Think safety
Treat your firearm as if was loaded at all times. This common sense, but this is also a safety factor.

When hunting in a group, always keep the muzzle of your firearm in a safe direction from your hunting partners. Also know where everyone is in your hunting party.

When hunting with a shotgun, use the proper shell for that particular weapon. It is all too common for someone to place a 20ga shell in a 12ga and the barrel blows up in their face.

Know your target and what is behind it. Never shoot at something on a ridge or at something you cannot identify.

Do not shoot at a noise in the woods, for it may be another hunter.

Sighting in
This is something you want to plan a day for, not the day before the season opener. You want to have tight group at whatever yardage you decide. Some hunters sight in at 50 yards, while others may sight in at 100 yards. That is a decision you alone have to make. You know where you will hunt and the yardage. So setup accordingly.

Scope or open sights
Scopes are good for long distances and open sights are good for short distances. This is something that you the hunter must answer for yourself. Each have their good and bad points.