Back country carry gun

[F. Vaccaro]

Some of our fishing guides are going to the Glock 10mm. The 10mm is gaining quite a following here & Glocks carry a lot of ammo. We have grizzlies in most of our fishing areas.

 

[dchamp]

When I was fifteen I worked for my uncle during the summer of 1967. He lived in Lemon Creek outside of Juneau Alaska. When I would go creek fishing or for hikes I would sometimes carry his Blackhawk. Me being maybe 100 lbs. dripping wet I didn’t care much for the .44 mag. so I usually slung a sporterized 8X57 Mauser on my shoulder. The other thing I would take along was a dog (husky). A dog maybe the best early warning system and hopefully defense aide I a think of.

One day while on a hike that dog and I were walking up a clear cut on a knoll. All of a sudden that dog froze with every hair on his body sticking straight out. I look in the direction he was staring only to see the hind end of a creature disappearing over a log. My first thought was, remember I was only fifteen with a rush of adrenaline, dang I didn’t know that a small bear could have such a long bushy tail. After several seconds I figured out it was a wolverine. He had only been around 15-20 yards away, if memory serves me right. Anyway, after all that I looked back to the dog only to see that he had vanished and left me high and dry. I cursed him, but he did give me a good early warning. I did make it back home but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.

 

[DrBob]

One of the grand mysteries of life is when I see a fella going out hunting with a rifle and then I see a great big giant hog leg attached to his hip.

And if the conditions present themselves just right I do ask why.

Amazingly, Many is the woods walking squires who say ," in case the rifle breaks".

The next amazement comes from hikers carrying something that just doesn't go with shorts and a tee shirt and that is .the same 3 and 1/4 ton hog leg that makes out enjoyer of nature walk lopsided by noon.

And with that most can't put 6 in a pie tin at 25 yards.

Carry something you can hit with, like a 17 glock or other high cap pistol.

A good hit with a 9 is better then a miss with a boomer.

Dressing out game with a bear potentially near by in Alaska. Nothing make for a pucker factor than brownie tracks as one hunts moose.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Dressing out game with a bear potentially near by in Alaska. Nothing make for a pucker factor than brownie tracks as one hunts moose.

Or Grizzly tracks hunting Elk!
Packing a handgun while hunting with a rifle isn't foolish, it's prudent! There are many times when hunting you put your rifle down.

 

[rookhawk]

I just found out that Colt is making their 44mag Anaconda in a 4" barrel again, but they don't show it on their website. $1400 for an all stainless DA/SA wheel gun with soft grips. Seems like that is what I should have for open carry in the back country. I'm going to see if I can get one on order.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[small bore]

My choice for the back country is a double action revolver in .44 magnum with a 4 inch barrel. I like the 4 incher because it gives me the longest barrel that will ride high enough on my belt for its muzzle to comfortably clear the seat of the truck while driving.

My revolver choices are either my Ruger Redhawk or my Smith & Wesson Mountain Gun, each with after market grips and sights added to suit me. A proper gun belt and a good holster comprise the carry gear and a pair of suspenders helps manage the load. The holster position can vary but the cross draw is the most accessible style for me while on the trail with a pack. Two speed loaders kept handy and plenty of spare ammo in the pack complete the rig. I practice often at 25 and 50 yards with these revolvers, shooting double action offhand.

Also I carry a small noise maker to make myself heard while approaching areas with thick cover near the trail. It's a child's toy called a clacker which makes a sharp metallic sound that carries well.

No bears yet!

 

[colorado]

Or Grizzly tracks hunting Elk!
Packing a handgun while hunting with a rifle isn't foolish, it's prudent! There are many times when hunting you put your rifle down.

We ( my guide and I) were skinning my brown bear in very thick brush and we could hear brown bears moving through maybe 20 yards from us every five minutes. Finally we said fuck it, and quit grabbing our rifles and just finished the job. He died in this little bog so it took us 2 hours to do it, we had to cut two legs off after we skinned them so we could roll him.

 

[DG870]

Here is an incident where both the gun and bear spray failed to stop an attack. Lessons : don’t take you pistol off EVER and make sure everyone in the hunting party knows how to use both the gun and bear spray. Article didn’t say but I wonder if the pistol had a round in the chamber. The gun was a Glock 20 so it shouldn’t have been rocket science to get it to go bang.

Case closed in case of the Wyoming hunting guide killed by Grizzly bear - Huntershield

A final report from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD)- concludes the investigation into the tragic death of Mark Uptain, the hunting guide who was killed by a sow grizzly bear in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on September 14,... [Read More]

huntershield.com

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Here is an incident where both the gun and bear spray failed to stop an attack. Lessons : don’t take you pistol off EVER and make sure everyone in the hunting party knows how to use both the gun and bear spray. Article didn’t say but I wonder if the pistol had a round in the chamber. The gun was a Glock 20 so it shouldn’t have been rocket science to get it to go bang.

Case closed in case of the Wyoming hunting guide killed by Grizzly bear - Huntershield

A final report from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD)- concludes the investigation into the tragic death of Mark Uptain, the hunting guide who was killed by a sow grizzly bear in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on September 14,... [Read More]

huntershield.com

This goes back to 2018, but the lesson is still NEVER separate yourself from your handgun. Wouldn’t hurt to give people with you a basic lesson in its use.

 

[Hunter4752001]

I don't know if giving a client a quick lesson in YOUR handgun would be a worthwhile. A total incompetent with a handgun could be more dangerous than the bear. I won't second guess what occurred but note that general fatal outcomes come from a series of errors. In this case:

The guide separated himself from both his handgun and rifle.​

Client had his bear spray where it was inaccessible.​

Client didn't/couldn't access his rifle.​

Client unable/unwilling to use the guide's handgun. Threw it in general direction of the guide.​

In a dangerous game area NEVER SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM YOUR WEAPONS.

