GUN OR NO GUN?

[SwampHunter]

I take one in my backpack , mainly for big big ranches a few of my hunting partners tend to get lost so they can hear the gun if they happen to get lost ,

Never had to use it for anything eles , but if I do need it I got it
I carry 22 mag revolver

[RyanTBH]

I'm just being funny guys! And thanks FireMedic! I'd like to think I can handle whatever comes at me, but I know, from experiance, that is not the case... (My shattered wrist that I couldn't have helped for instance) Had there been a bay going on when that happened I would have dropped right in the middle of the chit and with no way to defend myself... or God forbid I was by myself when that happened. They killed a good boar hog that day, and with out me cause of the arm thing, and had I been by myself I would have had to wrap my arm up and walk to find my dog bayed up on that boar hog over a mile away... so in that instance, I would have NEEDED one. I mainly said that about jumping on a hog and riding it cause (in my mind and heart) I would want to be able to give my all as the dogs do to protect them as they do for me. One thing that I have learned from the hunting that I've done so far is that its really a "from the hip" type call every time. You never know where the dogs will be bayed up, what kind of hog it is, or how you're going to get your hands or your CD on it... So you play it by ear. I may one day wish I had a gun, but until then they shall or should fear the blade or the hobbles! LOL!

But I wll say this, the more I hunt the more ballzy or confident I get... I honestly can't see myself just sitting back and "watching" as my dogs get tore down... I would try to do something! I'm at least gona try and widdle a spear or make a lasso or something! LOL! Go all indian on their A$$!!!! LOL!  Little karata chop to the throat should do the trick! 

[t.wilbanks]

Ryan, I know during that kind of situation everyone should be doing what they can for the dogs, but i sure would like to have some skeerdy cat their to video tape it when you get ballzy enough to do it....   

Heck, i dont even like messing with the smaller ones without a dog or two on em... They can still bite... 

[BA-IV]

Free tipping is where it's at...it's an adrenaline rush added to an already action filled sport.  I'm gonna get got one day and learn my lesson.

[RyanTBH]

I won't ever forget one day that Jeffrey kneed a hog down... He hit it like a linebacker... pretty cool stuff, and I think it's actually in our video.

And Trent, if I have to jump on the back of a bad hog I doubt I will have anyone with me... cause if I do, I'm sending them in first! LOL!  All BS aside, we'd all like to think that we can handle anything, but sometimes that just not the case. I will learn my lesson one day.... 

[firemedic]

Hahaha,.....oh well,...as so many of us males are when we're young, there's no telling y'all anything you don't want to hear. I will give you this tidbit of advice .....get some notebooks and write all this down while you know it all,.....'cause someday you'll be 60....and you won't know s***. I just hate it for your dogs though, they don't understand how little people really know. Like Trent said......hope somebody gets some video.

[H.Wilson]

When I go to the woods back home in east Texas no I don't carry a gun but where I live now I mainly hunt marsh land well my dogs aren't quite used to those big lizards being every where so in the marsh yes I carry a 22

[HOGDOGGERSPC]

Im with ryan i think the more you go along without getting in a bind the bigger your balls get.  i have hunted with people that dont even carry a knife and heard them scream for one with the crap hit the fan!  wont mention any names. you know who you are:) like insurance i might start carrying one just in case!  thanks for all the replies.

[TexasTransplant]

I don't always use it, but my .45 is always with me hunting or not.

[M Bennet]

i carry one and its like 4wheel drive its there if you need it. and i dont use mine maybe 3 times in 10 yrs

[brad s]

I got a buddy that is completely fearless. He caught a 200lb sow out in the open late one evening it was right at dark and he grabs the hog by the ear and goes in circles with it until i come and jump on her back. All without a catch dog. We thought it was good boar hog but turned out to be a big sow. Thats the way some people are. I would have never done without a catch dog but i took both of us to catch in that situation. And we had no flashlight either

[arrowbar]

I agree to take one and not need one versus need one and not have one, but I take two my ar 15 and 45, I figure since my 9 year old is my hunting buddy its better to be safe, and plus when he gets whiney I give the ar to carry and he changes attitude and leads the pack.

[DoGgONit]

I don't always use it, but my .45 is always with me hunting or not.

x2 with the 44mag!

[bob]

I carry a gun and have had to use it a few times to save lives in the heat of battle , theres no way I could sit back and watch a hunt gone bad and im not scared at all ,its full blast IM GAME , just a few experances have made want to carry it , maybee the hogs as a norm in some areas are small and they have never met MMA super hog or had good enought dogs to have multiple bays , dogs caught in 2 or three areas and a bay dog trashed with a big boar standing over it saying move agian  , at this point in time I guess if you wasnt scared you would run in and leg drop the hog and stick it on the way down LOL and wish you had a gun , we have taken lots of huge MMA hogs    ALWAYS A GUN

[RyanTBH]

There will come a day where I'm sitting in the woods and think to myself, "D@mn, that Neal knew a thing or two... I sure could have used a gun in that situation."  More than likely I will start carrying one, but knowing my luck I will be on the property that we can't have guns on when I need it. LOL! 

[justincorbell]

We always take a gun just in case its needed. We have used it a hand full of times and were glad to have it.

 Example:

 A. We ran into a large group of hogs, the dogs scattered but two dogs stopped a big nasty boar in the middle of the road. We turned the cd loose in the direction of the bay but he saw a choat out of the corner of his eye and took off on a chase that lasted a while. One of the dogs on the big boar was a pup and he was getting tossed and cut. The older dog was getting cut also. James waited until the dogs were clear and shot the hog. No since in getting the dogs injured or worse while waiting on someone to retrieve the cd.

 B. Just the other day we were on a hunt and at 3am on a wed. night we came up on a large group of treaspassers all drunk and high. The gun was not needed but it was in plain sight to let them know that it wasn't a good idea to start any crap.

 C. Back during deer season, James's cousins have the lease next to the property that we hunt. A couple of young boys (cousins) were going to get in their pop up stand to do some bow hunting. Right as they approched the stand they heard a voice from inside the stand say " Hey, someone is in here"

 It startled both the boys, they went back to deer camp and called the law. It turned out to be a couple of crack heads camped out in thier deer stand. You never know what a crack head is going to do. VERY SCARY!  So just in case a crack head tries to mug us out in the woods, we will have our gun.

I was there for part "B" Lol, could have been a bad deal for sure and i dont think i woulda pulled up to em with no gun accessible......ended up bein some young punks.

I do not carry if im hunting with someone else on their property but I and only I carry 99% of the time when on my places........rookies/noobies absolutely do not carry while hunting with my dogs....too many things can happen too fast, i've actually had people that I invited hunting get mad and go home when I told em they weren't carrying if they were hunting with my dogs.......anyway like said above, its better to have and not need then the other way around. Also i have used it to help buddies out of the woods when turned around......unfortunentaly i've had to use it a couple times and it wasn't on a hog.......i under no circumstances will leave a dog mortally wounded in the woods after it has served me and done its job.


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

[Kid7]

i always have a gun in the truck.... but i walk hunt mostly and there has been a few occassions that a gun would have come in handy. i have been hunting by myself only twice. the first time i stuck the hog. and the other time i took a gun and was sure glad i did cus the hog was more than i wanted to mess with. he wasnt that big but big enough i didnt wanna tango by myself

[olde sarge]

I always carry my old Colt. I think like some others here. Better to have it and not be on here telling a mournful story of dogs or people being cut down that could have been prevented. Have only used it a couple of times on hogs mostly on snakes. Load first 2 cylinders with snake shot last 3 are 255gr lead. Good day to all.    John

[jrangnow]

I guess some on here will call me young and dumb. Sayin that, i have never nor will i ever ( as of now) take a gun while hog hunting. I am 21 yrs old but ive been doggin since i was 10 i also go a lot more than most  and most "seasoned hunters" wont agree with what i say. But i beleive a gun can do as mich harm as help. My main point is retrieving dogs from across fences or whatever may happen. Usually if u r goin to retroeve dogs on others land ( and i am talkin about honest to god mistake  where dogs end up half a mile on someones property) its much better to only be carrying a knife rather than a gun. Usually people are more understanding. And even if tjey arent it would be much better lookin to ame warden ect if your unarmed. Now that being said i have killed tons of snakes with no gun thats the least of my worrys. And for the people that say u need a gun, yes it may help with some situations but most could be handled the old fashion way without guns, but with a gun and lookin in hindsight perspective it seems mcuh easier with a gun lol. I am in no way bashing people that csrry guns when doggin most of my friends do. I just believe most situations can be handle with out.

[Eric]

Always have a gun... Even if it's CC. It's not the hogs or the rattle snakes... It's the other people in the brush with you.