[bejay]

Did the owner know there was a shell on the lifter? If not, I suppose that's the real safety issue (that is, not knowing the status of one's firearm is a bad, bad thing).

Other than that, the guy had a shell in a shotgun, pointed in a safe direction, finger off of the trigger, with the action open. IOW, far safer than the routine loaded, safety on, muzzle up status that everyone would accept as completely normal when going hunting.

I know that range rules have to be more strict due to the number of participants, but it's always interested me that the same trap shooters who would be positively aghast at a shell sitting on a lifter before it was one's turn at trap or skeet wouldn't bat an eye at being surrounded by 3 friends walking side by side across a field with loaded shotguns during a pheasant or rabbit hunt, or sitting side by side with a fellow shooter and loaded shotgun in a duck boat or blind.

For those who have spent more time afield, or in backyard trap shooting rather than in crowded competitive trap/skeet/sporting clays fields, the more stringent rules of a formal range environment may sometimes clash with the long experience of what is considered completely safe when carrying a shotgun afield.

that would be my opinion also sure it was a good that you seen it I guess a rule violation.