Hunters in Grizzly-Free Country - Sidearm for Archery / Scouting?

[mtwarden]

outside of grizzly country hunting and hiking- no sidearm and no bear spray (well sometimes a little S&W 317 for plinking grouse)

in grizzly country during hunting season- S&W 69 (2.75" barrel) w/ Razco holster & bear spray; grizzly country outside hunting season- just bear spray

in and around town-Glock 43

 

[Dos Perros]

I don't think I've ever run into another archery elk hunter in non-grizz country that was carrying. I think most people don't. Threads like these attract people who do.

 

[GHOSTofWENDELL]

Y'all are paranoid

Fitting name for the subject, lol!

 

[Mtnboy]

It’s a no from me.

Not to sound all macho but in non-grizz country I honestly don't feel there is much to be scared of. I also feel that if I have my bow in my hand and I can nock an arrow or get an arrow out of the quiver I'll be able to help myself more than I would with a pistol anyway.

You pistol folks, how often are you practicing and replicating shooting in high stress situations? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? How many accurate shots are you able to place in a pie plate, on a moving target at a rapid rate of speed?

 

[N.ID7803]

It’s a no from me.

Not to sound all macho but in non-grizz country I honestly don't feel there is much to be scared of. I also feel that if I have my bow in my hand and I can nock an arrow or get an arrow out of the quiver I'll be able to help myself more than I would with a pistol anyway.

You pistol folks, how often are you practicing and replicating shooting in high stress situations? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? How many accurate shots are you able to place in a pie plate, on a moving target at a rapid rate of speed?

Mtnboy, same for me I work in the woods as forester everyday and have had very few encounters where I felt scared or threatened. My only regret was this fall while elk hunting when a pack of wolves came in and I was only able to get one with an arrow! My wife keeps insisting I get something and I usually look around for about a month and never pull the trigger.

 

[Rick M.]

A couple of guys in here seem offended by the mere question of carrying, haha. Didn't mean to ruffle feathers, I was just genuinely curious and thought it would be an interesting conversation.

 

[bbell]

I never did for the longest time. Awhile back in a 2 year period I had a run in with a cougar and had to throw rocks and sticks at a bear during archery elk. Mostly cause of the bear I carry when possible. Also I now always have a bear tag.

 

[Packin_packout]

It all comes down to where you spend your time and what your proficiency level is with the tools available. I would not have my son carrying a pistol because he has not shot enough...I've shot IDPA or similar for years and the practice of shooting under stress is invaluable. Anywhere there are mountains I am running a glock 20, texas just a glock 19.

The unfortunate fact is that stuff can happen anywhere and I've had way more problems with two legged critters than 4 legged. That said a pack of wild dogs, numerous foul tempered pigs have gotten shot when they have taken a run at me.

I've had black bear sow + cubs try and sneak up on me because they probably smelled the grouse on my backpack. No reason to shoot them just watch them...they moved once they heard the camera motor move in / out trying to get a picture. Had another case of cub go scurrying up a tree in the gila and my head was a swivel trying to find mom. Had one prying open the empty freezer on the back of utility trailer while in a NM state park while sleeping on the bed. Stuff is out there just a matter of how much time you spend out there and where. Been huffed at a few times walking down trails in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana at night. (Always bear in mind they say there's no grizzly here...next year FS guy is like well yeah there was...ahem Bridger griz...ahem Kaibab wolf) Alaska this year had a dad in trip say there's no bears here and I had to point out the scat and at lunch everyone looking one direction across glacier and he repeats it...hey idiot behind you 125 yds up on that hill just above the trail out there's a nice big black bear.

The flip side is the two legged problems so far in the country...don't get me started on dallas city issues
pot farms on army corp of engineer land here in texas ( no carry allowed there )
square bales washing up on north padre and guys acting like shark fisherman driving up and down beach spotlighting for their bales and trying to bully their way into your camps
Guys zipping across uncles ranch in carrizo to bypass checkpoints
bubba with 870 and a turkey on eagle loop trail and it was not turkey season...had some female friends on that trip and that guy was not ok
NM / So. Colorado - reservation problems with people trying to get into your vehicle
Archuleta county had a thriving car stripping/dumping operation on NF a while back
So. Wyo - dumbasses shooting at the guy in orange from a moving vehicle
So. Arizona can get a little western...drug smugglers in f-250's that they have knocked out the console and all lights and running across the valley ( tohono ono not sure of spelling ), you have groups of illegals most of which will not cause a problem trying to sneak across but my buddies have breakins to vehicles all the time + bortac ( they are good guys but in a bad spot, same thing for warden out there she's always been great to deal with) If the helicopter lights are going north illegals...south...smugglers...trying to get back to the other side
state parks in tx/ok have had drunk individuals who decide this place to beat their significant other had that happen on a couple of family & scouting campouts

The reality is 99% of the people and animals in the world out there will not cause you problems...just are prepared able to deal with the 1% when you run into them or willing to accept the consequences of not being able to. But that means you should be practicing with tools you choose and rigs you will use...ie, holster, backpack etc. I have seen guys with holsters that will not work with their backpacks and I just shake my head...and by practice I mean actually draw and fire from holster under time! It's not a style accessory!

 

[Broomd]

Y'all are paranoid

That's what my neighbor's husband said to her when she took off for another typical jog down our road about ten years ago. She had complained about being scared of bears and wanted the dog with her.

She headed out and got about 800 yards in when a black bear popped out of the bush took off after her.
Fortunately her Great Pyrenees finally caught up--it was late to the party--and the bear high-tailed it off.
She carried thereafter and nowadays works out at our local gym.

