Who carries a sidearm while hunting?

In Ohio you are allowed only one hunting implement at a time. You are , however, permitted to carry your CCW but can't use it other than for protection. I always carry my CCW and sometimes hunt with a Single Six for squirrels. It's the fact that I usually hunt alone that makes me feel more secure with my hide out gun.
 
When I was younger I carried a long gun and a pistol . Then I carried a contender super 14. in 44 mag for deer .222 for ground hawgs with 22 lr@22mag .adapters for small game.SWEET SETUP :D
 
I carry either a .44mag or .357mag with me when wild pig hunting. If you wound a wild pig (highly doable) and it runs up under thick brush then you'll need to crawl in and get that fella. Easier to do this with a handgun then a rifle. Oh yeah...watch out for rattle snakes under those bushes too.
 
Too many drug runners and illegals running around Edwards county Texas to not carry a pistol during deer season.
 
While I agree with Ricky to a certain extent in that you don't have to shoot everything, I similarly find the excuse that handguns are too much weight to carry to be similarly hokey (save for those who have actual physical maladies that preclude things like carrying extra pocket changes and the like).

However, I see no reason not to carry a pistol.

It was noted that pistols may not be much use against bears especially given the lack of range, power, and accuracy at distance of pistols compared to rifles. However, I have been surprised by the number of bear attack stories where hunters managed to lose their rifles in the attacks and those where were attacked that managed to produce knives, pepper spray, or pistols while the bears were chomping on them. Having a "get off me" weapon does seem like a good idea.

A rifle sighted for 100 yards or more will be difficult to shoot accurately or quickly at close range especially if its shouldered. Also shooting straight down at hogs or coyote etc. from a stand would be difficult.
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I don't know about quickly, but at close range, it should not be a problem. Given parameters of sight height, velocity, weight etc., basically POA/POI differences out to 100 yards for most centerfire calibers should not have a difference more than 0-3"

Say you have a .223 rifle firing a 55 grain spitzer hunting round at 3000 fps with a sight radius 1/2" over the bore radius and sighted in at 100 yards. The POA/POI difference ranges from the greatest value of 1/2" low at contact to 1/3" high at 60 yards.

How about with a scope 2" over the bore? Then you are 2" low at contact and the difference reduces to zero as you approach 100 yards, so never more than the difference between the sight radius height over the bore radius.

How about a big ole heavy .45-70 325 grain Leverevolution round? Out of my Marlin, I get about 1860 fps and have a sight over bore radius of about 1.5". At contact, the round would be 1.5" low and it will climb to a grand height of 3/4" over line of sight at 60-70 yards.

So unless you are trying to shoot off a particular toe on a creature, being sighted in at 100 yards for a hunting rifle should not produce such a difference in accuracy that you could not make a good shot.
 
Well...

Ricky
I'm going to play a little devil's advocate here:
Reasons listed by some to carry a sidearm;

Rattlesnakes, If you have enough time to shoot it then you have time to step away from it. Unless it's in camp there is no reason to kill it, they are an integral part of the ecosystem. Kill all the snakes and we'll be over-run with rodents.

Coyotes; Why kill them? Same as the snakes, they ain't hurtin you.

Wolves? Come on guys, when was the last time a wolf attacked an adult human being on this continent?
Edit; I just Googled "Wolf attack" and found an interesting article. There have been wolf attacks that were documented in the 1800s and early 1900s (I assume that wolves were more plentiful than they have been until now) With the re-introduction of wolves they may be a bigger threat than in decades past. Similar to Mtn. Lion attacks here in California, No attacks for several decades, Mtn. Lion hunting was outlawed, now years later attacks are more common.

Mountain lions; Well, I'll give you this one but if I've got a rifle on me that's what I'll be using. I don't think I could get a handgun out of a holster as fast as I can get my rifle up.
The same goes for Black Bears, though I've seen lots of them, they are usually high tailing it away.

When I'm hunting deer, I'm hunting deer. not everything that moves.
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Depends where your woods are.

In southern Louisiana...?

...Cottonmouths that will chase you on land, and will drop off a low branch into your bateau (boat).

...Alligators...? check.


In Central Louisiana...

...Rattlers and Copperheads in and around your stands, blinds, and hides.

