Do you carry a sidearm while hunting?

Since most of us on here carry in some form everyday, do you carry a sidearm when hunting?
Let’s see those hunting pocket dumps.

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I’ve had my Buck knife for well over 40 yrs, it’s been on a lot of hunts.
I’ll usually have my GP100 357 or Redhawk 44 depending on where I’m hunting.

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Absolutely! You want that sidearm on you whether Bow Hunting, Muzzleloader Hunting, or Riffle Hunting. Hunters aren’t the ones out there hunting, of course we outdoors sportsmen and sportswomen know that, but you never know what wild animal could be out there on the same stalking trail.

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I am not much of a revolver guy, but this one is a true beauty. Thank you for sharing.

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Yes, every since the 2004 Deer Season shooting of 8 and the murder of 6 in Northern WI.
I carry a 9mm or .45 with extra rounds. There are 2 and 4 legged predator’s out there. :us:

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Nice piece of hardware @45IPAC :+1: :+1:

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I’ve been prone to carry my 41 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk while walking the woods or while hunting in general as I have a concept of a “Grand Slam” which will net me a deer with bow, black powder, pistol and a rifle. The best I have been able to do is two of four in any given season but my seasons have been slim of late. I am shifting to an LAR Grizzly in 45 Win Mag as soon as I can get my leather guy to make me a drop leg rig for it. Aside from the “Grand Slam” having a pistol is comforting for a host of other reasons even in a single shot configuration. My walking around the woods gun is also an AR based platform and while hunting I abide by the rules of a 5 round magazine but that does not preclude me from carrying a 25 rnd mag (or 2) should I need to shift from hunting to addressing poachers, trespassers or the occasional pack of wild / feral dogs.

Cheers,

Craig6

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I use an AR-15 and usually a .45. However when put of state shooting bigger game I use my AR-10 and a 454 Casual.

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I always have my EDC on my side. While hunting, the only difference (especially at night while predator hunting) I’ll open carry. I got a coon, hog and porcupine the other night. Yesterday the hunters I guided got only 2 coons, but they were happy all the same.

They were bow hunting with mounted tac lights, both had a sidearm. One had a sig 365 the other had an M&P 2.0.

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My sidearm does change for deer season, due to Illinois regulations. But, it gives the opportunity to show just how large of a handgun can be concealed. Yes, I conceal that 6 inch barrel revolver while deer hunting. I don’t bow hunt, but if I did, Illinois says no firearm period while bow hunting. Unless your bow hunting, with a firearm tag, during firearm season.

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nope, carry rifle only, unless sneak/walkk hunting whitetails, then toating my .454 casul

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100% of the time. A long gun might not work so well in a close quarter emergency; and, I don’t usually use a rifle for snakes (with maybe the exception of the 2-legged kind).

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I can only speak to the law in South Dakota about carrying a concealed weapon while hunting. It is not legal to carry a gun if one is hunting with a bow, unless one has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. One does not need a permit to carry a weapon in South Dakota. However, if you have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, you can legally carry a sidearm while bow hunting. If your hunting with a rifle, I assume fish and game officers feel carrying a concealed weapon is not needed.

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Illinois is similar. You can carry a concealed “handgun” during firearm season, if it meets the legal requirements to harvest a deer with. You can’t carry during bow season, muzzle loader, and a whole other assortment of times your hunting. Illinois laws are very confusing, on their lack of reasoning.

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I don’t hunt anymore. But when I was hunting, I hunted with a S/W 29 with an 8 & 3/8 barrel. So I guess I could say yes.

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Same as Charles, I don’t hunt anymore due to health issues but if I carry everywhere else, I surely would carry in the woods where 1 shot off by just a little could turn the hunter into the hunted. Nothing like a 1911 in .45 for snakes, finishers, or anything that gets to close. :wink:

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When I hunted I always carried a pistol for unanticipated encounters. Usually a glock 22 or a glock 29 depending on where I was hunting.

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When I am deer hunting with a rifle or up in a stand bow hunting I have my Springfield XD mod2 40cal on my side owb.

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When I tromped the woods and the mountaains I carried a S&W mod 19, 357 , 6 inch bbl. The holster show that good leather can take a beating.

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Always.

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