Why would you take all this precaution (holding the gun firmly, pointing at a 30" basswood etc..) instead of just ejecting the round and trying it on an empty chamber? Especially if it was "before shooting light" while "on stand"?
I know the LAST thing I want to do after making the effort to sneak into my stand in the early morning hours is go shoot off a round and ruin my chances of seeing game.
