I hunted quail alone this week with my dogs. I took along my 20 gauge DHE with no safety. I hunted with shells in the chambers and the gun open.
Easy enough with Pointers to simply close the gun after approaching my dogs on point. Then walking in to flush the birds.
I did miss a few opportunities when birds flushed early or I stepped on a few singles.
I love the gun but won’t be hunting with it when I hunt with others even though I always carry my all my Double guns broken open when I hunt.
I’m just not comfortable hunting with others without a safety. I actually do not take my gun off safe until the birds flush.
The normal approach to my dogs on point is to snap the gun closed, walk in with barrels pointing safely over the dogs. Walking to the side of my dog and then out front. Birds flush, gun comes up to my shoulder and the safety slides forward at the same time. Finger that is resting on the side of the trigger then slips in and taps the trigger.
I just like the added security of a safety since the country we hunt is rough, rocky and unstable at times. It’s easy enough to loose your balance and fall. Accidental discharges can and have happened. Mechanical safety’s will never replace good safety practices but I do like having a second level of safety on my guns.
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