Do you remove sling while actual hunting

[turkeyfeathers]

So I saw Bowmanmike post up a pic in ML harvest thread (without a sling) and thought of this question. Does anyone remove the sling while sitting in their stand or blind to avoid it swinging or bumping anything while shouldering the gun? I know once while taking my nephew turkey hunting his sling bumped the little stick blind and spooked the bird. All the intentions were for us to call in a bird and him to kill it. He was about 20 yards away from me . Bird came in silent, I never raised my gun as he was on him. He swung just a bit and bumped the blind. Bird saw and heard it and started to boogie. I "putted", bird froze and I dropped him. Not the way I envisioned the hunt but still memories for us both. Just curious if there's any "sling removers" on here

 

[NYBowhunter]

I always remove my sling, sometimes i dont even use a sling. I like to just hold my gun in hand when walking.

[ny hunter]

I always remove the sling just something I have always done

[chas0218]

Nope I wrap it around my elbow to help me steady my shot.

[Steuben Jerry]

I've never removed it that I can recall. Comes in handy to steady the gun if a freehand opportunity comes up quickly.

[Steuben Jerry]

7 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

Nope I wrap it around my elbow to help me steady my shot.

Chas beat me to it.

[grampy]

Once I decide a firearm will have a sling, it never comes off. Practice or actually hunting, still there. Use the sling to hang the gun, lay barrel on hard a surface, put between my lap and gun on cold days, steady a shot, breaks up my outline for very close encounters, and of course to carry the firearm.

[dbHunterNY]

i use slogan outdoors ultraflex slings.  they're tight swivel to swivel so they don't really swing around but are elastic enough the stretch to put it over your should or both shoulders to treat it like a pack.

http://sloganoutdoors.com/index.html  there's people who have tried stealing the design but this one is the original. made in USA and guaranteed no matter what.

[Fletch]

I have never removed a sling. I use it as others above to steady my shot.

[JALA RUT]

I keep my sling on when hunting from tree stand and take it off when hunting sitting on the ground.

[Nomad]

Years ago I removed it from my 12ga, as I had it over my shoulder and a nice buck was jumped by my daughter as she walked to me. I needed every split second I had to shoot him and being slung cost me some . I added a loop of cord through the end cap hole to hang on stand, although I feel it should be in your hands as much as possible not on a hook .

Its a fine shooting aid, but I'm to,tempted to have it over my shoulder or hanging when it should be in my hands .

My rifle has one for now . Have yet to use it as an aid , my shots tend to be close and often fast. The one deer I shot with it this year was on a drive and it came by me broadside at idk 20 yards . The coyote I shot was on a dead run and it took shot #3 to tag him .

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Once I mount a sling on my gun it only comes off if I am sighting in the lead sled. Never during hunting and can't say that it has ever cost me a shot of a deer. I can say that it probably allowed me to make some shots that I wouldn't have taken with a 100% free hand without a sling to help steady. i rally only use it for waling in and out and as a shooting aid. when on stand the gun is in my hands or laying across my shootign rail

[Pygmy]

My upland guns and my  Browning O/U don't have slings.    I have a  loop on sling that I sometimes put on the O/U when carrying decoys, etc., but it comes off while I am hunting.

All of my turkey  and deer guns have slings, and I leave them on while hunting.

[Lawdwaz]

I remove it 99% of the time when deer hunting or spring gobbler hunting.  I'd love to rid my slings of the newer "Uncle Mikes" swivels that have the thread on/off barrels........gimme my old ones back, PLEASE.

[Lawdwaz]

4 hours ago, chas0218 said:

Nope I wrap it around my elbow to help me steady my shot.

I'll happily take a tree for that job and it doesn't have to be anything but the slightest sapling to do the job.

[maytom]

Always leave mine on my guns.

[wooly]

Mine comes off whenever I get to where I'm going.

 

A few years ago my sling almost cost me one of my best bucks to date.

I had my backpack on, and slung my ML over my shoulder while I made my way to a different set up. When I fastened the waist belt of my pack, I accidently (unknowingly) wrapped it around the outside of my sling and continued on. When I spotted my buck browsing along, I grabbed the sling from my shoulder but the gun wouldn't come up from my hip since I had it buckled around my waist.

Panic set in, but I finally came to my senses realizing what was happening and corrected it somehow going un-noticed and pulled off the shot.

Sometimes it squeaks too at the worst possible moments no matter how much I grease it up...

 

[Elmo]

I have two slings that I rotate on my rifles.  Some times I'll grab a rifle to go hunting and forget to put one of the slings on it.  In those situations, I end up carry the rifle in my hand without a sling.  When I do bring a sling, it stays on the rifle even though I often carry the rifle without using the sling.  I always carry a backpack and have yet to find a sling that will stay on comfortable with the back pack.

[growalot]

Only in the blinds

[Doc]

For me, the sling is an integral part of every rifle and shotgun that I own. Once it is on there, I can see no reason to ever take it off except for gun cleaning on a couple of guns where that makes cleaning easier. Removing it while hunting would just make one more forgotten thing to have to back and retrieve.

[chas0218]

When walking through the woods I always have my rifle in hand more than on my shoulder. Only time I sling my gun on my shoulder is if it's unloaded. No point in being ready with an empty gun. So walking across roads, down the driveway, down the side of the road it's always unloaded.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

7 hours ago, Elmo said:

I have two slings that I rotate on my rifles.  Some times I'll grab a rifle to go hunting and forget to put one of the slings on it.  In those situations, I end up carry the rifle in my hand without a sling.  When I do bring a sling, it stays on the rifle even though I often carry the rifle without using the sling.  I always carry a backpack and have yet to find a sling that will stay on comfortable with the back pack.

A little off topic but I LOVE the Claw slings I have. I use a backpack too and it stays put no matter the fabric of the coat I am using. even grips well on the backpack straps. 

[Paula]

Mine stays on

 

[covert]

I keep it in my pouch when hunting up North, on my belt around home.  Only put it on if I'm dragging one so the rifle is easier to carry.  If it's not on the gun when I'm hunting then there's 0 chance it will be hanging on my shoulder when a deer pops up.

[NFA-ADK]

No sling at all on my preferred gun as it is so light no need, 44 mag model 94 (Trapper).  The 30-30 and 30-06 I use them but never take them off and use them to help steady the shot like others have posted.