Carrying a pistol

[Kmcmichael]

I do try to carry often and think everyone should. I got paid to do it 30 years, but I am lazy. I have a very small easy to carry unmentionable but in the summer I do it less.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

That’s a nice looking pistol, my friend. A lot of people would be reluctant to carry such a fine piece into the deer woods. However, beauty is as beauty does, and it sounds as if your pistol did the job when needed.

Thanks for showing it!

Notchy Bob

Thanks Notchy Bob, I have gone over that gun in the past to bring it up to snuff!

 

[Howard Pippin]

That would depend on state..

Montana does allow you to carry a center fire pistol for self-defense during archery season. I'm not aware of any restrictions in muzzle loader season either, but I don't know if you should use it to finish off a wounded animal. Might be questionable.

 

[BS2366]

Montana does allow you to carry a center fire pistol for self-defense during archery season. I'm not aware of any restrictions in muzzle loader season either, but I don't know if you should use it to finish off a wounded animal. Might be questionable

I agree. I don't think a sidearm should be carried to finish off an animal. Especially when that weapon or caliber is not legal for hunting that animal during the season. I couldn't shoot a deer with a 9mm in Indiana. But I can with a 10mm 357, 44, etc. Just not during archery or ML seasons. I carry a 9mm or 10mm for 2 legged animals. Or possibly the elusive mt lion and black bears seen in Indiana.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Back in the nineties there was a good sized archery shop/outdoor store in my hometown. Pretty popular joint with an indoor archery range. Suddenly it was closed down and out of business. Story I was told was that the owner, a fairly young guy, was archery hunting and used his 9mm to finish one off and got caught. Don't know how that led to losing his business but, if that is what happened, it sure wasn't worth the cost.

 

[Rawhide67]

That would depend on state..

Very true. I was referring to Bigfoots state.

 

[longcruise]

A friend and occasional hunting partner who was a detective for the county used his 10 mm to finish a moose he had shot with his muzzleloader l. He shot it right in the top of the head. It was required to turn the head in for CWD testing. The lab people noticed the hole in the skull and an enforcement officer showed up at his door with a citation for using the wrong weapon.

 

[Thomas Famularo]

Dare I ask who might carry a pistol as a finishing shot on large game? As a hunter with bow or modern arms, I do not, but I've thought about it for my state's (Pennsylvania) muzzleloader season. Perhaps a romantic notion, but I've thought that a small .45 or .50 caliber flintlock pistol might be the perfect dispatch weapon. Yes, I've finished animals with a knife to the throat, but in full disclosure I don't care for it. The smell of blood on my hands takes me to unpleasant memories that I'm willing to put behind me. I'm aware it doesn't make much sense as killing is killing, but my mind does not need to go certain places.
So who uses a dispatch pistol? In my state the regulations look like they require.45 and above in caliber, and flintlock in function. What if anything do you use?

I've carried a pistol nearly every day for nearly 40 years. The idea of going anywhere without one doesn't set well. When out with the muzzle loader I've got a Cimarron .44, a knock off of the Army 1864 model. I've never needed it but I like having it.

 

[Eterry]

Dare I ask who might carry a pistol as a finishing shot on large game? As a hunter with bow or modern arms, I do not, but I've thought about it for my state's (Pennsylvania) muzzleloader season. Perhaps a romantic notion, but I've thought that a small .45 or .50 caliber flintlock pistol might be the perfect dispatch weapon. Yes, I've finished animals with a knife to the throat, but in full disclosure I don't care for it. The smell of blood on my hands takes me to unpleasant memories that I'm willing to put behind me. I'm aware it doesn't make much sense as killing is killing, but my mind does not need to go certain places.
So who uses a dispatch pistol? In my state the regulations look like they require.45 and above in caliber, and flintlock in function. What if anything do you use?

Right after I bought a Queen Anne Flintlock pistol I carried it a few times with my rifle. But never used it, always loaded my rifle after shooting. I always carried my duty everytime I hunted public land, but for different reasons.
I no longer hunt there

 

[morehops52]

I also considered carrying a pistol until I did it. Extra bulk, weight, loads. Not fun. I also realized that I didn't need it because the first thing I do after the smoke clears is reload. My second shot is ready before my feet move. Sometimes the romance of such ideas is not realized in the field.

 

[Kicking&Screaming]

I agreed with Loyalist Dave about giving a deer time to bleed out. But I live in Indiana and I have a lifetime carry permit and I have carried everwhere some 50 years. But Indiana is now a Constitutional Carry state. In Indiana you are not required to have a permit to carry concealed or open. But IMHO carrying while hunting of any type makes sense because you never know when you might come up against a two legged critter that has other ideas than hunting game. Just an opinion.

Same here in NH. I continue to renew my concealed carry permit with the local police even though NH is a constitutional carry state. My sidearm is for vermin not game.

 

[mikesto44]

In Michigan you can carry during archery season. But you have to have a CCW permit. But you can't dispatch an animal with it. It's for two legged vermin only.
Now the downside is, If you are stopped by the police in your car. Be prepared to be looking down the barrel of a police officers gun. I know it happened to me.
When they run your plate it tells them if you have a permit. They stopped me because of only one headlight. I had hit a deer the day before. So their was quite a bit of damage to my car. Non the less they demanded I prove I had no firearm on me or in the car, No telling what the Barney brothers would have done if I had it ! The funny thing is, they stopped me two more times that week while I was heading to work.! At least they didnt point their gun at me...lol

 

[Robin101]

Daryl, good time to get out there and hunt some woodchucks. Use your deer hunting gear and take your pistola along. It may or may not suit you, but you'll find out first hand.
Robin

 

[Mina]

I do try to carry often and think everyone should. I got paid to do it 30 years, but I am lazy. I have a very small easy to carry unmentionable but in the summer I do it less.

