Do you take a pistol or not?
10-22-2017, 01:01 AM
#11
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
A ccw does not count as a "Hunting Instrument." And is perfectly legal to carry. That's why it's worded that way.
I never knew of this law until I was checked by a game warden while carrying a shotgun and an 8" barreled 44mag revolver. Thankfully, he let me off with a warning as long as I promised to choose on or the other when I got back to my truck. ( I had just started police academy and I was sweating bullets worrying I had messed up my career choice before getting a chance to even start it...) But, I was let off with a warning.
Again, a ccw is perfectly legal. Key word is "hunting instrument"
-Jake
I never knew of this law until I was checked by a game warden while carrying a shotgun and an 8" barreled 44mag revolver. Thankfully, he let me off with a warning as long as I promised to choose on or the other when I got back to my truck. ( I had just started police academy and I was sweating bullets worrying I had messed up my career choice before getting a chance to even start it...) But, I was let off with a warning.
Again, a ccw is perfectly legal. Key word is "hunting instrument"
-Jake
10-22-2017, 01:14 AM
#12
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
And before this turns into a spitting match with rule infractions... I can assure you all that if anybody is qualified to speak on the three topics of: defensive shooting with a pistol, physical conditioning, and mountain hunting... it's Flags...
We all have different opinions on topics like this. Feel free to disagree, but keep it respectful please.
-Jake
We all have different opinions on topics like this. Feel free to disagree, but keep it respectful please.
-Jake
10-22-2017, 02:22 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
And before this turns into a spitting match with rule infractions... I can assure you all that if anybody is qualified to speak on the three topics of: defensive shooting with a pistol, physical conditioning, and mountain hunting... it's Flags...
We all have different opinions on topics like this. Feel free to disagree, but keep it respectful please.
-Jake
We all have different opinions on topics like this. Feel free to disagree, but keep it respectful please.
-Jake
Many of these regulations are borderline nonsensical and have way more to do with image and preconceptions than they do with reality.
Example, How in the world is putting a knife on the end of a rifle going to make it any more lethal than a rifle? Though if you were between a rock and hard place and ran out of ammo, it does beat using your rifle as a club.
Or in the case of Bocajnala's example, how is carrying a pistol going to give you any sort of an edge while hunting? IMO it is much more likely it might save your bacon some day, than give you a hunting edge.
I never used to take a pistol with me hunting until I was out with a master hunter (many decades ago) and we walked up on a severely wounded Red Deer, he lowers his rifle from about ten feet and shoots the finishing shot. That bullet went through that Red Deer, hit a rock and passed within inches of my head. Since then I've carried a pistol with soft nose bullets.
And as far as the extra weight goes, one of my Boots weighs more than a pistol does. There are many lite weight boots available, I'm older than dirt and still wear the heavy boots. I've had a rock fall half up my foot and break bones, I've broken an ankle. I'll make the sacrifice of a little extra weight for the additional safety.
Last edited by MudderChuck; 10-22-2017 at 02:25 AM.
10-22-2017, 05:00 AM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
If 3-4 pounds makes that much of a difference then its time to get in better hiking shape or drop some other gear imo.
Dude I spent more than 25 years on active duty and I'll bet I can run circles around you any day if the week. Bottom line toting extra weight makes no sense.
I'm not sure the type of places you all hunt, but I go miles into the woods and into places that most likely wont see human foot prints until I return the following year. To not take a pistol would be moronic on my part.
I have been known to spend 2 or 3 weeks living out of a backpack while hunting at more than 9000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. I don't hunt in day hikes. Depending on a pistol to save you is a fool's bet. Better to have good situation awareness in the first place.
What if I fell down the mountain side and injured myself, forced to spend the night in the woods and possibly on the ground. What happens if you lose the long rifle during the fall? If something crazy were to happen and I had to run from someone/something I'm dropping the long rifle and covering ground while still having my pistol for protection.
If a frog's butt wasn't watertight he would sink when it jumped in. Like I said, situational awareness is the key. Don't put yourself in those situations in the first place. Don't take a dangerous route. Take time to do things safely. If you are dumb enough to fall down a hill and make yourself totally helpless then nothing is going to make you safe since you're a careless hunter in the first place.
