OK, Gene:
The OP could be interpreted 2 ways, a request for info or someone looking down their nose at those that carry a handgun while hunting.
:beer:
Oh, no. Sorry I gave that impression. Not looking down my nose at anyone and I fully understand the reason for hunting with a handgun, I don't do it because I'm not a good enough shot with a handgun and I don't hunt anyway. Well, I am probably a good enough shot, I just don't like handguns all that much. In my OP, I was wondering why a lot of people apparently carry both. Which has been fairly well answered in other posts, some practical and some less than practical, from my POV. Yours was the only post that didn't state a practical reason behind it.
God bless all who hunt with whatever one chooses. But I'm curious. If someone carried a back-up rifle to the stand, I'd also be curious as to why as well.
Concealed carry is for protection, open carry is for attention.
I always carry a handgun when hunting; if I shoot something and it makes it off in the brush I track with a handgun and not a rifle. The thick south Texas brush becomes so thick at times it is almost impossible to maneuver a rifle around in it but a handgun works nicely. I also find it much easier to drag game out of the brush without a rifle hanging up on every bush I go by.
timc - formerly known as timc on the last G&A forum and timc on the G&A forum before that and the G&A forum before that.....
AKA: Former Founding Member
It took some digging, but I finally found this pic. This was a few years ago just beyond my backyard.
When our governing officials dismiss due process as mere semantics, when they exercise powers they don’t have and ignore duties they actually bear, and when we let them get away with it, we have ceased to be our own rulers.
Oh, no. Sorry I gave that impression. Not looking down my nose at anyone and I fully understand the reason for hunting with a handgun, I don't do it because I'm not a good enough shot with a handgun and I don't hunt anyway. Well, I am probably a good enough shot, I just don't like handguns all that much. In my OP, I was wondering why a lot of people apparently carry both. Which has been fairly well answered in other posts, some practical and some less than practical, from my POV. Yours was the only post that didn't state a practical reason behind it.
God bless all who hunt with whatever one chooses. But I'm curious. If someone carried a back-up rifle to the stand, I'd also be curious as to why as well.
I could see a scenario where one would take 2 rifles. Let's say you've fixed up grandpa's ancient iron sighted gun, hoping to blood it but you're hunting a beanfield so you know a new state record could step out way down in the corner. That's one situation that leaps to mind, I'm sure there are others. i can also remember one time my back up handgun came in handy and I tagged a buck I wouldn't have without that backup.
Teach your children to love guns, they'll never be able to afford drugs
By the time you're attacked, have a failure to fire, realize this, drop your weapon and draw your pistol, you'll be et. Unless you're attacked by a sloth.
Yeah? You sure about that? Well tell that to my friend, Mark, who killed a hog damn near at his feet with his 44 Mag because his rifle jammed after the first shot, which he missed. He sure didn't have time to clear the jam, only to draw his hand gun and fire.
Daddy, what's an enabler?
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
I've carried two rifles while deer hunting before....We were hunting our way through a couple of miles of hill country with the goal of getting to a winter wheat field before dusk. Carried the 6.8 AR while moving with the .300 WM in my Eberlestock Gunslinger...worked out just fine...My load out is always based on what I'm doing on that particular hunt.
On a normal hunt (as others have noted) I will pack along a sidearm for those close range opportunities that occur.
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
Yeah? You sure about that? Well tell that to my friend, Mark, who killed a hog damn near at his feet with his 44 Mag because his rifle jammed after the first shot, which he missed. He sure didn't have time to clear the jam, only to draw his hand gun and fire.
Must have been a very slow hog.
Concealed carry is for protection, open carry is for attention.
This is another reason I carry a handgun while hunting.
timc - formerly known as timc on the last G&A forum and timc on the G&A forum before that and the G&A forum before that.....
AKA: Former Founding Member
I was bowhunting in a tree stand one time in NC, and looked down and saw a cottonmouth crawling down a creek at the foot of my stand. I shot four arrows at it, missed it by an inch or so, until I ran out of arrows. The snake didn't react hardly at all to these close misses, and I kind of wish he had and fled in panic. Left me up a tree with zero arrows and it getting twilight and with no handgun.
Concealed carry is for protection, open carry is for attention.
I was hunting with a shotgun with a 686 S&W on my hip. Wounded a hog that ran into the swamp with bramble bushes over head and water about knee deep down a trail .
I crouched down and went after it but the water keep getting deeper.
I back tracked out and went around the swamp and went back in and got to a dry area that had a couple trees and palmetto bushes.
Stood there a while and could not hear anything so I leaned my shotgun against the tree and took a leak.
