hip flask while hunting
- Thread starter JEB
- Start date
- Status
OK, so he said "corpuscles" when he meant "capillaries". Big deal.
Nobody said that a shot of whiskey makes you "totally lose control of mental and physical abilities." But it does impair them, if only slightly. Which mixed with guns is not a good thing.
The real problem is if one nip is OK, then another won't hurt, then another....
The only sure way to avoid the problem is to not drink at all until the guns are put away. I'll repeat:
If you can't go for a few hours during the day without a drink, it's a sign of a serious problem.
In California, if Fish and Game catch you drinking with guns on public land, it's really bad. I could find specific laws if you want. No guarantee as to other states though...I do live in CA :-/. I've been told, however, that it has nothing to do with your BAC, your "I swear, it was just for the end of the day!" stories, etc. Just that you have alcohol with you.
On private land, you can do whatever you want assuming you don't violate any other laws and the owner is okay with it, as far as I'm aware.
Also, just a note, from a bio major and EMT-2: Drinking to stay warm is a TERRIBLE idea. It's been mentioned here before, but the reason alcohol warms you up is by constricting your blood vessels. Frostbite happens a lot faster when you're drunk because it's harder for your body to push blood to the extremities.
Use the pocket space for those chemical hand warmer packets. $0.99 for two of them at my local REI and they stay good for hours. Drop them in your gloves or pockets or just make a fist around them, or tape them to the top of your socks (always worked for me when I went snow camping in the sierras). Just my $0.02.
On private land, you can do whatever you want assuming you don't violate any other laws and the owner is okay with it, as far as I'm aware.
Also, just a note, from a bio major and EMT-2: Drinking to stay warm is a TERRIBLE idea. It's been mentioned here before, but the reason alcohol warms you up is by constricting your blood vessels. Frostbite happens a lot faster when you're drunk because it's harder for your body to push blood to the extremities.
Use the pocket space for those chemical hand warmer packets. $0.99 for two of them at my local REI and they stay good for hours. Drop them in your gloves or pockets or just make a fist around them, or tape them to the top of your socks (always worked for me when I went snow camping in the sierras). Just my $0.02.
California Fish and Game Regulations, 550(b)(21):
"(21) Possession and use of Alcohol or other Controlled Substances. No person shall possess or use alcohol or other controlled substances while in the
field hunting or engaged in other authorized recreational activities on any State wildlife area or Federal wildlife refuge. For the purpose of this section, “in the field” is defined as all areas except checking stations and designated parking areas. The possession and/or use of controlled substances pursuant to 11550 of the Health and Safety Code are prohibited on all areas managed and/or controlled by the department."
So, yes, it IS illegal, on state or federal land. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is a general prohibition as well.
"(21) Possession and use of Alcohol or other Controlled Substances. No person shall possess or use alcohol or other controlled substances while in the
field hunting or engaged in other authorized recreational activities on any State wildlife area or Federal wildlife refuge. For the purpose of this section, “in the field” is defined as all areas except checking stations and designated parking areas. The possession and/or use of controlled substances pursuant to 11550 of the Health and Safety Code are prohibited on all areas managed and/or controlled by the department."
So, yes, it IS illegal, on state or federal land. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there is a general prohibition as well.
Sav .250
Member
You would never make it in our camp..........
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,371
Oh good grief. It's a sorry day when "zero tolerance" is celebrated by folks who pride themselves on being staunch defenders of liberty.
If you get drunk anytime you take a drink, then don't drink and handle firearms.
If you totally lack self control and can't take one drink without another, and another, and etc., then don't drink and handle firearms.
If, however, you are like the great majority of responsible adults, and can take a drink without getting drunk or desperately needing eight more, then do what you think is best. Zero tolerance is just a convenient excuse for not bothering to actually think about something.
If you get drunk anytime you take a drink, then don't drink and handle firearms.
If you totally lack self control and can't take one drink without another, and another, and etc., then don't drink and handle firearms.
If, however, you are like the great majority of responsible adults, and can take a drink without getting drunk or desperately needing eight more, then do what you think is best. Zero tolerance is just a convenient excuse for not bothering to actually think about something.
Well .38 Special in many areas it is illegal to have both alcohol and firearms. Most often its one or the other. So being the responsible adult that I am I will actually think about it and not put the rest of my liberties at risk and leave the alcohol at home while hunting. Breaking the law is not a good start to changing it.
Tim the student
Member
Is what I have people that do not practice gun safety. Part of that includes not drinking with guns.
Just as I would have zero tolerance for anyone who pointed a gun at me, no matter how many people, or who, might had previously cleared it. You just don't know, so zero tolerance is the only safe policy.
travellingJeff
Member
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2007
- Messages
- 169
I might not agree with Tim the student's opinion regarding alcohol and firearms, but I do agree that their should be a ZERO TOLERANCE for safety violations.
The subjective issue here; does "one drink" equate to a safety violation. I can't really say either way. The one thing I can say, if you've had a half a drop of alcohol seven hours ago, but that flask is in your pocket, and you pull the trigger and kill a hunter or a hiker, you'll be in a gigantic world of doo-doo. It's hard to claim "accident" when you've got open containers of alcohol with you.
Personally, I've given up on the combination of "alcohol" and "cold weather physical exertion". In early fall, in temperate climates, I might bring something along to spice up my hot cider
The subjective issue here; does "one drink" equate to a safety violation. I can't really say either way. The one thing I can say, if you've had a half a drop of alcohol seven hours ago, but that flask is in your pocket, and you pull the trigger and kill a hunter or a hiker, you'll be in a gigantic world of doo-doo. It's hard to claim "accident" when you've got open containers of alcohol with you.
Personally, I've given up on the combination of "alcohol" and "cold weather physical exertion". In early fall, in temperate climates, I might bring something along to spice up my hot cider
stonecoldy
Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2008
- Messages
- 350
Here's how our grouse camp goes:
Arrive early afternoon (the guys like me who have to drive 600 miles to find a sustaining population), shoot and dress-out several aspen, meet the other guys at camp late afternoon- bring out Black Jack and everyone enjoys a shot, not having been together since fish camp 4 months ago.
Get up the next morning, hunt until noon, find a small out-of-way tavern that serves decent food, have a beer with lunch. Lunch lasts at least an hour.
Walk up some coverts until late afternoon. Go out for a really good dinner (Prime rib if possible!), roll the dice box at a few bars for who wins the beer, go to bed.
Hunt the next morning, pack it up and head home.
So alcohol is part of our hunting ritual, but in moderation and not out in the field. Everyone involved follows this.
As .38 Special said, it's all about sef control, true with anything.
Arrive early afternoon (the guys like me who have to drive 600 miles to find a sustaining population), shoot and dress-out several aspen, meet the other guys at camp late afternoon- bring out Black Jack and everyone enjoys a shot, not having been together since fish camp 4 months ago.
Get up the next morning, hunt until noon, find a small out-of-way tavern that serves decent food, have a beer with lunch. Lunch lasts at least an hour.
Walk up some coverts until late afternoon. Go out for a really good dinner (Prime rib if possible!), roll the dice box at a few bars for who wins the beer, go to bed.
Hunt the next morning, pack it up and head home.
So alcohol is part of our hunting ritual, but in moderation and not out in the field. Everyone involved follows this.
As .38 Special said, it's all about sef control, true with anything.
w_houle
Member
First time I read that as "I like a thermos full of ether..."revals said:
Well... personally I prefer chloroform, but... oh, not what you said.
Either you have a regular habit of imbibing small amounts of alcohol on a regular basis or not. If so then this is just a check of legality, if not, then all I can say is to let it go. The temperance movement has taken long strides to dry this country out, and there's no turning back. It'd be as good as asking about having a martini lunch: your boss will most likely frown upon such shenanigans!
ranger335v
Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2006
- Messages
- 3,797
Booze won't warm you. But, it can make you not give a dim about being cold!
Tacbandit
Member
Once again...alcohol and firearms don't mix....Don't do it!!!
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
