Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Poll: Do you hunt with a round in the chamber?

Just to keep things in perspective a bit, blacktails only live in that portion of the state which resembles the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. That isn't most of the state or even close. The majority of Alaskans - and Alaskan hunters- have probably never seen a wild blacktail in the state. There are none within hundreds of miles of where I live. Never killed one; never seen one either.

Klik,

Oh they are there, all around you, all the time. They are just such sneaky bastiges that you can't see 'em!

(what the HECK does your new sig line mean anyway?)

-jeff

As I understand them, those deer like trees. Lots of places where trees don't exist where the ground is permanently frozen.

My sig line follows yours. I just hold my dog to lower standards. (I hate the hot feeling on my leg when caught unaware.)

Sounds like your dog is huntin' with a loaded chamber <g>!

Yeah... blacktail like trees, to say the least.

I should try and get a picture from out in my little 16-acre chunk of the rainforest... I'm not sure a photo could really capture how thick it is out there though.

-jeff

goona have to argue that

Is there a moderator here? Real question??? This ones been run to the ground with the frame showing sparks on the pavement....?????

As long as it stays civil, why kill it? It's not mandatory that anyone read or post on it...

I like your analogy though, Sturgeon! :-)

-jeff

This thread has sure shown me the proverbial light, all I can say is that I used to hunt cold....this thread now has me convinced that there is no need for my (so called) paranoia. Carrying hot is where it's at, I have given alot less credit to the mechanical safeties, and my own superior gun handling skill's, than I should. I really don't want to miss any opportunity to kill one of our super sneaky ninja buck's. Beyond carrying hot/cold, I dont' even know how I've managed to kill deer with a bow these last 15 years. Thanks to all you guys with your opinions....if nothing else, know that you have convicned one guy that he was just paranoid, and insecure, about his rifle handling skills. Here's to a future of more, and bigger, buck's while carrying hot!!!

me too...........

anyone that hunts with a empty chamber should not be hunting. and needs pysco help.

I've been thinking about this topic for months now..:)

Considering that the actual shooting on legal game( elk, deer, bear lion for me) is only about less than 1% of the time in country hunting, I have decided that Steelhead and others are right about hunting cold..AND taping the muzzles of their rifles...:)
Shucks, the majority of my hunts I could be carrying a good 35MM camera and have as much action..but it'd be 'hot'..:) Jim

Hubert-I'm curious but how much time do you or have you spent hunting in the west?

Thx
Dober

I also wonder how many folks are hunting 11 months of the year? How many carry a rifle everyday whilst outdoors? Carry one to check traps, go fishing, hike, to the boat. Rifles are a daily carry item here and I can't remember a day spent outdoors when I didn't have a rifle with me. The only month of the year I can't shoot something fairly big and furry is July.

Steelgead, Not many of us live-work where you do..or are so unencumbered with family that we can live-work in the outdoors....:)

I DO carry a handgun every day tho..and it is always 'hot'..:)

Either the H&K P7M13, or one of my older S&W .357 M27 revolvers..:) Never had an AD..Does that count..:)..?Jim

Is it always in your hand?

Of course not...tho they are as 'safe' and manageable IF I were to carry them in hand as they are holstered..:) Jim

Nope, but I'm assuming you don't carry said gun chambered so as to have an extra 1/3 of second in time to get the drop on a deer?

Oh yeah, well anyone who hunts with a round in the chamber is a suicidal maniac and needs psych help.

I once watched a herd of elk from 11:00 in the morning until dusk when I finally got a shot - a little over 6 hours. Having a hot chamber during that period would have created needless risk and made absolutely zero difference in taking the game.

In fact, had the chamber been hot it would have been unloaded before the shot anyway. I covered the last 100 yards on my back, head first, pushing myself though the sage and cactus and snow with my legs. While turning around to sit up I managed to get some snow in the end of the barrel. I pulled the bolt, cleared the snow from the barrel with a twig of sage and visually inspected the barrel before reinserting the bolt and loading the chamber. The 6x5 antlers are down in the barn.

Frankly, I much prefer to hunt with those that carry cold.

You guys are still "debating" this, eh?

I'm not sure, but somehow I doubt if the venison jerky I am snacking on would taste any better if I had had a round in the chamber while hunting. MMMMMMM, teriyaki. MMMMMMMMM.

Anyhow, carry on.