What sidearm do you carry when hunting?

[Remadl700]

Where is this information documented? I know several people that finish there deer off with a 22.

James Ruby

Technically, this may be correct!

 

[2gr8dgs]

this year for deer season(on the coast range) I'll rotate between a CZ85b, a glock 30 with a 10mm conversion bbl in it, & my little Ruger SR22. Well, thats what I say today.Tommorow it may change.

 

[RVTECH]

I can't carry during my season - Blackpowder.

 

[nwwoodsman]

I can't carry during my season - Blackpowder.

Check page 29 of the 2012 Oregon hunting regulations. It says plain as day that ODF&W cannot limit what firearms you carry with you during ANY hunting season, black powder, rifle, or bow season. They tried but it was overruled by the A.G. in 2003

 

[Sgt Nambu]

S&W mod.66 .357 4". First round up is a shot shell.

 

[Silver Hand]

I have been very successful hunting throughout my lifetime. As a young man I always packed a side arm and did steal a grouse or two from the hills. That and other things got me thinking about the most unusual times I have run into the big game I was hunting for. I no longer carry an inferior weapon to weigh me down and have not for over twenty five years
If a man puts down his rifle to take on a bear with a hand iron - Well why not just use a stick?
I have never had my rifles fail me and I have shot bears close up and personal numbers of times, running dogs.
Sheee I would miss with a hand gun under those circumstances and if I made a good hit even with my .44 mag the bear or cat would have stood a better chance at me.
I Don't carry a hand gun into the brush any longer wile hunting. I do when fishing or camping.

 

[Silver Hand]

When you pick your caliber remember this is for when it gets bad. You need to be able to deliver enough energy in one spot to cause central nervous system shutdown. Who here has shot a bear with any rifle and had it drop in its tracks? Now you have a possibly wounded bear in the brush at full charge, You need to be able to spinal the bear as it comes at you head on. Two options you can shoot it in the head and hope that kills it or wait for it to be on top of you and shoot it behind the head and sever the spinal column. You need to kill the bear stone cold drop in the tracks dead. I have seen what pistols do to bears, I have seen 40 smith bullets stop on the shoulder blade(near side). I have seen 44 magnum bullets, 4 of them in fact shot into the chest cavity and the bear still whooped two dogs and gave the hunter 17 stitches. Lastly I recall skinning a bear for a client and finding a 308 round flattened against the skull. That round was fired from about 80 yards. So choose the biggest caliber you can and make sure you file the front sight off.

Who here has shot a bear with any rifle and had it drop in its tracks?

I have.

You are 100% Correct about stopping a bear it is not always a charm.

Lastly I recall skinning a bear for a client and finding a 308 round flattened against the skull.
Nope ain't happening!

Silver Hand

 

[ZigZagZeke]

S&W mod.66 .357 4". First round up is a shot shell.

Same here, but no shot shells, and no hollow points, all 180gr SPs. Where I hunt it is crawling with big cats. I was tending trail cams today scouting for deer, and walking along the canyon rim I felt like I was being watched. That S&W was a great comfort.

Also, earlier in the day I stopped my rig at a turnout to extend my towing mirrors. I always forget to do that. There was another car sitting there with two pretty scruffy guys in it, both concentrating on something going on in the passenger's lap. When they saw me stop they started giving me the stink-eye and the passenger rolled down his window to say something when he spotted my open carry S&W. They left in a big hurry.

 

[sandman1212]

I always have my carry gun, a 1911, on my side, whether hunting, fishing, working or hanging around the house. it does not leave my reach.

 

[BuckShot1118]

I have never had to use a follow up shot to finish off anything that I have hunted and I dont carry for that reason. I carry for protection mainly against the crazies that are hiding in the woods.

 

[Silver Hand]

I have never had to use a follow up shot to finish off anything that I have hunted and I dont carry for that reason. I carry for protection mainly against the crazies that are hiding in the woods.

I used my gutting knife once on a buck, [of which I have taken many] he never ran after he fell but to my surprise was alive when I got to him and I did not want to shoot him again with the rifle.
During hunting season I place my side arm [Carry pistol] where I can find it on my way back out. It might be twenty or one hundred hundred feet from the rig and MT. If I choose to leave it in the Jeep/ cj7 lock box, it is left MT. for good reason.
I have found it to be a nuisance to have any unnecessary gear removing my kills from the woods. I always bring my rifle in with me, Even if I make a clean kill from a post. It is a pain to pack out but I find I can shoot faster, more accurately and do more damage with it.
If you see your target or another moving away or still, you are prepared having your long gun with you.
I keep my crazy pills close at hand and never leave myself vulnerable. I have no use for it once in the woods.

 

[terry marosites]

Bond Arm snake slayer ( 410 with 000)

 

[munsined]

I had the opportunity to test my reloads on a elk carcass from a road kill. 45 acp 185 grain hard cast lead bullets at 1120fps from my glock 21. This combination gave pass through at all angles including head shot and both shoulders. I now carry this gun everywhere in a blackhawk kydex level one retention holster hiking, fishing, and hunting instead of my 44 mag. This also gives me extra mags with factory defense ammo if necessary. I mean hey, I wasn't voted most likely to return fire for no reason.

 

[sheepdip]

GP100 .327 federal mag

 

[btownemail]

My Glock 23 with an extra mag.

 

[Kevinkris]

i suppose this would be as good a place as any to ask if my 9mm would do me any good if i had to use it on a big cat. dont think i would want to stumble on one personally though.

 

[DieselScout]

i suppose this would be as good a place as any to ask if my 9mm would do me any good if i had to use it on a big cat. dont think i would want to stumble on one personally though.

It would be better then not having anything, however I look at it this way. I am carrying my hunting rifle so it is going to be the first line of defense. Frankly the only time I am going for my side arm is if my rifle was out of bullets or the cat was on top of me. I use to carry my G17 with me all the time while hunting and may do the same this year. At the time it was the only sidearm I had, so it was the one I carried.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I've never felt the need to carry a side arm while rifle hunting, but I carry a S&W .357 stainless while archery hunting.

 

[nwwoodsman]

i suppose this would be as good a place as any to ask if my 9mm would do me any good if i had to use it on a big cat. dont think i would want to stumble on one personally though.

Yes it would be of some use. Beats the hell out of only having a pointy stick.

 

[Kevinkris]

well as long as it does more than piss it off, ill be happy.