THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996            TAG: 9610310494
SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
                                            LENGTH:   31 lines

ORANGE GARB CAN PREVENT ACCIDENTS, STUDY SAYS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE VICTIMS WEREN'T WEARING BRIGHT VESTS.

Hunters who don't wear florescent orange clothing are more likely the victims of shooting accidents, a newspaper reported after checking accident records.

About two-thirds of hunters shot during the past five years in Georgia and South Carolina were not wearing the bright clothes, designed to clearly identify hunters from prey, The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle reported.

The computer-assisted analysis found that 15 percent - 37 of 248 - hunters who were shot by other hunters in the past four years in both Georgia and South Carolina wore orange. Of the 52 hunters killed, 19 percent wore orange.

Georgia requires hunters to wear orange, but South Carolina does not.

David Knotts, executive vice president of the Colorado-based International Hunter Education Association, said wearing orange and taking hunter education programs reduce shooting accidents.

Still, National Safety Council rates hunting among the safest outdoor recreation sports, with about seven injuries per every 100,000 people who participate.

``Basically, you're more likely to be struck by lightning than being shot,'' Knotts said.

KEYWORDS: HUNTING ACCIDENTS by CNB