Louisiana DWF Reminds Practice and Promote Firearm Safety during Hunting Season

With the hunting season in full swing, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is joining with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to remind hunters that safety remains at the core of America’s hunting traditions.

“This is a time of year when a lot of firearms are in use and in transport,” said Fred Kimmel, LDWF Education Program Manager. “We want everyone who enjoys hunting opportunities in Louisiana to know that materials and resources are available to provide education and important reminders about how to be safe with their firearms in the field, on the range, at home and everywhere in between.”

NSSF’s campaign, “The Hunt isn’t Over Until You Are S.A.F.E.” is part of the Project ChildSafe program, which NSSF launched in 1998.  S.A.F.E. is an acronym for Secure your firearms when not in use; Be Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to firearms; Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner and Educate yourself and others about safe firearm handling and storage. Project ChildSafe emphasizes safely securing firearms when they are not in use as the #1 way to prevent firearm accidents.

To complement Louisiana’s hunter safety programs, NSSF has made several resources available, which can be found on THE PROJECT CHILDSAFE website (http://www.projectchildsafe.org). These include:

• Tips and guidelines on safe firearm handling
• An infographic with guidelines on a variety of firearm storage options
• Information on where to get a free firearm safety kit including a cable-style gun lock

“We’re very thankful to have the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ help in getting this information out to hunters—we want to help everyone hunt responsibly, return home safe and securely store their unloaded firearms,” said NSSF CEO Steve Sanetti. “The more we can get this information in the hands of hunters and others in the shooting sports community, and the more that gun owners can do to share these messages with others, the more we can help prevent firearm accidents.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing habitats to sustain and protect fish and wildlife species, as well as to provide quality outdoor recreation for the public and education on the use of those resources.

For more information: visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, at www.facebook.com/ldwffb; on Twitter @LDWF; or by contacting Fred Kimmel at fkimmel@wlf.la.gov or 225-765-2355.

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.