First off.. thank goodness you were not injured. Also what you are describing is not all that uncommon as some might think. Safety's get bumped and rubbed into the fire position a lot more frequent then people like to believe. I personally have pulled a rifle off my shoulder and found that the safety was in the fire position. I am sure that when I put the rifle on my shoulder it was not like that. It happens.

I've also had the pleasure of standing talking to a hunter in the woods one morning when suddenly his rifle fired. He claimed he did not touch the trigger but his fingers were down there. I think he just did not have the safety on.

For that reason I usually carry the rifle in my hands. With my Traditional rifles I have a tire stem valve cover over the percussion cap and the hammer resting on that. It acts as a double safety of sort. On my inlines I make sure the rifle is on safe if I sling it, but like I said, things like this happen. My two Knight rifles I wind the back screw safety in to a point while I can roll it quicky back off with my thumb if I have the need for the rifle...

Again, I am glad you were not hurt and I want to commend you for bringing this experience out into the open. Everyone of us needs an eye opener during hunting season and realize that things happen and we need to be careful. Good luck hunting...