The Season of Stupid (& elk)
- Thread starter MtnElk
- Start date
perma
Well-known member
Great season boys. This was the funnest thread to read this year. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
perma
Well-known member
Also, someone buy this…. You need it…3. The Exo K4 was dynamite. Despite all my own issues, it felt really comfortable and carried a load really well. And when I was unloaded, it got really small which was nice as well. Highly recommend the Exo line. And hint hint, there is a nice K3 for sale on this forum
Deckerp
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“1. CLICK... this will haunt me for a bit. Can't tell you how many times I made sure that chamber was loaded when I shut the car door during 3rd season. I was not making that mistake again. A rookie move that luckily only cause me a bull... and not elk all together.”
Like the lessons learned but curious what the general consensus is on this - I make a general point of keeping my rifle unloaded unless it’s in hand and I am still hunting through some very promising areas. What’d you all do?
Like the lessons learned but curious what the general consensus is on this - I make a general point of keeping my rifle unloaded unless it’s in hand and I am still hunting through some very promising areas. What’d you all do?
Yeah I’m curious too. I always hike on an empty chamber. Not worth slipping or falling and letting one fly. I don’t trust mechanical safeties.
perma
Well-known member
I dropped a loaded gun with the barrel pointing at me once. Gun never went off but that was enough for me to never load the gun until I see my quarry at a close enough range. I had an angel looking over me that day.
elkfanatic
Well-known member
Alone= When hiking from point A to point B- rifle slung & chamber empty. When still hunting from point A to point B = round in chamber and rifle in my hands. When it's multiple people hunting = a trusted individual takes the lead with a round chambered and rest follow with empty chambers.
4ohSick
Well-known member
The buddy that basically taught me how to hunt is one that carries a round chambered any time we're out of the vehicle. He's never had an accidental/negligent discharge, but when we're hunting together I am a bit more cognizant of staying away from the general direction of his muzzle and he's cautious to have it pointing away at all times and especially in tight or slippery terrain. When I'm solo hunting, I generally hike with an empty chamber but if I'm still hunting elk I'll often chamber a round. With deer it seems like there's always the stop-and-look-back, but not so with elk and I'm not a good enough elk hunter to miss any opportunity. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer as long as the people carrying hot are very conscious of where their muzzle is pointed and how they're carrying their gun in precarious terrain; ie act like it's the hunter's safety field day.
Deckerp
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This has been my preferred approach.
MtnElk
Well-known member
I should also clarify that particular point regarding "click" was written half in jest, half right after a hunt in which I was hunting dark timber and had a loaded round, as I was solo and walking about as slow as could be.
I am 95% sure the problem that produced the "click" was an overloaded spring in the mag. For example, I loaded 4 rounds into a spare mag on this latest hunt and at the end of the hunt, I went to put the rounds back into the box for storage. I manually slid the top round out and the bottom three rounds didn't budge. They stayed exactly where they were as if that 4th and top round was still in there. Only after I tapped the magazine with some force did the round move to the top. Bottom line, 3 round in the mag, 4 is asking for trouble.
I am 95% sure the problem that produced the "click" was an overloaded spring in the mag. For example, I loaded 4 rounds into a spare mag on this latest hunt and at the end of the hunt, I went to put the rounds back into the box for storage. I manually slid the top round out and the bottom three rounds didn't budge. They stayed exactly where they were as if that 4th and top round was still in there. Only after I tapped the magazine with some force did the round move to the top. Bottom line, 3 round in the mag, 4 is asking for trouble.
Caseknife
Well-known member
Did you disassemble the mag after that to see if there was debris caught in there causing the malfunction?
MtnElk
Well-known member
I will be doing that over the holiday break as part of my post hunting season cleaning routine. That said, I don't think that magazine left my pack in order to get dirty. But we shall soon see!
jeremy.b
Well-known member
Without reviving a 10+ page discussion, I chamber a round if I'm in country holding critters. That may be right out of the truck, or waiting until moving through an easement etc, just depends.
I will say this, with a round chambered I am constantly checking my safety and very focused on muzzle control. If going through sketchy anything rifle goes in-hand for that very reason. Not saying I'm perfect at it, but I see it as you may as well have that level of awareness anyway, whether you only chamber when on an animal, or at the truck.
My hunting buddies follow a similar approach. One of them has had his Rem 700 fire on bolt close at least once (before finally replacing the factor trigger) and his muzzle control has kept him out of trouble.
Deckerp
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I see this topic as been covered at length in other threads so we can stop it here in this one.
CRJR45
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^^^ Right ! After reading this thread , all I know is I've got some trees that need trimming somewhere , I'm not sure where , but they're real bad . I need an expert , LOL
Curved Victorinix boning knives are fantastic for all butchering work, and do 95% of what is needed perfectly well. Most butchers I’ve known prefer them in 6” for all work in the shop, until saws and 12” knives are needed.
Is that 5” or 6”, and do you know if it’s semi-flex or semi-stiff?
