Woods carry; more critical than CCW?

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I'd have made him into a sock puppet. ;)

It really wasn't his fault. My STUPID coworkers were feeding him and he felt like he was entitled to a hand out. I spritzed him right after I put down the phone and he never went near another human again.
 
My three carry pistols. Top is a police surplus CZ Model 50 in .32 ACP. I have 100+ acres of woods across the street from my place. It was recently designated as a protected wetlands. I slip the CZ in a pocket holster when I take my 100 pound German Shepard out there for a walk three or four times a week. I've seen coyote's several times but they are usually quick to beat feet. Use to see the occasional tweaker or dope smoker but since the wetlands designation I've only seen people with fishing poles down at the creek, LEO's on mountain bikes and the local game warden.:thumbup:
Next, in the middle, is my FN 5.7 x 28. One of my relatives has a fairly large place outside Valentine in SW Texas. Just a stones throw from the border. If you have seen the movie "No Country for Old Men" that's the kind of terrain I'm talking about. I carry the FN with an extra 20 round magazine when walking around down there. Add an SKS or AR if I'm roaming around in a vehicle.
Bottom is my EDC Colt Detective Special in .38 Special. I carry this 95% of the time.
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I'm 75, and been running around the back country of the Rockies for about 65 of those years.

When I was young and full of vigor, my "EDC" in the woods was an original Winchester 92 in .44-40. At about 25, I finally realized i didn't need it. Carried a S&W 28 for a few years, but that got heavy.

I bought one of the first Glock 17s to be imported. Been carrying that ever since. 115 Grain +P+ Federal JHP (9BPLE) in town, and 124 grain FMJ NATO in the woods,

Never been bothered by bears, and the 9MM is more than enough for anything else.

On overnight or longer trips, I'll carry a spare magazine, but I can't imagine a situation that I couldn't handle with the 18 rounds in the weapon.

Good Lord, a 75 year young, seasoned woodsman, running around the wild and rugged Western US mountains with a plastic 9MM! Say it ain’t so...

LOL! God Bless you Brother Cheygriz! Your post made my heart lighten up and brought a smile to my ugly mug!
 
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im mostly worried about crossing paths with feral and/or rabid smaller mammals on nearby public trails. i’ve recently rediscovered a s&w 317 22lr that i put away after learning the hard way that its aluminum cylinder heat binds after 100 range rounds. in its favor it is really handy and accurate enough for my needs, plus i can fit three ten round speed strips into the holster’s mag pouch. in cold weather with gloved hands i like a bond arms derringer minus the trigger guard.
 
If I'm in the woods, I'm carrying a rifle. Most of the time, it's my Marlin 336 30-30. In the summer though, my Henry 22WMR comes along as it's lighter and easier to carry. I carry my .357 SA or S&W M66 when checking fence or going through the woods to the creek to fish. But, 99% of the time I'll have my rifle too. We have more trouble here with feral hogs, dogs, and coyotes than anything else so having those 7 shots of 30 WCF or 12 of 22 WMR make me feel a WHOLE lot better than 5 or 6 .357's in a revolver. Just my personal preference.

Mac
 
If I'm in the woods, I'm carrying a rifle. Most of the time, it's my Marlin 336 30-30. In the summer though, my Henry 22WMR comes along as it's lighter and easier to carry. I carry my .357 SA or S&W M66 when checking fence or going through the woods to the creek to fish. But, 99% of the time I'll have my rifle too. We have more trouble here with feral hogs, dogs, and coyotes than anything else so having those 7 shots of 30 WCF or 12 of 22 WMR make me feel a WHOLE lot better than 5 or 6 .357's in a revolver. Just my personal preference.

Mac

Having a rifle with me is going to be very depended on what I am doing. Hunting I probably have a rifle or shotgun but I do enjoy handgun hunting sometimes. During the late spring and summer most of the time if I am in the woods I am out at the hunting property working. Clearing trails, working food plots, filling feeder, checking cameras etc. It those cases a long gun might be in the UTV but carrying it is impractical. The old Model 10 on the hip though just blends in with the phone and multi-tool on my belt and is there if I need it and otherwise transparent to the work I am doing.
 
Never forget, crime seems nonexistent in rural areas because everyone is spread out. The rate of crime (per person) has been not far off urban/suburban regions, and in the last couple years has raced ahead of it, nationwide. Some rural counties are by far the highest crime rate areas in their state.

And, if you have an issue, there is less chance of yelling for help, maybe no way to get a phone call out even now, and a hell of a long time for the cops to show up.

So yeah, be prepared to deal with things yourself.

(And generally be aware of the reality of threats; many more injuries and deaths from people than animals. Much higher chance of being killed by or in a car than being shot or otherwise murdered. So... safety first!)

But one thing is that I often don't change my carry method; it's not "CCW vs woods carry" but the same thing. It continues to be no one's business if I am carrying or not — and could have several different tactical values if I do run across BGs — so I keep it concealed. Sometimes, moves to a pouch if I am hiking etc. where belt carry would interfere, but it's still generally hidden unless I am otherwise openly carrying arms.
 
Having a rifle with me is going to be very depended on what I am doing. Hunting I probably have a rifle or shotgun but I do enjoy handgun hunting sometimes. During the late spring and summer most of the time if I am in the woods I am out at the hunting property working. Clearing trails, working food plots, filling feeder, checking cameras etc. It those cases a long gun might be in the UTV but carrying it is impractical. The old Model 10 on the hip though just blends in with the phone and multi-tool on my belt and is there if I need it and otherwise transparent to the work I am doing.

That's quite understandable and in your case I would likely do the same. Either of my .357's will do whatever I need them to when called upon to do it. The only problem is, I never was very good with a short gun. Hence I carry a rifle. And yes, I know. This is a handgun thread on a handgun forum. So, I carry one of my revolvers and feel relatively safe in our tame woods country, as well as when on the tractor or around the farm. But for just bumming around the woods, I feel a lot better when I have a carbine in my paws. The recent influx of feral hogs in this area, and my subsequent encounters with them, have made me think twice. Used to be, I carried a Single Six in my hip pocket and a handful of shells when wandering these hills. In those days that was enough, and any ammo I used was mostly wasted plinking at stray cans, marauding bluejays (lol), and the occasional snake. That all changed with my first encounter with a group of hogs. The five shots in the Ruger only just bought me enough time to get up a tree. Afterwards I took to carrying a rifle, regardless.

Fishing is an entirely different story though. I won't go with out a revolver full of rat shot. Far, far too many snakes in this country. The Single Six is my constant companion on those cool evenings along the river and its tributaries, and I do not feel at all under-gunned. The biggest threat to me at that point is a Cottonmouth or Rattlesnake. The occasional Armadillo or possum is also encountered, but they're usually long gone before I can get to my gun anyhow.

Mac
 
Here in the east and especially the Deep Southeast the most dangerous thing, other than talking monkeys, is feral dogs. In Georgia people, especially college students, would dump unwanted dogs. We rescued a couple of starving dogs and kept them. Most die, even the big tough ones, and the ones left join a pack. I ran across several in my hunting, roaming and always retreated as judiciously as possible. A couple of retirees were killed by a pack not far from where we lived. The SO turned out in full and they did kill all the pack. That's one thing that makes them so dangerous; the whole gang attacks and one's only hope is to kill every last one. They ignore their falling companions and persist in attacking. Taking on a pack with a sixgun is suicide. You don't know how many you'll have to deal with. I never worried about bears, snakes, hogs or any of the usual suspects; the true danger always came by way of hominids and canines.

With that being said, my usual arm out-of-doors is usually a .22LR such as the Ruger MKI or a .38spl S&W. If I even suspect I'll need more power, it's my OM Ruger BH in .45 Colt with my powerful handload. I stay away from the dogs and exercise much care. A sixshooter is fine for any dangerous talking monkey.
 
Carry what you have ... Years ago in Michigan I had a run in with a pack of three feral dogs. The dogs did not fair so well as I had a 22LR revolver with me. Now days I'll alternate between a S&W 22 semiauto pistol and a short barreled 357 revolver stoked with 38+p for my CCW/local woods guns. If I'm headed into the northern NH woods and mountains I'll go with the 357 and full house ammo. Always carry extra ammo, water, knife, and some kind of a protein snack bar or two.
 
Here in the east and especially the Deep Southeast the most dangerous thing, other than talking monkeys, is feral dogs. In Georgia people, especially college students, would dump unwanted dogs. We rescued a couple of starving dogs and kept them. Most die, even the big tough ones, and the ones left join a pack. I ran across several in my hunting, roaming and always retreated as judiciously as possible. A couple of retirees were killed by a pack not far from where we lived. The SO turned out in full and they did kill all the pack. That's one thing that makes them so dangerous; the whole gang attacks and one's only hope is to kill every last one. They ignore their falling companions and persist in attacking. Taking on a pack with a sixgun is suicide. You don't know how many you'll have to deal with. I never worried about bears, snakes, hogs or any of the usual suspects; the true danger always came by way of hominids and canines.

With that being said, my usual arm out-of-doors is usually a .22LR such as the Ruger MKI or a .38spl S&W. If I even suspect I'll need more power, it's my OM Ruger BH in .45 Colt with my powerful handload. I stay away from the dogs and exercise much care. A sixshooter is fine for any dangerous talking monkey.

This has been my experience in rural parts of the South (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida). I like best what you said about “taking on a pack....”
I mostly carried a revolver over the years and a whistle - it would spook the packs of feral dogs. At times I would take a Glock, but not always. And in my mind if I was expecting to run into a pack, it would be an auto pick over a revolver. To my way of thinking that’s the only real justification for an auto out in the boonies. Otherwise I’ll pass on the 10mm auto and take my 44 or 45. YMMV.
 
