To chamber, or not to chamber? That is the question.

[bobbydean]

No.
SE New Mexico.

 

[Bambistew]

Depends, but 95% of the time no. If I'm still hunting yes, or in an area where I may run into bears face to face, I'll load up otherwise empty, and usually strapped to my pack.

 

[Irrelevant]

still hunting/sitting yes, glassing/hiking no.

WA/ID/WY

 

[WildWill]

Yes always loaded safety on

OK,Wy,Co, doesn't matter where I'm hunting.

 

[Josh Kuntz]

Yes
Idaho/Montana

 

[Eric.MN]

Big game- Sitting or stand hunting- Yes chambered, walking/hiking- Not chambered, but for upland/small game I walk loaded

Minnesota, Wyoming

 

[Nameless Range]

Yes

Montana

 

[ccc23454]

Always, where i live and 99% of my hunts are in bear country. I wouldn,t carry a pistol without loading it why wouldnt i do same for rifle?

 

[Hem]

Yes, always chambered. I hunt 99% alone and 1% with a friend of 30years ...we always think Hunter safety first....that's why I will hunt with him.
Montana.

 

[The Hedgehog]

And people wonder why others don’t appreciate being glassed through a rifle scope.

 

[tarheel]

Yes when prudent, no when unnecessary or unsafe.
SE & RMW

 

[Redman]

Yes when small game hunting with a shotgun or .22
Yes when deer hunting from a tree stand or blind.
No when walking, glassing, or still hunting, up to the point I have found the animal I want to shoot.
Predator hunting yes.
IN
SD
WI
CO

 

[mtmuley]

Yes.
Montana. mtmuley

 

[Cheater]

Mostly no.

Utah

 

[Brian in Montana]

Double post somehow. ?

 

[Brian in Montana]

I keep a round chambered if there is the possibility I'll see something I want to shoot, period. Keep your finger off the trigger until your ready to fire; don't point your firearm at anything you don't want to destroy. If I'm hiking in or out in the dark, my rifle is not loaded.

Q2- Montana.

I still do a lot of things the way my granddaddy did them.

 

[belly-deep]

And people wonder why others don’t appreciate being glassed through a rifle scope.

I wouldn’t appreciate being glassed by a rifle scope regardless of whether the gun was loaded or not.

 

[Brauee20]

MI

Chambered while easing into and out of the deer woods during legal light on private, unchambered on public.

Carry loaded shotguns while small game hunting on both public and private.

Will be carrying unchambered in Wyoming this fall.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I wouldn’t appreciate being glassed by a rifle scope regardless of whether the gun was loaded or not.

+1. It should be illegal to Glass other hunters through your scope. Use your damn binos (risk of negligent discharge is a lot less with binos ).

 

[Tradewind]

And people wonder why others don’t appreciate being glassed through a rifle scope.

that is what binoculars are for. Point a rifle at someone, they might think you mean it :hump: