I know that terrain and hunting style dictates alot. what do you guys use as a standard when hunting?
for me its (90% of the time) round in the chamber safety (bolt lock) on.
If walking to a stand during daylight i carry this way till i get to the stand then i will empty the chamber before climbing then reload when i get situated. If riding in or walking in early AM darkness ill wait till im on stand before putting a live round in the chamber.
Most times im sitting on the ground (turkey hunting style) so i have a loaded chamber.

Chamber loaded, safety on.

I don't hunt from elevated stands, I predominately stalk hunt. I'll clear the chamber when doing stuff like jumpimg a creek or negotiating tricky obstacles like deadfalls but other than that the chamber is loaded from the time I exit the truck or go out the door until I am standing back next to the truck or back on the porch.

+1

For me & the guys I hunt with it depends on the situation. In moose camp where we have thick cover, we leave the chamber empty in camp but there are rounds in the magazine. As soon as we leave camp, it's a round in the chamber for several reasons - 1 being that there are grizzlies in the area & it's possible to jump one.
If we are caribou or sheep hunting, then we leave the magazine loaded but have nothing in the chamber. Our rifles are tied to the back of our packboards leaving our hands free to use a walking stick. A walking stick makes all the difference in the world. I strap my rifle across my packboard using 2 nylon quick release straps. Believe it or not but it's very fast to remove your packboard and release the straps to get your rifle. In our sheep/caribou camps, again, we leave the chamber unloaded as well. Contrary to popular opinion, there isn't a bear behind every clump of tundra so carrying your rifle in your hand in open country is a real pain. Bear in Fairbanks

I keep my rifle loaded but uncocked at all times. That's the beauty of shooting a Blaser.

quote:

Originally posted by M16:
I keep my rifle loaded but uncocked at all times. That's the beauty of shooting a Blaser.

Yup!
- mike

Round in safety on when by myself, Empty chamber when with others and rifle is shouldered but round in and safety on when gun in hand, Chamber always empty when riding. That's just me.

Chambered and on safty while hunting, travling on a quad in Mag, driving to and from MT.

While in camp with others all rifle are either loaded on safty or MT no half an half.

I do not load my rifle till ready to shoot. I am just not that aggresive. If I miss an opportunity, it's OK.

quote:

Originally posted by 30378:
I do not load my rifle till ready to shoot. I am just not that aggresive. If I miss an opportunity, it's OK.

aggresive?
you should come up and hunt in the woods. youd never get a shot w/ an empty chamber.
you must hunt out of elevated shooting houses.

Round in the chamber and safety on. I might as well be hunting with a cap pistol if I didn't hunt that way. The places I hunt only offer mere seconds for the shot, I don't care who you are, if you have to bolt one in, you'll lose the opportunity 95% of the time. Not to mention the noise that spooks game when chambering.

If you hunt wide open areas and can see the game for minutes prior to shooting, I see no problem with carrying empty.

Doesn't matter if it's empty or loaded, you should always treat as if loaded with any gun.

Some people that carry empty rifles in the field make me nervous, then again, some shouldn't even be allowed guns

Have a Good One

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
If you hunt wide open areas and can see the game for minutes prior to shooting, I see no problem with carrying empty.

The problem is ya just have to remember that the gun is empty when buck fever smacks ya. Had that happen three years ago in the breaks. Had my brother walking behind me so I took the round out and spotted a beautiful 4x4 mulie as I crested a ridge. I shouldered, pulled the trigger, and nothing. The damage was already done, the mulie was spooked, and I had a hard time holding my head up after that. Last time I saw him he was a mile away high tailing it for greener pastures.

quote:

Posted 03 March 2008 01:42 Hide Post
I do not load my rifle till ready to shoot. I am just not that aggresive. If I miss an opportunity, it's OK.

me2

We tend to have to walk far enough from the vehicle that having rounds in the mag is a minimum.. Also, with bear in the area, if we have much distance to cover over reasonable terrain, there will be one in the chamber and safety on...

Ken....

Alone, loaded and safe on, with others no round in the chamber.

I used to chamber a round as soon as it was legal. But since 99% of my hunting consists of covering a lot of mountain before I hit the actual hunting area, I no longer do that. I just keep the magazine full and the chamber empty.

Except for those few times that I still-hunt in the thick stuff, then it is round chambered and safety on.

fRans

when i am alone, the chamber is empty until i see a deer and/or start a stalk. then i will chamber a round and start the stalk, the bolt will be up and safety on (when the rifle will allow it) until i am ready to fire.

when i am with others, the chamber is empty until i am ready to shoot. i've never lost a deer because i was chambering a round.

i find i am much safet when i always have a loaded weapon. when my rifle is out of rach it is completly unloaded. when it on me its hot.

my ole' grand'dad used to say " if you don't have time to put a shell in the chamber,you don't have time to shoot"
hunting ,working and playing in griz country i do take certain liberties with his sage advice.for the most part empty chamber,full magizine

I tend to hunt either by myself or with my daughter. Chamber loaded, safety on and bolt locked closed.
Doug