Do you take a firearm for back up?

[Hookeye]

Cell phone I think the best carry along.
Unfortunately in my old and best deer spot, cell phone didn't work.
Lots of problems with idiots up there, usually took a sidearm.
If I bucked out I'd just go up and walk the property line with the FNC or AR. High visibility, plus a few bump fires when not visible.......it scared the morons away fairly well. No real probs after 2 seasons of that.

[JMartin]

My handgun is on me every waking hour....period. I have carried for the last 35 years, only two times I thought I might need it. Never had to display, or even verbally warn, however it was comforting to know it was there IF I needed it.

Coffee, you raise some interesting points.....there is always room for the "action vs reaction" reality. I hope I'm never surprised in a situation as you described.

[ChuckC]

I typically have one in my tent, but typically do not carry while hunting.  I have an issue with the once in ten life times need to defend myself or others around me from some sort of visit at night.

Every once in a while you hear of a camper getting dragged out of their tent and their camp mates getting to listen while the bear eats them.  That won't happen,  I won't sit there listening.

Likely I will never ever have to use it, but it helps me sleep and that makes it worth it.
ChuckC

[BTH]

I carry. Usually my .357 Blackhawk but more recently my 1911 .45acp. We have some strange neighbors and direct access as well as all the water on the Mountain starts on our place. Growers love to trespass. When we are bowhunting there is always a long gun in the truck. If shtf on the place I will use my handgun to get one of us to the long gun that is in the truck. Just a fact of life that we have to plan that way in growing country. We've had to run off trespassers before and shaking a stick at them does not seem to impress them very much.

And...I'm not paranoid...I'm prepared!

[Cottonwood]

Yes, I've been known to carry my Glock 20SF 10mm, but have found that it is a lot of extra weight to carry.  I bet none of us wear a plastic hard hat while out in the woods though, where you stand a greater chance of being struck by lightning than attacked by a bear.

I say, plastic hard hats because, as an ex-cable installer while working telephone poles that is what keeps any static shock from entering your head.

Here in Montana, no permits are needed for carrying outside of city limits.

I guess its better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

[centaur]

My career as a police officer made me pretty aware of my surroundings, and that there are a lot of people out there that do not have my best interests in mind. As Clint Smith likes to say, carrying a handgun is not meant to be comfortable; it is meant to be comforting. Better to be armed and never need it than to be unarmed and only need it once.