“I don’t want to carry a handgun, it’s unnecessary extra weight and all I really need is my rifle,” is something that a lot of hunters say.
by Sam Jacobs
That is one of many excuses made by hunters who decide to not carry a sidearm (in addition to their bow, rifle or shotgun) when they head out on a hunt.
As a hunter, there’s a lot of gear that needs to go along on any hunting trip: a good knife, some fire starting devices, a first aid kit, good waterproof boots and warm clothes, a poncho, and a map or GPS to name a few things.
Well, a handgun (whether it’s a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver) should also be one of those pieces of gear. If you’re not yet convinced, you might be when you’re done reading this article.
Reason #1 – For Close Quarters Protection
Let’s roll the clocks back almost a couple hundred years to the days of the mountain men in the 1830s and 40s. The primary weapon of these mountain men was a single shot muzzleloading rifle, such as the Hawken rifle.
This single-shot flintlock doesn’t allow a quick second or repeat shot.
But most of these men would also include a single-shot handgun holstered on their belt as a secondary weapon to defend themselves (from dangerous game or humans) in the event the bullet from their rifle didn’t do the job.
Today, the concept remains exactly the same even though we have more modern weaponry. If you’re going to venture out into the woods, you have to be prepared for the possibility that you could encounter a dangerous animal, whether it’s a mountain lion, a wolf, a bear, a wild hog, or an angry moose (yes, moose can get very aggressive!)
There are other dangers in the backcountry. You might stumble across a meth lab or marijuana patch in a remote area, and the proprietors will probably be hostile!
Granted, the chances of these situations happening to you may be rare, but it’s still important to be ready. If a dangerous animal charges you, you may only have enough time to squeeze off one shot from your bolt-action or lever-action hunting rifle.
Instead of chambering a new round with your primary weapon, it may be a lot faster for you to draw and shoot with your handgun instead. A handgun might also be a superior defensive weapon at very close range.
Remember, your top priority as a hunter should be safety. If you consider your handgun to be a part of your safety gear, you’ll see there’s little reason not to carry it.
Reason #2 – For Hunting Smaller Game
Another reason to bring a handgun is to use it as a secondary hunting weapon. For example, let’s say that you’re planning on going deer hunting in the forest and you’ll be bringing your trusty Ruger Hawkeye .308 bolt-action rifle for this task. A favorite deer rifle.
A .22 pistol is a good tool for harvesting small game during a big game hunt.
But let’s also say that there’s grouse in the area that you plan on hunting in and you wouldn’t mind bagging one or two of them if you come across them. Obviously your .308 bolt rifle would be overkill (to say the least) for grouse!
But a .22 handgun would be an ideal weapon for shooting grouse, rabbits, squirrels etc. Alternatively, you could go with a Taurus Judge or a Smith & Wesson Governor revolver. You could load some of the chambers with .410 birdshot for grouse (or other upland birds) and the other chambers with .45 Long Colt rounds for self-defense against bigger dangerous animals.
You get the idea. The point is that your handgun can be used as a secondary hunting arm for other types of game in addition to your rifle, depending on the circumstances.
Reason #3 – For Ethical Reasons
Why is it ethical to bring a handgun on a hunting trip?
Simple: if you down a deer or an elk with your rifle, it could still be alive when you walk up to it. The quickest and most humane way to put a game animal out of its misery is to shoot it in the back of the head. While you could do this with your rifle, the problem is that a close-range, high-velocity rifle round would leave a very large wound in the back of an animal’s head. This could ruin the head if you were planning on a trophy mount later.
Don’t be that hunter that stands around waiting for the animal to die, so he/she doesn’t ruin the trophy or so a one-shot kill can be claimed.
A smaller-caliber handgun can be used to quickly and ethically dispatch a wounded animal without leaving a large wound.
Conclusion: The handgun always has been (and always will be) a valuable part of any hunter’s gear. If you weren’t convinced before that bringing a pistol or a revolver with you as a hunter is a good idea, hopefully you are now.
What kind of a handgun do you plan on carrying as a sidearm the next time you go hunting? Let us know in the comments below!
Sam Jacobs developed a strong belief in self-defense from a young age. He advocates for individual freedom against corporate and government overreach.
Sources
Bagnoli, Colton. (N.D.). “It’s Worth Carrying.” Western Hunter. https://westernhunter.net/tactics/its-worth-carrying/
Horton, Jake. (2022, July 15th). “Three Reasons Why a Sidearm is an Essential Piece of Gear.” GoHunt.
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