Gun safety whilst on a guided stalk

norma 308

Well-Known Member
I've just watched a you tube shooting show where the female stalker out with a guide constantly followed her guide with the rifle off the shoulder and muzzle facing him. He being the lead figure .
i have guided a bit and heard one or two horror stories from experienced guides but I for one wouldn't want the muzzle facing my direction loaded or not .
This was in Africa ,are we in this country far more cautious about gun safety ?
I did feel the hairs on my neck stick up every
time the rifle came off her shoulder and pointed at the guides arse !
Interested to hear from some of our foreign SD members too .
regards N
 
I have on a very few occasions had to comment on a clients barrel awareness. In Scotland on the open hill many stalkers carry the clients rifle in a slip and only pass it to the client once they are on a beast. I have never done this, and always let the client carry their own rifle. However it is important to make sure that if they are right handed they walk on my right hand side, and that if we are crawling into a beast they crawl next to me with the barrel pointing away from both of us.

In wood land the rifle is on the shoulder barrel up, or barrel down. But any guide will notice that with some of the heavier moderators on rifles it tends to swing the barrel forward and can make for a few awkward moments!!

I also ask every client before getting back into the truck "is the rifle empty" and please remove the bolt. I do not allow weapons in my truck or the bothy with bolts in.
 
My one guided stalk in the country, it was the guide who showed apalling muzzle awareness. I spent a good hour and half staring down the barrel of a .270. As with many moderated rifles, it had a tendency to swing back from his shoulder and point straight at me as we walked.

I wasn't too alarmed until we got ready for the final approach, and I realised the damn thing had been loaded the whole time!

I was too inexperienced with the etiquette of guided stalking to have the confidence to ask him to do something about it. Never again.
 
I know a full time stalker that once travelled from Blair Atholl to his home near Bathgate in the passenger seat with his rifle between his legs loaded and safety off. I kid you not.
 
As said by previous poster on the hill we carry the clients rifle, kept in slip until final approach normally only handed to client once or possibly the last couple of yards of being in position to take the shot.
 
I always carry the rifle, no room for discussion. Magazine full, nothing up the spout until the rifle is with guest and shot ready to be fired. Some will argue that this takes time, so does crawling off the hill with a bullet in your guts!
 
I carry a bullet wallet with one side completely full and the other empty. It's replenished before every trip. I always pick up my brass after a shot and refill the loops of the wallet before getting back into the car. If a loop is empty it's a little reminder to me that something is amiss such as I still have one up the spout! It's just my way and added aid for my gun safety. I'm sure you guys have developed your own practices too. We just can't take chances in this game!
Baguio
 
I'd be more than happy for a guide to carry my heavy barrelled varmint rifle in a slip or not. lol.
Saying that I've never been on a guided stalk. However when on my level 2 assessments my assessors were more than happy with rifle bolt closed, firing pin forward, charged magazine inserted all proved to assessor
Wingy
 
I won't lead from the front of someone if they have a rifle unless I know and trust them
couldn't give a toss if it is loaded or not

In contrast following a client with an unmoderated rifle that kept sliding down and pointing at me.
A simple request is usually enough if put in ...how can I say....a direct manner....
 
I have on three seperate occasions been with professional stalkers who insisted carrying the rifle - loaded with one up the spout and over their shoulder out on the open hill. Very quickly the rifles slip down - especially with moderators, and I have ended up looking down the barrel of a loaded rifle.

Quite simply if there is more than one person, keep rifles unloaded until necessary. Once loaded that rifles muzzle must be under control all the time, with it constantly pointing in a safe direction. I cannot see how you can keep it pointing in a safe direction unless it is in sight all the time.
 
For example a well known guide to many on here sometimes carries a rifle of his own he will physically show me his rifle and that it is empty and that the bolt although closed has NO bullet chambered this I'm very happy with ! He leads the stalk .he is also happy that I have a rifle with a loaded chamber saftey on and that it is on my shoulder at all times untill a deer is spotted at which point we we swap positions and I lead and unshoulder the rifle at NO point does the rifle leave my shoulder and point in his direction on approach this is really my point would any guide allow like I said in the first post for a rifle to be carried military style ready for action whilst the stalker is behind them ? I very much doubt it I certainly wouldn't .
also is this common practice abroad .have SD members found a more relaxed approach to muzzle awareness whilst abroad ?
Cheers N
 
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