Do you carry while hunting?
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: Willert88
14-Oct-16
After reading the hunters afraid of the dark thread was wondering if anyone carries side arm while hunting. I read a story where a guy and his wife was surrounded by wolves on another thread and that kind of made my hair stand up as I hunt a heavy wolf area. I currently do not carry any side arm or any for of deterrent besides my bow. Might start just for my own personal reassurance.
From: Drop Tine
14-Oct-16
Behind the house no, If I need help I can call the infantry (wife) to help me out with the shotgun loaded with buck. The public land I do. Never know who or what you run into there.
From: Willert88
14-Oct-16
Interesting, I only hunt public land. I have never ran into another hunter while bow hunting but I always hunted up in north western WI. Now I moved to Chippewa County and will be hunting a new section of public land so not sure what to expect. Those of you who carry do you keep it in a day pack or concealed holster? Just trying to figure out best option for carrying while hunting.
From: Nocturnal8
14-Oct-16
I do carry while I hunt. And the story about wolves was me. 99.9% safe in the woods. It's kind of like fishing with out a net. The time you don't bring it is the time you could have used it.
From: Konk1
14-Oct-16
Yes, whether on private property or public. Wolves don't honor property boundaries just like some humans. Although I carry more for protection from wolves than humans.
From: Willert88
14-Oct-16
Noc your story is what has me thinking about carrying, I will be hunting the eau claire/ Clark County forest this year and have heard about wolves going after dogs from a lot of people familiar with the woods.
From: South Farm
14-Oct-16
No, but if I did it would be more out of concern for the shady types I meet coming off the river at night than wolves or bears. It's people that scare me..
From: Nocturnal8
14-Oct-16
The wolves in the area we are talking about have been a problem for a few years now. They were very antsy as they surrounded us. To me nothing more eerie than hearing that and seeing 6 sets of eyes in a circle around you. Guys can say there's nothing to be afraid of, and they may be right. But my experience should be enough for the people who hunt or hike in wolf country to have some sort of security.
From: Drop Tine
14-Oct-16
Trouble and good thing about wolves are they are very calculating. They have a couple in front of you to get/hold your attention. It's the ones off to the side or behind you that you don't see is where the trouble will come from if it were to happen. Meth is a big problem in Lincoln Cty. it also has a lot of public land that's out of the way so to speak. It's the up right critters I worry about more than anything.
From: MuskyBuck
14-Oct-16
No. Would like to if I owned a handgun. I'm in wolf country for sure and plenty of mavericks on public land acting like they own it.
From: Mike F
14-Oct-16
Nope, not even when bear baiting. Thought about it but my hand cannon is too big and cumbersome to carry all day. I use it sometimes during rifle season Contender 7-30 Waters.
From: deerslayer
14-Oct-16
I carry all the time, even when I'm not hunting. I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
From: RutnStrut
14-Oct-16
Yes, M%P .45 or 380 or .40 are always with me. I had an interesting encounter with a tweeker this past summer while bear baiting. While the incident was diffused by talking with the guy. I was glad to for the reassuring weight of the 45 on my hip as my son was with. No the gun was not drawn, but it was still nice to have it had I needed it.
From: Screwball
14-Oct-16
Due to threats against my life in conjunction with my jobs I carry whenever legal. Strange thing is I never carry any firearm when bear baiting, hunting or tracking, consider it cheating. Just weird I know.
From: JR1984
14-Oct-16
Nope
From: Helgermite
14-Oct-16
I carry my M&P 9 stoked with Buffalo Bore hard cast in a hip holster. This is not too heavy and cumbersome. I carry because I can, not because I feel I need to. I mostly hunt Iowa and Jefferson County. I don't really feel threatened by any 2 legged or 4 legged animals. It's just another tool should I need it.
From: stagetek
14-Oct-16
A Ruger SP101 .357 for me.
From: raspy old hen
14-Oct-16
Yes while hunting. Just a S & W Model 66 .357 magnum in a shoulder holster.
From: RUGER1022
14-Oct-16
Yes for 50 years . Rotate various Rugers . Had to shoot once . Rabid skunk while walking to my stand in the am . Pretty scary .
Remember , gun must be exposed unless you have concealed carry .
From: Crusader dad
15-Oct-16
Never felt the need, even the few times I've hunted areas thick with Wolves. I feel much safer in the woods than in my city.
From: CaptMike
15-Oct-16
I carry almost every day of my life other than while hunting. Never felt the need for it then.
From: Tweed
15-Oct-16
I only carry when in Northern Wisconsin. Ive heard wolves, had bears in camp and too many stories of isolated crazies.
Lol I feel safer in 27th and Burleigh than I do on Highway 8 sometimes.
From: DanWarnest
15-Oct-16
Yep. Always. And I'm on private land. As someone said, wolves, bears, and a few humans don't care about property lines.
From: casekiska
15-Oct-16
Yes, ever since I got my concealed permit (four years ago). It just gives one a greater feeling of security along with a sense of obligation. The obligation is that one must be a responsible gun owner in all respects and in every way imaginable. Further, you hope with every fiber that you'll never be in a situation where you have to use the firearm.
