Handgun while archery hunting?

[mighteywhitehunter]

I carry a S&W 686 Plus. It is a 7 shot .357 mag when it is legal to do so, and always when I am hunting Grizz country along with Bear Spray. I have yet to have any close encounters, luckily.

 

[Vaquero 45]

Me carry Kemosabe a mdl 69 smithy combat mag , 5 shot 44 MAG , 2 3/4 " barrel. Or a 45 ACP Springfield XDM .......

 

[markanderson12]

I live in Wisconsin. I dont hunt in the northern part of the state very often anymore but when I do I carry my 40. When I was around 20 a buddy and I were bow hunting and he had a bear come and i wouldnt leave. We didnt have any cell service so his dad ended up having to finally go in looking for him and ran the bear off with the 4 wheeler. So from them on we would both carry just incase something odd like that happened again. While rifle hunting up in northern wisconsin in the dark i stumped right in the middle of a fresh wolf kill. They spooked and ran off but all day long I kept seeing them come in and out trying to go back to the fresh doe they killed but them knowing I was there they woulndt come in. Just odd things over the last 15 years so I carry just to make myself feel better. Im sure ill never have to pull out the glock but it makes me feel a little better having it with me.

 

[High Climber]

9mm shield in IWB holster right front pocket

 

[Dioni A]

I carry a SIG p365 x macro all the time in a deadfall design chest plate that attaches to my binocular harness.

 

[ProRoad]

Glock 20 in 10mm with Buffalo Bore Hard Cast Heavy Outdoorsman. https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=219 . Switching in 2026 to the Sig P320 XTEN Endure. Also going under the bino harness as I am tired of dragging my barrell in the dirt when I sit down. 10mm is the most satisfying round on the planet, though I have still not shot a 45-70.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I work in law enforcement, so my perspective may be a little skewed, so take it for what it’s worth. I always carry everywhere I go, woods included. I have had an extremely uncomfortable close encounter with a grizz, and also tons of stories of two-legged animals behaving badly in the wilderness as well.

I carry my old duty pistol when I hunt; a Glock 21 that I carried for years on my hip that I know like the back of my hand.

 

[aks]

10mm with a chest holster. But, I hunt in grizz country

 

[mjh]

In MN handgun carry while archery hunting bear—-legal.

Archery hunting other species and having a CC permit—legal carry.

Archery hunting other species NO CC permit—handgun carry NOT legal.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Yep,to many idiots in the woods.

 

[jtevanMT]

Glock 29 on hip belt of Exo K4. Going to try a Venadi holster in 2026 to always have the gun with me. I hunt in Griz areas. Had a sow/cub at 25 yards and a boar at 5 yards this season. Gun came out both times, but fortunately no shots fired.

 

[a_noob_hunter]

Springfield XDM 10mm on my hip. Primary hunt in griz country but like everyone else I pretty much always carry when in the mountains. Always rather have it than wish for it

 

[Yaremkiv]

XDM Elite 10mm in a Gunfighters Inc. Kodiak chest holster under the bino harness.

 

[bucksanducks12]

In Michigan, I don’t have to worry about anything too scary besides other two leggeds. We can carry handguns during archery season with a concealed permit.

I just started hunting with a recurve this year, and find myself packing around my ruger super black hawk 44mag in a gunfighters inc Kenai chest holster. I figure it fills the gap for me if a deer decides to try and squirt around me in the 20-50yd range! (Currently archery buck/late antlerless firearms season so I can shoot a doe with the 44).

 

[archp625]

I'm sure this was asked more for the western bow hunter but I am going to start carrying a pistol in MO. I have stumbled on some weird things this year in the parking lots at the public land that hunt. I thought to myself its me vs them in the middle of nowhere and I possibly brought a knife to a gun fight.

 

[Rich M]

After getting threatened w bodily harm on public 3x in one year , i dont hunt or hike without a piece. Nothing fancy, just small 22 or 380.

As for hunting w handgun while bowhunting seems overkill - i wouldnt do it.

 

[Beendare]

After getting threatened w bodily harm on public 3x in one year , i dont hunt or hike without a piece. Nothing fancy, just small 22 or 380.

I'm reminded of a line from Billy Bob Thornton in "Landman" where his wife is on the phone telling him to pack his pistol (into a sketchy situation in rural Texas) and he says,

"Honey I'm always packing and so is everyone else....thats why everybody is polite and we all wave and smile as we pass"

Thats one that flys right over the head of the anti gun folks

 

[ScottinPA]

In griz country I carry either Springfield XDM 10mm or Ruger Alaskan 454 in strong side kydex holster on pack belt. I can throw the holster on my pants belt when breaking down game.