Why not carry a gun?

[Wmwendler]

These posts about carrying a gun on a hog hunt got me to thinking.  Why not carry a gun on a hog hunt?  Certainly, everyone should do as they feel fit.  But for those who don't carry a gun.  Why not?

I see it as no different than carying an extra tie rope, or bringing water allong.  Its just another tool.  In the hands of someone that is carefull and capeable a good lever gun is no more dangerous than driving a vehicle. If I could, I would carry a lever action 30-30 with me everywhere I went.  But thats just one of the reasons I feel like I was born a 15O years to late.  I'm 100 times more comfortable with my 30-30 in my hand than I am with a tie around my neck, and I'm not afraid to get dressed up now and then.

I definately understand the caution.  And not wanting people you don't know and trust to have a gun on a hunt.  But whats the deal, why not bring a gun your self do you not trust your self?  By the way, in my opinion, not having a gun does not make you tougher or more manly.  A fool maybe, but not tough.....

Lets hear it.

Waylon

[leonriverboy]

I agree, Waylon.  I have to confess I don't always carry a gun especially at night, but I should.  About two years ago I was made a believer the hard way.

It was a morning hunt in the summer time, we were horse back on government land.  We had caught a good boar about an hour before. The temperature was about 85 at 10:00 a.m. And getting hotter quick. The strike dogs bayed  solid not 200 yards in front of us.  I was leading my cd 95 lb pit, straight ear dog.  By the time I got off my horse I was within 50 yards of the bay and a pretty good fight broke out and I knew it was a bad one. I cut Duce loose my cd and I was right behind him when I got there Duce was trying to catch the boar but he was 300 lbs and not any hint of an ear on his head, completely slick headed.  I knew we were in trouble, I just reacted, if I had had a gun problem solved immeaditly, the boar was whirling around. I grabed for his back leg and he literally ran right between my legs and left the county.  Duce ran after him and 30 minutes later I found him bled out, with heat exostion. He had a severed artery on his front leg.  Their were four other dogs at the bay, and that slick headed SOB cut every dog at the bay.

I now carry a pistol on most hunts.  If I had had one that day Duce would still be here, and that dog wrecker would be on my wall.  It isn't about being tough or mocho it's about being smart.  Bad things can happen, I could have been severally injured and even singing soprano now.

[justincorbell]

I carry 24/7 365, in my opinion a gun is like a 4 wheel drive, you may never need it but it sure is nice to have just in case.


"the sun is shining somewhere in texas" -Jason Boland

[T-Bob Parker]

Let's be REAL honest, cross a fence to catch a hog and get a good scolding, maybe a misdemeanor ticket. Cross a fence to get a hog with a gun get a felony or possibly catch a bullet from someone scared for their life as to why theres a blood covered muddy mad man with a coal mining headlamp on their property after dark. 

[cantexduck]

Let's be REAL honest, cross a fence to catch a hog and get a good scolding, maybe a misdemeanor ticket. Cross a fence to get a hog with a gun get a felony or possibly catch a bullet from someone scared for their life as to why theres a blood covered muddy mad man with a coal mining headlamp on their property after dark. 

 In extreme cases it might be felony but in reality no d.a. will charge a hunter with a felony if all they are doing is getting dogs.  I carry. Pistol,shotgun or rifle. Need to buy a cheap glock to carry hunting. I like to shoot over the dogs on some places.

[firemedic]

