For the second year in a row, Wildlife and Parks is reporting a low number of state hunting-related accidents.

Kansas had 18 hunting-related accidents for the year 2001, down one from last year’s record low of 19. This number includes all hunting-related accidents, including one fatality when a hunter was electrocuted after hanging his tree stand on and electrical service pole.

The next lowest years in hunting-related accidents were 21 in both 1992 and 1995.

The bulk of the accidents in 2001 14 involved upland game-bird hunting. There were two deer-hunting accidents, one turkey and one other.

Eleven of the 18 accidents were caused by swinging on game. Four were the result of careless handling of a firearm.

Swinging on game accounts for most upland game hunting accidents and is usually the primary cause of all accidents involving hunters.

In 1999, there were 32 total accidents, 21 of which were swinging on game.

All upland accidents that year occurred while the hunter was swinging on game.

There are approximately 170,000 licensed hunters in Kansas.