How much gun?

[Backcountry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SDHNTR @ Sep 13 2006, 10:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Niether. If you want to hunt strictly with a handgun, go .44 mag or better. If you are looking for a backup sidearm, don't bother, it's just unneeded weight and gets in the way. I carried one during my rookie years thinking I needed it for big bad boars. It was just an annoyance. JMHO.[/b]

Best advice in the thread... carry a tool that will do the job right, or don't carry anything at all.

 

[Buck Hunter Vic]

Rugar 44 mag

 

[rusman66]

"I personally see no need for a back-up weapon hunting any animal"

I say carry what makes you feel comfortable while hunting.
Your chances of having to use it is slim to none. But it does happen, and I bet if you could ask those few they would probably say they were glad they had a back up or wished they did.
I just watched a show on tv where a guy was hunting pig with with a bow with camp 5 outfitters and one of the crew got bit in the knee by a wounded pig.
Come to think of it he had a backup and it didn't help so leave it at home LOL!!!

 

[Speckmisser]

DLV

The one question you haven't answered is whether you want it as primary or backup?

Primary, then the .357 is light but will work in tight quarters. The .45, likewise, will serve but isn't as efficient. And, as SD said, neither is optimal. But I know we can't all afford to go out and buy a new $400 hand cannon...

If it's backup, I'm in the same boat with SD with one caveat (and we've actually covered this before so, at risk of redundancy)...

I almost always carry my .44 mag when I'm hog hunting (where legal and allowed by the landowner). I like the flexibility to lean my rifle against a tree and get down in the tight stuff where a rifle won't swing. But I also don't mind carrying the extra three or four pounds. It's absolutely unnecessary, and partly hard-headed of me.

I don't believe a handgun as a "backup" will be real useful in most gun hunting situations. Hogs aren't hunting us, we're hunting them. Sure, there's some danger on a wounded animal, but 9 times out of 10 you can end that threat just as well (or better) with your long gun. 8 times out of 10, if there is a threat, you're not going to have time to drop your long gun and go for the heat anyway.

Bowhunting is a different and tricky situation. I certainly do like to have the option of grabbing the hand cannon instead of a knife if I have to crawl into the tunnels on a blood trail. At the same time, having a gun along on a bowhunt sort of defeats part of the thrill of bowhunting... at least for me.

 

[Rancho Loco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Speckmisser @ Dec 31 2006, 07:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

DLV
I like the flexibility to lean my rifle against a tree and get down in the tight stuff where a rifle won't swing.[/b]

yep.

 

[ditto231]

No need for side arm or backup gun if your primary hunting gun is enough. I'd need a backup gun if I hunt with a bow or something.