Hunting season is a good time to consider gun safety

(KWNO)-Gun deer season is underway in Minnesota and Wisconsin so it’s a good time to think about how to safely store your firearms.

Health care providers recommend gun lockers or trigger locks, especially in homes where children live. Psychiatrist Emily Rae with Gunderson Lutheran says a child is accidentally killed with a firearm every day in the U.S. and guns are the leading cause of death in people under 19 years old.
“Just make sure the kid doesn’t know where the key to the safe is, it’s often recommended to store the gun unloaded in the safe and then lock up the ammunition in a another safe, that’s the best recommendation but the only way the house is safe is to take the gun out of the house but a lot of people aren’t willing to do that and we support gun ownership but just do it safely,” says Rae, who also recommends have open, honest conversations with kids about guns.

“You can tell your kids guns are dangerous and not a toy and you can also tell them if they’re at a friend’s house and there’s a gun just sitting out, make sure they can tell you about that so if they want to go there again you can talk to the parents and make sure that gun is secure,” says Rae.

Gun locks are available at most sporting goods stores and Rae says many health care providers and local law enforcement agencies will help people get gun locks if they need them.