Ever Used Your Sidearm While Hunting?

[ThunderJack49]

I shot over the back of a bear that came in once when I was cutting up an elk in the dark. I've pulled it several times with a grizz bluff charge or just bumping once accidentally.

 

[menhaden_man]

As the title states, I'm wondering how many have actually needed to use your sidearm for bear (or anything else) protection while hunting. I am guessing it is very rare that one is needed, but obviously one of those "better to have and not need it" situations.

Would love to hear the stories and advice if you have.

Might be archery hunting in Montana this fall so have been thinking about whether to carry and how best to train if I do.

I’ve shot maybe a half dozen game birds with a 22 pistol.

 

[7mm-08]

Carry, but never had a need to burn powder.

 

[Mosby]

I carry a 10 mm pistol for spring bear and a .22 for snakes. Snakes are common.

 

[ethan]

You do you. Me and my people have You do you. Me and my people have had a different experience.

Agreed! I grew up in south Louisiana and spent my entire life being outside as much as I could. I now live in the Appalachian’s and we don’t have cotton mouths here, thankfully! I don‘t kill venomous snakes and I can appreciate them. That being said, if I’m late to church and see a cotton mouth on the side of the road, I’m gonna stop and kill him. I’ve almost stepped on them and had them not hardly react. But I can’t count the number of times I’ve had a cotton mouth slide off a limb and he’s coming, and he’s gonna get in the boat or whatever. If you want to call that being “chased” or whatever??? But I can unequivocally, without a doubt, with absolute confidence say cotton mouths can be very aggressive, and don’t much care what someone has heard from whoever. All the things you hear about snakes that ain’t true….don’t count when you’re talking about a damned cotton mouth.

 

[Casey F]

like others have said, newbies to handguns that want to carry while hunting scare the crap out of me. Not a reason to keep a round in the chamber WHEN hunting if we are talking side arms for protection.

 

[OneSkinnyHunter]

like others have said, newbies to handguns that want to carry while hunting scare the crap out of me. Not a reason to keep a round in the chamber WHEN hunting if we are talking side arms for protection.

Completely disagree. People carry, concealed or not, everyday with a round in the chamber, but suddenly you shouldn’t when hunting? Just dumb

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dispatched many grouse with my Mark I and a hissing Hognose once that slithered up to me while turkey hunting. I don't care for snakes.

 

[hawaiianstyle13]

Another good question, how are you all carrying your pistol? Hip, chest, pack?

 

[BugleMeTimber]

Took the wife archery hunting for mule deer to see if she could get her first deer. Hiked in behind a closed gate on an old logging road. Just as we came out of a clearing I seen what I thought was a beef cow's rear sticking out behind a tree in the brush just ahead of us. As we approached it startled and then I realized it was a cow moose. She ran uphill into the brush to where we could not see her. We backed up slowly into the clearing till we could get a bearing on her. The cow started barking at us like a dog which I never heard a moose do before. That darn cow came running out straight at us and surprised the heck out of me. Happened so fast that I didn't remember setting my bow down (may have dropped it) and pulling out my revolver. About twenty feet out she turned straight downhill and blew right by me. Thankful it ended the way it did and didn't have to discharge a round. When I turned around I seen my wife had run quite a ways away from me back down the road. I learned what true love was that day.........the adrenaline I get from hunting. S&W .357 w/HSM Bear Loads (non grizzly area) in a leather hip holster right side. My brother always says: "Better to have and not need than to need and not have." I agree.

 

[GLB]

I have been very lucky with all the bear encounters that I have had over the years. I have had my my side arm out and pointed in many times as I talked to the bear but never had to shoot.

One night on the mountain in a tent a grizzly tried to push his head through the fly. I jabbed his nose with the barrel of my handgun and luckily he ran off. No sleep that night!

Since my house is near a salmon stream I have to have a gun close by when I’m in my yard or around my property when the salmon come in. The brown bears would cross my property to get to the streams. My blue healer would alert me when one was close by.

 

[aaron600rr]

Snakes and a finishing shot on a pig.

I've used one in camp when a guy in the area wouldn't stop bothering my girlfriend in the middle of the night.

Out of curiosity I'd like to know the full story. My biggest fear is being harassed while my wife is hunting with me. Alone I'm fine.

 

[Blowdowner]

I'd be willing to bet snakes kill far more people each year than griz

Rattler on the path once right before I got to my spot. Only an hour left of light. Quickly threw a Boulder on it and said let’s go to my partner. 10 minutes later used that little green fawn bleat can and two young and momma came bounding out. So don’t make extra noise if you don’t need to. But definitely kill all rattlers.

 

[Maverick1]

Nope. Only had one encounter. Was hiking through some thick ferns towards an elk carcass and aggressively approached by a black bear once, fortunately had a very steep ravine between us. Had weapons drawn and at the ready, but he stopped at the edge of the ravine, turned sharply, and went off. That was exciting.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I had to draw mine on a black bear that was bluff charging and snapping his jaw. We couldn’t see him because of the thick timber but could hear him. I didn’t have to pull the trigger but I was ready. We new that it could occur because the area we were in was covered in bear scat. So I had it on my mind as we were walking through the timber.

How did you know he was bluff charging if you couldn’t see him?

 

[Loopdanger]

I’ve had to use it a few times to put down wounded animals.

 

[Casey F]

Completely disagree. People carry, concealed or not, everyday with a round in the chamber, but suddenly you shouldn’t when hunting? Just dumb

I don't think you understand what I meant by this. To get a concealed carry in many states you just simply need to have a hunter safety licence...which requires absolutely no handgun training at all. I am all for people to carry handguns concealed and through open carry, however when individuals (newbies, like I stated) do not carry in there day to day life and therefore lack training, and then decide they want to carry a handgun they are unfamiliar with, WITH a round in the chamber it presents a scary situation. Not everyone makes sure they are familiar with not only their sidearm but also their holster, while wearing their gear.

 

[sacklunch]

I don't think you understand what I meant by this. To get a concealed carry in many states you just simply need to have a hunter safety licence...which requires absolutely no handgun training at all. I am all for people to carry handguns concealed and through open carry, however when individuals (newbies, like I stated) do not carry in there day to day life and therefore lack training, and then decide they want to carry a handgun they are unfamiliar with, WITH a round in the chamber it presents a scary situation. Not everyone makes sure they are familiar with not only their sidearm but also their holster, while wearing their gear.

Very true. Basic level firearms training and a tourniquet go a long way to preventing accidental death by ABs (formerly known as NDs) in the backcountry.

 

[Warmsy]

Another good question, how are you all carrying your pistol? Hip, chest, pack?

HPG chest rig. Got it a couple months ago and never looking back... But damn I wish there were a MOLLE compatible Bono pouch that works exactly like the kuiu one.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

One night on the mountain in a tent a grizzly tried to push his head through the fly. I jabbed his nose with the barrel of my handgun and luckily he ran off. No sleep that night!

I would have had to change my underwear after that encounter. That sounds like something out of a horror movie.

like others have said, newbies to handguns that want to carry while hunting scare the crap out of me. Not a reason to keep a round in the chamber WHEN hunting if we are talking side arms for protection.

I'm more scared of newb rifle owners that only shoot a box a year to sight in before season. Swinging their rifle around and flagging everyone and the worst, using their scope to glass.