Ok,....let's hull 'er down to the cob people....I see it this way: You are going after a critter that can and often does weigh 200 or 300 lbs. or more. You're using dogs that you, should and hopefully do, care a great deal about and have money and time invested in, so they are of worth to you. This critter has no fear, maybe a bit of repect, for you and your dogs. A hog couldn't care one bit if you live, die, have a spasm and flop around like a dying fish or anything else. This hog, if big enough and mean enough, can and will kill your dogs, as well as you if you get in the way, with no thought whatsoever. As most of you know, you can get in a bad situation with a bad hog pretty quickly, and if all you have is a knife or a club,....you may lose some really good dogs or get you or your hunting buddies hurt. If you have to go on 'wanted', as we call it, land....leave the firearm at the fence and hope for the best, or carry it and take the risk. This isn't coon hunting we're doing here, I think you owe it to your dogs to be able to kill a hog right here and now if need be. It's no sign of fear or weakness,....it's a sign that you can see what could happen and you care enough about your dogs to be able to do what may need to be done. I've never feared for my own safety thus far, if my dogs were there, been run up a bush a few times over the years but nothing real serious so far. This is simply my personal opinion, you're welcome to yours.

[jsh]

Pretty simple really, leave your weapons at the fence line.  Done it several times.  If I were to run into trouble I'd walk them right back to where I crossed and show them where I left it.  Still trespassing, but at least the intentions were good.

[matt_aggie04]

After a bad experience a few years ago I always at least make sure there is one close by, on the saddle, in the truck, on the 4 wheeler even if it is not on my hip.  Used to I wouldnt and on a few places we couldnt but I see no reason to go to the woods without one now.  My little .44 lever gun has made plenty of trips to the woods with me and will continue to do so!

[charles]

 im with cantex and jsh. if im goin to just get my dog/s i will either leave my pistol at the fence line, or hope i dont get caught. if do have my pistol and get caught, 1 of 2 things will happen. i will get my butt chewed out for crossing the line and told dont do it again and call nxt time, or have the opossum sherrif called. if charges are files, then so be it,, pay the ticket and move on.

[Yelladogwreckincrew]

im with cantex and jsh. if im goin to just get my dog/s i will either leave my pistol at the fence line, or hope i dont get caught. if do have my pistol and get caught, 1 of 2 things will happen. i will get my butt chewed out for crossing the line and told dont do it again and call nxt time, or have the opossum sherrif called. if charges are files, then so be it,, pay the ticket and move on.

Me personally I completely understand why to take a gun, and I feel like it is a good idea!
But as long as I have hunted I have never carried one, not for any particular reason I just never did, and I still don't because I guess I'm just in the habit of not taking one. An underlying reason might be because even tho i have hog hunted my whole life nearly, when I really got into indedependtly hunting on my own with my own pack and my own spots wasnt until high school and I had my own transportation. And accidently leaving  my gun in my truck could get me in more trouble than it was worth with my macho man school cops with a lust to get anyone they could in trouble, if it is any window into how ridiculous it was in school I was assigned school suspension for having three .22 shells in my jacket that I had wore coon hunting the night before. But since graduating i always have a gun in my truck, but never carry it on me when hunting, he'll half the time I don't even have shells!
Sorry for writing a novel lol, once I get to typing a lot of times it's hard to stop haha.
But as I said, I have never carried one and still don't just out of habit

[Bryant]

In extreme cases it might be felony but in reality no d.a. will charge a hunter with a felony if all they are doing is getting dogs.

I wouldn't get too caught up in believing that.  You cross a fence with a firearm and the situation changes in a hurry.  I was witness to a friend (who you know) who stepped over a fenceline with a shotgun in hand to retrieve a dove which had fallen on the other side.  Landowner called the law and a felony charge was filed.  He beat the rap, but not before about $3,000 in lawyer fees, etc, etc.

Just don't get yourself in that situation and you don't have to worry about it.  I carry a pistol at all times when hunting, but if I must cross a property line it stays behind.

[JBurns]

In extreme cases it might be felony but in reality no d.a. will charge a hunter with a felony if all they are doing is getting dogs.

I wouldn't get too caught up in believing that.  You cross a fence with a firearm and the situation changes in a hurry.  I was witness to a friend (who you know) who stepped over a fenceline with a shotgun in hand to retrieve a dove which had fallen on the other side.  Landowner called the law and a felony charge was filed.  He beat the rap, but not before about $3,000 in lawyer fees, etc, etc.

Just don't get yourself in that situation and you don't have to worry about it.  I carry a pistol at all times when hunting, but if I must cross a property line it stays behind.

