The first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer hunting season begins Friday. Last year, during the first weekend, Mercer County hunters harvested 521 deer.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to take important safety precautions as they head out to the field. When it comes to hunting accidents, unsafe tree stands are often the culprit. IDNR spokesman Rachel Torbert recommends checking your tree stand before using it.
Torbert says hunters should also wear either blaze orange or pink and be certain of their target before pulling the trigger. Last year, there were 20 hunting incidents reported in Illinois.