The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 16, 2017, 07:03 AM   #51
2damnold4this
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 12, 2009
Location: Athens, Georgia
Posts: 2,525
I sometimes have to force myself to wait. There was no need to wait on the first coyote but I thought there probably was on the second one. I took a drink of water and logged on to TFL to try and help me pass the time though I badly wanted to start looking right away.
2damnold4this is offline  
Old October 16, 2017, 02:32 PM   #52
Lohman446
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 22, 2016
Posts: 2,192
Carrying a handgun while hunting, in a situation where concealment is not of utmost importance, is one of the easiest times you will ever carry it. I see no reason not to. I too have used a .357 revolver to dispatch a deer after setting down my rifle. Tracking a wounded game animal, often done on my hands and knees, is easier if I can leave the rifle in my blind.
Lohman446 is offline  
Old October 19, 2017, 10:40 AM   #53
Coppershot
Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2015
Location: Virginia
Posts: 94
I've hunted squirrel for decades in western Virginia with a .22LR and never carried a handgun. After seeing five different bears this summer I may carry one of my 44 mag.'s this year. The bears really want to stay well away from us, but just in case....
Coppershot is offline  
Old October 20, 2017, 03:52 PM   #54
Double Naught Spy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 8, 2001
Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX
Posts: 12,714
LOL, bears generally do want to stay away from us, except when they are preying on us, which does happen from time to time. However, the most common form of actual bear "attack" on humans is the surprise encounter where the bear reacts aggressively in self defense, inflicting (usually) a short duration brutal attack. Surviving is common, but hospitalization is almost always required.

Just something to keep in mind.
__________________
"If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011
My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange
Double Naught Spy is offline  
Old October 20, 2017, 05:03 PM   #55
rodwhaincamo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 7, 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,246
Indeed. Though there's been an uptick of problem bears along the Appalachian Trail targeting not so much the people but their backpacks looking for food.

Bear spray is by far the best form of defense. But I'd also want something else just in case as bear spray isn't 100% effective.
rodwhaincamo is offline  
Old October 23, 2017, 02:36 PM   #56
carracer
Member
 
Join Date: November 5, 2008
Location: nampa, Idaho
Posts: 24
Carry because you like it!
carracer is offline  
Old October 24, 2017, 11:00 AM   #57
amprecon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 5, 1999
Location: TN
Posts: 786
I always carry a pistol when hunting......anything. Rifles and shotguns can break and I don't want to be out there with only a broken long gun and a pocket knife.

We were headed down to the river once with our shotguns full of bird-shot for grouse and such, I had my 4" Ruger GP-100 on my hip. We happened upon a wild pig, which we had tags for, but not prepared to see. We ended up taking that pig home and cooking it up because of that GP-100, not because of the shotguns full of bird-shot.

We were woken up from a mid-day nap at the cabin by some armed mis-placed "hunters" claiming we were on their property. The long-guns were out of reach, but my GP-100 was under my pillow and in my hand during that "enlightening conversation".

Just sayin', I'll have a pistol on me always.
__________________
"You can't get 'em all Josey."
"That's a fact".
"Well how come you doin' this then?"
"Cause I got nothin' better to do."
amprecon is offline  
Old October 25, 2017, 06:42 AM   #58
Roaddog
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 16, 2010
Location: East central Minnesota
Posts: 202
I carry all of the time anyway so why would I not when hunting or just in the woods.It's just part of me and I would feal undrest without it,
Roaddog is offline  
Old October 26, 2017, 09:56 PM   #59
disseminator
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 26, 2016
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 959
I never used to carry while hunting. About 20 years ago, I was in the woods of Northern Minnesota and happened to come face to face with a really nice Whitetail Doe which I had a permit to take and so I raised my rifle and looked through its 25 year old Bushnell scope and all I saw was water.

It was cold and raining that day and the scope seals had failed and now my scope was all full of water, so I figured at such close range I could shoot her anyways..... Nope.

I was literally 40 feet away and broadside and could not hit that deer. After 2 shots I tried looking down the side of the barrel and missed two more times. She looked at me and went back to eating and casually walked away!

It changed me. ;-)

So yes I carry while hunting now. In fact it was hunting that caused me to get my carry permit so I could just keep the pistol on when we were driving and such.

In the last several years, there are a LOT of Wolves in Northern Minnesota. I have seen them in the woods and my buddy got stalked by one a few years ago.

He carries a 17 round 9mm in the woods now and got his permit for the same reason as I did.

I carry everyday and will always have my sidearm in the woods while hunting.
disseminator is offline  
Old November 9, 2017, 03:43 PM   #60
TracerTesterman
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 9, 2017
Posts: 59
Every. single. time.

