I used to hunt all the time with one in the chamber but no more. In the last few years we've had three fatalities in CO in situations where people lost muzzle control with a round in the chamber. One was a son who shot his father when the sling on his elk rifle came loose, the rifle fell from his shoulder and he grabbed for it. One was a client who shot a guide while crossing a shale slide. One was a grandson who shot himself while duck hunting with his father and grandfather. He was outside the blind, retrieving a downed duck in thick brush.
So my rule of thumb is, any time I might lose muzzle control like crossing a shale slide, I unload the chamber. What it comes down to for me is these two questions: What have I lost by not having one in the chamber, and what have I gained?
What I've gained is absolute safety. What I've lost is maybe the 1.5 seconds it takes to chamber a round. And if I'm on a shale slide for example, I'm not taking a shot until I get to more stable footing anyway.
