[Jeff Higgins]

I guess that's where we differ, vash. I won't even walk out of camp until I've chambered a round. The vast majority of animals I've shot have been less than 50 yards away - any mechanical noise, like a bolt cycling, and they are on high alert, looking in that direction. Any movement after that and they are gone for sure, unless they left even before looking. I even find some safeties too loud. This isn't even really jump shooting (although it can be) - I've shot a good number of bedded animals while still hunting. Even if not bedded, the majority have been completely unaware of my presence. This would be impossible if I had to cycle a bolt before shooting.

On kind of the same note, one time when I has hunting in Alaska, my buddy's neighbor came with us. He was Mr. Camp Gun Safety, which is all fine by me. Until someone gets overzealous about it. We were in good bear country, surrounded by the things (although we were hunting caribou), and seeing new sign every day. We were all on alert. I was doing dishes after breakfast one morning, alone in camp - everyone else was already out. My M70 .375 H&H was hanging from a low stub of a branch by its sling, with a round chambered and the safety on (a Model 70 has a proper safety). When I grabbed it on my way out, I heard something fall to the ground. When I looked down, it was a .375 H&H round. I thought that was odd - I never have loose ones, extras are carried in loops in my belt. So I checked the chamber - empty.

When we met again at lunch, I asked Mr. Camp Gun Safety what he knew about that. Turned out he had come behind me, checked my rifle, took the round out of the chamber and placed it through the sling. Without telling me. I was livid - there was hell to pay for that poor guy. In bear country, alone in camp, with an unkowingly unloaded rifle. I damn near killed him.

So, yeah - for me, safety only goes so far. When I'm hunting, even inocuous mulies in Eastern Washington, I always have one chambered. And, if there are unfriendly critters around, there is even one chambered in camp. That will never change.