A recent study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that the start of deer hunting season in the United States is associated with a significant rise in firearm incidents, including violent crimes and suicides. Researchers tracked data from 2016 to 2019 across ten states known for high hunting activity and observed a 12% overall increase in firearm incidents during this period, alongside a staggering 566% spike in hunting-related incidents. Notably, there were also increases in non-hunting-related firearm incidents, such as an 11% rise in suicides and a 30% increase in home invasion cases.
The study underscores the potential dangers associated with the greater availability of firearms during the hunting season, suggesting that the influx of firearms could lower barriers for both intentional and unintentional misuse. While the researchers stress that their findings are observational and cannot directly prove causality, they call for targeted risk reduction efforts during this critical time to possibly curb the alarming trends in firearm incidents across the nation.
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