Ever Used Your Sidearm While Hunting?

[Fatcamp]

I've come across a lot of rattlesnakes over the years, and just haven't had any desire to kill them I guess.

I travel with a pistol in the truck and keep one in camp. If I'm rifle hunting I don't see the point of carrying another gun specifically for bear and lion defense. Due to my job not allowing time off in September I only archery hunt locally, and we don't have bears here. Lions and lion attacks are scarce enough that I'm willing to take my chances on them.

I carry a pistol all the time, archery hunt rattlesnake country a lot, and have never had to shoot a snake. See a bunch, but like you I never shoot them. I like to think they are helping to keep the competition away.

 

[Lytro]

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

An average of 5 deaths per year resulting from venomous snake bites in the US. They're not that scary lol

 

[sacklunch]

An average of 5 deaths per year resulting from venomous snake bites in the US. They're not that scary lol

cherry picking numbers is nice. 7000-8000 bites per year. Remind me again how, 3 miles back, you manage to get yourself out to the truck and to the ER in time to get the life saving treatment req'd? I'd be willing to bet, the large majority of those bites are not hunters/hikers miles from the truck.

 

[Brontosaurus]

I always do in Utah. Never know when a mountain lion is around.

Yeah I feel like this needs to be apart of the discussion too. Is bear spray effective on cats? I feel like it wouldnt be, but maybe so... What about a wolves? Probably? I was never too scared of wolves till I saw a pack annihilate a mule deer. It happens way faster than you think it could.

 

[Lytro]

cherry picking numbers is nice. 7000-8000 bites per year. Remind me again how, 3 miles back, you manage to get yourself out to the truck and to the ER in time to get the life saving treatment req'd? I'd be willing to bet, the large majority of those bites are not hunters/hikers miles from the truck.

It was a response to you saying you'd be willing to bet snakes kill far more people than griz. Both are in the single digits.

It's not cherry picking numbers if I literally used the total of all fatalities. Cherry picking would be using the number of hunters who died from snake bites last year (Statistically, that number is likely 0).

 

[robtattoo]

Twice, while bowhunting hogs.
Once in Texas: i had a sounder of hogs come to the feeder I was hunting. If dug myself a ground blind about 12 yards from it. Feeder went off, about 30 pigs came rushing in from all directions & I shot a nice sow. I had another sow bolt at the squealing & landed in my hole. A .44 spesh (actually 4, but i was a little frantic & only 1 hit her fatally....) as i backwards scrambled out fixed the problem. I still have that bullet & it's the reason i don't trust .44spl anymore.

Second one, bowhunting hogs again but in Central Florida. I stalked a really nice pig into a situation neither of us wanted to be in. I'd stalked it into a very dense thicket without realizing how close it was. I was on the only path in or out & he saw me at the same time as I saw him. He didn't really attack me, as such, but he tried to get away on the path that i was on, real quick. I already had my .44 drawn, just in case & snapped of a single 300gn hardcast into his face at about 8yds. He dropped on the shot & i put another in just to be sure. I needed fresh shorts after that one & couldn't hear properly for a few days. Shooting a 5.5" Blackhawk in a mostly enclosed environment, twice, is very, very stupid. But it beat the alternative.

 

[woods89]

cherry picking numbers is nice. 7000-8000 bites per year. Remind me again how, 3 miles back, you manage to get yourself out to the truck and to the ER in time to get the life saving treatment req'd? I'd be willing to bet, the large majority of those bites are not hunters/hikers miles from the truck.

Off topic, but I've heard that if you take out the young males under the influence of alcohol from those numbers, they drop a lot. Cliff notes, don't try to pick up snakes.

 

[sacklunch]

It was a response to you saying you'd be willing to bet snakes kill far more people than griz. Both are in the single digits.

It's not cherry picking numbers if I literally used the total of all fatalities. Cherry picking would be using the number of hunters who died from snake bites last year (Statistically, that number is likely 0).

Now do odds of dying from a rattler if bitten 3 miles from the truck. I'd say without a Garmin SOS, odds are nearly 100%.

I'd rather just carry my pistol. But then again, guns don't scare me and the extra weight isn't a factor either.

 

[def90]

I kind of like the idea of spray, and I have a can Of it, but I’m not sure if I can figure out how to work that thing under duress. I’m not even sure if I would point it in the right direction, and I’m just as liable to spray myself as the bear. My pistol is much simpler to operate. Easy to tell which end is the business end.

Ideally, I would like to simultaneously spray and shoot an attacking bear While delivering karate kicks And making karate noises. Same goes for an attacking cougar. Unless the attack occurs in a hot tub… in that case, she has to buy me dinner.

Pretty easy to walk out in to your backyard and give it a shot.

Whether you use bear spray or a handgun, you are pretty much worthless with either if you have never practised with either.

 

[Lytro]

Now do odds of dying from a rattler if bitten 3 miles from the truck. I'd say without a Garmin SOS, odds are nearly 100%.