^ This is the reason I don't carry a gun hunting, granted there is always one in my truck but the simple fact is we don't have the biggest places around here. Granted most people are fine with you crossing over but there is the reality that 1 a-hole will cause you alot of grief.

[airduster29]

I dont carry a gun because I dont know how I would ever shoot anyways my dogs dont bay much sure I could take less dogs and change my whole way of hunting I have plenty of dogs not saying I want to loose them but instead of a carring a gun I carry more dogs I am just saying by time I get to my dogs  most of them are caught already and no room to shoot if I wanted to. I go loaded for bear I usually take 6 dogs and a catch dog and if some reason they are backed up they arent when the catch hits but I do see the points its not a bad idea to carry one at least in the truck a hunting relationship between man and dog is the greatest i know they would die for me and I would do the same for them there is nothing wrong with useing whatever means nessacery to protect them.

[gary fuller]

funny how some of you guys think packin a gun hog hunting is an issue.i know im in california and the laws are different but im pretty sure hunting tresspass is hunting tresspass. we have to take our hogs with specified caliber firearms or proper poundage archery equiptment according to our laws here. as we do mainly damge control hunting , we were allowed to stick the hogs but not while sport hunting. now they have decided knives are out again. and tieing and takin out alive is illegal here.and i agree with i think it was firemedic....a firearm can mean the difference in havin dogs bad hurt or killed and still loosin the hog. and it might save you or someone you are hunting with. i was lookin for dogs last year one day and  i had so much lion sign all around me i was very glad i had a pistol and had mt hand on it quite a while. of course i would prefer to stick  the hogs as i feel its safer for all concerned but i sure like knowin i have a pistol too.

[jrangnow]

This will always be a touchy subject. Lots of debate for sure. There was just a feed about this and i was pretty much the only one sayin i dont carry a gun. Yes you may get hogs 300lbs and mean and nasty and big cutters, BUT isnt that what most people hunt for lol? I dont go into the woods running dogs wanting to catch 70lbs shoats. So to say what if its a 300lbs boar and hes nasty tearin dogs up, wellll go in grab legs and get the hog on its sode and tied or stuck. No need for a gun there! Some say well what about snakes, to me thats not a need for a gun either of u cant kill a snake with a branch or anything in the woods just avoid it? Only good snake is a dead one i beleive but you dont nee to be shootin up the woods hog hunting because u come across a snake. There is one situation where a gun might be handy, ive personally never come across it. Thats comin up on your land  doing drugs or whatever the case is. But ive never had it happen to me or anyone i know. And to say if you cross a fence with a gun and the landowner is a A hole there IS a good chance it will be a felony. Ive seen it happen. If you cross with jist a knife to get dogs your 1000000 times better shape. Nothing at all agaisnt guns hell i love em and have wayy to many. Just not in my bag for hog doggin.

[charles]

This is a (to each their own) topic. If u feel u dont need a gun, dont pack it, if u feel u need it, then its better to have and not need than need and not have. Iv never shot the woods up for a snake, useually the stick will do, but im not leavin any animal or human any wiggle if a gun is needed. If i got it but dont need it, it ncer gets pulled except for cleaning.

[Hog Dog Mike]

It is no big deal because I carry 100% of the time.

[ancuegar]

I carry a .44 mag Winchester trapper for the just in case situation. 

[Wmwendler]

Let's be REAL honest, cross a fence to catch a hog and get a good scolding, maybe a misdemeanor ticket. Cross a fence to get a hog with a gun get a felony or possibly catch a bullet from someone scared for their life as to why theres a blood covered muddy mad man with a coal mining headlamp on their property after dark. 

 

If a person were to go on a property, in which they don't have permission, to retrieve a dog.  Its very easy to leave the gun at the 4-wheeler on freindly property, or at the fence line and pick it back up later.

Waylon

[t.wilbanks]

I dont carry a gun cuz im a badass.... ask around...