While taking a leak the hog snorted and rose up out of the palmetto bushed toward me and I pulled my revolver and shot it in the head twice about 3-4 feet in front of me.
At the time I had one hand full and one free hand.
The shotgun about three feet from me. I am glad I had a pistol in one hand. Hog weighed in about 150 lbs.
Needless to say it scared the piss out of me
What type of "buzz tail" is that? Western Diamondback?
Doesn't look like anything I've seen around here
That be a cute little baby south texas diamondback rattle bug; when they get 7 feet long and as big around as your thigh then they are a little scary!
timc - formerly known as timc on the last G&A forum and timc on the G&A forum before that and the G&A forum before that.....
AKA: Former Founding Member
I always carry a handgun when hunting; if I shoot something and it makes it off in the brush I track with a handgun and not a rifle. The thick south Texas brush becomes so thick at times it is almost impossible to maneuver a rifle around in it but a handgun works nicely. I also find it much easier to drag game out of the brush without a rifle hanging up on every bush I go by.
This has accounted for the only kill I have ever made with a handgun. It was a 100 lb feral hog that a fellow dove hunter had gutshot with a hasty shot from a .222. I had my XD45 Compact and was able to trot through the mesquite well enough to catch up with him, after the light had faded too much for a scoped rifle at close range. I eventually bounced one off his skull after 3-4 ineffective rib cage shots, and was able to leisurely walk up and finish him - .45 ACP isn't a good round for feral hogs. Now, I take the 10mm on those trips with 180 gr. FMJs, so I'll likely never see another hog. :tooth:
Replies
Oh, no. Sorry I gave that impression. Not looking down my nose at anyone and I fully understand the reason for hunting with a handgun, I don't do it because I'm not a good enough shot with a handgun and I don't hunt anyway. Well, I am probably a good enough shot, I just don't like handguns all that much. In my OP, I was wondering why a lot of people apparently carry both. Which has been fairly well answered in other posts, some practical and some less than practical, from my POV. Yours was the only post that didn't state a practical reason behind it.
God bless all who hunt with whatever one chooses. But I'm curious. If someone carried a back-up rifle to the stand, I'd also be curious as to why as well.
AKA: Former Founding Member
Adam J. McCleod
I could see a scenario where one would take 2 rifles. Let's say you've fixed up grandpa's ancient iron sighted gun, hoping to blood it but you're hunting a beanfield so you know a new state record could step out way down in the corner. That's one situation that leaps to mind, I'm sure there are others. i can also remember one time my back up handgun came in handy and I tagged a buck I wouldn't have without that backup.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/bigbore/1895SBL.asp
Yeah? You sure about that? Well tell that to my friend, Mark, who killed a hog damn near at his feet with his 44 Mag because his rifle jammed after the first shot, which he missed. He sure didn't have time to clear the jam, only to draw his hand gun and fire.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
On a normal hunt (as others have noted) I will pack along a sidearm for those close range opportunities that occur.
Must have been a very slow hog.
AKA: Former Founding Member
I like catching them as well. Buuuuuuutttttttttt, I draw the line at the head biting part. I just let them go.
I crouched down and went after it but the water keep getting deeper.
I back tracked out and went around the swamp and went back in and got to a dry area that had a couple trees and palmetto bushes.
Stood there a while and could not hear anything so I leaned my shotgun against the tree and took a leak.
While taking a leak the hog snorted and rose up out of the palmetto bushed toward me and I pulled my revolver and shot it in the head twice about 3-4 feet in front of me.
At the time I had one hand full and one free hand.
The shotgun about three feet from me. I am glad I had a pistol in one hand. Hog weighed in about 150 lbs.
Needless to say it scared the piss out of me
That makes it a win win. He didnt piss his pants or torn up by a mad piggy.
Dad 5-31-13
That be a cute little baby south texas diamondback rattle bug; when they get 7 feet long and as big around as your thigh then they are a little scary!
AKA: Former Founding Member
Paddle faster!!! I hear banjos.
Reason for editing: correcting my auto correct
This has accounted for the only kill I have ever made with a handgun. It was a 100 lb feral hog that a fellow dove hunter had gutshot with a hasty shot from a .222. I had my XD45 Compact and was able to trot through the mesquite well enough to catch up with him, after the light had faded too much for a scoped rifle at close range. I eventually bounced one off his skull after 3-4 ineffective rib cage shots, and was able to leisurely walk up and finish him - .45 ACP isn't a good round for feral hogs. Now, I take the 10mm on those trips with 180 gr. FMJs, so I'll likely never see another hog. :tooth: