my brain's scenario ... is it wrong?

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axeman_g

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I am a grouse and quail hunter in Georgia. I started carrying a handgun with me for two reasons ....

A) Bird dogs are curious and will find hogs, bears and people.

B) People will look at me and see, single guy, trained bird dogs, wallet, truck keys etc etc etc. I think I make a pretty good target for theft.

Has anyone heard of any BG being ballsy enought to try to rob a lone hunter???

Also, I will carry my FN HP or my Colt CC this year into fields. List your preference for these potential target ... wild hogs, black bears and idiots.

Axe
 
Dude, there's a buncha unkind folks out there. When I go to the range by myself, I pack. When I go down to change targets, if I don't know other shooters on the range, I'm carrying something. I'll have a few grand worth of toys sitting on the bench and in the van, and it's just too easy.
 
I truly mean no offense but I have never felt unarmed when carrying a shotgun. But, if you want to back up with a handgun, go for it.
 
I usually carry a handgun when I am dove or upland hunting.

I also carry something bigger than bird shot for my shotgun in case something bigger than a bird needs to be engaged. Make sure you keep the buckshot separate from the birdshot so you don't give yourself a heart attack accidently shooting buckshot while anticipating birdshot.
 
Could you be robbed? Sure, some friendly guy walks up and starts talking and the next thing you know you're looking down the barrel of a .38 and he demands your stuff. I don't think there's much you could do in that situation. Something else to consider are the folks who are willing to kill you because you're a hunter. IIRC there has been at least one case of a hunter being shot in the back while on a deer stand.

List your preference for these potential target ... wild hogs, black bears and idiots.
Click to expand...
I think a 10mm would work well on all three. Considering the guns you listed a Colt 10mm would be a good choice since you're familiar with the platform.
 
I hunted grouse in Michigan's U.P. and carried a handgun with me. I don't know if I was legal with it there but I felt a whole lot better when I came in a small clearing as a black bear was going out the other side. :eek:
 
My late uncle was an FBI agent 'back in the day'- the 40's and 50's. When he went out hunting he always carried his Model 36 S&W on his belt. His rationale 'officially' was in case he made a crippling shot on a deer, but during those long walks and hunts he told me the main reason was because he knew of 'incidents with desperate folks in the woods'. Good enough reason for me.

I don't hunt without a sidearm.

Regards,
Rabbit.
 
Platt and Maddox killed a lone shooter and stole his car and gun, which they later used in some of their robberies, but it is an extremely rare situation.
 
The guys who were involved in the FBI's Miami fiasco were killing folks who were shooting out in the woods. Their method was shoot without warning then steal the car and guns.


I like to hunt on private land where I know who has permission to be there.
Or even better, where I have the authority to decide who should be there.
I'm in a high state of condition yellow when I spot someone I don't know while hunting...less than half a second from condition red.

In Georgia, it is legal to carry while hunting or fishing with a valid hunting or fishing license. A CCW permit is not required while engaged in hunting or fishing under those circumstances.

Due to my work schedule, I also spend a lot of time hunting alone. It's really not a good idea for a variety of reasons.
 
Check your regs. As a hunter, you're hunting kit is inspectable by a warden at any time in the field. There are some laws that prohibit carrying a pistol while hunting with other weapons, or carrying a pistol of insufficient power to be hunted with itself (like during deer season).

And if your coat is over it, it's a CCW.

It's due to these complications that I dove hunt with only the one machinegun. The doves are a mess, but I feel safer.
 
ALL centerfire handgun calibers are legal for deer in Georgia.

16-11-128.

(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a pistol without a license when he has or carries on or about his person, outside of his home, motor vehicle, or place of business, any pistol or revolver without having on his person a valid license issued by the judge of the probate court of the county in which he resides, provided that no permit shall be required for persons with a valid hunting or fishing license on their person or for persons not required by law to have hunting licenses who are engaged in legal hunting, fishing, or sport shooting when the persons have the permission of the owner of the land on which the activities are being conducted; provided, further, that the pistol or revolver, whenever loaded, shall be carried only in an open and fully exposed manner.


Link to Georgia Code cited above is here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/gacode/16-11-128.html

Now there are some ambiguities in the Georgia Code. For example it is illegal to carry a firearm while training bird dogs out of season in Georgia except as noted:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/gacode/27-3-16.html No apparent exception is made for possessing a carry permit while engaged in this activity. On the other hand, no specific prohibition for doing so is made in the statutes governing concealed carry. Personally, if I were to engage in the activity, I would write a letter to the attorney general asking for guidance.

Folks, please remember that state law is only true for that state.
 
I never shoot at an outdoor range that is out in the "sticks" without a friend so one of us can shoot while the other can watch our backs. Might sound paranoid, but better safe then sorry.
 
