What Is the Trail Carry? How to Safely Carry a Firearm in the Field
The trail carry is a one-handed method for carrying a rifle or shotgun. You'll hold the firearm at your side with the muzzle pointed down and slightly forward. Most hunters grip the weapon just forward of the action (its natural balance point), though this can shift with optics, magazines, and accessories like suppressors or bipods.
Trail carry works best on clear, level ground where you don't need your hands free for balance or clearing brush. This makes it the standard way to carry a firearm to and from a blind or stand. It keeps one hand free, distributes the gun's weight evenly, and allows a quick shot when needed.
It is safest to use the trail carry when hunting alone or with partners positioned behind you, since the muzzle can still swing toward someone walking ahead. In dense cover, over obstacles, or in a group on a narrow trail, a two-handed, sling, or elbow carry is safer.
As a hunter, you must navigate various terrains while safely handling your firearm. Keep reading to learn more about how to use this technique for carrying your firearm safely in the field.
Updated October 19, 2026
What is the Trail Carry?
Trail carry is a technique of carrying a long gun (rifle or shotgun) with one hand along your side, with the muzzle pointed down.
The hand typically holds the weapon in front of the action since that tends to be the natural balance point of most long guns. However, that balance point will change based on your weapon type, optics weight, magazine placement, and other balance-influencing accessories like suppressors and bipods.
When to Use It
Trail carry is most often used in terrain where walking is easy and doesn't require using your hands for balance, climbing over obstacles, or moving thick brush out of your way. Here are a few scenarios in which this carry is ideal.
- Walking Short Distances. If you only have to walk a short distance, trail carry is an easy and efficient method to carry your weapon. This makes it a popular way to carry your rifle or shotgun to and from your vehicle and the blind.
- Clear Trails. Trail carry works best when you have a clear, somewhat level path to walk on. That means no brush or obstacles that would require both hands to navigate.
- Solo Hunting. Even though the weapon's muzzle is pointed toward the ground, it still has the potential to point toward someone in your group who is in front of you.
Trail carry is safest when hunting alone or when your partners are behind you.
What Are the Advantages of the Trail Carry?
The trail carry's primary advantage is that it allows you to keep one hand free while allowing quick access to your firearm when you need to make a quick shot.
It is also comfortable because the gun's weight is evenly distributed while the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.
Safety Considerations
Although trail carry is generally a safe carrying method, please keep these safety considerations in mind:
- Make sure the weapon is unloaded before you start carrying it.
- Keep the safety engaged until you have identified your target and are ready to shoot.
- Always be aware of your surroundings and where your hunting partners are relative to your position.
- Maintain constant muzzle awareness, especially when covering challenging terrain, to ensure the muzzle is always pointed in a safe direction.
Even when using this carry technique, it's crucial to be aware of where your firearm points and who or what is nearby.
How to Safely Carry a Firearm in the Field: The Trail Carry
Follow these four steps each time you carry your firearm using the trail carry.
- Hold the firearm in your non-dominant hand. Grip it just forward of the action or at the spot where it naturally balances. Your dominant hand stays free for climbing, steadying yourself, or moving brush aside.
- Let your arm hang naturally at your side. Point the muzzle forward and down so it stays in a safe direction. A relaxed arm helps you stay comfortable and keeps the firearm steady as you walk.
- Engage the safety (or unload the firearm) and keep your fingers outside the trigger guard. Rest your carrying-hand fingers along the side of the firearm, never inside the guard. Remember that a safety is a mechanical device that can fail, so your finger placement and muzzle control matter most.
- Stay aware of your muzzle at all times. Check its position every time you turn, step over an obstacle, or change your pace. The muzzle should never swing toward you, your hunting partners, or anyone else.
Practice these steps with an unloaded firearm until they feel automatic. Good habits built at home carry over to the field, where uneven ground and distractions can test your focus.
When in doubt, stop walking, check your muzzle direction, and reset your grip before you move again.
Situations to Avoid With This Carry Technique
Although the trail carry is a versatile and comfortable weapon-carrying method, it is less than ideal (and even unsafe) in some scenarios.
Dense Cover
When trying to cross through dense brush, the muzzle can get snagged or caught on a branch, causing you to lose control of the firearm. Avoid this carry when hunting in thick cover.
