AhaBulbStuff Everyone Should Know
AhaBulb: Stuff Everyone Should Know · ahabulb.com/hunt-ricochet-surfaces

Why should you never shoot at water, rocks or other flat, hard surfaces?

Ricochets. The bullet or shot can bounce off in an unexpected direction.

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  1. The projectile can ricochet ✔
  2. It dulls the bullet tip
  3. It is too loud for nearby wildlife

Why: A projectile that hits a flat, hard surface can glance off and keep going somewhere you never intended. Even water acts like a hard surface. Once a shot leaves the barrel, you cannot call it back.

Huh, didn't know that: The NSSF says a safe direction must take possible ricochets into account.

The dad joke
Why did the rock refuse to play catch? It kept bouncing back.
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References

Answer: The projectile can ricochet. A projectile that hits a flat, hard surface can glance off and keep going somewhere you never intended. Even water acts like a hard surface. Once a shot leaves the barrel, you cannot call it back.

  1. TPWD Hunter Education, Hunting Safety tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/hunting-safety/hunting-safety
    Never shoot at flat, hard surfaces, such as water, rocks or steel because of ricochets.
    Checked 2026-10-08.

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