My Ruger weighs roughly 3 lbs. fully loaded. Still, you are right at least in part. The weight is just one factor. If I put it in my pack it is not available in a hurry, so why bother. If I carry it on my belt, it is a nuisance. There is no way I have seen to make it fit on my pack like WW\'s does. A single action revolver with a 6 1/2 inch barrel does not fit as a shoulder carry, that would not mess with my bow shot. I am considering trading it off for a smaller sidearm.
Do you carry a side arm while elk hunting/regular hunting?
- Thread starter iccyman001
- Start date
\"cnelk\" said:
I agree I just put it on my hip and seriously it is not in the way or burdensome to carry. becomes natural and without looking half the time i couldn\'t tell ya if its on or not never has hindered me one bit, we ride dirtbikes,snowmobiles, horses,and hike with them. I\'ll admit rifle hunting I don\'t take it but i have another firearm so i\'m ok with that.
\"cnelk\" said:
Reminds me of that scene in Platoon when the American commander calls in a napalm strike on his own position as they were being over-run with Viet Cong. \"I want it on the record that it was my call.\"
You\'re right, Brad ... but to be honest, I don\'t carry either unless I\'m in \"big bear\"-country. And I don\'t go there often.
The weight ... you\'re probably right, it\'s not a huge deal, but if it\'s on my hip, the grip reminds me of my dun-lop with every step, and who likes that?
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
I feel I would have a higher chance of shooting myself in the foot (or the ass) than having to shoot a bear or cougar :lol:
Seriously, I shot my bull this year in the same exact spot I was stalked by a cougar years ago (he came inside 8 yards on me).
So, I\'d have more reason to carry than most I guess...I just feel it is unnecessary weight to pack around. I\'d probably wear a hole in my hip the way I hunt. :?
Seriously, I shot my bull this year in the same exact spot I was stalked by a cougar years ago (he came inside 8 yards on me).
So, I\'d have more reason to carry than most I guess...I just feel it is unnecessary weight to pack around. I\'d probably wear a hole in my hip the way I hunt. :?
Olympushunt
New member
- Jun 30, 2014
- 234
That cat was coming up the trail for me. I am positive about that. I motivated him to change his mind. I bet he needed a shorts cleaning too! They move fast.....but much faster when lead is chasing them. He and I said \"Oh s***!\" about the same moment when he realized I wasn\'t an easy dinner.\"Swede\" said:
I was coming back to camp and it had been dark for maybe an hour. I was walking on a bunch of plate sized shale stones and it was clattering under my feet. I\'m sure I sounded like a deer moving through that patch and this big cat (my father in-law saw it the year before and said it was a BIG cat...and he should know since he used to guide with dogs for them) was coming up the trail I was on to check me out. When I came up to this point I looked down to see where I could walk down and here he is coming up to me about 10 yards from me. It took me half a sec for my brain to register him. I saw these two huge lights shining back at me and I thought (because the background was completely black) it was a few hikers coming up the ridge to me. I thought that was odd...but then my headlamp shined on him and I was very quickly setting my bow down and unholstering. He saw me and turned very quickly. I managed to motivate him more. I went back the next morning to see if I could see any evidence of hitting him. Unfortunately I didn\'t. Stupid cat. He has been eating good up there...we saw evidence of that. My hunting buddy got him on one of our cams. I never worry about blacky bears, and the two legged critters not a ton...but cats....they are sneaky and are constantly sizing you up. For the most part they won\'t take the risk but I don\'t like the way that one was looking at me. Bears eat lots of stuff...but cats eat one thing....meat. I am mostly made up of meat so that is a bad combo I think. Plus it find the ODFW is giving cats far to much eating allotment when I only get one deer a year....they get 50 some.
