The increase in the number of students processed by miscellaneous groups 

 may be accounted for by the fact that this program was incorporated into the 

 curriculimi of the high school cadets, and the cadet corps of the militia, who began 

 giving the training during the summer of 1963 at the various military camps 

 throughout the Province. Other organizations participating included service clubs, 

 boy scouts, church groups, community centres and some individual instructors. 



Data on hunting accidents are gathered through co-operation with Ontario 

 Provincial PoHce, as well as by our own conservation officers and our newspaper 

 clipping service. The hunting accidents over the last four years are as follows: 



Year Fatalities Non-Fatal Total 



1960 36 US 154 



1961 22 104 126 



1962 17 109 126 



1963 15 103 118 



The trend is encouraging, but it is too soon to fully assess the progress made 

 by this training method. 



Uniform Hunter Casualty Reports are obtained on every hunting accident 

 involving a firearm. From these reports we find the main causes of accidents are 

 as shown in the following table: 



CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS 



Percent of 

 Total Accidents 



Intentional Discharge : 



Victim mistaken for game 13% 



Victim out of sight of shooter 13 



Victim covered by shooter swinging on game 7 



Vicim moved into line of fire 3 36% 



Unintentional Discharge: 



Shooter tripped or stumbled 18% 



Trigger caught on brush, clothing, etc 9 



Defective weapon 5 



"Horseplay" 4 



Loading and unloading 4 



Crossing fence or obstacle with firearm loaded 3 



In vehicle with firearm loaded 2 



Removing from or placing in vehicle 2 



All other circumstances 17 64% 



TTie data respecting the age of shooters involved in hunting accidents indi- 

 cates clearly the urgent need for increasing intensity in training the youths in 

 pro{>er gun handling. More than 53 per cent of the accidents involve hunters 

 who are 20 years old, or younger. 



Age Groups of Shooters Involved in Hunting Accidents 



Under 15 9% 



15-19 44 



20 - 29 19 



30-39 9 



40-49 5 



50 and over 9 



Unknown 5 



97 



