Advice for carrying side arm while deer hunting

riprau said:

I agree regarding the bino harness. Mine is on every minute of the hunt except possibly field dressing an animal.

Click to expand...

Which is when u might suddenly need it.

My best solution so far is carry a small n light enough handgun I can carry in my pants pocket without knowing it almost. Also fits in front pocket of my hunting coats.

Can't believe no one has mentioned ankle holsters. I hate things in my pockets and waist when I am hunting. Ankle holster woukd be fine for a small revolver like dnr or conservation carry. I prefer Outside thigh holster with a thin pistol like a the shield. Glock 20 is starting to get too big for climbing trees.

Stevenstl86 said:

Can't believe no one has mentioned ankle holsters. I hate things in my pockets and waist when I am hunting. Ankle holster woukd be fine for a small revolver like dnr or conservation carry. I prefer Outside thigh holster with a thin pistol like a the shield. Glock 20 is starting to get too big for climbing trees.

Click to expand...

I love my ankle holster for a small, light handgun for a backup defense handgun……but a handgun with enough "horsepower" for effective animal control would be far too heavy around the ankle for long walks when hunting! JMO memtb

I tried a few different setups and ended up with a tactical thigh holster and a military surplus med kit pack for the bino's. Holster hangs off waist belt and straps to the leg. Stays quiet and out of the way unless needed.

I went with a 2" drop belt holster with an index release for my XDM 10mm, I'll have to look up the brand. It sits far enough below the belt on my pack that it's easily accessible and it is still where I am used to a pistol sitting when it isn't concealed.

For me, muscle memory and practice with it in a set location was important. If it's somewhere you are not used to it being, it will be drastically less effective. I have 0 years of experience/practice/training with a chest rig of any kind but 20+ with an index release on my hip.

Just my 2 cents.

I use one of these to carry my Springfield TRP 10mm while hiking and hunting. Very comfortable, low profile and very accessible. It would be fairly easy to climb with. It can be rigged to hang from a backpack harness or a standalone. I prefer the standalone so that if I take off my pack, I still have my pistol.
Hill People Gear Kit Bag

I will say that most guys make decisions that ultimately hamper their abilities to comfortably accomplish what they need. I have gotten away from full size pistols for hunting. We carry SF glocks (27/29) with extended clips. Small, light and compact. They run on our chests with ease. Is it a pistol that shoots as good as a full frame? Maybe not but the amount of actual field use this pistol will get is hopefully NONE. We bought them for a purpose, we don't shoot them at the range for competition. They run on our chests for hundreds of miles in the backcountry in the fall. Thats it. For this purpose a full size is not necessary. If I get blindsided by a bear I wanted the tight/compact, reliability of a SF glock. You need it to work but you also need to be able to work it. I envision the worst case scenario and that's being under a bear fighting for my life. I don't want a full size pistol, I wanted something right where it counts that is in the center of my body (where I'll be trying to defend) that I can easily pull, stick in the center mass of a bear, pinned down from my back and dump rounds. A large full size g20 on my hip, revolver on my ankle or hanging off my pack belt isn't that in my mind.
Although we haven't had to defend the worst case, this idea of survival is what's worked for me. Is it the best, maybe not but for my way if thinking it has the best logical outcomes for what I found is necessary.

I carry my 10mm XDm I. A Tucker Gun Leather DC4 hybrid chest holster. I absolutely live the Leather covered kydex.

southpa said:

I will say that most guys make decisions that ultimately hamper their abilities to comfortably accomplish what they need. I have gotten away from full size pistols for hunting. We carry SF glocks (27/29) with extended clips. Small, light and compact. They run on our chests with ease. Is it a pistol that shoots as good as a full frame? Maybe not but the amount of actual field use this pistol will get is hopefully NONE. We bought them for a purpose, we don't shoot them at the range for competition. They run on our chests for hundreds of miles in the backcountry in the fall. Thats it. For this purpose a full size is not necessary. If I get blindsided by a bear I wanted the tight/compact, reliability of a SF glock. You need it to work but you also need to be able to work it. I envision the worst case scenario and that's being under a bear fighting for my life. I don't want a full size pistol, I wanted something right where it counts that is in the center of my body (where I'll be trying to defend) that I can easily pull, stick in the center mass of a bear, pinned down from my back and dump rounds. A large full size g20 on my hip, revolver on my ankle or hanging off my pack belt isn't that in my mind.

Click to expand...

Exactly! My LCRx is in my front pocket with handloads and if i can get to it in the scrap im shootin whatevers closest.

As mentioned above, super high chance ur not gunna see a cat or bear or wolf in time to draw and make a shot. Its just gunna be a hit from nowhere n ur down and in a scrap for ur life.

Marsupial gear chest harness has an option for a holster attached by Molle straps, under or behind the harness. I am really fond of the magnetic one hand operation on the bino cover, and the different configurations for kitting out the chest rig for range finder and kestrel, with my pistol beneath, more for the two legged predators in southern Az.

I still carry strong side OSWB because that's always the way I've carried, both concealed and in my LE career. When I carry in bear country I also have a lanyard attached to the butt of my model 29 that is also attached to my belt at the front of the holster. The lanyard is long enough and tucked away in a fashion that it can't tangle or prevent or restrict the draw. I figure if revolver gets knocked out of my hand, I still might have the wherewith all to recover it. May sound a bit weird buy it's my circus...leave me alone.

TonyRumore said:

While hunting, I prefer a shoulder holster.

Tony

Click to expand...

Yes, I 've always thought that the style Val Kilmer wore in Tombstone or something very similar would be a good choice.

Doc Holiday's (Kilmer) Tombstone rig

Chest rig.