hunting with a CCW?

W

Wyatt Earp

New member
i posted this in the semi auto room and someone suggested i post it here in the hunting area. heres my question, when i go hunting or fishing do i have to leave my pistol in the truck or can i carry it since i have a ccw? i live in arkansas if that helps. i know in the game and fish book all it says is while deer hunting the barrel must 4" or longer to be legal. i want to know if i can carry my glock 17 while i'm squirrel or dove hunting, not to hunt with, just incase i see a snake or something? also can i carry in the boat while fishing?
 
Most likely, while hunting you need to follow your states hunting regs, unless otherwise stated even if your a CCW holder. Just going off what is generally accepted, as most game wardens won't care if you weren't hunting with the gun, you'll still get fined if it doesnt fit minimum requirements.

In washington, the only guideline we have is anything over .24 cal.(When I last looked anyways)
 
In Texas, "game animals" may not be hunted with a rimfire. That said, it's technically legal to snipe a deer with your Baby Browning .25. :boggle:

I've coup de grace'd a pig and taken a javelina with my duty pistol (which is only occasionally worn concealed): a Kimber 1911 Stainless Classic .45.

I've carried a M37 Airweight for coup de grace and signalling work.

When my old roommate bought a (then brand new) Kimber P.32 and killed a small doe with his .30-06, I asked him if I could see his P32, and put two quick rounds through the (recently deceased) doe's head, to see what the FMJ .32 would do out of that short barrel. Answer: the bullets plow right on through, pushing out an exit hole only slightly bigger than .311 caliber.

While hiking and hunting in strange public lands, the P11 has made a nice comfort inside my belt.
 
I guess I've done it, technically - -

Killed several deer with .45 ACP, the same pistols which I've carried on the street, day in and day out, before I went pretty exclusively to a Commander.

Took one buck with a Colt .357 four-inch, which I have carried concealed. Finished off a wild pig with my Mountain Revolver in .45 Colt, which I occasionally carry on the street. Both the latter revolvers are just carried as a change of pace - - A touch heavy for routine concealed carry.

Took a couple of deer with .45 Colt Single Actions, too, but I never had the panache to use one for street carry.

Best story I know about using a carry gun for game was not my own. An old Assisstant DA friend was caught out in a snow storm while deer hunting. He decided to return to camp before it got really nasty. He was trudging back, rifle slung, peering through the heavy snow, and spooked up a BIG buck which had bedded down under a tree. While bucky was getting to his feet, Bill pulled his 1908 Colt .380 from his coat pocket. He fired a single shot, one handed, at a few yards' distance, and the deer was Dead Rat Thar. He hung it up, went to camp, and returned with a partner to retrieve his trophy. :p No, the .380 is NOT a proper deer round . . . .

Best,
Johnny
 
Earp........

Don't get in trouble...... check your state DNR website for laws in ref. to hunting and CCW. www.packing.org might give you that advice and legal yes or no too....

In Michigan I can carry when I hunt. I think your best answer will be from fellow statesmen. Good luck........... Regards........Rojoe67 :)
 
I live in Arkansas also. The AGFC Enforcement officers told me that you can not CCW unless that particlular gun is legal for the season that is open. Your G17 would only be legal to carry during modern gun deer season. As for fishing, if you are on AGFC lakes, you can't carry. If you are on federal waters (NWR for example), you better not get caught carrying.

Since I own my hunting property, I DO carry any time I am on my property, usually a 10mm G20. There are too many weird 2 legged creatures roaming around for me not to carry on MY property. I don't worry about the 4 legged creatures, it's the 2 legged ones that concern me. If I am on G&F property, and a legal hunting season is open (except archery or MZ), I will CCW a .22 rimfire. Then I am legal.
 
Oh, and TX specifically states that you can't carry a firearm while bowhunting... except for CCW by CHL holders.
 
Depends on your regs. In my state, ID, you can carry open or concealed while hunting, as long as you are either not using it to hunt, or are using it in the appropriate season. And, while hunting, you don't need a permit to carry concealed. :D
 
In VA: Your not allowed to carry a pistol while hunting at all unless you have a CCW.

Kinda makes the squirrel & bunny hunting I did as a kid with my Ruger MarkII pistol a bit illegal. Bah, the game warden in our area knew I used that pistol to hunt small game with and never cared. (Granted this was out in BFN Eastern Shore.)
 
According to a Game Warden I lease land too, in Texas it is legal to have a handgun with you when you are hunting at all times (even bird hunting. I carry my Sig during dove season). The only exception to that is during bow season, you are not supposed to have a firearms with you. However I hear that they either have or are going to change the regs to allow hunters to carry a handgun during bow season, due to wild hogs. But I haven't ran it by the game warden.
Best thing to do is call up your Parks & Wildlife Dept. and ask them. Even better if you could get a written statement testifying to that, in case you get a game warden who doesn't fully understand the rules.
 
Can't comment on the legal issues in Arkansas, But I took my first critter ever this year with my CCW, legal here, as long as it's legal for hunting.

I'm new at hunting, just started last year. I hunted a couple of days last year and never got a darned thing, had to get serious this year. And as serious as I was, couldn't get a darned thing.

After two weekend long quota hunts 100 miles from my house, not even getting a shot off at anything, I found a WMA within 20 miles of home that I never knew existed. I drove by after work one friday afternoon before season,and saw pigs on a trail. I scouted out the trail. I walked up to a pig got 10 feet away from it and called my buddy to tell him to come hunting with me. I yelled "BANG!" at the pig and it didn't even move. I was all set to get a pig now.

All weekend I came to the same spot and there were always 2 or 3 cars there. Walked all over the place didn't see a darned thing except for the FWC officer who was waiting for me every time I came out of the woods.

