How often do you USE the handgun you carry in the woods?

[FL-NC]

I carry a Glock 23 (40) in the woods. I have actually fired it shooting a coyote that was interfering with me when I was deer hunting with my crossbow. Last year I used it to put down an obviously diseased possum that came staggering out of the woods in the middle of the day to drink water from a trough when I was deer hunting. My arrows cost about $20. I don't want to spend $20 by losing or damaging my arrow/broadhead to kill or run off a stupid coyote when I can use a bullet that costs about 50 cents. I also ditch my rifle/crossbow when I am tracking deer or hogs that run off after they have been shot. Its one less thing to carry through the thick woods when following a blood trail, and having to drag a large animal out after it is found through that thick vegetation. More than capable of putting down anything else that I may encounter while I'm looking for my down deer or hog.

 

[AK Hunter]

I have hunted & taken deer with a hand gun but that wasn't my carry gun. The only time I have used my carry gun in the woods was when I was in my tree stand & a big nasty looking racoon wanted to climb into my tree stand with me. I didn't shoot the racoon but a few rounds discharged in his direction changed his mind. But I always have my carry gun with me any time I'm in the woods.

 

[jar]

It's been about fifty years since I got to walk in the woods far enough to lose sight of where I'm camping but back when Ike was President I did use a gun when out and about. Mostly it was to amuse the squirrels and entertain the other small critters. They'd follow along, leaping from tree to tree and holding a continuous conversation with all their friends and neighbors. Doves and grouse and partridges and pigeons liked to follow behind me to feast on the insects I stirred up. They enjoyed the feast and also got a laugh at my imitations of a hunter. On really cold and nasty mornings mother ducks and geese would come with all the ducklings and goslings to whichever blind I was in since it was educational for the little ones and most likely the safest spot on the river.

 

[21H40]

Twice in the past five years, but it wasn't technically hunting while hiking. The first time, a fox grabbed a chicken and I gave chase with a couple rounds from my PMR. I didn't hit the fox, but he dropped the chicken.

Last week there was a raccoon in the tree near the chicken coop. He defied the "no trespassing" signs and was obviously looking for trouble. I hit him in the body three times with 22 magnum, and he still wandered off into the neighbor's cornfield. I think I may need to upgrade the power level of my carry pistol to something like 44 magnum for Iowa trash pandas.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I try to get to the range once a week with my carry / wood's revolver: semi auto's. As for being able to jump into a hunting position, I wish. WMA's in north central Ark. are a bit of a drive. Squizzer season is off to a good start this year.

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Y'all don't have BIG Red Squirrels in that part of Arkansas?

 

[ms6852]

I carry a 686 with 3" barrel as my EDC, in the woods or hunting only difference is that my 686 will be a 6" barrel or a colt python. So you could say I use it quite often.

 

[WYO]

I rarely shoot a handgun that is not a carry gun. My two current primary carry guns are a Sig P365 and a Sig P365 XL both with RDS, which probably have more than 15,000 rounds total through the two. I carry those on pavement and off pavement, with mostly the P365 XL off pavement. Around our cabin we have mountain lions, black bears that max out at about 300 pounds, LOTS of moose including protective cows with calves at side, coyotes, and, probably, wolves because they are dining on Colorado cattle just south of us. I keep some magazines handy for each gun loaded with Xtreme Penetrators, but I usually don’t switch out from the 124 gain standard pressure GoldDots I carry on pavement unless I am going to be walking in and out of the woods in the dark during bow season.

 

[Thomasss]

Never have used one "in the woods." But I am thinking of hunting squirrels with one of my .38s. I can load up some nice loads for that purpose. Then too, the way I think about it. I have road flares, first aid kit and fire extinguisher in my car, going back to the 1980s and never used them either. It's just nice to know they are there if I ever need them.

 

[Rexster]

I carry handguns, “in the woods,” and outside the woods, for defense. The only shots I have fired, in the woods, for reasons other than defense, have been informal target shooting, while on wooded private land owned by my wife’s family. When I was compelled to fire, in defense of myself and others with me, it was not in the woods.

