Jason Taylor, of The Law Offices of Jason Taylor, grew up on the Wye River off the Chesapeake Bay on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He has always loved to hunt, especially in the fall, when it came to dove hunting, duck & goose hunting, and of course deer hunting. Plus, fishing for striped bass and blue fish in the bay is some of the best.
We connected with Jason Taylor on some tips for hunting safety as he gears up for another fishing and hunting season in The Carolinas, something he has been doing for more than thirty years.
3 Tips From Jason Taylor
We hunt doves on our farm north of Charlotte, as well as fly fish for largemouth bass. We duck hunt on the coast, and in Louisiana, Arkansas and Montana. We love to fly fish in the mountains for trout and redfish on the coast. A couple of things I have learned over the years have stuck with me…
1. Always Have A Compass
One year my brother Brett and I were on a guided duck hunting trip on the coast of NC. The duck blind was in the water, but you could see and frankly walk to shore if the water was not so cold. A heavy fog came in and we gathered the decoys to head in but without a compass our guide could not find land. We ended up in the wrong direction, leaving the bay headed for the ocean with a quarter tank of gas for our small outboard. We finally found a buoy, tied on, and waited till it cleared hours later. Always have a compass when hunting or fishing to find your way back!
2. Don’t Forget A First Aid Kit
My blind bag and my fly-fishing vest both have permanent first aid kits in them. In them you will find the usual band aids, pressure wrap, storm proof matches, hydration packets, wound closure strips, etc. You will also find duct tape, sunscreen, crazy glue and a pocketknife. In my opinion, these are all must have safety items on any hunting or fishing trip. Plus, I keep an extra pair of socks in a Ziplock sandwich bag. Nothing worse then wet socks, especially if it is cold or you have a lot of walking to do.
3. Glasses + Headphones Are A Must!
Glasses go without saying when hunting or fishing. I must add, when hunting, do not forget or forgo your hearing protection. I have been wearing hearing aids every day for more than ten years. I directly attribute my hearing loss to not wearing hearing protection when I was growing up. My siblings now say to their children, “Do you want to hear like your uncle Jason? Wear your ear protection.” They don’t need more threats; they know how I struggle to hear…
I hope everyone has a safe and memorable hunting and fishing season with these hunting and fishing safety tips. -Jason
