FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — There’s a renewed focus on hunting safety in light of a fatal accident last week in Anderson County when a hunter was killed while trying to harvest a wounded deer.

R3 branch manager for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources, Rachel Crume, said, “It’s really important to just follow basic safety rules to ensure that you’re safe.”

Some people believe that hunting comes with danger, but Crume said it’s all a matter of being smart and responsible.

“We all have to practice safety in our everyday lives, whether it’s driving a car or crossing the street, looking both ways. We’re taught things growing up, and education is the key, Crume said.

Gun season for deer hunting begins next week.

“Blaze orange on your chest, your back, and your head; that’s required by law. It’s also really important to know your equipment if you’re going to be hunting from an elevated position like a tree stand. You always need to be wearing a safety harness or a fall assist system, and then it’s also really important when you’re using any hunting equipment to know your target, safely identify it, and also know what’s beyond that target, and that you’re safely able to shoot at that target and beyond it,” Crume said.

Crume says her department sees the most accidents when people are hunting from elevated positions, such as tree stands.

“But it’s people not wearing safety harnesses. and a call line to pull their equipment up to get up into a tree, stand safely, and get back down safely,” Crume said.

Crume said it is possible a wounded animal will attack a hunter. That’s why it’s a good idea to hunt with a buddy, and the most experienced hunters know to always put safety first and to never let their guard down.