I don't climb many fences, but the areas i deer hunt are steep and full of blowdowns, thick brush, steep rock bluffs etc. If I had to unload every time I had to negotiate an obstruction, I'd spend all day loading my rifle, taking 10 steps, unloading, repeating.
What i do is make sure I don't point the muzzle at myself. It has worked so far.
There is always some risk and if we didn't accept some we wouldn't do anything. I'm not arguing for going around terrified that we are going to get hurt. In fact, I think the attitude is dangerous. I'm just arguing for what seems like common sense to me. If things were really rough, for example, I would often use my sling to give myself both hands to steady myself. You can save a fall this way or at least do a more controlled fall. Or, I would walk around stuff, or go under it if it was too dangerous. If you don't do these things when you are really isolated you are risking death or at least a very long period of suffering.
You probably know as well as I do that there are guys that can go through rough country, or get in and out of a vehicle, without putting themselves and others at risk, and guys that can't or don't.
I also believe that a person should be required to demonstrate they know the proper way of doing things if they wish to carry a gun. And, I accept the same rule being applied to me. Anyone who rails against this requirement has a potential problem.
I believe something that was said to me many years ago: "Rules are for the guideance of wise men." To make it clear, I would add to this that '...they are followed slavishly by fools...' Wise men and women use rules intelligently, and what makes things really safe and enjoyable and responsible exists in the minds of the people doing an activity. (In fact, hunting seems to be one of the few remaining things in our culture that actually requires men and women to behave responsibly through their own choices on something that actually matters. The main reason I oppose what has come to pass for liberal thought in our country is the fact they have lost the basic idea of requiring individual responsibility and opted for suppression and elimination of anything they don't like. In order to avoid a political argument here I will also say that the conservatives, who traditionally protected individual rights don't seem to mentioning them much either.)
So, considering these things, what do you think of a person who is in the firearm environment who isn't willing to learn or accept good procedures, follow them, be willing to demonstrate them and accept correction when someone points out that a potential error has crept in? Frankly, I feel they have betrayed a trust and, in the end, they have betrayed me and people like me.
Jeez...it isn't even new years and here I am ranting...going to let this through though...then I'll stop
...Fred
