I often carry two when I'm walking into a stand at 3 am. My rifle is slung and I have my slug gun, loaded to the Max, in my hands.
Was walking into a high seat along the tree line in a meadow. Hog, a really big sow, comes charging right at me. I had only my bolt action rifle and pistol with me, dark as sin. Throw my rifle up and think (really quickly) all I have is a very poor chance of hitting her in a vital spot in the dark and no time for a reload. Just about that moment she put on the brakes, huffs and snorts at me a couple of times and heads for the hills. After I changed my shorts, I got to thinking, next time I carry my slug gun, with five chances (arrest me
) instead of a bolt action rifle and/or a pistol. She was coming right at me at around 30 MPH. In the middle of the night she looked about as big as a Volkswagen bug, best guess is well over 300 lbs. maybe 350, maybe bigger. I'm 6'3" tall and she was inches higher than my belly button.
Something like that may only happen once in a lifetime, but if it ever happens again I want to increase my chances. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.
That same Sow, another night, ate a whole Roe Deer (road kill) and left only a few tufts of hair and bone splinters. I could imagine me being that Deer.