 

[colorado]

Agree that's why having a handgun is prudent. Unless you're rifle is in your hands it's probably too far away.

 

[Hunter4752001]

A Youtube video from some years back when a bear arrives at a photographers campsite. Note what appears to be a stainless shotgun on the ground next to the chair. Of no use if its not in your hands when you need it.

 

[rookhawk]

Well, I put a carry gun on order due to this thread, but no ETA. Colt Anaconda 4” is a new offering this year. The SKU exists. There was an NRA review of one of them, but no distributor has stock yet.

Being stainless and rubber gripped, I’d think that would be the most durable option for back country.

 

[Wyfox]

I carry a 10mm Glock 40 in a Kenai chest rig. We have a ton of grizzlies, have run ins all the time. I have a handful of friends who have shot grizzlies in self defense while hunting with 10mm, 41mag, 454casull, 7mm mag and 12ga.

I used to carry my EDC Glock 19 until I had a big boar Grizz track me to 9-10yds(see pic/vid below). I felt a bit under gunned at that moment, bought a 10mm the following day.

I use to carry a SW titanium 329PD 44mag and it proved to be about worthless to shoot accurately. The recoil with a stout hardcast was ridiculous and I shoot about 5,000+ rounds of pistol a year professionally so not a novice at shooting a pistol.

I feel much more confident in putting rounds where they need to be with a Glock 10mm.

 

[Wyfox]

Here is an incident where both the gun and bear spray failed to stop an attack. Lessons : don’t take you pistol off EVER and make sure everyone in the hunting party knows how to use both the gun and bear spray. Article didn’t say but I wonder if the pistol had a round in the chamber. The gun was a Glock 20 so it shouldn’t have been rocket science to get it to go bang.

Case closed in case of the Wyoming hunting guide killed by Grizzly bear - Huntershield

A final report from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD)- concludes the investigation into the tragic death of Mark Uptain, the hunting guide who was killed by a sow grizzly bear in the Bridger-Teton National Forest on September 14,... [Read More]

huntershield.com

This happened very close to where I live. I know the guys that were on the scene after and assisted in the investigation. They were bowhunting elk and going in to recover a bull shot by the client.
The guide did not carry one in the chamber of his Glock 20.
The bear was sprayed but it had no effect, she was covered in OC when officials killed her.
The hunter picked up the pistol and attempted to use the Glock 20 but didn't know how to operate it and when it didn't fire when he pulled the trigger he tried to find a safety and hit the mag release instead, dropping the loaded mag. Completely unfamiliar with pistols he threw the pistol towards the guide and then ran away from the scene to call for help.
Lots of lessons to be learned in that incident.

 

[rookhawk]

This happened very close to where I live. I know the guys that were on the scene after and assisted in the investigation. They were bowhunting elk and going in to recover a bull shot by the client.
The guide did not carry one in the chamber of his Glock 20.
The bear was sprayed but it had no effect, she was covered in OC when officials killed her.
The hunter picked up the pistol and attempted to use the Glock 20 but didn't know how to operate it and when it didn't fire when he pulled the trigger he tried to find a safety and hit the mag release instead, dropping the loaded mag. Completely unfamiliar with pistols he threw the pistol towards the guide and then ran away from the scene to call for help.
Lots of lessons to be learned in that incident.

Why does every bad story with a handgun involve an auto? Why does every screwed up shotgun hunt story involve an auto loader?

We’re getting to the point where Darwin is preparing a cull of the herd.

 

[Wyfox]

Why does every bad story with a handgun involve an auto? Why does every screwed up shotgun hunt story involve an auto loader?

We’re getting to the point where Darwin is preparing a cull of the herd.

It's normally not the gun, it's the person behind that hasn't taken the time to train and learn how to operate the firearm. If you're going to carry a gun for defensive purposes you need to train with said gun and be proficient with it.

Here's a personal example of reliability that I conducted. I did a 2 week training course with my Glock 17, in that time I fired a documented 15,000 rounds of 9mm through my Glock and never cleaned the gun the entire time. I wanted to see what happened with reliability, to my surprise I never had a single malfunction, not one failure to feed or failure to fire.

After that I was 100% convinced that a Glock was a good defensive weapon system. Law enforcement professionals don't carry a revolver anymore for good reason, it's not the best tool for the job. Granted we're talking bears not people but the logic is still the same to me.

Opinions will always vary, the point is carry what you know and what you're confident with. There is no one right answer.

 

[DLSJR]

If I have to carry while hunting, it’ll be either my Glock 17 or 20. To each their own but I want something light, accurate, dependable and safe. Glocks check all those boxes. I also wouldn’t want to have to think about anything other than point, pull trigger and BANG. Glocks do that as good as anything and better than many other options. Plus, they’ll go bang more times before running out of bullets.

A couple years ago, I had the good fortune to spend a weekend near Fort Bragg, North Carolina at a ‘Close Quarters Combat Shooting‘ course held at The Range Complex. Our instructors were both Master Sargeant‘s in Delta Force, one retired and the other still active duty. We talked a lot about defensive handguns while there and were told that all members of Delta shoot the same gun…. Glock 17. Those operators face more life threatening situations routinely that call for handguns than all of us added together will ever face. If Glocks are their choice, that’s plenty good enough for me.

 

[503]

I'm going to get a 460 Rowland conversion for my glock 21. Probably the most power you can get in a semi auto.

Cheers

503