I'm relatively new to hunting, five deer in I believe, but I'm paranoid enough to ALWAYS carry. And I don't feel comfortable without one.
TracerTesterman is offline  
Old December 1, 2017, 08:17 PM   #61
North East Redneck
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 6, 2012
Location: Berkshire Hills
Posts: 741
Wish I could. Illegal to carry handgun while hunting whitetails. Mass has some strange laws.
__________________
NRA Patron Member
SAF Life Member
GOAL Member
North East Redneck is offline  
Old December 1, 2017, 09:16 PM   #62
Kreyzhorse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,463
I typically bring along my 44 Mag Vaquero. It's much handier than rifle if I need it.
__________________
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson
Kreyzhorse is offline  
Old December 10, 2017, 11:09 AM   #63
drbill
Member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2017
Posts: 19
I’ve never carried a handgun when bird or waterfowl hunting. No need for it.
I’ve carried an S&W .22lr Kit Gun in the western states when big game hunting with the intent of using it for a head shot if I downed but didn’t kill my prey. Never used it.
drbill is offline  
Old December 12, 2017, 08:42 PM   #64
jackstrawIII
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2016
Location: Upstate NY.
Posts: 901
The only time I would ever carry a pistol while hunting is if I was concerned about packs of dogs... which sometimes applies in my area. So, I do occasionally, but not often.
__________________
In God we trust.
jackstrawIII is offline  
Old December 15, 2017, 08:05 PM   #65
FairWarning
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 9, 2008
Location: GA
Posts: 1,149
Yes, I carry my 686 .357 Mag and of course my hunter's knife.
__________________
Mauser Werke, Schmidt-Rubin, Colt, Walther, HK, Weatherby, Sig Sauer, Browning, Ruger, Beretta, etc, etc....a few friends of mine
FairWarning is offline  
Old December 16, 2017, 11:04 PM   #66
bungiex88
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 14, 2015
Location: central pa
Posts: 264
I always have a pistol on me while hunting. With frequent bear sighting in my back yard where I hunt I would not want to run into a cub and momma in the woods I hunt with only a rifle it can get pretty thick until I get up into a stand.
__________________
Life is to short to give a darn
bungiex88 is offline  
Old December 16, 2017, 11:06 PM   #67
bungiex88
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 14, 2015
Location: central pa
Posts: 264
Even when I’m small game hunting I carry a pistol just Incase of the bears. 12 gauge bird shot might only piss the bear off
__________________
Life is to short to give a darn
bungiex88 is offline  
Old December 17, 2017, 09:26 PM   #68
rodfac
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 22, 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,619
I don't bother to carry a handgun here in KY on my own farm, but out in Colorado, when I had the legs, lungs, and energy to hunt elk, I always carried a .44 or .41 magnum. For me, dressing out an elk was a half day operation, working alone, then the packing out began, usually late in the day.

Carrying a 9 lb. rifle with each load out, then back to the kill site was more than I was willing to do. So I was in the habit of leaving my Whelen in the Jeep.

Then I found fresh bear tracks in my outbound trail in 6" of snow....100 lbs of fresh meat on my back and nothing in my hands...I found that 3 lbs of magnum in a 'tanker' type holster across my chest felt a lot better than the cold shivers I got up my spine when I saw that bear sign...

Rod
__________________
Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.
rodfac is offline  
Old December 17, 2017, 09:44 PM   #69
jamaica
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 24, 2006
Location: Northern Utah
Posts: 705
Carry On

I started packing a Ruger single Six way back about 1957. Yes, it went everywhere with me. Later I got a 44 Spl in a Colt SAA. I built a double holster rig and used to carry both hunting and everywhere else I went where I could get away with it. I quit hunting a few years back but still pack a gun where ever I go. These days its concealed carry.
jamaica is offline  
Old January 9, 2018, 10:22 PM   #70
Irondog54
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 23, 2017
Posts: 7
Quote:
I carry all the time. Why is it an issue when hunting?
Exactly. It is easier than you think to get separated from a long gun.
Irondog54 is offline  
Old January 10, 2018, 02:28 AM   #71
Danoobie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2017
Posts: 351
Here, in Florida, when you step off into the swamp, you're entering the food chain.
Having a pistol keeps you nearer to the top of it.
Danoobie is offline  
Old January 10, 2018, 02:39 AM   #72
shootniron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,599
I always carry while hunting...or doing anything else.

There are more reasons to carry than there are not to.
shootniron is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10490 seconds with 10 queries