When do you load your gun?

[ejhandler]

At gobble time, I'll load up at the truck before slipping into the woods.  If I'm making a major hike to a new area, sometimes I will unload (usually just when terrain is tough or woods are thick) until I am at the new location and plan to start hunting.

[wchadw]

When I walk into the woods


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[Hoytboy247]

I usually load up at the truck and carry my gun without a sling.  If i am going with kids guns are loaded when we sit down just as an extra precaution. I'll unload when back in sight of the truck or walking back.  When i say unload i mean i take the shell out of the chamber and keep the tube full.  My father was attacked by a group of pitbulls while walking from the truck in the dark and says if he hadn't of been loaded he probably wouldn't still be here.

[Yoder409]

I load up last thing before I leave the truck and start walking to wherever it is I'm going.

[CowHunter71]

I load my shotgun opening morning of Turkey Season at the truck. I hunt everyday of my Spring and Fall Seasons, on Public Ground close to the house. It stays loaded between my center console and passenger seat until my last walk out on the last day of season. Shells are added as needed to always keep the count at 3.

[spurred63]

On my walk in.

[eddie234]

Right before I enter the woods.


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[lunghit]

At the truck in the dark. Unload when I'm back at the truck.

[Beards and Hooks]

Mine stays loaded unless someone gets in my truck.

I like that one buddy Lol. I load mine as soon as I exit the vehicle, or the house given no traveling is involved. I don't always chamber a round though, just kind of a how I feel thing honestly.

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[rstewart8706]

I load  my gun at the truck but don't chamber a round until I set up.

[GobbleNut]

A sidebar to this discussion is knowing the regulations/laws of the state you are hunting in.  Some states you can carry an uncased and loaded (chambered round) firearm in your vehicle, but there are states where your gun must not only not have any shells in the chamber or magazine, but it also must be cased while the vehicle is being driven. 

I wonder how many folks actually check these types of regulations in the states they visit?...

[Happy]

I don't load until I am walking into the woods, and I unload it before I case it and put it in the truck. Too many morons are running around shooting from vehicles for me to be associated with that bunch. Plus it's illegal. I also unload and case my gun when on my 4 wheeler. I have taught my kids the same.

[mcw3734]

Load it shortly after leaving the truck. Unload as soon as I arrive back at the truck. Besides meeting legal and safety requirements, it has to do with using an autoloader. I don't want to be making any noise once in the woods.

When I do load my gun I turn away from the woods and use one hand to press the bolt release while the other hand slowly guides the bolt forward to minimize that noise.

[g8rvet]

Uncase and load it before heading into woods.  Never lean it on a tree, I lay it on the ground if needed when setting up.  All my turkey guns have slings. Unload and case when I am leaving the woods.  Not a law here, I just do it.

A good tip that a buddy of mine gave me for those of us that hunt public land is to fold the soft case in your truck so that it is obviously empty as you leave. Makes it less tempting for some scumbag to break into your truck as they already know there is no gun in the case. 

[GobbleNut]

A good tip that a buddy of mine gave me for those of us that hunt public land is to fold the soft case in your truck so that it is obviously empty as you leave. Makes it less tempting for some scumbag to break into your truck as they already know there is no gun in the case.

Seeing that folded case, it might also make them think that there is someone watching them nearby with a loaded gun in their possession...