Advice for carrying side arm while deer hunting

k2xp said:

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

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Looks. Interesting. Thanks for posting this.

I just started carrying mine in a holster mounted below my bino harness. I really like it. I used to carry in a shoulder holster, but I switched to this and like it. I carry a Glock 40 10mm longslide in the small holster. Fits fine. I have carried a ruger blackhawk and a sig 365xl in the same holster. They all fit.

riprau said:

I live in Northern Lower Michigan and going to deer camp in our Upper Peninsula for a few weeks. Not grizzlie country but we do have wolves and cougars. I decided to carry my S&W Shield 10mm. I do have my CPL so I'm legal. Looking for advice regarding best carry practices and holster recommendations. I did a quick search and didn't find any relative threads regarding this info. Thanks in advance and God bless!

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As has been stated, a lot depends on what you carry and how you set up you hide. Everyone buys more holsters than they ever use trying to find one that works. Comming from a practical / tactical point of view, you need quick access and the ability to work with all of your gear? I use a strong side drop leg holster.

I have a Glock 40 and went with the Denali chest holster.



I tried quite a few locally, they all worked as advertised, but this is the only one I can draw with only one hand. The rest, I needed two hands to draw it out of the holster. It is also halt the price than the ones I tried.

FEENIX said:

I have a Glock 40 and went with the Denali chest holster.

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I tried quite a few locally, they all worked as advertised, but this is the only one I can draw with only one hand. The rest, I needed two hands to draw it out of the holster. It is also halt the price than the ones I tried.

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That looks like a nice rig. That or perhaps a more shoulder oriented one. Just me, but I can't fathom traversing the back country, particularly big bear country, without something like that. Hell's bells, I'd have something like that even if I was carrying a rifle, much less a bow. Beautiful country out there, but I don't particularly trust what lives in it, to include things that walk on two legs!

FEENIX said:

I have a Glock 40 and went with the Denali chest holster.

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I tried quite a few locally, they all worked as advertised, but this is the only one I can draw with only one hand. The rest, I needed two hands to draw it out of the holster. It is also halt the price than the ones I tried.

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In my previous post……that is the style/type of rig I prefer for outdoor activities.

For a hunting rig…..I prefer leather, as it's much more quiet when you're stalking or when removing the handgun. My go to holster for my S&W 460 is the Galco Alaskan, exactly like this…..


For other handguns (small game, plinking, ect) it's the same style/type that FEENIX suggested! memtb

FEENIX said:

I have a Glock 40 and went with the Denali chest holster.

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I tried quite a few locally, they all worked as advertised, but this is the only one I can draw with only one hand. The rest, I needed two hands to draw it out of the holster. It is also halt the price than the ones I tried.

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These are all great ideas for chest rigs and I believe a chest rig is the way to go even after YEARS of using a shouler holster or hip/ pack belt carry. I get that the nylon or leather are quiter and many people do not like retention (kydex) holsters for various reasons... however most the other holsters need some sort of strap to secure the firearm which is one more step to remember and execute in a possible life or death situation.
IMO a retention holster is the only way to go for that reason.
And a leg (thigh) type holster is rediulass to consider if you still hunt or chase bull Elk in any kind of brush or woods at all.
Couldn't imagine how much brush etx would get caught on that and cause all kinds of noise and hang ups.

Hoss Smith said:

https://www.venandiholsters.com/ They easily attach to your Bino pack, out of the way with a back pack, and easily accessible

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I'm a fan of the Venandi holsters. I use mine for a Glock 43X. I'm only carrying for mountain lions and 2 legged animals. The fit for my Alaskan Guide Denali binocular harness is perfect. It can be installed in seconds and remove in seconds. It's a veteran owned company. I only tried around the house because when I ordered it hunting season ended. He makes every one at a time not something he can a warehouse full of. My only complaint is the price point.Don't let the price scare you away I would buy it again. I looked at all the different suggestions on here and believe this one fits the bill better than most. I would say this is the one for a 44 but most semi automatic handgun it should be fine. Some people think it might be uncomfortable with a Kydex against your chest but if you have a light jacket of sweatshirt you will never notice it. I will only be wearing a tee shirt because my deer season is in Aug-Sept in California and it's hot as hell. I'm going to take a few pictures of the holster with the pack for fit and finish. Hope you find a holster that works for you.
Jason

2 thoughts here. First, I've viewed a sidearm as more of a protection vs 2 legged critters (a scoped bolt rifle is not ideal for up close, multiple people) and as a signaling device. Most of us have a gps of some sort, some pack a beacon, but if you're well up snot creek it's nice to have 12-20 rounds in a pistol you can signal with.

Second, the holster/bino harness is an extremely nice setup if you're built for it. If you have a short torso, or a gut (or both) then it's quite hard to make that work. I have a couple bino harnesses I have used to good effect, but I'm short enough that if I were to hang a handgun under my bino, it would be touching my belt line. A handgun behind the binos would work better, but with a bit of gut suddenly that part gets hard.

I've trained exclusively with strong side OWB holsters, so my draw stroke is natural to that movement. I have an Ivory Coast holster hooked in to my stone glacier belt, which is perfect when packing/hiking. It's less perfect when in the car or when the pack is off, but it's the best I've found for my situation

JJMoody said:

Customer photo(not great, but shows the idea) chest rig adjusted for use with bino harness and pack in semi cross draw fashion

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I recently bought a 10MM automatic built by Rock Island Arms for bear protection, with a 13 rd Mag. I like that set-up yours.

coyote wacker said:

If a wolf is going to attack you your never going to know until the second it upon you the same as a cougar....not enough time for you to even react...so when I'am in the woods I really don't worry or even think about it... acually safer than walking down the steet in a city....