 

[WestKentucky]

I don’t get much time in the woods anymore, but when I go I generally empty the smith model 10 or ria1911 10mm at a steel plate near where I park, unless I’m coming back to the same spot to hunt again in the next few days, but when I think I’m done hunting for a while I shoot empty at least once on the steel plate. If I’m not happy with results the first time I try again. I don’t like to have any misses within 25 yards on the 8” plate, and it’s rare that I miss, but I never leave without 100% hits out of that cylinder or magazine worth of ammo.

 

[Big_Al]

I carry a sig 365 in the woods and around town. Try to shoot it at least weekly. Enough gun for anything I'm likely to have problems with.

 

[35 Whelen]

Yes. From an evening walk in which the wind was finally at my face-

There was another big bore I poked with a .357 SA from a fairly long distance (60-70 yds.), found blood smears high in the tall grass, indicating a lung shot, but never did find him.
This does not include rattlesnakes. Couldn't tell you how many of them I've shot.

35W

 

[Bill M.]

If something gets your attention enough that you just reach down and touch it to be sure it is still there you have "used" it.

 

[Hookeye]

Wish my arrows only cost 20 dollars.
LOL

 

[DC Plumber]

I started taking my 44 mag with me on my morning walk because someone said that there was a cougar sighting in our neighborhood, then someone showed a picture on their security camera and it was some 50-year-old mothers out for a walk and now I just go for a walk.

 

[DC Plumber]

Duplicate. Sorry.

 

[drobs]

I also live in the Ozarks and can shoot right outside my back door. That being said, I carry for self defense and value what's left of my hearing.

In general I will grab the single shot 410 shotgun sitting next to the backdoor for shooting Squirrels who I catch chewing on my back deck year.

 

[Hookeye]

If im.looking for shed antlers, morels, scouting or just checking the creek I take my Python

 

[mope540]

Another Missouri resident here.... If I'm walking the property I carry either a G27, or a 642-1 J-Frame. Deer, including does and their young, are frequent visitors. I'm worried more about a doe taking a charge at me to protect her young than anything else. Have spotted a bobcat, as well.

 

[jstert]

i hunt nothing but i used a ruger sr22 to kill a rattler that i almost stepped on. other people frequent that spot so it had to go. otherwise i practice alot with my occasional outdoors- or often suburban-carry handguns.

 

[Ethan Verity]

If by use you mean actively defending my life from a charging bear, then never. Lol

But if use, as in using the gun to sling lead, then it's very often! I love shooting my woods defense 44 Mag at the range.

 

[doubleh]

It is a 2 1/2 hour drive to the west to reach woods for me so I settled for boondock (AKA sandhills off the western edge of the Llano) walks for years although I did take a couple of camping trips to the mountains for quite a few years. I carried a single six and hunted jackrabbits in the sandhills. I don't remember ever firing a shot while in the mountains except during deer hunts. Now my boondocking is done in a jeep and I carry different hand guns and usually a rife but seldom ever take a shot at anything unless it is with the camera that also accompanies me.

 

[stonebuster]

Never in the woods I hike through and I hope to keep it that way since my primary concern is the massive black bear who has visited our yard six times since spring.. We used to have several different bears but since this huge one showed up 5 years ago the others don't come around. I take a few photos and then ask him to leave loudly and he's always obliged so far. The bear getting in the house is my biggest concern but we're reasonably prepared and careful to keep things buttoned up.

 

[plainsdrifter]

Yes SP101 .357, in town it's loaded with .38's but one of my two speed loaders has .357 HP in it.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

If I am in the woods, I am working or hunting. If I am working, I have on a sidearm only and have had no cause to use it. Hunting, I use it as a backup to my rifle for the occasional coups de grace, but that is rare as I would prefer to use my rifle and drop in the finishing shot to a wounded animal from a distance.