If you are teaching your 4-H students to carry a loaded shotgun
muzzle down in the field, I think you are dangerously mistaken.
Well actually I'm the rifle instructor but the shotgun instructors feel the same way I do.
I assume these people don't hunt with dogs. Hunting muzzle down with a loaded gun when dogs are out in front is stupid and dangerous. I shudder to think that any gun safety instructors could teach irresponsible cr@p like that to young hunters.
All either do or have. I have never advocated pointing a gun at a dog. You must hunt with a pack of dogs if it isn't possible to raise your gun without sweeping a dog. BTW Try hunting rabbits with beagles, it's not hard to learn not to shoot the dogs.
You have never answered the question where is the muzzle pointed if you stumble or fall. This spring my son and I were turkey hunting, walking in before dawn with the guns unloaded and I was carrying mine muzzle up, trying to quietly pick my way through the woods. I stepped on a limb covered with wet leaves and landed flat on my back with the gun pointed right at my son.
BTW I've been through Ohio's hunter safety course 4 times, once for myself and 3 times with my kids. They never discouraged muzzle down carry. I've read untold numbers of gun/hunting books and don't remember any taking a hard stand against muzzle down carry. I googled the subject and only found one place (a pay to shoot place) that required muzzle up carry. To be honest of all the hunters I hunted with (probably well over 100)I've never met anyone with your opinion.
