my 1st try at grouse

I've been hunting for a number of years and I still miss (ahem, twice this weekend - the dog hates me for it!). Don't wear ear plugs, you can listen for the birds rustling on the forest floor in leaves, hear where they flush and sometimes hear them settle in the trees.
If you know your property well enough, and flush a bird but don't get a shot off at it, don't be afraid to mark where it flew and go after it. I learned today that the buggers in our bush lot fly far, much farther than I expected, sometimes land on the ground again, and sometimes not, and that they bird that gets flushed 5 times deserves to live!!! LOL.

As far as the safety on the gun goes, it is on until I am ready to shoot and when I have a presentable safe shot then I take it off for my shot, after the bird is shot before I move my feet again, it goes back on. Is a stupid grouse really worth you or someone else getting injured? To me, if you don't get your safety off fast enough for a shot because of a sneaky grouse popping up then you need to go back to hunter safety course 101. It's simply not worth it. Keep it on until you can shoot safely.

For bird hunting, the tang safety is the easiest to flick off during a flush. However, there are many folks who are equally adept at switching off the safety located on a trigger guard. At times, there may be exceptions, particularly where external hammer shotguns are being used.

Nevertheless, other than a scenario where there may be a need to stalk dangerous game that has been wounded, there is no valid reason for moving around in the bush with the safety off regardless of how careful one may be interms of muzzle control.

Many years ago, an individual walking in our group, stumbled on a root and discharged his shotgun (safety was off).....this person was one staunch advocate of walking around with a loaded firearm with the safety off during wingshooting but he was extremely diligent with where his barrels pointed! However, on that occasion, the bird shot hit a beehive :) up in a mango tree we were passing by.....it was a cold winter morning and all four of us in the group had to dive into a fish pond to lessen the stings!

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Originally Posted by blasted_saber

+1 on this.



How do you know theres no been no incidents? Or maybe his students are smart enough to realize its a terrible idea to wander around with the safety off.

I for one, would not hunt with anyone who hunted with the safety off. TERRIBLE IDEA.

If you can't figure out how to flick the saftey off while shouldering your firearm, then you probably shouldnt be hunting. Its not rocket science or a difficult physical situation to figure out.

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I don't know if theres been no incident only relaying what was being taught. Don't shoot the messenger lol. I do both, cover the trigger with my hand in case i forget to put the safety on.

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Originally Posted by Cass

You can't fix stupid

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Thats my line you can't use it Cass. lol

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

I don't know if theres been no incident only relaying what was being taught. Don't shoot the messenger lol. I do both, cover the trigger with my hand in case i forget to put the safety on.

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I apolgioze if I came off a little harsh....I just think thats one of the most ridiculous things ive ever heard, coming from a Firearms instructor, its even worse.

No problem apology accepted.

So many advocates for leaving the safety on, yet everyone seems to be just fine with no hearing protection!?
I hunt solo 99% of the time and my safety is off 99% of the time.
I shoot right handed so there is always an ear plug in my right ear.
Don't wish to lose any more of my hearing, thank you very much!

If I am walking on dry leaves myself, how the heck am I supposed to hear a grouse rustle the leaves 40 yards away? How will I tell if it's not a chipmunk?! 30 years of hunting grouse and I have never heard one other than when they flush or make soft clucking sounds when alarmed and nearby. Ear protection has never hindered my ability to hunt them!!!

When hunting with others (rare for me) I want to see everyone control the muzzles of their guns at ALL TIMES, plus everyone keeps the safety ON until the gun is shouldered and ready to fire. I wear two earplugs in such occasions as well. ;)

No safety ? really? Hope your life insurance is up to date. My finger is constantly checking to ensure that the safety is still engaged while hunting and I don't believe I have lost any shooting opportunities because I had to disengage the safety. If you hunt this way please do it alone and don't pass on this piece of wisdom to any new /young hunters.

I won't hunt nor do I want to be in the woods with hunters who dont use a safety. What good reason could there be to "not" use it?

Hawkman, I would have to respectfully disagree, and argue that, being able to hear, unimpeded, is part of safety. Being able to hear other hunters, or determine shot direction should another go off, is crippled when you plug an ear.

And I'm with the masses, the safety doesn't come off my gun until it's shouldered and ready to shoot, a personal decision for me, but I don't snap it off on the shouldering either, once shouldered then I snap it off for just before the shot, and like most, it's force of nature to look and ensure "it's still on".