AhaBulbStuff Everyone Should Know
AhaBulb: Stuff Everyone Should Know · ahabulb.com/hunt-fall-check-barrel

You slip and fall while carrying your shotgun. What should you check before shooting again?

The barrel, unloaded and from the breech end, for obstructions.

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  1. That the scope is still level
  2. The barrel, from the breech end, for obstructions ✔
  3. The trigger pull weight

Why: A fall can jam dirt, mud or snow into the muzzle. Unload, then look through the barrel from the breech end, never from the muzzle. Hunter education also suggests carrying a field cleaning kit.

Huh, didn't know that: Never look down a barrel from the muzzle end.

The dad joke
Why did the leaf fall? It was not paying attention to the season.
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References

Answer: The barrel, from the breech end, for obstructions. A fall can jam dirt, mud or snow into the muzzle. Unload, then look through the barrel from the breech end, never from the muzzle. Hunter education also suggests carrying a field cleaning kit.

  1. TPWD Hunter Education, Hunting Safety tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/hunting-safety/hunting-safety
    If you fall, be sure to disassemble the gun and check the barrel from the breech end for obstructions.
    Checked 2026-10-08.

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Test yourself in the game

Hunting SafetyWhat can happen if a 20-gauge shell is loaded into a 12-gauge shotgun?Hunting SafetyMud is stuck in your barrel and you cannot get it all out. What should you do?Hunting SafetyWhy is an open break-action shotgun easy for others to inspect?

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