WISCONSIN — Gun deer hunting season begins Saturday.

But with hunting comes safety risks.

During the 2021 gun season, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigated six hunting incidents, including one fatality. Four of the incidents were self-inflicted accidental discharges of firearms, they found.

Ahead of the season and to avoid more incidents like these, the DNR shared some important safety tips before you pull the trigger.

The DNR suggested four basic rules of firearm safety.

1. Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded

Even if you watch as a firearm is unloaded, it’s better to be on the safe side and treat guns as if they are loaded all the time.

2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction

A safe direction is one where a bullet can’t harm someone in the event of an unwanted discharge. About a third of hunting incidents are self-inflicted. That usually means a muzzle was pointed at a hunter’s body.

3. Be certain of your target, including what’s in front of it and beyond it

Before deciding to shoot, you must be positive in judgement and target identification. To not pay attention is reckless. Besides identifying the target, a hunter must have a safe backstop for their bullet in any shooting situation to ensure no one gets hurt if they miss the target. Don’t gamble with what’s a legal target.

4. Keep your finger outside your trigger guard until it’s safe to shoot

If you stumble with a firearm in your hand, it’s likely your hand will close around the pistol grip and trigger, causing an unwanted discharge. That’s because whatever happens for your empty hand will most likely happen with the hand holding the gun.

Keeping your gear in proper working order is also important. Make sure your firearms are cleaned and inspected prior to heading out.

Clothing and any other equipment should also be inspected, so it doesn’t compromise your safety. An example could include blaze orange clothing that’s faded.

Hunters should also take note of all hunting regulations and only shoot during legal shooting hours, which vary by region. You can find those hours here.

Tree stand safety once you’re out in the woods is also another big safety concern. You can find tips on that here.

The DNR also reminded Wisconsinites that you must have a hunter education certification to purchase a hunting license if you’re born on or after Jan. 1, 1973.

However, this does not apply if you’re hunting under the Mentored Hunting Law, which allows those who haven’t taken a hunter education course to go hunting as long as they’re accompanied by a licensed hunter.

The Wisconsin gun deer hunting season runs from Saturday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 27.