...Hogs (big ones, 300 lbs. plus) and sows protectin' shoats.

...Panthers and the occasional black bear...? Check.


I don't go in the woods w/o one.

A .22 when carrying a shotgun or high-power rifle, ... 40 S&W w/ 180 gr. FMJ or the .357 Mag w/ 180 gr. TMJ.
 
I do alot of grouse hunting in Wisconsin, an Quite often also carry my .22 Trailside pistol on my hip to dispatch the occassional rabbit if I get the chance. i've always hated picking shot out of bunnies and prefer to take them with a double-duece.

With more and more bears in the state, I've considered swapping the Sig .22for my .357 when hunting up north.
 
Always carry a Ruger Bisley in 44 or 45LC in an ElPaso Saddlery Cross Draw. I have hard cast @ ~1000fps for finishing and 2 or 4 leg pests when I'm rifle hunting.
 
July 18, 2010 06:43 PM
jaughtman I think it is not even close that the most dangerous/best reason to carry a sidearm while hunting is the whole druggie/methhead's in the woods scenario. Here in Bama that is easily the most dangerous threat in the woods. One other danger that has not been mentioned, however - and is a documented threat to hunters - are the packs of feral dogs that roam the woods. A good high-capacity auto is just the ticket.

J
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I agree with this post. My thinking also.
 
My father has been carrying a 357mag while hunting in the woods for 40 years, and it is to finish animals off if they were still alive. It is real akward to try to shoot up close with a scope on your rifle, a revolver works nicely!

If you were worried about bears or dogs why would you not just use your rifle?? You can tell from the responses who really hunts.:rolleyes:
 
I don't shoot snakes, unless I have to. (I hunt in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, though. We really only have to deal with rattlers.)

When I carry a pistol, it is for predator defense (big cats, bears, moose, and pot farmers). You can laugh at the moose reference, all you want. When an angry, 800 lb female decides you need to be dealt with (for whatever reason...), you'll see why I list them with cats, bears, and pot farmers.

Due to firearm and ammunition restrictions in Utah (where I do most of my hunting), it is illegal to use my pistols for small game, big game, and upland game species. They're just there for non-game encounters (again - predators, as described above).

I'd like to get into the details of nasty encounters with two-legged predators, and the awesomeness of wondering if you're about to get shot in the back (for accidentally stumbling upon a poachers' camp, or jackasses that just think they own the entire mountain for a week), but I'll get too angry thinking about hunts that got ugly.
The moral of the story is: Nasty encounters with two-legged predators are a situation where the enemy knows you're armed. If you can have the advantage, by having a pistol they don't know about.... you're that much farther ahead.


Lastly-
Every so often, I am presented with a shot that is so close I don't want to use my rifle. The velocity will be too high, and terminal performance of the bullet unsatisfactory (or just undesirable for the available shot). Having the ability to make the shot with a pistol is a nice advantage.
 
Bow hunting = yes

backwoods flyfishing = yes

mountain grouse hunting = yes

rifle hunting = no

In all cases, I carry a 4" .44 mag Redhawk.

Fish
 
Coyotes; Why kill them? Same as the snakes, they ain't hurtin you.
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I do not believe you have ever lived on, or currently live on, a farm. The predation of just the coyotes is enough to put a man out of business. I'll drive a few miles to shoot a coyote.

Snakes: I shoot the poisonous ones when I can. I do not need my cows or goats stepping on a poisonous snake and getting bit. The non-poisonous ones get ignored for the most part, unless they are in the chicken coop stealing eggs.

I usually have a pistol with me when I hunt. I would rather use a .22 to finish off a wounded animal than use a 30-30 close in. (Luckily, the only thing I have had to use it on where coons and possums when running a trap line.) Old habits are hard to break.

Depends on where I am hunting and what I feel like carrying, but I always have a pistol of some sorts on me.
 
ky's new hunting law

allows a person to carry a firearm for self defense while hunting or trapping.. i think this is great. ever since i was surrounded by a pack of wild dogs(6 or more) and had nothing to protect my self but a bow --5 arrows and a skinning knife .since that day i packed my ccw weapon while bow hunting..never saw the need for a handgun while rifle hunting ,,but a man might need a follow up,close range shot at a mad and wounded bear,deer ,coyote ,,maybe just a mad wildman lol
 
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