Carry a sidearm during a hunt?

I try to carry a pistol in the same round as my rifle when I hunt... May be its the old cowboy in me.

I typically hunt with my 357 magnum marlin and carry a matching revolver or my Coonan.

I ocasionally huntwith my 45-70 marlin and carry a BFR with it.

I also hunt small game with a 22lr rifle and carry one of my 22 pistols with it.

I cant do this (yet) with my shot gun but I am looking to make a SBS in the nearish future.

p.s. my S&W 640-1 goes every where with me (other than the gym) so naturally I have it in my pocket when hunting with any of my guns. The others I carry open.

Three guns may sound like a lot but I mostly hunt from stands or walk around the edges of my own property at a leisurely pace.
 
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There is absolutely no reason to carry a hand gun while rifle hunting!!!
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Stating 'absolutes' can be a slippery slop in most situations especially when in the woods. Not everyone hunts in the same place or has the same wildlife around them.

While there are no grizzlies,big cats etc., around my neck of the woods...people do hunt where there are some and a sidearm in camp would be wise when the long gun is less accessible.
Even at that, for those that camp out in the middle of nowhere around here, I don't blame em a bit for having a sidearm. Especially around camp. To many 2 legged predators have a habit of taking refuge from the law hiding out in the woods.
 
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ok say you are hunting for deer in a region with coastal brown bears. your rifle is a .223 bolt action and you run into a 1,200 pound bear. are you really going to try to defend yourself with a 223? according to most people, a 223 is not even enough for a 200 pound blackie so I'm guessing no. now if you were side carrying a wheel gun in 500 S&W then you would probably go for your wheel gun first.
 
In MO, its not leagal to carry a firearm on you during archery season (while archery hunting). I have many times carried a pistol along with a rifle, usually when hunting from a tree stand, why because I wanted to take a deer with that pistol if the opportunity arose, especially as some of the deer I have killed with a rifle from it have been at less than 10 yards.
 
panfisher, according to handgunlaw.us missouri page 6 http://handgunlaw.us/states/missouri.pdf it was legal to carry, concealed with a permit, during archery seasons for deer and turkey as of 3/1/11.

If this is inaccurate, you might want to let TFL member Gary Slider, who runs handgunlaw.us, know so he can correct it.
 
YOU ARE CORRECT!! I had to look it up real quick in the hunting regs. It does indeed allow a Conceal Carry Licensed individual to carry, but doesn't allow them to harvest game with it. Honestly I wasn't even thinking CCW. I stand (actually sit) corrected. Thank you!!:)
 
You are welcome. Gary frequently advises people to double check his data against their own state regs, so things could have changed. Since you said you found it in the hunting regs, I guess it's verified for now.
 
There is absolutely no reason to carry a hand gun while rifle hunting!!!
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IME, there certainly IS: If you shoot a downed but not dead deer in the head at close range with a .243WIN (and surely with anything larger, too) you will decorate yourself with blood and brain matter. BTDT.

And don't try to cut a deer's throat if he is not absolutely dead. I saw a grown man tossed over the deer and roll down a hill like a lost hubcap .....

A .22 to the top of the cervical spine is a neater off switch.
 
The gun has to be legal in your state for hunting your game animal.
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AZ specifically modified hunting regs to recognize the right to carry a defensive sidearm while hunting, no matter what season it is. Restrictions are simple - if it's not a legal taking device for that hunt, don't use it to take game. I currently carry the same CZ SP-01 Phantom while hunting that I carry everywhere else. :) Now I have thought that the strange little Judge revolver might be an excellent desert hunting companion, with the first two chambers with .410 bird/snake shot and 45 Colt in the other 3. :) My senior hunting buddy always carries his 38 3 inch with three rounds of snakeshot and the rest SD ammo. Considering he killed a snake that was coming up BEHIND us while dove hunting on the first, I consider him a prudent man. Yes, the shotguns would have done the same job, but using the revolver let him bag it as a dinner entree and keep the skin whole.For those who think it is a waste of time and weight, hey, it's my time and weight to waste. :)
 
Always carry a handgun when I'm hunting. Doesn't make a difference what I happen to be hunting. My primary hunting rifle is a Saiga, and with no magazine capacity restrictions where I live, except of course for migratory, I never feel as though I'm lacking firepower. I've never felt the need to use it, but I'm always glad I have it. Ya never know. I'd much rather have it...as the saying goes.
 
I agree that a handgun would be useful during a hunt, especially if you wounded a deer (or whatever other big game) and needed to put it out of its misery. Plus, you don't know what sort of potential confrontations could arise with other hunters. Better safe than sorry. But, I would also add that it depends on the type of hunting you're going to engage in. Big game hunting, yes, bird or small game hunting, probably not.
 
I did after my mom swore saw a mountain lion about 5 minutes up the road from where I hunt (North GA :eek: ). Bunch of other folks in the area had been hearing noises they couldn't identify and having livestock and pets turn up mauled in the morning.
 
I imagine folks from sates like MT, ID, WY and AK may carry a handgun in the hunting fields for reasons the rest of you may not...Grizzly Bears! Sure, it may also be accompanied by a can of "bear spray" (pepper spray), but they will also carry a side arm!

Here is an example where a side arm may come in handy:

Imagine having just knocked down a nice elk in the thick, black timber. You rest your rifle on a log a few feet away and begin the arduous task of making that big bull into packable size chunks of good eats. The wind is blowing and it is cold! About halfway through the quartering process, a big boar grizz appears from behind a tree, 5 yards away! You rifle, is between you and him! You reach for your bear repellent, but in the excitement, you can't get the safety lever off! Mr. Grizzly is now standing and snapping his jaws, trying to claim that nice pile of meat between you and him! What do you do now? You reach for the .44 S&W revolver on your hip! That is what you do!

It is your best friend in this situation! You have practiced with it countless times, you know how it operates. You are proficient with it. It will save your life in this situation!

You see, "bear spray" is nice, but who really is willing to spend more than one can at $50 a shot to practice with it? Truthfully, no one ever practices with the stuff because it is so expensive, yet everyone shoots their pistol at least a few times a year. The gun is more effective than bear spray, in these situations.

That, folks, is why I carry a side arm while hunting!
 
When I'm rifle hunting I usually carry a .22 for small game - I imagine a .30-30 would make a mess of a grouse or squirrel.
If I needed a "finishing shot", and for some reason couldn't use my knife, a .22 would certainly be sufficient. I've never actually had to finish anything off whilst hunting, but I've slaughtered my share of pigs, and a knife seems to be the way to go.

When I'm bow hunting I'd kind of like to, but it's illegal.
 
I always carry a revolver into the woods with me. It came in real handy back in May when we tracked a pig into some really dense brush.
 
i'm not going to argue revolver or semi auto, stainless or blue, rimfire or centerfire. what i'm going to suggest is where to wear your holster. I prefer to wear something offside, something that won't rub against the sidearm.
 
Real world situation that happened last weekend. It's a 1 mile walk from one of my stands to my truck, and it gets pretty thick in places. We have a hog problem with coyotes becoming a problem.

While walking to the truck after a hunt, I have my flashlight in one hand with my rifle over my shoulder when I hear brushes move and a stick crack behind me. The scoped rifle isn't too handy at close range in total darkness so my free hand gravitates to my glock 20. I shine to my rear with no need to draw yet as I've seen nothing at this point.

Turns out that I walked past a bedded doe, but had it been a sow with attitude, I was ready. Had it been a lost hunter (no one in my area but stuff happens) I wasn't pointing a rifle all around. This is why I carry...
 
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