Maryland youth hunting requirements

Maryland Natural Resources Police are still investigating the death of a hunting instructor over the weekend. Authorities believe he was accidentally shot by one of two fourteen-year-old’s taking part in the hunt. 

47 ABC spoke with Ricky Morris, the hunting educational regional coordinator for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on Monday.

He says he can’t speculate exactly what caused the incident, but did explain what he teaches in his course to prevent such tragedies.  In the state of Maryland, most kids under the age of 14 attend hunter education courses with a guardian.

The course includes hunter responsibility, firearms and ammunition, firearm handling and safety, and Maryland legal requirements, just to name a few. The student must pass a 50 question test. However, when out in the field, Morris says there’s one rule all his students must abide by.

Morris says, “Always point the mussel in a safe direction. When you’re ready to shoot and you’re pointed at your intended target. Make sure your finger is off the trigger, your safety is on, and that you’ve positively identified your target.  Also, know what’s behind it before you ever release a safety before you go to shoot.”