Carrying A Pistol In The Woods

mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,172
195
midwest
I always feel better with a gun along and have no plans to stop carrying one.

I just came in from shooting my little S&W model 60 pro series revolver. I switched ammo in it recently to the Winchester white box 110g JHP. It is sure softer shooting than the heavier full power loads in the little gun, kinda halfway between a 38+P and a full power 357. I'm headed to the river this weekend and this gun will be with me. It's light and small enough to forget it's on my hip until I need it and easy to have hidden under my shirt at the ramp.

I only had one time where carrying a gun almost became a bad thing. I was still in high school and carrying another revolver while catfishing a creek a few miles from home on private land. I was a mile from the public gravel road and a half mile from the dirt road running along the fields and it was after 11pm. I had no reason to expect anyone to be anywhere around. Suddenly from behind me I heard a yell and someone rushed me out of the weeds. I half stood from my bucket, spun, and palmed the revolver. I'm still thankful I hesitated on pulling the trigger, and shaking a bit remembering it even now. A buddy of mine knew I was fishing down there and thought it would be a good prank to sneak up on me and scare me. He was a guy who had moved out my way recently from a small town in another state, not a local who had grew up around there. It scared the crap out of him when I spun and drew the gun, and both scared and infuriated me. Scared because of what almost happened, and furious at the situation he put us in. I still don't know what kept me from pulling the trigger, but I'm damn glad I didn't. He ran away apologizing as I put the gun away and headed toward him to beat the hell out of him for pulling that stunt. We talked about it the next day after I had cooled off and made sure it would never happen again.

I still carry a gun a lot of the time, but I always consider the responsibility that comes with it when I do.
 

Timr245

Very Active Member
Jul 21, 2016
586
400
Northcentral PA
https://www.outsideonline.com/2397355/dont-hike-with-guns

So..I read this and had plenty of my own thoughts. I am curious what you all think. And Go!!!!!
Scott, you must get the same emails from them as I do as I still had this sitting in my inbox from this day.

I carry 90% of the time i?m running in the woods. Just a small 380 of my wife?s but here in PA, 7 rds from a 380 into even a large black bear should suffice to at least buy some time. I have far more problems with dog owners that live on back roads and dont have enough sense to tie their dogs than I ever have from predators.

That said, just last Saturday I ran up on a 250ish bear at 30 yds in very high grass, never knew i was there. No way to know if it had cubs, I backpeddled very fast and drew that pistol before yelling to scare it off.

Just an insurance policy I guess.
 

kidoggy

Veteran member
Apr 23, 2016
9,581
10,279
56
idaho
Scott, you must get the same emails from them as I do as I still had this sitting in my inbox from this day.

I carry 90% of the time i?m running in the woods. Just a small 380 of my wife?s but here in PA, 7 rds from a 380 into even a large black bear should suffice to at least buy some time. I have far more problems with dog owners that live on back roads and dont have enough sense to tie their dogs than I ever have from predators.

That said, just last Saturday I ran up on a 250ish bear at 30 yds in very high grass, never knew i was there. No way to know if it had cubs, I backpeddled very fast and drew that pistol before yelling to scare it off.

Just an insurance policy I guess.
yup an insurance policy.


that helps explain why liberals hate guns so much.
they don't believe in insurance. it is totally unnecesary because they expect conservatives to bail them out of every poor decision they make . which tends to be each and every decision they make.:rolleyes:
 

DRUSS

Very Active Member
Jun 22, 2014
536
157
nw oregon
I carry a sidearm most places I go. outdoors or day to day carry. if outdoors normally rifle. but I use my firearms for casual shooting more than most. self defense and hunting are some other uses. I dont only carry for hunting purposes.
 

shootbrownelk

Veteran member
Apr 11, 2011
1,535
196
Wyoming
I carry a sidearm most places I go. outdoors or day to day carry. if outdoors normally rifle. but I use my firearms for casual shooting more than most. self defense and hunting are some other uses. I dont only carry for hunting purposes.
I usually carry a sidearm while hunting. I don't exclusively handgun hunt, but I have taken a couple cow elk and a few doe deer when close opportunities presented themselves. It was effective. Most predators these days are the 2 legged kind.
 

muleyfool

Member
Jun 7, 2018
111
32
I always carrying a fire arm when in the woods. Not just for the four legged critters, there are a bunch of wack jobs walking around. I don't leave home without one. Like previously mentioned "Rather have one and not need it".
 

280ackimp

Active Member
Jul 4, 2017
166
28
New Hampshire
Good thread, very relevant.
Years ago as a police offier in my state I became aware of increasing thefts and assaults in the national forrests and state parks I feel because most of the targets were complacent (out-of staters ...Mass, NY & CT). No self respecting lib-tard would carry a gun in the city why would they do so in the country ! Locals stayed away from the trails and campsites when the tourists were around.
Simply put criminals will target those most probable to be in a low state of awareness. To add to the issue when communing with nature in the east we dont worry about bears or cats.
TWO legged threats are just as much an issue in the back country or parks-forrest-and waterways! To me its a choice small autuo 45/9mm for the east or 41-44 mag in the west.

I just came back from fishing in Montana, the river put-ins & takeouts are places where the "meth heads" break into cars and rob people. Its also sad to say that the reservations are seeing an increase in crimes as well and it appears to be more "organized"!
Crime happens, predators act like predators ......2 legged or 4 !

Carry ....
 
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tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,407
1,057
north idaho
buddy just bumped into a mountain lion on his mountain bike, cat ran before anything could happen. He carries bear spray.
 

king1886ranch

New Member
Aug 25, 2019
3
0
I will always have my sidearm while out. The only thing that I think is a mistake about taking a firearm in is the location of carry. Holsters on packs are useless, you'll never have it when you need it. I always have my Glock 20 in my chest rig.
 

Joseph

Active Member
Jan 25, 2014
221
109
Creston BC Canada
For all of us here in Canada it is a moot point, not allowed period! I'm 50 this year and can't remember a time when handguns weren't restricted, we can own them but to do so requires special licenses, extra storage rules, and can only be transported to and from the gun range where you are a registered member. You can't even target practise on a private range or your own land.

To the original question of whether or not I would carry a handgun while hiking I don't think I would. I live in the Kootenay Rockies and every single time I leave town I am in grizzly country(black bear, cougar and wolf as well) and unless I am hunting I don't carry anything but bear spray. I think it's a matter of personal opinion if you feel the need and it's legal go for it, but if it's for grizzly protection it had better be a damn big handgun or you are going to have a very angry wounded bear on your hands. Personally I don't feel the need to carry a firearm every time I go into the wilderness but I grew up in the north and live in the mountains so my level of comfort is different from someone who heads out to the Rockies for a hunt every few years or so.

I would love to be able to carry a little .22 revolver loaded with subsonic rounds for all the blue/dusky grouse I see in the high country.
 

badgerbob

Active Member
May 18, 2015
397
72
Eastern Oregon
I get sick and tired of hearing how safe it is because so many million made it and only twenty never. Ask one of the twenty what they think about it. It's like if a large number of people are safe it justifies the loss of those that aren't. Not many people eaten by a Mt. Lion but if one grabs you by the ass what good is it to know are just one of the few. If packing a gun while hiking makes sense to you and you know how to use it, go for it. Furthermore, like someone has already said, it is the two legged threats one better be prepared for.....
 
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