Sidearms in the Archery Season

[Machias]

i was talking to a buddie warden about this subject as well the other day. he told me we have a better chance getting the indians to stop hunting "public" land then to get a law passed to carry a sidearm during archery season.

i told him the 3 very close cougar encounters ive had during archery season. and he just laughed it off. and said that its gonna take more then complaining to change said law. its gonna take a death and still that is not enough...that he has been trying to get that law changed ever sence he started on the force and has gotten no farther then any of us have on this subject.

we need to get people in charge that actually hunt, and want to make a difference for the hunter and the animals.

its to easy for companies or organizations to pay off the wdfw to get laws the way they are. and guess what we still buy our tags every year and put up with the *censored*...

we need to boycot hunting and fishing. plain and simple.

Looks like your buddie warden will be a little suprised.

[300rum]

Who cares about carrying a sidearm now?  I would give up the sidearm in an instant for more days in the woods.

[Pathfinder101]

I elk hunt in the Blues.  2 years ago a guy from my camp helped a guy load a 120lb male cougar in his pickup.  He said he shot it at 13 yards, crouched and growling at him.  Took him 2 hours to get up the gonads to follow it into the brush and see if he hit it.  Me?  I'd have gone back to the house, retrieved my rifle, and THEN done some blood-trailin'...
... I'm gonna carry.  Like was posted earlier; "I don't think any of us that are carrying a compound bow are re-enacting anything".  I know a lot of guys that were carrying already anyway.  Now they don't have to hide them in their daypacks.

[Elkslayer]

Look at the proposals for archery in the newly posted three year plan. It looks like it might happen.

[KillBilly]

That's funny, I have never carried or worried about carrying while archery hunting. Do you have any statistics on the number of Archers that have been attacked and or chewed on by a bear or cat? Probably about as many as the number of Hikers that have gotten shot. I guess some folks are way more nervous than others...

[bowhuntin]

That's funny, I have never carried or worried about carrying while archery hunting. Do you have any statistics on the number of Archers that have been attacked and or chewed on by a bear or cat? Probably about as many as the number of Hikers that have gotten shot. I guess some folks are way more nervous than others...

Thats a good point. I have never carried while archery hunting either, but I do think you should have the choice to make that decision for yourself.

[Machias]

That's funny, I have never carried or worried about carrying while archery hunting. Do you have any statistics on the number of Archers that have been attacked and or chewed on by a bear or cat? Probably about as many as the number of Hikers that have gotten shot. I guess some folks are way more nervous than others...

How many times have you been lost in the woods and needed your survival blanket?  Compass?  Firestarter?  But you still carry those items, or at least you should, because the one time you need them and they are in your truck, guess what they won't do you much good there.  I will post you a link tonight that shows dozens of documented lion and bear attacks on folks in the past 25 years.  I can also post some links to attacks by two legged predators as well.  It's not about being nervous in the woods, it's about being prepared and having the choice to carry another piece of survival equipment, that's all a sidearm is another piece of survival gear you should be allowed to carry IF you choose. 

[EastWaViking]

I'm all for it, just a little better sense of security IMO.

[ICEMAN]

Machias, ask Killbilly about carrying heavy duty tire chains...... 

[Curly]

Machias, ask Killbilly about carrying heavy duty tire chains...... 

Good point.

[Curly]

I'm going to have to go get my concealed carry license one of these days.  And now that it looks like it will be legal during ML season, I have one more reason to go get the license.  I've put off getting the license, therefore I never really carry my handgun anywhere........but I think once I get the license I will carry during ML season, modern season, and when I go out in the field for my job.

I do civil engineering work, and many times I wish I would have had my .357 on me when I'm out checking out some property or walking a downstream drainage course.

If I were an archery hunter, I'd like to have the choice of carrying a handgun too.

[Antlershed]

Curly, you can open carry in the woods without having the CPL. 

[Curly]

Curly, you can open carry in the woods without having the CPL. 

Yeah, I know, but I'd rather just conceal it anyway.  Usually I'm wearing a raincoat or poncho, so my handgun would be concealed if I've got it in a holster on my hip......it would easier to carry in a shoulder holster. 

[Machias]

This is just lions, does not include bears or two legged predators.

http://www.topangaonline.com/nature/lionatk.html

These are quotes or summaries from various sources that have given numbers on the total number of attacks within a given period.

In California, after fatal attacks on humans in 1890 and 1909, there were no further verified attacks until March, 1986. From then until July, 1995, there have been 10 verified attacks on humans in California. (OC)

Nationwide, attacks averaged about three per year until 1970 when the rate jumped to 14 attacks per year which continued throughout the 1990s. (Also see chart in source). (Term Paper On Mountain Lions)

A scientific review of records on attacks by cougars on humans in the United States and Canada from 1890 through 1990 indicated there were 53 cougar attacks on humans during this period. There were nine attacks that resulted in 10 human deaths, and 44 non-fatal attacks.
Since that report was published in 1991 (by Professor Paul Beier, a wildlife ecologist at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, formerly of University of California, Berkeley), there have been three documented fatal human attacks in the United States, one in Colorado and two in California. (OC, in 1995)


The California Department of Fish and Game has carefully documented cougar-human incidents which result in injuries to people. Verifiable records of human beings injured by mountain lions in California document only 12 such incidents. (OC)

Mountain lion sightings reported to the California Department of Fish and Game have increased from 59 in 1991 to over 300 in 1994. However, caution must be used in interpreting reports from the public involving mountain lions. Many reports are difficult, if not impossible, to verify based on limited information provided by members of the public who are unfamiliar with the appearance and habits of mountain lions. (OC)
There were 322 confirmed incidents of mountain lion damage to pets and livestock and 121 mountain lions killed on depredation permits in 1994. This compares with five to 10 confirmed incidents of damage and one to five lions killed annually in the early 1970s. (OC)


Since 1986, there have been nine human injuries in California and two deaths. The injuries were mostly to children visiting parks. Two adult women were killed and partly consumed, two in 1994. (OC, in 1995)

There have been 10 fatal cougar attacks since 1890 in the U.S., half in the past 10 years. (SDUT 8/16/98)

There have been only two deaths ever in Colorado from lion attacks: a 10-year-old Lakewood boy during a hike in 1997 in Rocky Mountain National Park and an 18-year-old man in 1991 who was jogging near Idaho Springs. There have been only five previously recorded attacks in the state, according to the division of wildlife. (Denver Post, 5/1/98, B-01)

[Machias]

P.S.  I carried a sidearm every day I worked for 20 years, never once used it, none of the guys I worked with used it, but I would NEVER have even considered going on duty without it in my holster.  My very first day here at Fairchild AFB was Jun 20th 1994.  I checked into the unit and let them know I was going to be in the area looking for a house.  The guys that were on duty that day had never used their weapons in their time in the service.  You just never know when you'll need it.  One of the  Security Policeman on duty that day was Andy Brown, who was on bicycle patrol.  Fired four rounds and made a 70 yard head shot with a 9mm handgun while Melberg the killer was reloading.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A01E3DD103DF931A15755C0A962958260