Safety

[Sir-diealot]

I slide the safety off when I see the shot opening. I may not be shooting right away but it is about to come together.


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This.

In fact, it has evolved into a description to my buddies of how close of an encounter it was:

1. Worked a bird
2. Worked a bird, gun up
3. Worked a bird, gun up, safety off...

These with my finger outside or behind the trigger guard until I know I have an ethical shot on any animal. If the gun is to small to get my finger behind the trigger guard then the classic finger straight out above the trigger guard. That said when it comes to the working the bird comments I would change it to working the animal as I am yet to get a turkey but this is still the practice I make no matter what I am hunting for safety's sake.
My friends say I am to much of a safety freak in anything I do but what can I say, my father married 3 nurses.

[old3toe]

 My heart rate generally tells me when its time. Its like a sixth sense.lol I go into auto pilot like shooting a bow. Based on the vibration through the ground and my seat cushion from his thunderous gobble and spitting and drumming, it just kinda happens. Always when he's right on top of me of course and well within range. If he just sneaks in or doesn't gobble much then I have to try the old 'click boom' as quietly as I can. I don't like having the safety off for an extended period of time myself.

[bbcoach]

I don't until I'm ready to squeeze one off.  With that being said, I have an easy to reach safety with my thumb on my 835.  How many of you that take off their safety early have a hard to reach safety that requires a lot of movement or ?

[LaLongbeard]

I take the saftey off when I think he's on his way,I don't put my finger on the trigger until he's in sight.
A saftey is a mechanical part subject to failure like all mechanical parts. A saftey should never  be depended upon to stop a discharge. Muzzle control was ingrained in us during basic training, always know were and what you have your muzzle pointed at. Next time you watch one of the new YouTube  sensations notice how often they are pointing there guns at the camera or each other with nothing but a saftey to rely on. When clearing buildings etc. we had several guys in close quarters all loaded with no saftey on and no one got shot that wasn't suppose to be, muzzle control. Some of these YouTube heros would get a talking to ONCE then there would be corrective measures taken not all of which would be sanctioned by the military lol.

[Sixes]

I have killed lots of game over the years and I would guess the average time from flipping off the safety and squeezing the trigger would be around 5-6 seconds.

I was taught that you do not flip off the safety until the moment of the shot.

I ONCE hunted with a guy that wounded it a deer, he handed me his rifle for some reason, can't remember why, and I saw the safety was off, I put it back on. Gave him back the gun and a few minutes later, we jumped the deer, he pulled up and tried to shoot, but it was on safety. He cussed and fussed about me putting the safety ON, because he liked it off so he was always "ready"

I left and never hunted with him again

[buzzardroost]

I take it off when I think the bird will be in sight soon. Usually a bird is in range once I see it and I will be ready.


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[3bailey3]

A hunt I had afew years ago I drove past a gas line and saw some birds in it, I just drove on past them got out looped around them to a good calling spot and on my second set of yelps I saw a red head and beard swinging running in, when he went behind a large pine I clicked the safety off and when he stepped out I pulled the trigger, click, he turns goes back behind the pine and I pump another round in and click again, as he starts putting walking off I reach in my pocket and there are my 3 shells, to much gun control that day!

[greencop01]

There is only one answer, the safety only is moved to fire when I am ready to shoot. I'm a hunter safety instructor and the only excuse to take the safety off before being ready to shoot is that you are waiting and wanting an accident. If I hunt with anyone who habitually takes the safety off early, I won't hunt with that person again. Between the military and 25 years of carrying a gun professionally you learn the safety is always on until you are ready to fire. I have never missed a turkey because of my safety. No turkey is worth an accidental discharge. One of the cardinal rules of firearms safety is to only take the safety off until you are ready to fire. I'm appalled at the careless disregard for a simple rule of handling firearms. I was a game warden and in the field I took any mishandling of firearms very seriously. You should too.

[Bowguy]

This thread surprised me. The only time the safety should be off is when you're gonna shoot.
Just read greencops post so I'm adding to mine. I agree wholeheartedly w everything he said. I am also a hunter ed instructor.

[GobbleNut]

I don't take the safety off until I am ready to shoot.  However, I will admit there have been times when I was ready to shoot but the gobbler wasn't quite ready to be shot, resulting in the safety being off a bit longer than anticipated.

More importantly to me, though, is that I treat my firearm like it is loaded with the safety off all of the time.  That is, if I am around others, I NEVER point my gun in their direction.  You can't accidently shoot someone if you never point your gun at them. 

In addition, I NEVER carry a round in the chamber of my gun if others are around until we are in "closing" position on a bird,...and I expect the same from those I hunt with.  Again, you can't accidently shoot someone if there is no round in the chamber when there is no need for one to be there.

[tomstopper]

Safety is on until i am ready to take the shot. Once it is off, my finger is straight and off the trigger until its the moment that I am ready to fire (grandfather was a former Marine and taught me this and when i joined the Corps, that was the way it was still being taught).

[1iagobblergetter]

Moment before i shoot know matter if im shooting targets or game. If i miss a opportunity because of this so be it.
I might rethink this if I was hunting something or someone that could hunt me..Lol..

[NCL]

I only take it off when I'm about to shoot. If he's in a field, I may take it off when I see he's committed and in range.
Trouble with taking it off when you hear one or when you first see one is that in the excitement of him coming in, it's easy to forget you did it and, if he doesn't come all the way to the gun, well, easy to overlook that small but potentially deadly action...
I ALWAYS double check that my gun is on safe and empty when I put it in the case, even if I checked it when I took it out or checked it one minute before. It's a seemingly redundant action but it could save a lot of heartache and a drastic change in your life or someone elses...

This mirrors exactly what I do.

[trkehunr93]

If I know a gobbler is committed, the safety is off

[ddturkeyhunter]

Not i. Few years ago I tried to shoot one with the safety still on. Didn't work.

Happen to me a few times going from my Remengton by trigger, to my Mossburg on top.