The Mountain Safety Council is urging hunters heading out for this year's roar to think twice before they shoot.
The peak deer-hunting season, which is called the roar because it is when stags are most vocal, begins about this time each year and continues until about the end of April.
Council firearms and hunter safety programme manager Nicole McKee said the risk of accidentally shooting a human was higher when more people were out hunting.
"Having no meat is better than having no mate. We want hunters to be careful out there, to look after themselves, to look after their friends and their families, to think about when they pull the trigger, what are they shooting at," Ms McKee said.
"Have they fully identified their target as being an animal and not a human?"
About 12 accidental firearm injuries occurred each year, although not all were hunting related, she said.
