Gun owners who spend a lot of time outdoors have usually crossed plenty of fences. But it’s easy to get overconfident in your abilities. Crossing a fence or other obstacle the wrong way could lead to an accident — especially if you’re carrying a firearm. You could end up having a negligent discharge, damage someone’s property or cause an injury to yourself or others. Here’s how to cross a fence safely with a firearm while out on a hunt.

Crossing a Fence With Your Firearm

These are the recommended procedures when you need to cross a fence and have a firearm with you.

1. Unload Your Firearm

If your firearm isn’t already unloaded, unloading the ammunition before you cross the fence is recommended. An unloaded firearm is one of the best protections against an accidental discharge.

2. Protect the Muzzle

Excessive moisture can cause problems, corroding metal surfaces and contaminating gunpowder or primers. Meanwhile, dirt or debris can foul a barrel. All of which could contribute to a firearm malfunction.

3. Place the Firearm Under the Fence

It’s usually easiest to get the firearm past the fence first, then worry about yourself. With most fences, this is done by placing the firearm under the fence, not over. Also, remember: keep the firearm pointed away from you and any other people or property.

4. Cross Over the Fence

Now that your firearm in a location you can safely and easily retrieve it after you’re on the other side, it’s time to cross the fence. Make sure to do so without causing damage to the fence and that you leave the landowner’s property just as you found it.

5. Retrieve Your Firearm

Once you and your firearm are both past the fence, you can retrieve your gun and continue on your way. This process may add a few minutes to reaching your blind or tracking an animal, however, it will help you get there safely.

Crossing Fences When in a Group

While anyone can use the system above to cross fences with firearms, you do have additional options if there are more than one of you. Each group can work out a system that works for their number of hunters, but a basic plan for safely getting yourself, a hunting companion and both your firearms across the fence is as follows:

1. Unload the Firearms

Each hunter can unload their own firearm. This saves time, since all the firearms can be unloaded at once. Plus, everyone is usually most familiar with their own gun and how it works, adding to safety. Remember to control the muzzles, keeping them pointed away from people and property.

2. Hand Off the Firearms

Since you have several hunters this time, there’s no need to place the firearms on the ground where they may get wet or dirty. Pick one hunter to hold both their own firearm and the unloaded firearm of the other hunter.

3. Cross the Fence Emptyhanded

The hunter who is not holding a firearm now has both hands available to easily cross the fence. Remember to be careful of the landowner’s property and not to damage the fence.

4. Hand the Firearms Across the Fence

Now that you’re across the fence, the first hunter can now take back your own firearm. However, you can also now hold onto the second hunter’s firearm so that they can cross the fence, too.

5. Take Turns Crossing the Fence

Having handed both firearms across the fence, the second hunter can now take their turn and cross the fence with both hands free. Make sure to do so safely and not to damage the fence. If there are additional hunters, they can also take turns like the first and second — holding firearms on one side while someone else crosses emptyhanded.

6. Return the Firearms to Their Owners

After everyone has crossed the fence, return the unloaded firearms to their proper owners. Remember to communicate with each other verbally during such hand-offs so that firearms aren’t dropped or fumbled.

The two-hunter system for crossing fences can be adapted to any group of hunters for maximum efficiency. If there are four of you, two hunters can hand off their firearms to the other two and cross, then hold the firearms for the remaining two. It’s a fast, safe and efficient process once you get the hang of it.

Why Safe Fence Crossing Matters

Every year, millions of hunts go off without a hitch. In fact, over 14 million hunters spent a total of 241 million days outdoors in 2022, hunting deer, elk, rabbits, waterfowl and more. Yet every year, a number of hunts end in tragedy. An extra minute or two spent unloading your firearm and safely crossing it and yourself past a fence helps ensure you have a wonderful hunt out in nature.

Even so, firearm accidents remain a possibility. Despite careful and responsible gun ownership, sometimes people get injured and property gets damaged. For these risks, insurance can provide added peace of mind.

Lockton Affinity Outdoor offers Personal Firearm Liability Insurance that can protect against accidental property damage and injuries to third parties. It’s common-sense coverage that provides protection for:

  • Hunting and shooting accident liability
  • Accidental discharge
  • Lost or stolen firearm liability
  • Lawful personal defense
  • Civil suit defense and damages

Every gun owner hopes to avoid having an accident while on a hunt or at the range where a person could be injured or their property could be damaged. But even all the right firearm safety knowledge, practices and care can’t prevent every incident. In these cases, the right insurance may be able to provide added protection. Learn more at Lockton Affinity Outdoor.