Carrying a pistol

[Daryl Crawford]

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?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Nope, because I have reloaded my rifle before I go searching for that deer. Because I wait as a lot of bowhunters do, at least 10 minutes, before I go to retrieve the deer, if the wound didn't drop it in its tracks, or within sight of where it was hit, it has laid down, and expired. IF it needed dispatching the rifle will do.

LD

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

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?

Daryl, I believe that a person my carry on himself a pistol while hunting. Provided they have a pa. LTC or a Sports.mans permit.
The Weapon being limited to a Revolver and excludes semi auto Pistols.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

I'm also from PA. You can carry a handgun for personal protection provided you have a CCP. You cannot use that handgun (pistol or revolver) to dispatch a deer during flintlock season.

A 45 caliber flintlock pistol is not permitted to be used for deer. The minimum flintlock pistol caliber for deer in Pa is 50. So, you could carry a 50 caliber pistol to do a final dispatch.....as long as you are NOT hunting in a SRA (Special Regulations Area) such as around Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

Believe it or not, but in the SRA's flintlock pistols are not an authorized, legal flintlock.

 

[BS2366]

I'm in Indiana and always carry a pistol anywhere I go. Hunting or not.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

In New York, one cannot carry a loaded sidearm without it being on one's pistol permit (which are only available to NY residents.) That includes muzzle loader pistols or revolvers. I have the required permit, and have in the past carried my "backup" flint pistol. As above, since I immediately reload before retrieving a deer or bear, I found it cumbersome and not needed. I cannot think of a time where it would have been an improvement (except style points!) I do hunt occasionally with just the .50 flintlock pistol (as a tree stand gun), but no longer carry both.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[ppg1949]

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.

 

[Marshhawk]

Interesting. When I'm hunting with the muzzle loader I do carry a "finisher" for close-up dispatch if need be. Haven't had to use it (a Czech unmentionable) because I've yet to draw blood with the muzzle loader. There's always next season, coming up shortly in August .

 

[Juice Jaws]

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?

Never understood why some people think they need to carry a back up gun deer hunting, I have killed many deer and also hunt and live in bear, mountain lion , and rattlesnake country and never needed a back up gun. my rifle was always good enough.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Never understood why some people think they need to carry a back up gun deer hunting, I have killed many deer and also hunt and live in bear, mountain lion , and rattlesnake country and never needed a back up gun. my rifle was always good enough.

That's why I'm asking. I've never carried a side arm hunting for the last 40-odd years, but the idea of a flintlock pistol interests me. I don't need it, little of what is addressed on this site is needed, but it has interested me lately so I thought I'd ask.

 

[TOL08]

I carry pistol everytime..

 

[stank]

I used to carry a flint pistol but it’s a pain in the butt and in my opinion dangerous. If you do carry one use a stall on the frizzen for safety. I live in Pa. also and I wouldn’t say I finished off a deer with a knife. That is not a legal device for taking deer. If they want to get picky they could fine you and take your license. I do not know anyone that this has happened to but I do know someone who was fined and lost his license for 3 years for dispatching a doe,with a car jack,that was hit on the road. It sounds crazy but it happened.
After you shoot just reload your long gun and follow up.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I'm also from PA. You can carry a handgun for personal protection provided you have a CCP. You cannot use that handgun (pistol or revolver) to dispatch a deer during flintlock season.

A 45 caliber flintlock pistol is not permitted to be used for deer. The minimum flintlock pistol caliber for deer in Pa is 50. So, you could carry a 50 caliber pistol to do a final dispatch.....as long as you are NOT hunting in a SRA (Special Regulations Area) such as around Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

Believe it or not, but in the SRA's flintlock pistols are not an authorized, legal flintlock.

Gosh, that gets complicated! It’s such a simple concept, but they sure did pile on a lot of rules.

That's why I'm asking. I've never carried a side arm hunting for the last 40-odd years, but the idea of a flintlock pistol interests me. I don't need it, little of what is addressed on this site is needed, but it has interested me lately so I thought I'd ask.

I thought it was a good question, Daryl. No harm in asking, and it stimulated some interesting conversation.

Notchy Bob

 

[Sam squanch]

Never had the need for a backup muzzleloader pistol on a hunt. But carry a modern pistol if legal, too many bad people wandering around these days.

 

[Rawhide67]

In New York, one cannot carry a loaded sidearm without it being on one's pistol permit (which are only available to NY residents.) That includes muzzle loader pistols or revolvers. I have the required permit, and have in the past carried my "backup" flint pistol. As above, since I immediately reload before retrieving a deer or bear, I found it cumbersome and not needed. I cannot think of a time where it would have been an improvement (except style points!) I do hunt occasionally with just the .50 flintlock pistol (as a tree stand gun), but no longer carry both.

ADK Bigfoot

Even with a pistol permit, I don't think you can have a centerfire pistol on you during bow or muzzleloading season, per DEC regs.

 

[Juice Jaws]

That's why I'm asking. I've never carried a side arm hunting for the last 40-odd years, but the idea of a flintlock pistol interests me. I don't need it, little of what is addressed on this site is needed, but it has interested me lately so I thought I'd ask.

Well the answer is simple, if you want to carry one , carry one.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I pretty much always carry a pistol when I’m hunting no matter the season (bow, muzzy, rifle). It’s not legal to finish off an animal with a pistol here. I did finish off a cow elk that a bow hunter shot that had an arrow sticking out of it’s leg/ shoulder. It didn’t appear like it could walk. I told CPW about it just in case. They were fine with it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I ask who might carry a pistol as a finishing shot

I carried a Ruger Old Army for a couple years. Stopped for two reasons. One, it proved to be unnecessary weight (May I brag? Only once did I need a follow up shot and did that with my rifle.) and, one time, when I returned to camp I found it to be at full cock. Apparently it caught on a branch or something. Could have turned out to be a bad day for me.

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

Well the answer is simple, if you want to carry one , carry one.

Carry one (in PA) if you have a Concealed carry permit, a sportsman's permit, or if you simply open carry. Pa is an open carry state. But if you're carrying a side arm and your heavy winter coat covers it up....that's concealed carry. It's very easy to get a CCP. Just go to your local Sheriff, had 'em $20, they do a background check, take your pic, and your good for IIRC 4 years.

During archery season I carry a S&W Airlite 357 7 shot revolver. The first two cylinders are snake shot. This revolver weighs only 18oz unloaded and frankly, I don't notice it.

It's an Airlite....made to carry a lot, and shoot little.

 

[Relic shooter]

I've always carried a backup pistol while hunting big game in Idaho's mountains as
we also have some big predators that could be attracted to a fresh kill.
When younger I carried a variety of different BP pistols but in later years packed a lighter weight
compact unmentionable in a shoulder holster.