Do you take a firearm for back up?

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

The back-country of California is crawling with Mexico's drug cartels. Perhaps if pot is legalized in our state come November the customer base will disappear. I dunno, sad really. I have encountered illicit gardens on several occasions and have been fortunate enough to slip out before anyone saw me. The growers are well armed and don't give a hoot about laws or restrictions.

[BWD]

Yep, more concerned about what might be waiting at the truck,etc. than critters in the woods, with the exception of packed up dogs.

[Jon Stewart]

I believe the only time you can carry a sidearm while bowhunting in Michigan is when you are Bear hunting and you must have hunter orange on.  You can have your bow and gun at the same time.

I don't while bear hunting to answer your question but I do carry while roaming the woods.

[Jedimaster]

I don't always carry a sidearm but do on occasion.  I've been in some hairy situations when crossing paths with the wrong human element in the woods.  There are a variety of reasons which include: dope heads, trespassers, poachers and squatters (folks living in tents .. that are usually dope heads).  

Never felt the need to have a back-up for hunting puposes but there is very little critter danger here in Mississippi.  Unfortunately the lower elements of our society do frequent the woods.

[coaster500]

Juan's right my ranch in Lake County (northern cal) is a pot grower paradise, lot's of BLM and National Forest.

Anyway my Glock20 10mm lives with me.....I have never had to use it to defend myself from a four legged animal.....

[Bowhunter4life]

Depends on where I'm at, what I'm after, and what else is in the area I'm hunting.  I've never had to use it, but have drawn it a time or two...

I've also got a 6" knife I put on the side of my calf when spot and stalking hogs...

[sendero25]

Yep, we have Skunk Apes, swamp monsters, and saber toothed woodpeckers..can't be too careful!
Seriously though,I usually only carry when I am hog hunting and really want pork..if a hog is out of range of my bow, I will shoot one with the pistol. Never needed one for protection against a Florida pig. It is legal to carry during the archery season, but I don't carry a handgun with me, it is on my ATV or in my truck though.
 

[gregg dudley]

I usually find it to be a pain in the neck to carry a handgun while bowhunting, but have done so on occassion when I felt the need.  We had a pack of aggressive feral dogs on one property that I hunted.  After getting growled at in the dark on the way to my stand I started carrying a pistol until the problem was sorted out.

[Outwest]

I carry most of the time when hunting and all of the time when in the city.

John

[trashwood]

I am with Cosater500, Glock 20.  The farther south in Texas I go, the better it feels.  Where I used to hunt pigs down I35, 30 minutes from the border, I would not even over night camp there now, armed or not.  Even 10 yrs ago there were a lot of voices in the night.  

10 yrs ago myself, Dean Torges and Lou were hunting the area.  We were spot and stalking not 200 yds from the truck. when we got back the truck had been broken into and expensive gear taken.  there was evidence of over night camps ever 200 yds are so.  after I got home that was the time I got my chl.  

rusty

[Shedrock]

I slept with a 12 gauge on my moose hunt here in Wyoming. I was in grizz infested country. I had one huffin' outside my tent one night, but never had to use the gun. I never packed the shotgun while hunting, it wouldn't feel right to me. I did have pepper spray though.

[Sam McMichael]

I sometimes carry, but not usually when hunting on my own property. Usually when I do carry its a short barreled .38 loaded with snake shot. Put me on some of the public land,though, and it's  the .45 auto on the hip. I have been challenged in the woods by both intruding hunters and wild dogs.

[elknutz]

Occasionally.

[Killdeer]

It's a pain in the neck, but to a woman alone in the woods (I started hunting when I was still young and fetching) it is a comfort. I got my CCW permit as soon as I could. I am not so young now, and far less fetching, but my store of plunder might be temptation enough for unsavory types, and lead to unhappy consequences.

Bow and knife are fine for big strong men, but a .45 puts us all on the same level.

Killdeer  

[Bonebuster]

God bless you Killdeer!!!

Everyone who carries a firearm at any time for personal defense, is actually protecting the public in general. Who is...who aint.

For those on the red road, it is of no matter. For the others, they must wonder.

Instinctive shooting is good for weapons other than a stickbow!!!  :D    :D    :D

[DesertDude]

I carry a 44Mag. Just like the head stone in "Tomestone" Here lays Les Moore, 4 shots from a 44, no Les, no Moore...... I live in the desert and see alot of knuckleheads around.

[Spectre]

I don't know about Virginia, but its illegal during archery-only season in Idaho.

[joe ashton]

I asked our local DOW officer if I could carry a gun while bow hunting.  She said "yes this America and that is protected by the Constitution"  I was particularlly interested as I had a bear license and wanted to carry a fire arm on the tracking job IF I shot a bear.  She said-- "but if you shoot that bear in self- defence you better be bleeding"
That being said   NO I DON'T CARRY GUNS.

Joe

[chinook907]

I don't like to but sometimes I do in our area if I'm hunting moose (calling sometimes attracts brown bears) or if I'm where I feel I'm more likely to bump a brownie.  Pretty common that when I'm up on a mt chasing blackies when it gets towards dark I see a brownie down low heading to the river for a salmon dinner, often right in my path down, not a good feeling.  They are more aggressive than typical locally.  Last fall, I was taking pics of a blackie I just got with my bow, looked down the mt and I thought "Hey thats no beaver crossing the lake".  Looked with my binos and it was a toad of a brownie out in the lake directly below me.  Just had my widow and a pig sticker on me.

Heres the pic, pretty grainy.  And it gets better...    

Next day I came back to pack the hide & meat out, had a handgun in my pack (duh), was in some stunted trees and heard some branches breaking and I was appparently so close to likely the same brownie THAT I COULD HEAR HIM SNIFFING THE AIR TRYING TO GET MY SCENT.  Thankfully he moved off and never saw him, I got the handgun out but of course it easily might not have been quick enough.  I will be going after them likely this fall (brownies) but in an area that is not a drawing permit (our's is) and with said handgun on my hip.

[limbolt]

Carry at all times,and not for the critters. I think we are now # 3 for pot production,have found several patches,so far no trouble but you never know.