In the conservation congress meeting I attended, the safety question was asked and the DNR rep said there is noreason that rifles are more of a safety concern than shotguns. They are looking at this issue from the safetystandpoint and there is no evidence to prove other-wise.
I would agree...though I remember asking one of the DNR guys at a hearing years ago why they thought it was perfectly fine to use rifles to fill crop damage tags (starting around Labor Day), while hunters were in the woods wearing camo. I framed it this way..."Why is it I have to wear blaze orange during gun season so that other hunters can see me, but I can wear camo during bow season while someone is trying to fill crop damage tags with rifles?" You should have seen the blank stare I got on that one...