carrying a side arm while hunting

[spqrzilla]

I meant more during elk deer season. And this wouldnt be allowed at all on BLM land?

You can carry a handgun while hunting with a rifle. However, its sort of a silly thing to do. If you use the handgun to dispatch a wounded animal - assuming that the handgun was not a valid method of take under the regulations - you would have committed a hunting violation. And if you are in an archery or muzzleloader season, the Division is going to be very suspicious of your intentions.

So why bother with the weight? There are very few situations where the handgun is a better tool than the rifle you are already carrying.

And if you carry it concealed and don't have a permit, it becomes a problem.

That's why I recommend to people in my hunter safety class not to carry a sidearm while hunting with a rifle.

[theGinsue]

And if you carry it concealed and don't have a permit, it becomes a problem.

Not true. CO reg's allow for the concealed carry of a handgun while "actively hunting" - so long as you are in possession of a hunting license.

[jgang]

You can carry a handgun while hunting with a rifle. However, its sort of a silly thing to do. If you use the handgun to dispatch a wounded animal - assuming that the handgun was not a valid method of take under the regulations - you would have committed a hunting violation. And if you are in an archery or muzzleloader season, the Division is going to be very suspicious of your intentions.

So why bother with the weight? There are very few situations where the handgun is a better tool than the rifle you are already carrying.

And if you carry it concealed and don't have a permit, it becomes a problem.

That's why I recommend to people in my hunter safety class not to carry a sidearm while hunting with a rifle.

Why you would recommend someone not carry a sidearm for the reasons you mentioned is a bit confusing. Why is it silly? While I would agree that one firearm is enough for a green 13 year old (and his mom/dad) to worry about on his first deer hunt, there are other things to consider....

You assume one would use a sidearm to dispatch a wounded animal when that really isn't an overt concern. Just because one has a sidearm doesn't mean they are going to use it for that purpose.

No doubt, in a firefight, a handgun's mainpurpose would be to fight your way back to your rifle, the rifle being a superior choice in firepower, accuracy, etc., in most circumstances.

If you don't have a concealled carry permit, don't carry concealed. Problem solved.

You assume both tools (rifle and sidearm) will be used for the same purpose when, in reality, the learned (as taught, perhaps, in a hunters safety course) will know for what purposes each tool is practical.

I hunt elk in the mountains where grouse are common. I carry a 3" stainless J Frame loaded with one round of shot, then 4 rounds of 158g JSP. Makes a dandy grouse getter and a fine backup round for anything I'm likely to encounter when my rifle is out of reach or otherwise unavailable for whatever reason. I've also been known to carry a Ruger Bearcat just for grouse. Probably won't make a one-shot-stop on a stalking lion, but the president might resign tomorrow too. However remote either possiblity is, it's much handier should you need a weapon, say, when nature calls and then tries to eat you in the process, again, however remote the possibility. But I'm more likely to come across a blue grouse, so I'll pack it along. (I hope no one is advocating the use of a 7Mag for grouse. )

There are plenty of good reasons to carry a sidearm when in the woods, but NOT carrying one just because you have a rifle ignores a multitude of options and possibilities in the unpredictable world beyond the window many of us so often frequent.

Not trying to pick a fight, just one fellow's 2-cent opinion....