The OP's question was whether we do carry or not, not whether the high and mighty say we should - because there's no straight answer for it. Flags doesn't, and he's plenty salty, and buffybr does, another guy plenty salty. I don't usually carry a tent when backpack hunting, preferring a tarp and a bivy. One of the guys I hunted with when I was growing up spent 50+ yrs hauling a 7lb tent (maybe heavier, it was a monster) with aluminum poles into the field on his back... neither answer is really wrong. Living in flatlands at 1,350ft, I can't simulate altitude and elevation gain, so i have to keep my wits about me any time I get over 6,000. I've ran 20+ miles per week for most of my life, finished 14 marathons to date, completed 3 50mile trail runs, done months on months of hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, etc. but there's no making up for living low and hunting high... great shape is relative, but I've never struggled to keep my pace as long as I remember my moutain step when my breathing gets fast.

No sense in getting all bent out of shape about any of it. The question wasn't whether you think it's a good idea or not, it's whether you carry or not.

Same here now, I once was chased by a rabid skunk just before small game season came in, that won't happen again.

In VA. we can carry with a CCW permit in addition to your hunting weapon. I'm retired LEO, so it just comes natural.

My revolver is always by my side, not for finishing off……but to fill the freezer.

When I was deployed in Viet Nam in 1969, the only weapon that the Army issued me was a 1911 .45 acp. I wasn't in a combat role, but I did travel a lot all over the III and IV Corps areas.


One of my Sergeants was great at scrounging, and it didn't take me very long to get a M-16.

My trainer taught me a rifle is your primary weapon, a pistol is for reach out and touch me distances, then your knife, then your teeth. He also taught me the only time you are in real trouble, is when you run out of options, like when it goes click with no bang. I was bright enough back then to recognize good advice when I heard it.

That's an awesome picture bucktail.

-JaKe

Awesome buck! What revolver were you shooting?

I'm hoping to get my first revolver kill this year.

How do you keep the deer from hearing the cocking of the hammer and the indexing of the cylinders? Great picture Bob, thumbs up

That is a Smith 629, using 240 gr. A-Frames. What pistol did you pick up?
Pulling the hammer real slow is quiet, practice it while watching football on the lazy boy, preferably when Packers are losing.

for years when I was young and foolish, I carried my 357 along with my long gun. Eventually I realized the foolishness of it, after realizing that for crying out loud, I can finish a deer as cleanly and quickly with my rifle, certainly my rifle has more oomph for any other wayward critters/ unpleasant encounters, and also was at hand. Even being in good shape, the extra wt of the revolver and belt, etc. was significant at the end of theday, esp. if dragging something out. For that matter, the very full day pack that accompanied me is down to only a knife, cord, compass and fire starter. Less does become more.