Sidearm when rifle hunting?

[CoElkHunter]

Here in Canuckistan you can’t hunt with or carry a handgun for any reason. You can only transport it to an approved range and straight home for target practice. Need a separate permit to take it to the gunsmith.
Thank you f¥€kin Libiturds!
Rant over.

That's a real shame, because just like here, the criminals are able to carry a handgun "for any reason" and for them that doesn't include going to an approved range or straight home for target practice. It does include robberies, carjackings and murders, often with innocent unarmed people being the victims. Regardless of the country in which one lives, gun laws are written for law abiding citizens by clueless politicians and by definition, criminals don't obey those laws because, well, they're criminals?

 

[ldmay375]

A question for rifle hunters worldwide. How common is it to carry a sidearm (pistol or revolver) as well as a rifle when you are hunting? I have recently seen a few hunting videos where the PH had a handgun of some sort on their belt as well as a rifle in their hands and it has raised the question how common a practice this may be.

I normally, have a larger bore revolver in a chest holster when hunting and when in camp. It remains within reach when off the body in camp.
I find it somewhat comforting when gutting & quartering a moose.

 

[Trail Rated]

I’ve never felt a reason to carry a handgun on any of my (North American) hunts. Here in Texas I’d rather carry an extra quart of water than tote a useless handgun & ammo.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Strongly recommended around camp in AK when the rifle isn't in-hand. Not a bad idea in Africa either due to the newest breed of predator. 'Had a huge black bear climb my stand once in archery season (no pistol on me,) but all he wanted was my sandwich (I was so well camouflaged that he didn't see me until he was looking at my feet!)

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

I carry my .44 Special every day and even when carrying rifle hunting. I feel naked without it.

 

[crs]

We have family camping pix showing my wife and I both fully dressed for a day outdoors in Texas.
.357 Revolver with three rounds of rattle snake shot and three rounds of social problem solver.
Some show my cross draw 4 inch .44 magnum rig for big snakes. Other folks seem to accept this as normal as do I.
Never took a hand gun to Africa due to the fact that guide was always well armed and open carry seemed to be common there in town and out.

 

[WyoBull]

I carry a Glock 43 when I am in the country.
When I am in Grizzly country I carry a Glock 29 10mm in a Gunfighters Inc. Kenai chest holder.

 

[CraigV]

Carry. Agree with most of the posts above,, for the same reasons. Never know what you may run into, or need to finish dispatching an animal.

I heard somewhere from a Game Warden years ago that their jobs were considered high threat, due to the fact almost everyone they encounter is armed.

I've run into too many people in places where there shouldn't have been anyone to not be prepared. Never had to show it or draw it, but it's always been good piece of mind.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Can trappers still carry a .22 pistol?

Trappers can carry a sidearm if the RCMP issues them a carry permit, that you have to apply for and pay a fee. But there are very limited number of trap lines in each province. Safe to say a trapper probably has a small 22 rifle or 30-30 lever action on his Argo or snowmobile.

 

[curtism1234]

I’ve never felt a reason to carry a handgun on any of my (North American) hunts. Here in Texas I’d rather carry an extra quart of water than tote a useless handgun & ammo.

My thoughts too

 

[YancyW]

Hunting is no different for me, I carry when and where it is legal to do so.

 

[crs]

Hunting is no different for me, I carry when and where it is legal to do so.

Ditto.

 

[Scott CWO]

I only carry a handgun in SE Alaska when guiding and also tote my Lott. On the peninsula, it’s more open and I am never apart from other armed people so I don’t carry a handgun. In Colorado when guiding, I carry nothing, however, we don’t have grizzlies.

In Africa, I’ve never seen a PH carry a handgun but I haven’t hunted in South Africa.

 

[Tanner Lee]

Here in the states I don’t see it too much. I know a lot of guys talk about carrying a big revolver when they are going to hunt in bear country. The problems the legality of it, I know in Utah it is not really legal to but it is more of just generally frowned upon.

In South Africa most of the PHs I know don’t carry a side arms but one of my buddies does. It came in handy when we nearly got attacked by a clients wounded warthog.

 

[Nkawu]

I used to change out magazines when going into the bush and carry mostly solids for dealing with anything animal related, as opposed to that more frangible bullets in my magazine for urban use. Does anyone have any experience or preference for town vs bush ammo? I have only used my 9mm once in the field and that was on a wounded blesbuck which I shot in the head.

 

[sierraone]

Never carried one in Africa. But on both of my trips, PH carried 1911s. I have carried a .357 when hunting the Flat Tops Wilderness Area on two occasions 25 years ago. For our local deer hunting lease, my son and I both carry revolvers loaded with snake shot when we are working on the lease because it is still very hot most of the time. I don't carry a handgun during the hunting season. My son sometimes yes, sometimes no.

 

[Kraut]

When hunting by night I often carry Ruger Super Blackhawk (.44 Magnum) or Peters Stahl Multicaliber (.45 ACP). Handling a torch and a revolver/pistol for finishing is easier than with a rifle. Needed it only once years ago.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Sometimes I carry a handgun and sometimes I don't. Mostly I keep a S&W 317 22LR in my backpack or pocket if I have a rifle or shotgun in my hands. When I am wearing a sidearm in the woods, it is normally a S&W M19 Texas Ranger Commemorative or an old model Ruger flat top that Jim Stroh converted to .44 special for me a long time ago.

Safe shooting

 

[Tanks]

In Africa the PH and I have rifles. The game scout has an AK-47. I think we are set and don't need side arms (even if it was allowed).

 

[geoff rath]

Smith & Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum, 44 mag, 5 shot, can't imagine a better sidearm for Africa.

I read recently that S A, and maybe other Afrikan countries have put minimum barrel lengths on importing handguns for hunting; true or not, I know not ...