I always carry when I run our roads.

 

[idelkslayer]

No grizzlies? I don't carry anything, never have. Black bears and Mtn. lions aren't normally aggressive to humans. Even now with wolves I still don't carry anything. I'm not a tough guy, I just know the odds and feel like there is little to no risk. I feel perfectly safe without a sidearm in those areas.

Grizzlies? I grew up camping and hunting in areas with grizzlies but never carried a sidearm or bear spray. The population is low and I will admit to a "that will never happen to me attitude". Today if I am hiking or camping in grizzly country I carry bear spray. I still don't own any type of handgun that would be useful for self-defense.

Lately, it is the weird humans I sometimes come across in the backcountry or on back roads that give me cause for concern. I haven't settled on a solution to that yet. So far I just don't get into conversations with people who look like they've missed their monthly bath and I give them a wide berth for personal and olfactory safety.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Outside of grizz country I carry a Keltec PMR 30...2lbs fully loaded with 30rds in the mag. I have killed hogs and yotes with it and while not big round, I am confident 30 rds of 22wmr will deter 2 legged critters as well.

 

[kid44]

I ALWAYS carry a handgun when I am out, be it in public, scouting, fishing, camping, hiking etc. It is actually the 2 legged variety that worry me the most. Have been seeing/reading a lot recently of people simply going missing. Some of their own free will, others abducted. I have no desire to leave home and never come back and I won't be a victim without a fight. Am I paranoid, maybe but we live in scary times where people can and will hurt you just because they want to.

 

[Rick M.]

I ALWAYS carry a handgun when I am out, be it in public, scouting, fishing, camping, hiking etc. It is actually the 2 legged variety that worry me the most. Have been seeing/reading a lot recently of people simply going missing. Some of their own free will, others abducted. I have no desire to leave home and never come back and I won't be a victim without a fight. Am I paranoid, maybe but we live in scary times where people can and will hurt you just because they want to.

It's the two-leggers that worry me the most as well. I carry everywhere else, so I figure why not in the woods. Actually, running into someone that's not hunting/camping in the backcountry is creepy to begin with. Especially if it's in the dark and you're awoken by some shady stuff. I always think worst case scenario. Prepared, not paranoid.

 

[Elkchaser24x7]

To me its a tool, its a tool I can use to defend, signal or get food if needed. Its the same mindset as why I wear a seatbelt , carry survival gear or always have a sharp knife.
Theirs no emotion in it, macho, fear etc. It just a tool for me.

 

[ZDR]

If you spend enough time in NM backcountry, you will have an unpleasant human encounter. In my 40+ years of getting out in the BC here, my hunting partners and I have had a few bad encounters like in the pecos wilderness when the drunk local who lost his 30-30 winchester off his horse and thought my bowhunting partner had found it and wasnt telling him. Or the 20 or so locals on horseback in the San Pedro parks who considered it part of a spanish land grant and wanted us out. They too were drunk. Or the time when my horse went missing in the Pecos and the outfitter camp a mile or so away had all of his wall tents slashed to pieces.
This is just a few examples...
I dont carry typically with 4 legged critters in mind.

 

[Elkchaser24x7]

If you spend enough time in NM backcountry, you will have an unpleasant human encounter. In my 40+ years of getting out in the BC here, my hunting partners and I have had a few bad encounters like in the pecos wilderness when the drunk local who lost his 30-30 winchester off his horse and thought my bowhunting partner had found it and wasnt telling him. Or the 20 or so locals on horseback in the San Pedro parks who considered it part of a spanish land grant and wanted us out. They too were drunk. Or the time when my horse went missing in the Pecos and the outfitter camp a mile or so away had all of his wall tents slashed to pieces.
This is just a few examples...
I dont carry typically with 4 legged critters in mind.

I have few of those along the same lines. Had a group of hunters that set up tents right at a gate with major access to a drainage and tried to "claim" it all for themselves that I scouted all summer. Was upset when I snuck past their camp in the dark on public land and came back packing game. 6 to 1 ratio, I was able to hold my ground without it getting to heated. But you never know if its going to go "south".
Or the two guys tearing up ground illegally cross country on a four wheeler and took offence to me taking pictures of them and their rig for reporting.
99% of my encounters are great with fellow hunters and positive, "Hey can I help pack a quarter" ," Need a ride back to your truck" etc. But sadly their is a 1% that weren't raised right.

 

[Rick M.]

@Elkchaser24x7 You bring up a good point with the quad situation. I will report littering, poaching, illegal permanent shelters (tons of this crap in Idaho) or any such illegal activity when I see it in the wilderness. There are people out there that wouldn't appreciate being photographed or caught, and one can never assume to know the lengths they would go to avoid it.

 

[CKWY97]

Like some have mentioned earlier in this thread, I carry out in the woods simply because I do everywhere else. I carry a P365 so likely not going to be a great bet against anything big, but it would probably be in a social context anyhow. ElkChaser's above post reminded me of a time archery hunting with my dad when we ran into a guy way off the trail on his 4 wheeler (on public land). He started getting a little threatening as my dad took down his license plate and his picture. Luckily I was standing back about 20 yards and actually had time to nock an arrow...it worked as a deterrent and definitely better than nothing but nowadays I prefer to carry my sidearm for that purpose instead.

 

[Alchemy]

G43 with tango down +2 baseplate and stream light trl2

 

[Rogueworrior]

I sometimes carry my S&W 44 mag when bear hunting in Ca. I carry it on my chest under my Bino harness.