When walking through woods, or brush, at the very least put your hand, or thumb behind the hammer so that you will instantly feel any movement of the hammer, should it strike some branch or brush.
I forcefully put my thumb or web against the back of the hammer to prevent any rearward movement of the hammer out of the half-cock notch. I also stay to game trails, and runs, when negotiating brush and woods.
AND, I don't try to move faster than a slow walk. Fast movement disturbs all the wildlife in the woods, and they send out alarm calls, that game listen to. Your location can be transmitted instantly to game located well beyond your sight, a mile or more from you in deep woods. The slower you move, the less disturbance you make, and the less likely that birds, squirrels, and other animals in the woods are going to issue the alarm, or break from cover scaring even more animals, to give your location away to all.
If you do "BUST" the wildlife into sending out an alarm, STOP immediately and stand perfectly still for at least 10 minutes. The alarm calls will diminish, and then end. The forest is used to small animals panicking at every falling twig, and don't give much credence to a single alarm. Instead they consider it another false alarm by animals that are scared of their shadows, and go back to what they were doing. Watch where you step. Bend your knees and keep them bent as you move slowly forward. Place your foot flat to the ground, slowly, to muffle crushing leaves, and twigs under your shoes. You will hear the sounds of those dry leaves and twigs, as sound travels up your bones in your feet, legs, etc. to your ears faster than through the air. But, the sounds will not be heard more than a few feet from your boot or shoe.
Wait for any wind that moves the branches of the tree, and then move only as far as the branches near you move. Stand still again, until the next wind comes by. The wind creates LOTS of noise in woods, neutralizing a deer's sense of hearing, which deer use for defense primarily. Moving slowly also helps to defeat their sense of sight, particularly if you only move when wind moves branches around you.
Try to keep the wind in your face, so that your scent is not sent ahead of you to alert game of your presence. And always listen to the birds and squirrels in the woods.
The Safest " Carry positions"(methods) to use when carrying a loaded rifle in the woods, are the Two-hand Carry, and the Cradle Carry. In both instances, you control where the muzzle is pointing, as well as control the external hammer, with your hand(s).
The Trail Carry, Elbow Carry, and Shoulder Carries( over one shoulder, pointing the muzzle behind you, or across both shoulders) as well as the Sling Carry do not allow you to control BOTH the muzzle and the action( hammer and trigger). The gun should be de-capped and the hammer lowered when using any of these carry methods, IMHO.
If you do these things, you greatly improve your chance of seeing game in the woods, while lessening the chance of an unintended discharge of your percussion rifle . :hatsoff:
