do you carry a handgun in the field?

[pianoman9701]

Normally, I don't.  But if I'm bowhunting or bear hunting, I do. 
Often, when you shoot a bear, they spin around a couple of times and dive off into the brush.  Walking (or crawling) through thick brush after a bear that may or may not be fully dead is something I prefer to do with a handgun, and usually "backup" (son or buddy with a rifle). 
I also met a guy that came face to face with a cougar while bowhunting at about 5 yards.  He shot it with his bow, but said he wished he'd have had his sidearm (back in those days you couldn't carry when bowhunting).   

The owner of the now-closed Archery World, had a cougar stalking him (I think he was deagging a deer), and shot it in the face with a .45. Jarheads love their Colts.

[ganghis]

No - the small risk isn't worth the extra weight to me.  I've yet to archery or muzzleloader hunt in high density grizzly country though - kind of waffling between a glock 20 or bear spray in those cases.  I'll probably at least take bear spray with me when rifle hunting in WY this fall.  One thing I usually do on pack outs is to hide my rifle 300 yards or so from the meat, and then carry it with me the final 300 yards in case something is on my game bags (has yet to happen).  Then I pack the rifle out with my last load.