The shotgun deer season opens today (Saturday) and that means 75 to 85-thousand armed men and women will take to the fields and forests. Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Alan Foster says things can be safe if everyone follows the rules. Foster says you need to wear a solid blaze orange vest or jacket, and he suggests you wear other orange clothing such as gloves or a hat too. Foster says one of the biggest mistakes conservation officers see is the mishandling of guns.

He says if you’re not hunting or taking a break you should unload your shotgun and put it away. He says even if you just get in the truck to drive a short distance, that’s a violation of the law. Foster says it seems like deer hunters have been good about following the safety rules.

Foster says we’ve had a “pretty good” safety record for deer hunting with no fatalities last year, and one of the lowest recorded incident rates. He says they always tell hunters to “plan your hunt, and hunt your plan.” The first shotgun season runs today through December seventh, and the second is December 10th through the 18th.