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That's what I tell people when they ask me what side arm they should bring for a cougar. I tell them a good, sharp knife for when it's on you, and a pack that makes the back of your neck unavailable as a point of attack. My 10mm or 357 are for the two legged predators.

P7M13 said:

That's what I tell people when they ask me what side arm they should bring for a cougar. I tell them a good, sharp knife for when it's on you, and a pack that makes the back of your neck unavailable as a point of attack. My 10mm or 357 are for the two legged predators.

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I don't have the statistics on this but most of the people who get taken out by cats seem to be pre-occupied with other activities. Getting killed by a cat is statistically harder than getting struck by lightening. So this idea that "you are never going to see it comming" is not complete. I for one, advocate for situational awareness. Although it may happen I highly doubt I will be taken out by surprise by a cat. As a matter of fact, statistically none of you reading this will either. Keep your S.A. up and don't bring a knife to a gun fight. My pistols are not for 2 legged predators in wilderness areas where there are little to no humans for hundreds of miles. They are for wild predators. It's interesting that the idea to carry a pistol while hunting is not for animals that will eat you.

southpa said:

I don't have the statistics on this but most of the people who get taken out by cats seem to be pre-occupied with other activities. Getting killed by a cat is statistically harder than getting struck by lightening. So this idea that "you are never going to see it comming" is not complete. I for one, advocate for situational awareness. Although it may happen I highly doubt I will be taken out by surprise by a cat. As a matter of fact, statistically none of you reading this will either. Keep your S.A. up and don't bring a knife to a gun fight. My pistols are not for 2 legged predators in wilderness areas where there are little to no humans for hundreds of miles. They are for wild predators. It's interesting that the idea to carry a pistol while hunting is not for animals that will eat you.

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In North America while hunting I've crossed 3 Mountain Lions. 2 in Kalfornia, 1 in Wyoming. They didn't like to be seen at all. They slunk off cat-fashion as soon as they knew I was there. One was on a hot stalk on a calf and it still ran off. I wasn't worried that they were coming for me.

On the other hand, I've crossed multiple wolves while Antelope hunting in Wyoming, Since I'm not in the YP Wolf Zone, they are free to shoot on sight as predators. They were not impressed at being seen, but they didn't take off. Scared me - shall we say .... significantly. I went back to the truck and tucked my sidearm in my belt. I hated the idea of a long gun only against 2 charging wolves. It seriously shook me up. Saw them later when I crested a rise and they were 1/2 mile away and moving away. Only then was I able to relax and actually enjoy myself and what was left of that day's hunt. I Hated not having a credible shot, though.

That afternoon, I stopped by Game and Fish HQ since it's only 6 miles from my house. They assured me that I was absolutely nuts since I was only 7 miles from the LIttle Bear Inn on I-25 just north of Cheyenne since there couldn't be a wolf within 100 miles of here. My house is 3 miles north of the Little Bear Inn! (We had a mountain lion in our backyard 2 years ago - and I didn't count that in the story above.

After I showed them a few photos of the coyotes I've killed, a wolverine, an African lion, leopard and wolf hide I have, they conceded that I knew the difference between a yote and a wolf. Then they told me to keep carrying my sidearm in the field. End of story.....

They recognize me now when I come in. Last time was a few weeks ago trying to sort out the regs on Type 8 unlimited Cow/Calf Elk tags. They were Very helpful, and thanked me for my calling out that the regs had 2 completely contradictory statements in it about those tags. They have since issued an updated reg set. Amazing.

southpa said:

I don't have the statistics on this but most of the people who get taken out by cats seem to be pre-occupied with other activities. Getting killed by a cat is statistically harder than getting struck by lightening. So this idea that "you are never going to see it comming" is not complete. I for one, advocate for situational awareness. Although it may happen I highly doubt I will be taken out by surprise by a cat. As a matter of fact, statistically none of you reading this will either. Keep your S.A. up and don't bring a knife to a gun fight. My pistols are not for 2 legged predators in wilderness areas where there are little to no humans for hundreds of miles. They are for wild predators. It's interesting that the idea to carry a pistol while hunting is not for animals that will eat you.

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We have different perspectives.
I've been deep in the Jefferson wilderness and noted a cougar following me about 50 yards behind me. I just turned around, stared and yelled at it. Last week in the Mt Hood Wilderness, I knew something was shadowing me because I heard but never saw it. I've taken naps in the sun in the woods and had vultures come land to check me out, and I've come face to face with a big black sow -- lucky for me her cubs were on the other side of her from me. In the wild, it's about opportunity.
I lived half my life in an unsavory section of Detroit, Michigan. I knew and encountered dozens of people who any of us would classify as bad, evil people. When I hunt I'm as far away from the road as possible, and yet it's while out hunting that four times I've met people who exuded evil and were higher than gas too. Each time I was happy to have my side arm and the confidence because I practice with it. Two friends have had similar encounters. In the Oregon woods, there are also groups of people we call "fringers" who live at the edge of wilderness without rule of law. Two years ago I came across a devil worship site in the Saddle Mtn area of the Clatsop forest. Last week while on Mt. Hood, I came across two guys who looked like they were setting up to butcher an animal. I didn't see a carcass, but they were looking at me funny and certainly not gregarious as far as meeting someone in the middle of the wilderness. The father of a distant relative cooks meth in the Clackamas wilderness (yeah, they still do that here).
I could go on, but my point is that animals are predictable, while humans are not.
Of the people who asked me about "what side arm for cougars", none were shooters. Unless they practice, recommending a gun to them is a disservice.