Picture it.

You’re streaming Tennessee’s first football game of the season when the screen suddenly goes dark.

It’s only Furman, but you’re still annoyed that a dove hunter shot too close to power and fiber lines, disrupting service in your neighborhood.

What seems like a harmless mistake can leave hundreds of homes and businesses without power or internet service.

So when another dove season opens Tuesday, Sept. 1, and Tennessee kicks off the football season Saturday, Sept. 5, safe hunters are the real MVPs. Remember these tips on every hunt:

Know your surroundings. Before opening day, scout the fields you intend to hunt and note the location of utility poles and overhead power and fiber lines. Doing so can help keep service flowing to your family and neighbors.

Avoid power and fiber lines. Gunfire can damage power and fiber lines, causing service outages and costly repairs. Never shoot toward utility lines or equipment. Don’t attempt to retrieve a bird that’s landed on electrical equipment. Doing so may bring you or your firearm too close to energized equipment, creating a risk of serious injury or death.

Leave utility equipment alone. Don’t climb on poles or transformers, use utility boxes as seats or tables or place decoys or gear on utility equipment. Equipment can carry thousands of volts of electricity, and tampering with or climbing on it can cause serious injury or death.

Be mindful of hunting dogs. Keep dogs away from substations and fenced utility areas for the same reasons you should stay away. If a dog becomes trapped near energized equipment, call Gibson Electric. Never attempt a rescue yourself.

While we hope this dove season is outage-free, you can report electric outages in the Gibson Co-ops app or by calling 1-800-977-4076. If your internet service is out but your power is on, call Gibson Connect at 731-562-6000. Our crews will work hard to restore service as quickly as possible.