You should never swing your gun or bow outside your safe zone of fire, especially when swinging on game.

What this means

  • When tracking a moving animal with your gun, keep the muzzle pointed only through an area where you know no people, dogs, vehicles, or buildings are present.
  • If the animal moves so that you would have to swing the muzzle toward another hunter or out of your pre‑planned safe arc, stop the swing and do not shoot.

Why it is so important

  • Many hunting accidents happen when a shooter “swings on game” and lets the muzzle cross another person, often a partner moving in the brush.
  • A discharged bullet or arrow cannot be called back, so even one moment of careless swinging can cause serious injury or death.

Other things you should never do

  • Never shoot if you are not absolutely sure of your target and what is beyond it; misidentifying a target is another major cause of hunting incidents.
  • Never mix alcohol or drugs with hunting, and never engage in horseplay with a loaded firearm, as both dramatically increase the risk when you are swinging on game.

TL;DR: When swinging on game, never let your muzzle leave your safe zone of fire or cover another person, and never shoot unless you’re 100% sure of your target and beyond.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.