Crossing Obstacles
Chances are, you'll come across a fallen log or something in your pathway during a hunt. Situations requiring both hands, like scrambling over rocks, fallen trees, or steep ascents and descents, are not ideal for the trail carry.
Hunting in Groups
When you walk with hunting partners in single file on a narrow trail, your muzzle may inadvertently point at the person in front of you. This becomes more problematic when moving up a steep trail since your muzzle will tend to tilt upward.
Alternatives to the Trail Carry
Hunting can be an extremely dynamic environment, depending on the type of hunting and the terrain you need to cover. In situations where the trail carry is not effective or safe, you may need to use an alternative carry method.
Firearm Carry Methods Comparison | |||
Carry Method | Hands Used | Muzzle Direction | Best For |
| Trail carry | One hand, at side | Down and forward | Short walks, clear/level trails, solo hunting |
| Sling carry | Hands-free (on back/shoulder) | Down or up, secured | Long hikes, steep climbs, needing both hands |
| Two-handed carry | Two hands, close to chest | Forward, controlled | Dense brush, water crossings, anticipating a quick shot |
| Elbow carry | One arm, crook of elbow | Down | Standing or walking with a break-action shotgun |
Switch carries as conditions change. You might use a sling on the hike in, then move to a two-handed carry as you enter thick cover.
Whichever method you choose, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger outside the trigger guard, and treat every firearm as if it’s loaded. Practice each carry with an unloaded firearm before your first hunt.
Each firearm carrying method should have its place in your safe hunting habits and should be used based on the environment and specific hunting scenario. The critical decision on which method to use should always be based on efficiency and muzzle awareness to ensure safety in the field.
Learn More About Carrying Firearms Safely With ilearntohunt
Mastering the trail carry and understanding its pros and cons is a crucial skill for today's long gun hunter. Carry methods are one piece of the puzzle when it comes to being a responsible hunter regarding firearms handling and safe hunting practices.
To learn more about handling your firearm safely, take a hunter education course to hone your hunting and firearms safety knowledge. ilearntohunt provides an online, gamified experience for hunters to learn about crucial safety essentials to help them stay safe in the field. Plus, our course meets state requirements for hunter education!
Prioritizing firearms safety and ongoing education makes you a more skilled hunter in the field and contributes to the hunting community's positive image. As you prepare for your next hunt, make sure you've taken your hunter safety course! Find the one that applies to your state and get started.
Content most recently reviewed and updated October 19, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the trail carry?
A: The trail carry is a way to carry a rifle or shotgun in one hand at your side with the muzzle pointed down. Your hand grips the firearm just forward of the action, which is the natural balance point on most long guns. That balance point can shift with optics, magazines, or other accessories.
Q: When should you use the trail carry?
A: Use the trail carry when you walk short distances on a clear, fairly level path, such as the walk between your vehicle and the blind. It works best when you don’t need your hands for balance, climbing, or moving brush. It’s also safest when you hunt alone or when your partners stay behind you.
Q: Is the trail carry a safe way to carry a firearm?
A: Yes, when you use it in the right conditions and follow safe handling habits. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard, and watch your muzzle every time you turn, step, or change pace. Avoid this carry in dense cover, over obstacles, and in single-file groups where the muzzle could point toward another hunter.
Q: What’s the difference between the trail carry and the elbow carry?
A: Both are one-arm carries with the muzzle pointed at the ground. In the trail carry, your hand grips the firearm at its balance point, and your arm hangs at your side. In the elbow carry, the firearm rests in the crook of your dominant arm’s elbow, and hunters typically use it with a break-action shotgun.
Q: What carry method should I use instead of trail carry in thick brush or with hunting partners nearby?
A: In thick brush, use a two-handed carry, which keeps the firearm close to your chest and gives you the most control. With partners nearby, choose a carry that lets you keep the muzzle pointed away from them at all times. If you need both hands free for a climb or a long hike, use a sling carry.
Q: Which hand should you use for the trail carry?
A: Use your non-dominant hand. That leaves your dominant hand free to steady yourself, climb, or push brush aside as you walk. Grip the firearm just forward of the action or wherever it balances naturally in your hand.
Q: Can you use the trail carry with both rifles and shotguns?
A: Yes, the trail carry works with any long gun, including rifles and shotguns. The grip position may change slightly because each firearm balances differently. Find the point where your firearm hangs level and steady, and keep the muzzle pointed down and forward.
