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

Fidalgo Bay, Alaska...Alder brush and Devil's club.

Gorgeous animal!

That "timber" looks about like the part of eastern Oregon where I hunt elk... Not what I'm talking about at all.

It's not worth fighting over. You might very well do just fine hunting "cold" where I hunt. I know for a fact that hunting cold would cost me animals- and how well others hunt doesn't fill my freezer, you know?

By the way- the profile for the militant "cold" guys is that they hunt open country, or in game-rich areas with lots of easy tags. Just saying, my circumstances are different.

Very nice bears! Congrats!



Here, here on the binos. Seen to many SCOPE other hunters. Some times it was by accident. Swaro EL 10x42s do my bidding.

Also saw a guy not dot the i on a hind end shot. Never have had to do it, but couldn't say I wouldn't if the situation called for it like a wounded animal on the run. Anyway, he had a 7 Mag and hit the Lt. hind quarter square! Flipped the Muley end over end for about 30 yds and decimated that quarter. It was ugly. This was a slob hunter that was well known for blowing 2 or 3 legs off of the animal before dispatching it as well (most all the animals he put down was like this). Don't have much patients for this kind of BS.

Anyone else carry muzzle down when you have your rifle slung?

Fall Chokecherry bear...most of the bears I've killed are in heavy cover or not far from it...still had time to "chamber up" and put one in the boiler room on this one.

It's only my opinion...I'll keep it clear until it's time to kill something. There is one exception.......

Sure seems to work for you, scenar! Rock on!

Jeff;

You don't have a patent on tight cover hunting, and you've never hunted with a cold chamber, so saying that it would, absolutely, cost you game is a non-starter.

FWIW, wildswalker's son (14 year old) took a nice, fat spike at about 20 feet this morning, cold chamber, and having hunted with both of them in that area, it's THICK. Of course, the kid is a killin' SOB, and a sneaky bastid, so that probably tips the scales some...............

Was hunting black bears in Alaska a few years back with a good friend...while we were skinning a nice boar up on the mountain about a mile above our backpack camp, this coastal grizzly walked right through our camp. We did'nt see him but found these tracks when we got back. My friend was living in Anchorage at the time and had a grizzly permit in his pocket...we chambered up and followed him until the snow got too deep. Needless to say it was the most intense hour of tracking I've ever done.

I need to learn something from this thread.......

About the only time I sling my rifle is when I'm walking in before light or walking out after light. It's tight across my back, always barrel pointing up behind my left shoulder, stock behind my right hip (chamber and mag empty). When it's light enough to see it's in my hands...... That being said, even if I may never use the barrel down method, I'd appreciate hearing the details of it. Thanks,

JCM

Nice pics ScenarShooter! I'm still diggin' the sling and matter of fact I'll call on Monday AM and order another one.

I'll be chasin elk and mule deer but the little lady can take your order....Thanks man!!

Got any big whitetails picked out back home yet?

+1

Can you chamber a round into a stick?

No I can not, but if I could then that is how I would carry the stick.

So a rifle without a round chambered ain't a stick.

Always have a round chambered with safety on.

My Ruger 77 has a 3 position safety that physically blocks the firiing pin from going forward when on full safe. I do carry a round in the chamber in this rifle. Some of my other rifles do not have this type of safety and I do not carry a round in the chamber.

Actually I don't have any picked out yet. This has been the slowest year for seeing good bucks that I've had in a LOOOOOOONG time. I'm chalking it up to the fact that I've been far to busy to put in the scouting time that I usually do. Also done more duck hunting this fall than I have in a long time. I have to admit though that I have no complaints. I'll fill the freezer with late season does if I have to.......as long as they stand around long enough for me to chamber a cartridge. LOL.

NH, as a rule, normally has a low "accident" rate during the season. We went quite a spell without a death. It's not shaping up for this year, though.

Condolences to the family of the deceased, but I'm thinking these could have been avoided if they hadn't been "hot". At least one of them will live.

Union Leader

George

Mr. SUPERDIESEL1;
That is my prefered carry method and I'd think I carry that way at least 90% of the time if the rifle is slung.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I glass better with both hands so that's what my hunting has evolved into for the most part.

Good luck on your upcoming hunts.

Regards,
Dwayne