MOnday morning showed up for work in a blind stagger, flat wore out. I work for a company that installs electronic equipment, fortunately I had a slow day and was on my way home when I decided to stop by the WMA to see if the spot i scouted out was empty. Goshdarned if there wasn't somebody already there at 4:00 on a monday! Don't these people work? Figured I was already there might as well walk around a bit. I drove to another trail. Didn't have my bugsuit, most of my gear for that matter. I had a pair of blue jeans in the van so I put those on and my snake boots, put my Glock 30 (compact 45) in an IWB holster under my Hawaiian shirt, put my snubby in my back pocket, grabbed my knife and a piece of rope in a little fanny pack (camo, so it's not gay), doused myself in bug spray and went for a walk.

I walked... maybe a mile or so, and found fresh tracks. I stopped sat down to rest and had no sooner got comfy between a couple of trees and leaned my head over to take a nap, but I heard something rustle in the brush. Holy crap! There's animals here! I presented my Glock in low ready and saw the pig turn to the side and pause. Bang! I rushed and got a bad shot. I hit the spine and the pig was still going on front legs mostly. I felt bad about that, but I never shot anything except at a range with marked distance. I realized later I was shooting at 25 yards and my glock shoots hot 230 gr about 8" high at that range. I simply misjudged the distance. I'll do better next time. Anyway, the pig got closer and out of the brush and I got a good head shot. I called my buddy and my wife and told them of my good fortune.

Boy, talk about dead weight. This pig was only like 150# and I like to never have drug it back to the van. Fortunately, I was in the middle of the marsh, so I went wading with the gators annd floated it most of the way. After 15 minutes wading in over my waist- shoot!- i left my snub in my pocket. I took it out, unloaded it and shook the water out of it. Dang... walked about another 15 minutes- shoot!- left my cellphone in my pocket, too> couldn't shake the water out of it. Company cellphone, how do I explain that one to the boss?

Finally made it back to the van. whew.... Shoot! where the hell are my keys?! In my shorts in the van. crap. Where the hell are my spare keys? In the front seat. Can't call- no cellphone. Where the hell is that game officer now? No luck flagging down cars... 45 minutes later game officer shows.

Me; " Man, am I glad to see you guys"
FWC: "What are you doing here?"
ME (in hawaiian print and blue jeans): "Hunting, what's it look like?"

The junior officer loaned me his personal cell and I called my wife:

Me: " Hey babe. I need help."
Her: "Of course you do"
Me: "Seriously. I'm locked out of the van and need you to bring me a screwdriver and pliers. I'm at (detailed directions)"
Her: "You're in the van, right?"
Me: "Yup."
Her: "Doesn't your boss have a key?"
Me: "I'm gonna call my boss and have him drive to Boca to get me a key to unlock the company van?"
Her:"Yeah."
Me: "Maybe he'll help me dress out the pig and load it in the van."
Her(with no sense of sarcasm):"Sure, I guess so."
Me:"I'm hunting out of a g0dd@m company van! I'm gonna get fired! I'm not callin' my boss!"
Her: "Fine! What do you need?"
Me: "A pair of pliers and a screwdriver. I'm at (detailed directions)."
Her: "Don't you have those?"
Me:"Yes. They're in my tool box"
Her:"You've got your tool box? Why do need me to bring you tools?"
Me: "'Cause they're locked in the damned van!"
Her:"Fine! Where are you?"
Me: "(detailed directions)"
Her: "Where is that?"
Me: "You've lived here your whole life. What do you mean where is that? Past your old high school."
Her: "I still don't know what you're talking about."

etc., etc.

Anyway, after 10 minutes on this poor guy's cellphone I got her out there. He was a heckuva nice guy.

Some days I can't believe my poor wife is still married to me.

I have 3 spare keys for this van now.

Anyhow I went to dressing the pig out. No clue what I'm doing, never done it, never seen it done. My buddy gave me a couple of pointers over the phone while it still worked. I told him I'd call him later. Lotsa luck now.

A sheriff's deputy pulls up.

Deputy: What are you doing?
Me: Dressing out a pig.
Deputy: (looking at the van, then at the pig, then back at me in my hawaiian shirt) What... did you hit it with your vehicle?
Me: No, I'm hunting.
Deputy: Where's your gun?
Me: Glock. On my right hip.
Deputy: You hunt with a glock? never heard of that...
Deputy: You taking out the backstrap?
Me (thinking what the hell is a backstrap?): Yeah, yeah, taking out the backstrap.

Anyway, I told the deputy I was new at this and and he talked me through it. He held the flashlight for me, too. He was a heckuva nice guy.

I took the pig home. The wife took pictures of my first quarry with no film in the camera. I have no proof. Got to bed at 2am and somehow still made it to work the next day, although a little late as i stopped at the butcher on the way.

In short, it was my best hunting trip ever. I had a blast! I can't wait until next hunting season.
 
Wayne,
Off topic or not, that is one of the best hunting stories I've ever read!!!

When I saw this topic, I also assumed Mr. Earp was gonna ask about using defensive pistols on game, rather than carrying for defense while hunting. If that were the case, Mr. Steven A. Camp has done a fair amount of hunting with CCW type guns, and I've done a bit of coon and possum hunting (well, more like vermin elimination) with my .45 and a Bowie knife.

But in regards to the initial inquiry, I carry every time I step into the woods. If you're worried about the legality of doing so, I's say check out the wildlife laws rather than criminal code.
 
the one time its easy here in south africa is when hunting. grab your rifle go to the game farm shoot an animal and pay for it. do what yopu want with it after you paid.
mw ccw goes everywhere. even while hunting. except i can open carry.
comes in ahndy for snakes and baboons. been charged by one. was damn scary, just drew my .45 and put it down, 7 rounds later.
animals in africa are tough, you guys should come hunt here.
 
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