds extra arrows. There are many different types of quivers. Usually, they attach to the bow. The only quiver you should use while hunting is a quiver that covers the broadheads. This type of quiver will protect your broadheads and prevent you from cutting yourself as you reach for an arrow.

A fourth archery safety rule is to remain alert whenever you are around broadheads! Big game archery hunters are required to use broadheads. Broadheads are razor-sharp and cut very easily. Most bowhunting incidents in Washington are self-inflicted. This means that the hunter hurts himself! Usually, the injury is a cut from a broadhead.

Keep these additional tips in mind whenever you use bows and arrows:

• Never nock an arrow until you have sighted game and are ready to shoot. The only time to nock an arrow is when you are ready to shoot.
• Never sharpen a broadhead with the tip pointed at you. Keep the tip pointed away from your body while sharpening broadheads.
• Never test a broadhead for sharpness by holding it against your skin. If a broadhead cuts a stretched rubber band easily, then it is sharp enough for hunting.
• Never tighten broadheads on an arrow shaft by hand. Use a broadhead wrench.
• Always be careful when field dressing game animals that have been killed by broadheads. The broadhead (or pieces of it) may still be inside the animal and you, too, could be cut!
• Never climb into or use a tree stand unless you have a safety harness (belt). Each year bowhunters across the United States fall out of tree stands and are injured because they didn’t use a safety harness (belt).
• Know how to follow a blood trail to retrieve animals.
• Make sure your equipment is safe to use. Secondhand or used equipment might not be safe.