Sling or no sling??

[Buck Fever]

Back when I started hunting as a kid my dad taught me to never carry my rifle on my shoulder in case a shot presented itself, and always have a round chambered (but keep rifle pointed in safe direction and safety on).
So I never have shouldered my rifle while hunting ever.. Just curious what method works for you??

 

[Big Fin]

I am always using a sling to carry on my shoulder. Personal preference I guess.

I am not a good off-hand shot, so I am not going to be making any snap shots. I will always be making a planned shot with some advance preparation. Too poor of a shot to do otherwise.

Also, everytime I have taken a "quick" shot, I have not taken time to see if that is a critter that interests me (some don't worry about such things, which I understand).

I do a lot of walking and without a sling, my arms would get real tired craddling or carrying a gun all the time. The terrain often requires both hands for balance, which is hard without a sling.

So, I am always using a sling.

 

[Gunner46]

It's fuuny what we are taught when we 1st start out. My dad used to hunt with two different loads. 150's & 220 gr round nose bullets for his '06. Field shots and brush shots !

My $0.02 ? Don't go out with any preconceived notions. If you want to sling your rifle ...do it. Unless your in tight brush, why not? Sure makes it alot easier to carry......

 

[Spitz]

I usually have a backpack on so I use the Kifaru gunslinger, which I love. When I'm not in need of a backpack, I am in need of a sling. Probably just because I have noodle arms though.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Wow. Just like I always tell my old man.....................................he use to try and kill me off when I was a youngster. Hunting in November with Sorrels, jeans, a dinky fanny pack with a pop(no water) and a bag of cookies.

Buy a freakin sling, you can whip it off you shoulder in 2 seconds flat.

My grandfather whom I loved to pieces.................... used to drag EVERYTHING out of the woods including elk..........................the generation gap is a good thing. Move on.

 

[Ultrahunter]

Buck Fever and I hunt together and he is telling the truth he doesn't use his sling very often. I use mine off and on just to break things up a little. We both grew up in the same place and were taught the same thing about slings. Back home no one really passes up any animals at all, so snap shooting is something that everyone just did, and having your rifle slung really could cost you a shot, maybe not a very good shot but a shot none the less. Since moving to Idaho and hunting these big canyons I really don't think that it hurts to use your sling, my jump shooting days are over so I say if you like the sling go for it if not don't use it. Doesn't really matter.

 

[Dinkshooter]

It will not cost you a shot. you grab the stock and pull up. It is at your shoulder in . 00005 seconds ......................................unless you have the reflexes of a 88 year old woman.

Like I said, the generation gap is always a good thing...................moving forward.

 

[Moosie]

I use the Sling always, And never carry one in the chamber. I also make sure the guys I hunt with don't either. Or most often ask. I don't shoot well without a rest and I liek to Video the shot alot of times too

 

[camo308]

I always use a sling. It helps to keep you hands free when you need them. It also makes glassing easier.

 

[cjcj]

Sling, you should always have one on the rifle....other uses for it too.

 

[the nikster]

I have always used a sling. I always carry my rifle on my right shoulder no matter which side the hill is on. I almost always use a rest and also wrap my front forearm with the sling to help stability. Dad taught me that. He also taught me to cut the throat of every harvested animal(which I have not done in 20 years).

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Gotta have a sling. Comes off my shoulder in 1/2 a second while I'm deciding to shoot, using the binos -or if it's safe to shoot. Never in too much of a hurry to get a shot off... if I hurry the shot I know there's a 50/50 chance I'm going to miss.
Sometimes wrap the sling around my forearm to steady things when I'm shooting offhand. When I'm breaking brush, the rifle comes off my shoulder.
If I'm either climbing out of creeks or dragging a deer I strap the rifle across my shoulders. It's pretty funny watching guys without a sling trying to do these activities. They either drop the deer or they drop the rifle. Or they leave the rifle behind so they can yank the deer along with both hands... THEN THEY FORGET WHERE THEY LEFT THE RIFLE!! Too funny.
I agree with Moosie. No bullet in the chamber when I'm with other hunters. Different story when I'm alone.

 

[Buck Fever]

Ok, first my gun is equipped with a sling (who isnt?) When in motion gun in hand. When stopped gun on shoulder glassing etc... Second wont ever see me dragging an animal. Hunt to far from the roads. Bone out only. Dragging is a old road hunting trick and not for me. Still hunting or whatever hunting.. with gun on shoulder is like walking into a fight with your hands down..BAM I WIN!!

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Usually, I am using the sling with no round in the chamber. That is because of where and how I hunt...spot and stalk, take a rest and make a good shot. However, if I am hunting in the thick timber or jump-shooting (like jack rabbits with a .22 or deer in the brush), then the rifle will be in my hands with a round chambered until the likelyhood of an immediate shot is past - then the round gets unchambered. I was taught to never trust a mechanical safety, as anything mechanical can break. Muzzle control goes without saying, as every gun is to be treated like it IS loaded, even if you just unloaded it!

Again, this is based upon where and how I hunt. If you grew up hunting thick woods or swamps, you were probably taught differently.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Off topic, but:"Old Roadhunting Trick", B.F? Don't know any tricks like that, and would be insulted at the insinuation only if it were true -which it's not. Boning out isn't an option on the blacktail ranch we lease... the rancher doesn't want rotting ribcages or anything else laying around. His call, and I'd rather not do all that extra work.
Besides that, we hunt in a group and do drives and each one of us has a specific task, therefore no stopping to deal with a deer one of us shoots until way later. We drag them out whole and haul them to a skinning shack -just the way the rancher likes it. You oughta try it sometime.
On my northern property where we hunt mule deer, different story. We bone out.

 

[kaley]

Post hunts for sale in the Buy and Sell section - the other sections are not for that use.

 

[jkhunterid]

I use a sling most of the time, and also never have a round chambered until it time to kill something.

 

[1_pointer]

I usually have a backpack on so I use the Kifaru gunslinger, which I love.

+1

 

[Whiskers]

Sling, and never chamber a round until needed. Unless it the muzzleloader, then its too time consuming.

 

[TBinKodiak]

I grew up with a sling so I know how to use it to steady a shot. Living here you hike many miles without seeing a deer so not only do I have a light weight sling, it's usually strapped to my pack. I've never had a deer run fast enough that I couldn't unshoulder my pack, un-clip my rifle, and not get a shot off if needed.
Having hunted whitetails most of my life I know its different, but you are still not going to get a shot off that much quicker on a jumper than if you had the rifle in your hands. They are up and out in a matter of seconds and the half second it takes you to unsling isn't going to make that much difference. Obviously there are times when I would unshoulder just to be that much more ready, but I doubt it matters much. Then again you get to sling the rifle through unproductive ground so you save some muscle fatigue. Just my 2 cents.