This has been my experience in rural parts of the South (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida). I like best what you said about “taking on a pack....”
I mostly carried a revolver over the years and a whistle - it would spook the packs of feral dogs. At times I would take a Glock, but not always. And in my mind if I was expecting to run into a pack, it would be an auto pick over a revolver. To my way of thinking that’s the only real justification for an auto out in the boonies. Otherwise I’ll pass on the 10mm auto and take my 44 or 45. YMMV.

That was my rationale at the time when I had the Tec-9 for backpacking. I'd had to use my Ruger .22 once and felt it wasn't enough, even carrying four spare magazines. $225 out the door of a pawnshop on State Street, sixty bucks for a couple 30 rounders, plus the 17 round mag that came with it and I felt it was perfect. It was not.

Too heavy and never really figured out a good way to carry it without looking like a merc or something. Compact model without the sling attachment points and mediocre accuracy. I could put a magazine worth into a man-shaped target at twenty, twenty five yards, which I felt was good enough.

Only carried it three times before trading for a Charter Pathfinder in .357, just because it was lighter and I liked how it felt in my hand. Got three speedloaders for that and called it good.
 
Just kinda happens? Yeah, it happens...a lot. And if no trace of the people are found, how can you say What happened or rule anything out.

https://images.app.goo.gl/ZLim1fbSuLRbwpj26

You ever really look into those missing wilderness hikers?

David Paulides has: http://www.missing-411.com/about
That’s just conspiracy bulk; with tons of dishonesty. People don’t realize how quickly they can get lost, hurt themselves, or fall victim to weather. This happens to the untrained and experts alike, remains are hard to find due to scavengers, plants growing around it, and/or becoming buried due to rain and mud. So while Satanic Bigfoot sounds fun. It’s much more boring and mundane.
 
That’s just conspiracy bulk; with tons of dishonesty. People don’t realize how quickly they can get lost, hurt themselves, or fall victim to weather. This happens to the untrained and experts alike, remains are hard to find due to scavengers, plants growing around it, and/or becoming buried due to rain and mud. So while Satanic Bigfoot sounds fun. It’s much more boring and mundane.

I agree some of those who go missing may be simply lost, fall down into a crevasse, and rot away. But lots of these missing cases happen with little logic.

David Pauladies has a lot of credibility and the cases he’s investigated are well documented.

I’m not claiming I know the answers, but simply stating they got lost and died without a trace makes no sense. One example was an 80+ year old hunter in IN. He went out with a party of 8 hunters. Several older guys were placed a hundred yards apart in the woods, less than 40 yards inside a dirt road, while a few younger guys made a drive. A couple hours later, the old guy on the end, of ho couldn’t walk half a mile on pavement, fails to return. All hunters had two way radios. Flat terrain, no caves or rivers nearby, only a small shallow pond.

Local law and searchers spent weeks searching. Zero sign of the guy. It is crazy...and can’t be dismissed as a lost hiker case.
 
... on topic: I make my living in the ‘deep woods’ for the last 20 years so that is where most of my edc takes place.. in fact, right at this moment I have my s&w 8-shot .357 on my chest as I have a granola bar for lunch on the only hilltop in a 3-hour radius that has cell service :). As for training, I’ve gotten into the habit of loading one or two 38 spl rounds in the cylinder each day (8 rounds total remember) with the 38’s last in the lineup. Towards the end of the day I start watching for an annoying squirrel or a suspicious looking stump... turn the cylinder backwards a notch and do an action drill from the holster. Two rounds a day for practice before I return to camp.

In civilization I carry an m&p 9mm.. revolver /auto crossover hasn’t ever bothered me.. like driving manual transmissions and automatics: I train with both and always know what I’m driving.
 
I’ve had a few woods guns. One that lasted the longest was a Glock 20.3 10mm. I also have a KKM 10mm-to-.40 S&W conversion barrel for it (I still have the barrel, don’t even have the pistol anymore).

Liked the 10mm, but eventually got a G23.4 .40 S&W with a nickel boron slide and stippling that I carry way more. In the woods I just load it differently.

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Hard to watch a diet when visiting northern Idaho when everyone is selling huckleberry pies.

I carry a 1911 in 10mm with a 5" barrel. Loaded with either Buffalo Bore or Underwood 220gr hardcast rounds.

Couple of photos of areas at and north of Priest Lake (in northern Idaho) where there were lots of huckleberry pie pushers. :) priest_lake_mountains2.jpg priest_lake_mountains1.jpg priest_lake_idaho1.jpg
 
Here in the east and especially the Deep Southeast the most dangerous thing, other than talking monkeys, is feral dogs.

True. For awhile, the wild dog problem in my area was bad enough I kept a cap gun in the door panel of my car. It was just loud enough to get a stray running along side me to go away. I still keep a loaded BB gun in the house to run off any dogs that come to the property. The pepper spray I keep in my pocket is more likely to be used on a dog than a person. Just today a pitbull came up my front steps and was clawing at the door during lunch time. He gave up and went away.
 
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