Do you keep a round in the chamber?

[bummer7580]

If people are bird hunting or hunting where a big game animal is expected to be jumped and out of sight in a leap or two I can understand keeping a round in the chamber. I tend to concentrate on elk in fairly open country and normally don't have a round in the chamber especially if following a guide.

 

[cnelk]

Some interesting stuff right here - https://www.thoughtco.com/hunting-accident-rates-127877



"Overall accidental death statistics from the National Safety Council can provide some context. Of all accidental deaths:

• 1 out of every 114 is a motor vehicle crash
• 1 out of every 370 is an intentional assault by a firearm
• 1 out of 1,188 is due to accidental drowning
• 1 out of every 6,905 is an accidental firearms discharge
• 1 out of every 161,856 is due to a lightning strike

It must be noted, however, that a great many accidental deaths by firearms do not involve hunters. When shooting-related fatalities occur in hunting, most of the victims are hunters, although non-hunters are also sometimes killed or injured. It can be said that this is a sport that does pose some danger to an entire community, not just to the willing participants."



Who here drives a car?
Or swims?
Yikes!

 

[*zap*]

you left out the real #1 at the moment.....opioids.

 

[jhm2023]

I always keep a round chambered. It seems many disagree with that opinion but an unloaded firearm is useless and it really isn't all that different than keeping an empty chamber in your EDC. If you follow the 4 firearms safety rules then you will be fine. If you violate one of those rules, you'll likely have an incident that's scares the crap out of you. If you violate 2 of those rules at the same time, then you likely will experience an incident that gets someone hurt or killed. Notice I said incident not accident. No matter if the firearms is loaded or not, you should never be complacent while it is in your possession and even an unloaded firearm demands respect and safe handling. Safety isn't the result of an empty chamber, an empty chamber is only a means of dummy proofing for those who get complacent and cannot or will not strictly abide by the 4 firearms safety rules. For all the empty chamber folks out there, what if you inadvertently left one in the chamber after an exciting event like a kill or stalk. Now you are left with a loaded firearm and revert back to your complacent safety practices as you solely rely on an empty chamber for safety? I realize this opinion is not for everyone and that's fine, this is just my stance on the matter.

 

[Gumbo]

I would, but the safety on both of my Tikkas get pushed forward way too easily when I have them slung over my shoulder.

 

[CrzyTrekker]

During elk hunts I'd usually chamber a round. I've still got these safety features: (1) Safety switch, (2) finger control, and (3) muzzle control.

Had a buddy get burned in November because he didn't chamber a round. I saw the elk and tapped his shoulder. He aimed and pulled the trigger. He realized he had to work the bolt. He worked the bolt, acquired the elk in his scope and by then the elk were running. He said a friend who works with Parks & Wildlife convinced him to hunt on an empty chamber.

Hunting on an empty chamber seems legit if a shooter lacks formal training and experience (e.g. military, law enforcement). Or if a guy just knows he doesn't have the situational awareness. I suppose when I'm older I may go into the woods with an empty chamber and only put one down the tube when I'm set up in a good blind, just to play it safe. But I've probably killed a couple elk that would have gotten away otherwise.

 

[5MilesBack]

you left out the real #1 at the moment.....opioids.

And just like putting a round in the chamber, both are personal choices. Nobody is forcing either one.

 

[MichaelO]

I have been hunting for many years in the Midwest and in the south. For deer and turkey I personally load the gun at the truck and will unload it if climbing difficult terrain or getting in a tree stand. Otherwise its loaded because if a man walks quietly he may manage to see a deer or turkey on the way to your destination. Hunting in the south for deer and rabbits with dogs a round is in the chamber and safety off when standing still waiting for the moment of action.

That being said my wife and I are now expecting our first and I am beginning to have thoughts about the best ways to set good firearm safety examples. I think that in the future when with I take my child with me that my gun will stay empty over an full mag. A missed opportunity is not worth the potential of setting a bad example for anyone ,let alone a child.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Do you walk around with an arrow always nocked?

To me it just isn’t need when big game hunting, bird hunting or small game is just different style of hunting.

Either way proper safety should always be taken loaded or not.

I find the nocked arrow a weird analogy, very much akin to fixing a bayonet to your rifle. I don't rifle hunt with a bayonet so no I don't walk around with an arrow nocked. However, if I am bow hunting from a tree stand or a ground blind the arrow is nocked. If I am rifle hunting from a treestand the chamber is empty while I pull up the rifle (because it is not in my control), and then loaded once situated.

 

[Zsyacsure]

If it’s on my pack or I’m hunting with more than one person it’s not chambered other than that I always have one chambered while hunting.

