Hiking with loaded rifle yay or nay?

[Nailknot85]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. I'll take this all into account. The hunting with a partner thing is a good point.

[RiverOtter]

Hunting with a partner, chambers are always cold; that's a non negotiable.

Hunting solo, I run mainly cold as well, unless a shot is imminent.

I've seen/experienced enough slips, trips and falls to know that even the easiest of ground can be dangerous at times. Fatigue, hunger, dehydration, fading light, weather....you name it, can all contribute to a trip/fall and loss of muzzle control.
At least in a solo situation, only the person who loses control is at risk of eating a bullet, so I'm good with the guys who insist on hiking hot and solo.

[rocksteady]

Always liaded for bear (or whatever) one in the tube safety on.. always.. every time i put it on my shoulder

[srupp]

Hmmmm never loaded weapon hiking..alone or with partner..always did it this way .
srupp

[jlirot]

well went hunting with a new guy i met recently. open-ish country, region 3...
anyway he insisted on having one in the tube all the time, because the deer can just pop up from behind any tree or dip or valley. i was ok at the start, but his muzzle control was awful and a couple times his gun pointed at me while he turned around.

i can already hear a lot of you freaking out ha! and i reckon i probably should have pointed that out to him and asked him to un-chamber his round afterwards. i'm new though, just had trying to see deer in my head, it was his spot, following his plan...anyway learned a lot...will be more firm about my safety next time and tell him not to swing his effing gun around like that.

Dude - I don't care how much of a rookie you are. Someone points a gun at me - they get told that's not acceptable. And if it looks like it's going to happen again - i go home. Right then - right there. No discussion.

[walks with deer]

auto loader all the way extended clip with one in the pipe safety off finger on the trigger...

the key to good sound shots is to shoot right away.

[jimzuk]

I usually leave the bullets in the magazine unless I suspect there are animals close by. In grizzly country I may have the gun ready to go with the safety on. If I do this I always point the rifle in a safe direction and pull the trigger to confirm the safety is working.

[325]

Depends on the rifle and on the situation

[MOOSE MILK]

Unloaded rifle is only as good as a club!

[whitespringer]

1 in the pipe and 2 in the mag, safety always on. 3 in, 3 out. Muzzle depends on where I’m at in relation to hunting partner