• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Who carries a pistol whilst in the woods for protection, specifically related to hunting and scouting

1
I honestly don’t remember the last time I walked out of my house without my pistol.
My wife laughs at me but I stay prepared.
We went on a cruise last month I left my pistol in the safe in the car. I literally felt like I lost something the whole trip. Weird feeling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
In the nicest way possible, it's really not anyones f'ing business what was in the bag.

I will say it makes for a good reason to carry though. You never know.
 
Last edited:
I don't generally carry. I've owned several little compact guns (a TCP, a little Jennings pocket .22lr, and 2 NAA mini-revolvers) but I just can't make myself carry long-term. They're all sold now.

I've also worn a .357 and a buckmark in a chest rig while doing outdoorsy stuff. Also odious after a while.

Just don't like carrying crap, and I honestly have never thought to myself, "Hmmm, a gun would be handy right about now." I've met sketchy folk before in the woods. I leave them to their sketchiness. I've met plenty of hogs, gators, and stray dogs but I guess I haven't met the right one.

The equation may change in the future. I do carry when camping with the wife because she insists upon it.

My buddy on the other hand has a pistol within reach 24/7. Cutting grass, at the gym, at the beach...everywhere. Whatever makes ya feel good I guess.
 
Can't have a firearm with you in NY whilst bowhunting. My EDC is a SW Sigma in 9mm. When I'm not with a bow in hand, Its on me. Its not the four-legged critters that I'm concerned with, its the two-legged ones!! My chest bino harness rig has a hang below holster, works great. I'm always carrying when scouting or whatever. I dispatched a porky with it that my dog was about ready to get into. Glad I saw it before my dog did!!! Got the dog on the leash and then gave the porky a dirt nap. They devastate the trees around here and even with the new fisher population at robust levels.... there still are a lot of porcupines.
 
Nutterbuster said:
I don't generally carry. I've owned several little compact guns (a TCP, a little Jennings pocket .22lr, and 2 NAA mini-revolvers) but I just can't make myself carry long-term. They're all sold now.

I've also worn a .357 and a buckmark in a chest rig while doing outdoorsy stuff. Also odious after a while.

Just don't like carrying crap, and I honestly have never thought to myself, "Hmmm, a gun would be handy right about now." I've met sketchy folk before in the woods. I leave them to their sketchiness. I've met plenty of hogs, gators, and stray dogs but I guess I haven't met the right one.

The equation may change in the future. I do carry when camping with the wife because she insists upon it.

My buddy on the other hand has a pistol within reach 24/7. Cutting grass, at the gym, at the beach...everywhere. Whatever makes ya feel good I guess.
Click to expand...

To me it's sort of silly feeling to consider carrying a pistol, my community is relatively safe, but then I'll experience something that if things were to escalate I wouldn't be able to wiggle out of it.
On top of that, with wife and kids, I would be the spear tip in defense and currently try to avoid such compromising situations that lead to elements of this discussion. However, as the children grow so does the radius of influence and activities, that coupled with remote hunting locations, yeah I'm considering carrying.
I won't go to New Orleans these days but with the economy in the crapper and the hit of COVID I feel like people of marginal moral character are more abundant and are seeking opportunities to exploit.

Just another responsibility...
 
Fuse Dude said:
To me it's sort of silly feeling to consider carrying a pistol, my community is relatively safe, but then I'll experience something that if things were to escalate I wouldn't be able to wiggle out of it.
On top of that, with wife and kids, I would be the spear tip in defense and currently try to avoid such compromising situations that lead to elements of this discussion. However, as the children grow so does the radius of influence and activities, that coupled with remote hunting locations, yeah I'm considering carrying.
I won't go to New Orleans these days but with the economy in the crapper and the hit of COVID I feel like people of marginal moral character are more abundant and are seeking opportunities to exploit.

Just another responsibility...
Click to expand...
I can understand where people are coming from when they make the decision to carry. I can envision a scenario where my math shifts on the decision. But I have talked to a lot of people who I think have problems with risk analysis. Guys that have health and debt problems talking about protecting their families with the gun they put on a card over a cheeseburger lunch. That kinda thing.