I'd rather just carry my pistol. But then again, guns don't scare me and the extra weight isn't a factor either.

You are correct, the chance of fatality exponentially increases from a venomous snake bite the longer it goes untreated. I’m not arguing that.

I find it odd that people kill snakes they have already avoided, and feel like they’re doing everyone a favor by doing so. If it’s on your property or in your livestock pasture I get it.

It’s not a charging bear, and you aren’t going to draw on a snake as it’s striking. That’s why I think it’s hilarious when I hear people say they carry a snake gun and call it self defense. If you get bit while hunting, you were either unaware it was there or you were messing with it. In that scenario a gun isn’t going to do anything for you.

 

[Ross]

Checked cams a couple of years ago. Always pack and over 40 yrs never needed it. Going through sd card reader blackie with 3cubs all over this card at this seep. I’m always looking around and watching my lab. Something catches my eyes downhill about 70 yds out. Hmm two cubs pop out and quickly go up tree. Mind knows the outcome before it plays out. I grab my pistol load and backup grabbing my gear and lab. Out pops momma no hesitation shes coming quick let her get to 20 and dump shots in the ground in front of her. She stops and clicks her teeth and backs up. we stare down and I back out. Things happen quick and I have friends very similar incidents. The reason I always pack you just never know What May happen. Be safe and prepared.

 

[CMF]

A lot of tourist walking around with 10mm’s looking for a reason to use them- lol.

Where is this, lol? The times I've carried my chest rig at National Parks, I sure do get some stares, as well as foreigners "you wouldn't do that where I'm from...." and I can't remember ever seeing anyone else carry.

 

[SwiftShot]

This is from the Buffalo Bore web site so take it for what it is worth:

40 S&W OUTDOORSMAN Std Pressure Low Flash:
"Expect roughly 30 inches of straight-line penetration in flesh and bone."

For that matter their hardcast load for the "anemic" 380 ACP is claimed to do 20"+.

I would not trust those numbers. They are solids but that seems rather deep for a 40
For penetration test Lucky Gunner does some but it is mostly self defense stuff not 454 and 10MM.

Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition - Ballistic Testing Data

Lucky Gunner tests more than 110 different 9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and 380 ACP handgun self-defense ammunition loads in ballistic gel with analysis and video.

www.luckygunner.com

 

[Jbogg]

If someone has the time to pull out a pistol and shoot a snake before being bitten, then they have the time to walk around it and leave it be. Snakes don’t chase people.

 

[TheTone]

Off topic, but I've heard that if you take out the young males under the influence of alcohol from those numbers, they drop a lot. Cliff notes, don't try to pick up snakes.

Presentation on snake bites I saw said majority of bite victims were males under 30 that had been drinking and had more than 3 tattoos. Majority of bites were also on the hand or lower arm

 

[woods89]

Presentation on snake bites I saw said majority of bite victims were males under 30 that had been drinking and had more than 3 tattoos. Majority of bites were also on the hand or lower arm

There you go!

 

[Lordnel]

Yeah I feel like this needs to be apart of the discussion too. Is bear spray effective on cats? I feel like it wouldnt be, but maybe so... What about a wolves? Probably? I was never too scared of wolves till I saw a pack annihilate a mule deer. It happens way faster than you think it could.

I'm not sure but a 357 works pretty good! HAHA

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I would not trust those numbers. They are solids but that seems rather deep for a 40
For penetration test Lucky Gunner does some but it is mostly self defense stuff not 454 and 10MM.

Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition - Ballistic Testing Data

Lucky Gunner tests more than 110 different 9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and 380 ACP handgun self-defense ammunition loads in ballistic gel with analysis and video.

www.luckygunner.com

Two different types of ammo for two different use cases. I referenced hard cast and you brought up traditional self defense ammo.

 

[JjamesIII]

Where is this, lol? The times I've carried my chest rig at National Parks, I sure do get some stares, as well as foreigners "you wouldn't do that where I'm from...." and I can't remember ever seeing anyone else carry.

No, I’m saying that’s most likely why the rangers always preach spray as opposed to guns. I suspect they don’t want tourists using lethal means on their pet bears.

 

[tam9492]

You are correct, the chance of fatality exponentially increases from a venomous snake bite the longer it goes untreated. I’m not arguing that.

I find it odd that people kill snakes they have already avoided, and feel like they’re doing everyone a favor by doing so. If it’s on your property or in your livestock pasture I get it.

It’s not a charging bear, and you aren’t going to draw on a snake as it’s striking. That’s why I think it’s hilarious when I hear people say they carry a snake gun and call it self defense. If you get bit while hunting, you were either unaware it was there or you were messing with it. In that scenario a gun isn’t going to do anything for you.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make earlier. And it was in response to the folks who say they carry specifically for snakes. I fully agree that there are other reasons to carry besides grizzlies, but in my mind, snakes ain’t one of them.