From: Jeff in MN
16-Oct-16
Just about always carry when hunting up north. Have ever since the Vang incident. I know the odds of needing to use it for self defense while hunting are slim. Much higher chance I might need it right at my home in Hayward than in the woods. A few of you will understand why. Sig Pro, chambered in .357 Sig
From: 10BUCKS
16-Oct-16
YES SP101 .357
From: GoJakesGo
17-Oct-16
Yep
From: sagittarius
17-Oct-16
No. I did carry 24 years ago on my first bear tag with a bow, just in case. Have not felt the need to carry since.
From: MF
17-Oct-16
I'm in Northern Bayfield County, I always carry bear spray and depends what area I will be walking in, then I will carry my cruiser shotgun with buck shot. I had a nasty encounter this year bear baiting which would make anyone think twice about your safety. For those that don't carry some type of defense weapon it only takes one bad encounter to make you think you should. Glad I had my bear spray with me this summer.
From: Screwball
17-Oct-16
I understand MF have had many bad bear encounters. I understand your feeling, just not my decision. Never felt the desire to carry for bear defense. Human defense always.
From: Swampy
17-Oct-16
Never carry anytime . Now if I lived in a big city , I would in a heartbeat . Have a 9mm on the bedside nightstand though .
From: WausauDug
17-Oct-16
i had three wolves cruise in to my bowhunting set-up about 10 years ago in Southern Bayfield. I had lots of scent out and they came in to check the area. Once they passed they started howling on and on. Thats a long walk back to the truck when all you have is a bow and arrows. Another time I had shot a deer and in dragging the deer, my stand and bow in the dark I started paralleling the trail out. I had just come from hunting farmland in the central part of the state so I didn't have my compass on . I decided to just sit down and wait to see some lights from my ride. So I'm sitting there in the dark and raining the wolves start calling in their buddies to my gutpile a 1/4 mile away. I carry a small pistol now mostly for my own piece of mind.
From: Landoscott
17-Oct-16
I hunt in land o lakes and have seen a wolf bowhunting. Carry my Glock 40 with me
From: Jeff in MN
19-Oct-16
By the way, anyone baiting early in the baiting season should really consider carrying. I had wolf pups and their mom on several baits. If there is going to be a bad encounter with a wolf then being near pups is a prime situation for things to go wrong.
From: LilZim
19-Oct-16
After some pretty consistent momma bear and cubs pics on cameras over the last few months, I decided to start carrying this year. I never did before, and I honestly don't believe the bears would do anything, unless I somehow got between the mother and the cubs. Seen wolves while in stand, but not consistent enough to worry.
From: MF
19-Oct-16
It only takes one time to change your mind, and I had that one time years ago to change my mind about carrying.
From: buckslayer735
26-Oct-16
I always carry when I am bow hunting. I carry a compact S&W .45 in a holster. I would rather be safe than sorry. We have a wolf pack in the area and there have been recent documented incidents of humans vs. wolves in the area (Colburn Marsh Wildlife Area). We have also been getting several black bears on camera.
From: LTL JimBow
26-Oct-16
Who can legally carry ? I don't keep up with the laws on this
From: Jeff in MN
27-Oct-16
As long as you are not a felon you can open carry, always could in Wisconsin without any sort of permit. Without a permit you would still need to case your weapon on motor vehicles.
If you take the CC class you can carry almost anywhere in Wisconsin, anytime, concealed or open. I do suggest that if you are a WI resident and take the class you should find a class that also offers another state permit with it. A class that requires a range test like Utah or Florida as that will allow you to carry in many more states than just a WI permit will allow. FL and UT do require fingerprinting too so if you are sensitive about your prints being on file they would not be good choices for you. I think I heard that Utah quit doing NR permits but that might just be a rumor. Do your homework and look for a second state permit that covers states you are likely to go to.
From: Tweed
27-Oct-16
Nice thing about being younger is that we were all required to go to hunter's safety. From what I understand to get a CC permit all you need to do is pay a fee and show your hunter safety permit. No extra classes needed.
From: Jeff in MN
27-Oct-16
Really, the shooting/training place in Rice Lake is always offering permit classes. I suppose that is more for those that do not have the HS class or those that want to learn what CC is about and the rights, responsibilities, and legal issues involved if you pull you carry weapon out of the holster. No wonder there are even more states that do not honor WI permits than those that honor MN permits.
I strongly encourage everyone to take a real CC class. Even if you don't intend to carry in public. Hunter safety classes do not cover what you need to know if you carry in public. Or home protection either.
From: TD Bauer
27-Oct-16
Yep. Carry 95% of the time I leave the house. Member of Front Sight and go there now and then to train and shoot. Carry a 1911 in a kydex side holster.
From: Tweed
27-Oct-16
Good points Jeff. For someone like myself I would only carry when in the woods which is completely different from carrying out amongst people.
From: deerslayer
27-Oct-16
If you are military veteran, you can just pay the fee and get your permit without taking the class.