I had to go to a semi annual VA clinic for checkup this morning. It goes without saying I had to leave my pocket knife at home.

 

[SciAggie]

I’ve never seen the need to carry a pistol for a finishing shot on game. I reload my rifle as soon as I shoot. The animal is either dead on the spot or has traveled. If it has moved, I give it time to bleed out and die, hence plenty of time to reload.

 

[ETipp]

I used to carry a handgun every time I went hunting. Then it became obvious that that additional weight (especially if carried on the waist/hip) was simply too much for the big mountains. Changed over to a shoulder holdster and that helped but was still more weight than I wanted to deal with. It became painfully clear that as long as I had my rifle or scatter gun, no more be needed. However, that was with CF arms.

Only one time during a muzzleloader hunt I wished I had a sidearm. There were two Dobermans that came running up to me and began slowly circling me while growling, but they remained on opposite sides of me. I couldn’t keep both of them in sight at the same time even though I kept turning around. Knowing that if just one of them leapt at me, I would have been lucky to hit just one at such close distance and how quickly it most likely would have happened. So, I reached down and grabbed my hunting knife and held onto it tightly.

After about 3 minutes of that incident, and after I was loudly yelling at them, they finally headed out. After that, I gave the situation more thought of carrying a pistol during Muzzleloader season.

Since then, I decided that if I’m going to pack a pistol with me during a muzzleloader hunt, it’s going to be small and light. I did continue to pack a larger caliber pistol with me in a sidekick holdster every time I was up in the mountains, but only if I’m not carrying a rifle or scattergun.

In terms of finishing off a wounded critter, I can, and have, reloaded and did it right. I have also cut several deer's throats with my hunting knife but caution must be used. It can be dangerous especially if it has antlers.

By far the main reason why I’d want to pack a backup tool would be to protect myself from a couple of whacked out, two-legged creatures that might be insistent on doing me great bodily harm. I figure a small, light gut-buster will suffice.

 

[Terrier]

I’m with @Loyalist Dave on this’un…

Reload! Just don’t have it primed if you have to exit a tree stand. It’s not that unusual for me to be able to reload and shoot a second deer whilst in a tree stand…. But always be reloaded when you go to check ‘em.

Personally, I always try to wait 30 minutes if they aren’t in sight.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

I used to carry a handgun every time I went hunting. Then it became obvious that that additional weight (especially if carried on the waist/hip) was simply too much for the big mountains. Changed over to a shoulder holdster and that helped but was still more weight than I wanted to deal with. It became painfully clear that as long as I had my rifle or scatter gun, no more be needed. However, that was with CF arms.

Only one time during a muzzleloader hunt I wished I had a sidearm. There were two Dobermans that came running up to me and began slowly circling me while growling, but they remained on opposite sides of me. I couldn’t keep both of them in sight at the same time even though I kept turning around. Knowing that if just one of them leapt at me, I would have been lucky to hit just one at such close distance and how quickly it most likely would have happened. So, I reached down and grabbed my hunting knife and held onto it tightly.

After about 3 minutes of that incident, and after I was loudly yelling at them, they finally headed out. After that, I gave the situation more thought of carrying a pistol during Muzzleloader season.

Since then, I decided that if I’m going to pack a pistol with me during a muzzleloader hunt, it’s going to be small and light. I did continue to pack a larger caliber pistol with me in a sidekick holdster every time I was up in the mountains, but only if I’m not carrying a rifle or scattergun.

In terms of finishing off a wounded critter, I can, and have, reloaded and did it right. I have also cut several deer's throats with my hunting knife but caution must be used. It can be dangerous especially if it has antlers.

By far the main reason why I’d want to pack a backup tool would be to protect myself from a couple of whacked out, two-legged creatures that might be insistent on doing me great bodily harm. I figure a small, light gut-buster will suffice.

I had a similar incident happen to me during archery season. This was a pit bull. I was surprised to see anyone's pet (he had a collar) where I hunt as it's fairly remote. I carry a S&W 357, 7-shot AirLite in a holster. The AirLite weighs only 18oz empty so it's really not noticeable.

That was the first time I pulled it out and pointed it at anything but a paper target. I could not tell if the dog was passive or aggressive and as he got closer I took a big stick and slammed it on the ground. I also knew it was somebody's pet and the last thing I wanted to do was shoot somebody's pet dog. Well, the dog cowered down when I slammed the stick so I knew he was a passive dog. He then looked at me....must have figured I didn't want to be his buddy....and strolled off into the woods.

 

[Va Hunter]

I carry a handgun all day every day. Here in Virginia they passed a law either last year or year before that you could dispatch wounded animals with whatever you had. They finally made legal what everyone had been doing for years.

 

[Mike in FL]

This will sound like a lie but it ain't. A nice buck approached where I stood behind a tree with my Chambers flintlock. I had the rifle up and pointing in the Buck's direction, hoping it would turn. He was coming at my position upholll. He didn't turn so st At 10 - 12 yards my only shot was at his head. To complete my mountain man persona, I carried a fixed blade knife, 6 inch blade. Shot at the head, deer went down. Upon approaching, It looked dead, on its side. I leaned my unloaded rifle against a tree and drew my knife to gut. I stupidly straddled the animal to take a look at its antlers., when I took hold of one side to lift the head, the deer stood up! I immediately cut his throat. One of my legs was touching the ground as I held on for a moment before he collapsed.
Although a seasoned hunter, I learned two things. Reload before going to your deer and don't assume a deer is dead. Although reloading would not have helped, I should have.