The best was a man who came up to my gun counter asking if we had a holster meant to store a gun in a shower. He said he lived in a rough neighborhood. I couldn't help but think that if I lived in an area so rough that I needed a shower gun, I'd sell everything I owned to get out of there pronto.

Not saying that applies to anybody on here. But for me there's a laundry list of things to work through that I can do to make me and mine more secure, and a carry gun falls low on that list.

Also, I'll acknowledge that part of my decision is based solely on the feels. A heavy thing on my waist or in my pockets makes me grouchy. Irrationally so. Being armed and irritable probably isn't a good thing...
 
Simple answer is #1. Always without question.

I began carrying outside of work close to 13 years ago. To be honest at the time it was more or less about being able to do it then anything else. As time has continued to pass I carried more and more frequently depending on what area I was heading to. Typically I avoided certain locations, however when it was unavoidable the decision was easy.

Fast forward to 6 years ago the company I was working for had a threat against the location I was working at. From that day forward when working there I carried even with it being against company policy. I understood the risks, however my responsibility to my family is to come home every night as I can always find a new place of employment. I switched companies and again ceased to carry on person while working, however carried in my computer bag. Fast forward a couple of years and similar situation where my site was now in a sketchy area and I began carrying on person once again. While eating lunch one day a drive by occurred 100 yards from where we were eating reaffirming my choice.

The decision for me is fairly simple. Being aware of my surroundings and providing myself with every tool and opportunity possible to ensure that I walk in the door every evening to see my family is my highest priority. I refuse to go looking for a fight and will walk away 100% of the time as the risk of escalation is not worth it, however I want to ensure that the odds are in my favor if ever put in a situation like that. Everyone's choice is a personal decision and I can't fault anyone for the decision that they make.
 
I have a carry permit mostly because I feel like if they every try to make it harder to get one or try to get rid of it in the future, it'd be easier to keep if you have a good record and had a CCP for years without incident. Plus, I don't want to be hassled if I shoot at the club, and forget to take it out of the car when I get home, and later get pulled over and they decide to check your car.
I rarely carry though, I'm with Nutter, it just gets too hot or uncomfortable after a while. but it does depend where I'm going. stuff can happen anywhere I know, but it's more those places where I feel like a sitting duck--like in a movie theater. I actually got my carry permit shortly after the theater shooting in CO. Honestly I think in a lot of cases, people wanna be a hero and jump too quick to using deadly force. If I carried more, I might be tempted to do the same when my temper is high. Generally I'm a pretty level-headed cat, and generally I avoid confrontation. But I dunno; add a stressful week, some lack of sleep, just an extra bad day, and maybe I'd fly off the handle and lose it on someone. And I feel like you could avoid a lot issues other ways first.
I'm gonna give up my wallet or phone in a second before risking my life or my family's by pulling my gun with someone aiming at me.
 
I’ve about arrived where Nutter has.
I still take my Sig out at times just based on where I’m headed.Sadly reading/ podcasts about all the hunters that find remains while out in the woods has left an impression.
State land and forests can feel ominous ever since I listed to the Bear Creek podcast, but for the most part it falls into the sometimes pack category just like Thermacell, Binos, knee pads….
Also my chest pack carries a bolt gun like it’s made for the task.
“Whatcha packin?”
TreeHoppa 10mm.
 

Attachments

  • E33D3A33-D182-43F5-893A-DECDC444CEC9.jpeg
    E33D3A33-D182-43F5-893A-DECDC444CEC9.jpeg
    29.8 KB · Views: 31
Last edited:
TreeCreep said:
I’ve about arrived where Nutter has.
I still take it out at times just based on where I’m headed.Sadly reading/ podcasts about all the hunters that find remains while out in the woods has left an impression.
State land and forests can feel ominous ever since I listed to the Bear Creek podcast, but for the most part it falls into the sometimes pack category just like Thermacell, Binos, knee pads….
Also my chest pack carries a bolt gun like it’s made for the task.
“Whatcha packin?”
TreeHoppa 10mm.
Click to expand...
Like, no country for old men, bolt gun?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top