Further more, if you're not taking it because you don't think you are good enough with it, then my recommendation would be to practice more.
My recommendation is leave it at home and learn how to hunt safely. Reliance on a pistol is foolish. Ever been in combat? Didn't think so. The only reason military people carry handguns is so they can fight their way to a long gun. Very few people can use one effectively and I'm willing to bet you $1000 I can out shoot you with one. I qualified as expert with both the .45 ACP and the 9mm and I often hunt with a handgun. But when 'm rifle hunting I tote a rifle.
If I'm hunting in a more populated area then I might not carry my pistol, but in the very remote areas I hunt, I actually worry if I don't have it on me.
Exactly where do you hunt that is so "remote" that you absolutely have to have a pistol to hunt safely? I grew up hunting in CO before it got populated and I have hunted in WY, MT, UT, ID, AZ,NM, AK and Canada and not once have I ever wished I had a handgun for "protection" when I was hunting. I never go unarmed when hiking and will always have a handgun on my hip but not when hunting with a rifle.
If I can't protect myself with a long gun then all those years in the military were wasted when it comes to training.
Dude I spent more than 25 years on active duty and I'll bet I can run circles around you any day if the week. Bottom line toting extra weight makes no sense.
I'm not sure the type of places you all hunt, but I go miles into the woods and into places that most likely wont see human foot prints until I return the following year. To not take a pistol would be moronic on my part.
I have been known to spend 2 or 3 weeks living out of a backpack while hunting at more than 9000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. I don't hunt in day hikes. Depending on a pistol to save you is a fool's bet. Better to have good situation awareness in the first place.
What if I fell down the mountain side and injured myself, forced to spend the night in the woods and possibly on the ground. What happens if you lose the long rifle during the fall? If something crazy were to happen and I had to run from someone/something I'm dropping the long rifle and covering ground while still having my pistol for protection.
If a frog's butt wasn't watertight he would sink when it jumped in. Like I said, situational awareness is the key. Don't put yourself in those situations in the first place. Don't take a dangerous route. Take time to do things safely. If you are dumb enough to fall down a hill and make yourself totally helpless then nothing is going to make you safe since you're a careless hunter in the first place.
Further more, if you're not taking it because you don't think you are good enough with it, then my recommendation would be to practice more.
My recommendation is leave it at home and learn how to hunt safely. Reliance on a pistol is foolish. Ever been in combat? Didn't think so. The only reason military people carry handguns is so they can fight their way to a long gun. Very few people can use one effectively and I'm willing to bet you $1000 I can out shoot you with one. I qualified as expert with both the .45 ACP and the 9mm and I often hunt with a handgun. But when 'm rifle hunting I tote a rifle.
If I'm hunting in a more populated area then I might not carry my pistol, but in the very remote areas I hunt, I actually worry if I don't have it on me.
Exactly where do you hunt that is so "remote" that you absolutely have to have a pistol to hunt safely? I grew up hunting in CO before it got populated and I have hunted in WY, MT, UT, ID, AZ,NM, AK and Canada and not once have I ever wished I had a handgun for "protection" when I was hunting. I never go unarmed when hiking and will always have a handgun on my hip but not when hunting with a rifle.
If I can't protect myself with a long gun then all those years in the military were wasted when it comes to training.
Last edited by flags; 10-22-2017 at 05:05 AM.
10-22-2017, 10:32 AM
#17
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,381
I always carry a pistol also but then I've carried one for my entire LE career with a shotgun and trunk rifle available as needed. I don't feel comfortable not carrying and have been glad I was carrying a few times. After all of these years, I don't even notice the extra weight. I was a PMI in the Marines and a Range-master with a Sheriff's Office and DA's Office. You get lots of time and ammo to shoot when you're the teacher and I took advantage of it. As always, YMMV but each person needs to make that decision for themself. It's a good question to ask and everybody provides good reasons for carrying or not which helps the OP make his best decision.
10-22-2017, 02:21 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eastern wv
Posts: 3,646
I have a ccw, don't hardly ever carry, do have one in the truck at all times, along with an AR, if things turn nasty I'll reach for the AR, not because I'm not proficient with a handgun, I just have more confidence with a rifle.
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