renting a handgun Colorado

[11boo]

As many hunters as there are in Colorado, does anyone even ever have run ins? I second the comment about carrying spray... Much safer than an unfamiliar pistol.

I'll be honest, I've been carrying for years and have had exactly zero occasions to need it. Any other item in my pack would have been left at home with that track record.

I run into them yearly. 3-4 times with cubs in tow. They always ran the other way. I’m not carrying spray. I do keep a handgun in my HPG bag and train with it often. Carrying one without practice is how you end up shooting yourself.
I highly doubt I would ever have to shoot a bear.

 

[Mcribs]

Save the weight, carry a bow ( carefully). Guy stabbed himself in CO w a broad head going over deadfall last year.

Point is, we worry about the stuff that sounds scary ( like mt lion attack) and ignore reality ( hit by car on way to hunt or falling)

 

[martie88]

Thanks everyone wasn't really concerned to much about the bear was more concerned about the cougars and wolf's. I mean any time iv seen a wolf they have always went the other way but have heard story's of them being very protective when there is a dead animal. Not experience with cougars though..

 

[camelcluch]

Lions don’t want anything to do with you. I also wouldn’t worry about the wolves just yet.

 

[*zap*]

stay strapped

 

[IDVortex]

You'll be fine as long as you have .30 cal arrows. If nit, you're SOL.

Bear spray, but realistically, just be bear aware. Be wise with food, and going through thick brush.

 

[KsRancher]

I know someone that was attacked and killed by a black bear.

Not something I worry about even now but they aren't all the same and should not be underestimated.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

A guy from my home town was attacked by a black bear somewhere around Salida, CO in the early 2000's. He worked it over with a hatchet. I think CDOW tracked the bear down and killed it. Jeffrey Flora is his name

 

[sndmn11]

WTFO for the moose!

 

[DawnPatrol]

If cougars wanted to eat you, you’d have already been eaten.

 

[IDVortex]

If cougars wanted to eat you, you’d have already been eaten.

I have never packed a gun for a cat. I ho by that logic. Only chance I have is if I have a knife on my person's readily available.

 

[hereinaz]

Rental is the same as a purchase as far as the ATF is concerned it is a transfer from a commercial entity. Still have to do the 4473 form for all transfers. Pretty sure you can only buy a handgun from FFL in the state for which you are a resident. Technically, I think the rental would be a no go.

Individual sales can be different than FFL, and I think a friend can loan a gun, but I don’t know CO law which is not as friendly as other states.

 

[Jethro]

I know someone that was attacked and killed by a black bear.

Not something I worry about even now but they aren't all the same and should not be underestimated.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

We had a bear attack here this week. Dog and bear started up in a backyard, ended up attacking dogs owner. Was a mom with 3 yearling cubs.

I don’t carry pistol or spray in CO or PA.

 

[Shadowden]

Do you have a lot of experience shooting and handling handguns? If not, you are 10 times more likely to harm yourself or someone else with an unfamiliar pistol than to have any issues with predators. Buy some bear spray.

I'm not picking on you, I think 90% of people carrying pistols while hunting couldn't use them effectively and would be much better off with spray.

Where do those stats come from?

I might just hang in the right circle, but the folks I know who carry are highly proficient. Having said that, I haven't felt the need to carry in the woods and have never seen another archery hunter carrying either.

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be long until the wolves follow the food into my hunt area.

Best of luck on your hunt. I would say not to fret about a handgun or spray personally. I was listening to the Backcountry Hunting podcast with Joseph Van Benedikt and there was a personal accoint of a gentleman that accidentally broke the top of his spray off and got his face thoroughly saturated. Sounded awful.

 

[Luke S]

I did meet a Canadian packing in Colorado but he was a legal resident working there (but not a USA citizen) so somehow that worked. I think he'd gotten a concealed carry permit too.
In Canada you have your PAL to own/posses a gun. Here we don't have an equivalent. Mostly government is just involved at the purchase from a dealer (the background check or 4473 Form). So legally getting the handgun is the tricky part as a non citizen. Once you have it, no one cares if you carry it hunting (probably needs to be unconcerned but not sure).

What all this means is I think you could legally borrow a pistol from a friend in Colorado as long as you followed the law while carrying it in the backcountry.
If you don't have a hunting buddy in the states I doubt you can rent one. Bear spray is easy to find at places like REI and Sportsman's Warehouse. I think it would be fine. I hiked a lot in Colorado and New Mexico and only saw one bear. I see lots more in other places.

Just curious why CO? I would have thought you'd have better options up in Canada.

Edit - be careful with the spray! It's about as durable as a beer can under pressure. Don't slam it around! If it discharges have a bar of ivory soap to wash off with. It's oily and nasty.

 

[trophyhill]

As many hunters as there are in Colorado, does anyone even ever have run ins? I second the comment about carrying spray... Much safer than an unfamiliar pistol.

I'll be honest, I've been carrying for years and have had exactly zero occasions to need it. Any other item in my pack would have been left at home with that track record.

I'd rather have it and not need it

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

What all this means is I think you could legally borrow a pistol from a friend in Colorado as long as you followed the law while carrying it in the backcountry.

CO requires a FFL transfer for most situations, technically there is an exemption while hunting/fishing to loan outside the immediate supervision of the owner (but they can be held legally liable for what you do) and generally the state is unfriendly about possession transfers.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

As many hunters as there are in Colorado, does anyone even ever have run ins?

Only run ins I have ever heard about are habituated bears bear people (popular campgrounds, etc.) that are anti hunting areas. Areas where bears can and are hunted you tend to see their ass end running away. Only folks I tend to see with a sidearm are out of staters.

If/when Griz show up in CO it’s a difficult story.

 

[LostArra]

New Details Emerge in Gruesome Lion Attack on Cyclists

New details and images have emerged about a recent cougar attack in Washington State involving five cyclists who fought off the cat with a rock and a Leatherman and then used a mountain bike to pin it down. All survived, but one of the cyclists suffered a serious bite wound to her jaw. The five...

www.themeateater.com

While archery elk hunting in Wyo I walked up on a freshly killed mule deer doe covered with grass right at sundown. I assumed it was a cat kill from the neck wounds. I wasted no time exiting the area.

I've carried a handgun exactly 10 hours for one day on one Colo elk hunt. Having the handgun close at hand was a nuisance so I left it at camp. I've never taken it since. I did see one bear on that hunt also at sundown but it exploded up a tree when it got my wind as I headed back to camp.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've carried a handgun exactly 10 hours for one day on one Colo elk hunt. Having the handgun close at hand was a nuisance so I left it at camp.

A nuisance? My G20 is my every day carry, and while hunting I hardly even recognize that it's there. Kind of similar to my day pack, after a day or two it just becomes part of me.

 

[justin davis]

You don’t need one. Just extra weight to carry. If your scared of bears just get a bear tag which will guarantee you won’t see a bear ha