I can recall as a kid everyone loading up in the mornings as soon as we left the truck. There was even a sense of urgency at times, like if you didn't load you might suddenly miss out on a deer. For me there was always a slight sense of trepidation when walking around hot that was a little bothersome.
Nowadays I don't usually put one in the chamber but my rifle gets handled the same way. I also usually just load 3 in the belly and call it good when I used to hunt with 4 in the belly and 1 in the chamber. I've been hunting some with much less experienced hunters lately and it eases my mind a little when their rifles aren't hot but are handled like they are.
I don't recall ever missing out because of not hunting hot. I hunt in the woods, often thick, and every deer I've killed was because I knew it was there before it knew I was.