Bob Frapples
Member
- Mar 10, 2014
- 367
I got a Ruger lcr just before my first elk trip last year and it seemed to take up more space than the weight consideration, but I probably won\'t go without it. My only problem is it is the .38, no one had the 57 in stock and I procrastinated on the purchase to the last minute. Might just carry my kimber pro carry 45 this year.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
nah.
you guys wear the gun on your waist and get a pack hip belt over it? 99% of the time i dont have a gun with me. first it is illegal here in california (dont start).
in Idaho, i had it with me, but the only way it was comfortable was to have my glock inside the pack. figured i would be in come wolf choke-hold by the time i upzipped the pack. every black bear i\'ve seen has been a black blur running from me. i just scream \"dangerous hunter\" to a bear. must be my Slick trick broad heads. i\'m just try to play it pretty smart in bear country with my smelly stuff..i dont fear black bears.
i am planning an Alaska hunt soon. all bets are off..i\'m buying a Ruger Alaskan and quite possibly a lever action 45-70 for that trip. whoever isnt bow hunting can carry the rifle. if i could, i wear night vision gear
my brother is a SWAT guy..night vision is cool!!
you guys wear the gun on your waist and get a pack hip belt over it? 99% of the time i dont have a gun with me. first it is illegal here in california (dont start).
in Idaho, i had it with me, but the only way it was comfortable was to have my glock inside the pack. figured i would be in come wolf choke-hold by the time i upzipped the pack. every black bear i\'ve seen has been a black blur running from me. i just scream \"dangerous hunter\" to a bear. must be my Slick trick broad heads. i\'m just try to play it pretty smart in bear country with my smelly stuff..i dont fear black bears.
i am planning an Alaska hunt soon. all bets are off..i\'m buying a Ruger Alaskan and quite possibly a lever action 45-70 for that trip. whoever isnt bow hunting can carry the rifle. if i could, i wear night vision gear
my brother is a SWAT guy..night vision is cool!!elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
oh..one section of the AZ desert. (south of I-10), i pack my glock21. but that is for people.
kinda scary out there. but seems nowdays, there is a big 4x4 border patrol truck on every ridgeline. i bet it is actually pretty safe.
kinda scary out there. but seems nowdays, there is a big 4x4 border patrol truck on every ridgeline. i bet it is actually pretty safe.
I was really glad that I had my piece in Idaho with me..... it gave me a little better piece of mind. we were back at camp in the evening and had the fire going. we saw a hunter come through about 50 yards out from camp. he had his headlamp on , he was camping just down the road from us. anyways, there was a small rise where he had gone by. not more than a minute goes by and I look over to see two set of eyes stop and look at us. the fire was reflecting in them. they were following the hunter just a couple of yards off to the side of his trail. they were right at the height of what a wolf would be at. those sneaky devils. I was a little paranoid coming back in the dark after that.....
I\'ve never carried a sidearm in years of camping and hunting, and have never felt I needed one--don\'t even own one. But my next bowhunt is down near the Mexico border (south of I-10), so I\'ll be carrying for the first time. Thanks for the tips on how to carry while wearing a pack. Think I\'ll try making a holster work, since I don\'t want to lose a borrowed pistol.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
\"ABQ_Chica\" said:
borrowed? you gonna practice with the thing?
what hunt is this? this thread has me bringing my glock to AZ.
Oh yes, elky McElkerson, I\'ve practiced with it! I don\'t take weapons lightly, and would never carry a firearm without knowing it well (including being able to handle it in the dark). Still, I hope I don\'t ever need it, or can avoid using it by employing other self-defense tactics first.
\"ABQ_Chica\" said:
My wife is from Tucson and my family and I have spent time in the desert down there. It is a pleasant place to be in the winter. From what you wrote, I assume you are somewhat nervous about some of the critters along the border. Just to reassure you, I have never had a threatening encounter with anyone. I can\'t say I have run into any illegals. I think they want to avoid us as much as we want to avoid them.
Best wishes on your hunt.
\"Swede\" said:
Thanks for the reassurance, Swede. I think you\'re right about illegals wanting to avoid contact. When I drew this hunt, I wasn\'t planning to do anything different. But some friends of mine had a close call in that area last summer, so I decided not to take any chances this time. Hopefully this will be the last time I feel that way. Normally I feel safer out in the wilderness than I do in the city!