I have heard of guys being in the woods, another "hunter", usually a couple guys walk up and engage the hunter in conversation. The conversation eventually comes around to guns. One of the guys says that he is thinking about buying the exact gun the hunter is carrying; can he please take a look....... Guy get the gun in his hands and that is the last the hunter sees of the guy or the gun.
I have also heard of some very heated debates about who actually shot that deer.
Related, but off topic: I work with a guy that advertised a gun in the paper. A prospective buyer calls and comes over to see it. Prospective buyer takes ammo out of his pocket, takes gun, takes money and leaves. The funny part of this story is that the guy I work with is HUGE. He is about 6'7", maybe 300 pounds and works out every day. But, with the gun pointed at him, size didn't matter.
I always carry a handgun when hunting for whatever reason you might care to name. I have put down wounded deer, I have shot game animals and coyotes, I have felt secure in my tent at night.
 
We had a local guy killed with his own shotgun a few years back.
He was duck hunting. Bad guy claimed he had engine trouble and needed
help. As the good guy was looking at the bad guys truck, the bad guy got
his hands on the good guys shotgun........The bad guy was caught and
got life.

A few years ago, I was out shooting. I shoot in the hills out side of town.
I make it a habit of not running out of ammo, and always keep my guns
loaded as I travel to and from the car. As I was walking back to my truck
a Suburban pulls up between me and my truck and out jumps about 8
young men. The leader starts yelling that they have been watching me and
they know that my guns were not loaded and that they were gonna kill me
and take every thing. The guys were armed with a couple of baseball bats.
I had a 357 mag and 41 mag fully loaded. I thumb cocked each one and held the 41 on the chest of the leader and did my best to hold the other in the general direction of another guy. They didn't back off. It felt like a bad
dream. I ended up pionting the guns to the sides and pulling the triggers.
Not sure why I did that........Maybe the punks Grandma was praying for him.
Any way, you shoulda seen those guys freak!!!!! I didn't get a license number because of the dust. Made a report, nothing came of it.

Also I will never let my guns leave my hands when shooting or hunting, unless a LEO asked me to.

Abenaki
 
I have always wanted a loaded gun on me esp when shooting alone. Guess I am not paranoid.
Wouldn't load so try again. :(
 
I live in Virginia - and when I hunt, it is on private land about 95% of the time. However, on our family farm - where I often shoot and hunt small game - the land borders the national forest.

Some unscrupulous types have been known to hop the fence and come over on our property.

If I am wearing pants, I am wearing my CCW.

Needless to say, I have at least one handgun with me when I am hunting. And if I am hunting small game such as squirrel with my 22/45, I also have a defensive caliber handgun with me as well - usually a 1911.

For large game (whitetail deer), I only hunt during rifle season.

Why? Because it is illegal to possess a center-fire weapon during muzzle-loader or archery deer season in VA. That means that I can't muzzle-loader or bowhunt. I have called the Game people and explained the CCW thing to them, and they said it was illegal anyway. I sort of understand why this is, but I don't like my rights being infringed upon.

For summer CCW, I usually carry a .38spl shrouded-hammer revolver in my right front pocket. However, when I am "out and about" on Saturdays up in the woods, or plinking, hunting.....whatever, I am open-carrying a full-size handgun.

I recommend that you carry a full-size defensive handgun when out in the woods. You are alone, and people can get a little more brave when they think it's just you and them.

TD
 
Thank you ...

I was wondering about some of the answers I would get. I have carried while hunting for the last few years. I actually got into handguns for this reason. I was justified last year when my setter rounded a pile of rcks and started slinking towards a crack in the rock wall. The a lone, high pitched, appalachian accented voice called out "Ya best get the $%#* outta here!!"

I heeled the dog, and quickly retreated back down the hill. I felt much better having my handgun as well as four rounds of buck at my disposal.

I hunt public lands mainly. Grouse dont really hang on private farms in the mountains here in Ga. I have to go to high (above 2000') for most farms here. I am aware enough to know I could be a target. I wont let that happen as I enjoy the only real freedom and hobby I have left.

The wife is a bit of an anti and does not understand, until I recounted that story to her. Now, of course she just worries whenever I go hunting.

Thanks all ...
 
Thank you ...

I was wondering about some of the answers I would get. I have carried while hunting for the last few years. I actually got into handguns for this reason. I was justified last year when my setter rounded a pile of rcks and started slinking towards a crack in the rock wall. The a lone, high pitched, appalachian accented voice called out "Ya best get the $%#* outta here!!"

I heeled the dog, and quickly retreated back down the hill. I felt much better having my handgun as well as four rounds of buck at my disposal.

The wife is a bit of an anti and does not understand, until I recounted that story to her. Now, of course she just worries whenever I go hunting.

Thanks all ...
 
You are wrong if you do NOT have a handgun with you...

And I wouldn't ever shoot up all the shells for your hunting weapon, either.
 
Yep.

Happened in Maryland a few years ago, when I lived there. Near DC.

Guy was hunting dove, I believe. Two guys approached. Next thing he knew, he was shot by one of the two thugs, with his own shotgun.

If I recall correctly, the MO was to approach a lone hunter because they knew he would have a gun they could steal.
 
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