 

[Bigsquatch10]

I used to always have one in the chamber, and still do for squirrel and birds.
For predators, I load a round right before I start the e-call.
I was carrying my brother's gun a few years back on a packout, and tripped over deadfall in a recent burn area. When I landed, I pulled the trigger but the gun was empty. From that moment, I have always carried unloaded.

 

[GregB]

I have one in the chamber and saddle safe the rifle. I've played Army for 20 years, never had a weapon go off unintentionally.

 

[flinginairos]

If it’s strapped to my pack then unloaded. If it’s on my shoulder, in my hand, or in my gun bearer it’s loaded and ready to go.

Same here. If the gun is not physically in my hands the chamber is empty. If I am on stand, still hunting or stalking the gun is loaded, ready to go. I consider my gun safety to be very good and I check the safety often. I feel completely comfortable doing what I do. If someone isn’t comfortable with one in the chamber I completely respect that tho.


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[PONYBOY]

I'll keep 3 in the box but never chambered until ready to shoot. Been successful and never really felt a need to keep one in the pipe live with the safety on. Sure there is always the chance you may jump something, but I'd prefer to err on the side of caution. I generally look for same with my hunting partner as well.

 

[realunlucky]

I can see that and I have no professional training. Just always been taught to keep the chamber empty until ready to shoot. I am not usually one to carry the rifle in my hands at all times, especially on long hikes and hunts. If it was in my hands at all times I could see that but even then the unloading and reloading when jumping on ledges and crags or crossing creeks and such just isn't worth the hassle for me. Of course if you're one that doesn't unload for obstacles with one in the chamber that is a non-issue.

But you won't find me on 10-20 mile one way approaches with the rifle in my hands ready to go when I don't expect to see a sheep to hunt for a full day atleast.

Great thing is its a free country and we still can choose to do it how we want. I just don't see the need so I don't, many apparently do and would have lost elk otherwise. Training one to rack the bolt vs. flip the safety if its already in my hands is a fraction of a second difference in reality so if that was the difference I guess it wasn't meant to be in that extra fraction of a second. I have seen folks squeeze the trigger at game with the safety on too and wonder what happened too so nothing is fool proof no doubt. I have have safety's become flipped to fire and such walking through the brush. ( and yeah so long as your finger or anything else stays off the trigger (branches and such) and the muzzle is pointed in the right direction then even if it does go off its just a scary loud noise, but I'd rather not have that either.

Certainly neither is "wrong" we all make the call on what we feel is needed or not.

It's honestly been a hard transition for me to go to an empty chamber after 30 years of carrying ready to rock. I'm always scared I'll forget and click. Hasn't happened but I think about it often.
Kinda a funny story from this season. It's was my daughter's first year to hunt (12) and we had been preparing all year. It was a family hunt with my father, my uncle and my grandfather. Her first morning when we stop everyone else gets out and and racks one in the action. She quietly waves me over and says Dad I don't see the deer everyone is getting ready for. I had to explain they were old skool and that's how they learned. She just shook her head. Guess the cycle is broken.
I don't demand anything from those I hunt with since I consider every firearm loaded any way I never have to ask.

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[KoolBreeze]

I hunt from a stand 90% of the time and yes I always have a round in the chamber when I'm in the stand, If it's legal shooting hours when I make my way to the stand, then I have a round in the chamber then as well. But I always unload it before climbing in/out of the stand.

 

[Southforkguy]

Im with Jimbob and several others. We as a group are always loaded where i hunt whitetail/small game, rifles are treated as such. Rifles are unloaded when around the trucks, camp, kill etc. Closest calls have always been poor handling, buck fever, negligence to others safety.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I hunt with a round chambered at all times and ear plugs in at all times too.

That being said I mostly hunt solo with an ar15 and running the chambering a round just ain’t happening quietly.

 

[hodgeman]

In this thread we are going to learn that an elk, deer, moose, etc "aren't worth the risk"; however, birds and other small game chased with a shotgun will somehow be justified.

Of course...my shotgun is lethal for what? 30-40 yards? Maybe not that when grouse hunting and loaded with 7.5s It's also 4 feet long and my partner is 2 feet from me in a duck blind. That's not to say that a shotgun isn't dangerous- it is. But it's much more limited in range and far less destructive than a rifle beyond rock throwing distance.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Going to a public range a week before gun season makes a guy feel pretty leery in the bush.

Cuz all the real idiots opted out of even bothering to sight in.

Then again I did some fairly unsafe shit in my time working on a fishing boat and drilling rigs.. riding a 60 year old Harley with no front brake wasn’t the brightest idea.. the only time it wasn’t rubber side down was when I blew out a tire in Montana going 80 wearing board shorts and a t shirt.

Safety is a mind set, and complacency is what gets ya.