side arms

[fillthefreezer]

I've been looking at the one from blade tech thats is quick removable

 

[hflier]

I carry everywhere. Even in the woods it's for the 2 legged predators, not the 4 legged ones.

 

[mtnkid85]

For me it depends on what kind of trip Im going on and who Im going with.
If I know its going to be a "fast & furious" trip with one of my fast partners or by my self Ill pack the lighter bearspray.
If Im going with my lady or I know Im going to be going slower/heavier Ill carry a heavier 454 Ruger Alaskan in a Simply Rugged chest harness.
Simply put I am comfortable carrying either and just let the trip dictate which one I grab.

 

[larryschwartz]

My only option

This is the only thing that I am comfortable carrying when in yogi country.....















I'm waiting on the bear spray round for the 30mm to come out next month!

 

[blb078]

Bumping this, curious what other people's thoughts are on the subject of carrying a gun while bow hunting. And what are some decent lightweight manufactures for a side arm? Those that do carry a side arm do you ever stop carrying it when it gets later in the season and the bears hibernating? Guess there is always the mountain lion threat but seems like less of an issue than bears.

 

[OR Archer]

I carried for the first time this year. I am not at all concerned with bears or cougars. Even have a few wolves in the area I like to elk hunt. It's the two legged varmints that I carry it for. I don't care to leave it in my vehicle at the trailhead so it gets packed in with me. I think its more valuable to me on my day hunts around home than it is on my backcountry hunts.

I carry a Glock 23 in .40 cal. May switch it up and buy a S&W Shield in 9mm. Smaller and lighter, just really hard to find one!!

 

[barmar65]

I carry a kahr .45. More than enough for cats and 2 leggers, but not enough for bear. If I ever hunt in griz areas i will pick up at least a titanium .44 to pack along. What I did notice is you get some looks from other hunters who arent use to seeing someone packing.

 

[ohhiitznik]

I carry a .44 Ruger super redhawk. I love that pistol. And you sleep like a baby in grizzly country. Sure, it might not work that great on the big coastal grizzlies, but those little mountain grizzlies in Idaho are prime targets!

 

[arffdog875]

I carry both in town and in the woods. Lately I have been more afraid of bad things happening in the woods, my wife and I were hiking on a farily well traveled trail about 4 miles from the road and ran into 3 scumbags coming down the trail. Long story short...followed their tracks (after a rain shower) they had a pot garden about 30 yards off the trail. Now I don't leave home without!

 

[trophyhill]

I started carrying this year after seeing a big Tom cat up close and personal last January during my archery deer hunt. My weapon of choice is the Taurus model 444 Ultra Light .44 mag snub nose. It seriously is a piece of mind to have this great piece on my belt. I drew it twice during my elk hunt as I encountered a couple bears under 50 yards. They must have sensed danger as they stared down the barrel cuz they both fled in a hurry

 

[justin davis]

Nope. Never have and likely never will carry a pistol when out hunting. Added weight that is not needed in my opinion. I'm not in griz country thou. I have lived my whole life in the mountains of Colorado, spent countless hours in the woods by myself and have never had a issue.

Animals are not to be feared (atleast animals in Colorado)!

The two legged critters are the ones I fear however. I keep a loaded glock 20 .45 and a short barreled shotgun with OOO buckshot in my truck at all times. In case i have an issue with a two legged being.

But out in the woods it's not needed. Plus my bow is a very deadly weapon if I need it.


Here is the result of an recent outing in the big city. Was randomly attacked by a guy (sucker punched out of nowhere). Cops intervined before I could retalliate. They didn't want to do any paper work however so they let the guy go and made me leave.

Like I mentioned before. The two legged critters are the dangerous ones! The unpredictable ones! When im in the woods I hide and are typically never seen by the two legged ones. The Black bears and lions could care less and don't want to mess with you.

 

[les welch]

I carry my Desert Eagle .50 caliber on my backpack hunts. JK. I have only carried in NM. The area I hunted was known to be a "tough crowd" so I elected to use precaution. Actually drew it at 2:40 in the morning as I was packing a load of meat back to the truck. As I was hiking down the Mesa my headlamp picked up a fire down off the edge. As I got closer that campfire turned into two eyeballs as the mountain lion turned and slunk away at a distance of 11 yards the hair on my neck was standing up.

I just picked up on Christmas Eve, a Springfield .40 in 3.8 with high cap mags. That will be the new truck/town weapon. At some point I am sure I will carry it on a hunt, but it won't be this year likely.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Scouting trips during the summer I'll pack something with me just for peace of mind. Never have really worried about it too much though...

Mike

 

[gobbler1662]

That's a really great post. Something that I struggle with all the time I never carried a side arm until two years ago when I was stalked by a cougar in hells canyon while bowhunting turkeys. After that incident I now carry a sigma 40. Yeah it's extra weight, but 5 or 6 miles in the backcountry it's a definite
comfort factor.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Dam, Justin he must of had a ring on! I always carry a glock 29. I worry about 2 legged animals and moose. Moose are not my friends.

 

[Rocky]

Iv always got my glock on me whenever im traveling or in the woods. Never know whats going to happen.

Id really like to get one of those compact glocks eventually.

The G27 is really nice and shoots really well for its small size

 

[Rocky]

Iv always got my glock on me whenever im traveling or in the woods. Never know whats going to happen.

Id really like to get one of those compact glocks eventually.

The G27 is really nice and shoots really well for its small size. I very seldom carry a pistol while I'm bow hunting.

 

[MattB]

I carry my .475 when bowhunting deer on Kodiak, and I might carry something light if I am scouting/backpacking, but if I am bowhunting around only black bears and people, I only carry my bow.

 

[littlebuf]

. I drew it twice during my elk hunt as I encountered a couple bears under 50 yards. They must have sensed danger as they stared down the barrel cuz they both fled in a hurry

you dont really think that right? black bears run from people 99.9% of the time. it doesnt take a gun to make it happen

 

[dotman]

you dont really think that right? black bears run from people 99.9% of the time. it doesnt take a gun to make it happen

Haha, he was jokin around