what size pistol should i carry for elk hunting?

[pianoman9701]

During Archery season, it's illegal to hunt with a firearm while you're bowhunting, USMC74. The firearm can only be used for personal protection.

I'm not sure if that was the intention, but when I looked back at the regs book, that seems to be how they wrote it...

Not sure what the thought process behind not allowing someone to carry something like a .44 Mag for bear/cougar while bowhunting deer/elk is.  I guess this was the consolation prize for removing the crazy stipulations they used to have on hunting grouse with a pistol.  Maybe I'll just switch to carrying the 3" .44 Special when bow hunting...

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From page 85 of the Big Game Regs:
"b.   It is unlawful for any person to carry
or have in his possession any firearm
while in the field archery hunting,
during an archery season specified for
that area, except for modern handguns
carried for personal protection.
Modern handguns cannot be used to
hunt big game or dispatch wounded
big game during an archery, big game
hunting season."

The first line that I bolded would indicate that you can't hunt anything, including grouse, with a handgun while archery hunting. The second line kind of muddies the water by specifically calling out a prohibition on hunting big game. If you are interested in shooting grouse with a handgun while archery hunting, I would certainly contact the WDFW LEO for your area and get their opinion. While they may or may not interpret this correctly, at the very least a citation would still mean that you'd have to fight it.

[CAMPMEAT]

Glock 29 - 10mm during archery elk.

  This is one of the ones that I was looking at and as of right now I am leaning towards this setup.

That's my EDC..great gun.

[copasj]

During Archery season, it's illegal to hunt with a firearm while you're bowhunting, USMC74. The firearm can only be used for personal protection.

I'm not sure if that was the intention, but when I looked back at the regs book, that seems to be how they wrote it...

Not sure what the thought process behind not allowing someone to carry something like a .44 Mag for bear/cougar while bowhunting deer/elk is.  I guess this was the consolation prize for removing the crazy stipulations they used to have on hunting grouse with a pistol.  Maybe I'll just switch to carrying the 3" .44 Special when bow hunting...

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

From page 85 of the Big Game Regs:
"b.It is unlawful for any person to carry
or have in his possession any firearm
while in the field archery hunting,
during an archery season specified for
that area, except for modern handguns
carried for personal protection.
Modern handguns cannot be used to
hunt big game or dispatch wounded
big game during an archery, big game
hunting season."

The first line that I bolded would indicate that you can't hunt anything, including grouse, with a handgun while archery hunting. The second line kind of muddies the water by specifically calling out a prohibition on hunting big game. If you are interested in shooting grouse with a handgun while archery hunting, I would certainly contact the WDFW LEO for your area and get their opinion. While they may or may not interpret this correctly, at the very least a citation would still mean that you'd have to fight it.

I didn't mean to imply I wanted to shoot grouse with the pistol while bow hunting.  But the .44 SPC will launch heavier, better shaped bullets than the .45 ACP.  I've just carried the .45 because it meets the 4" barrel requirement.

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[craigapphunt]

whatever you take just load it with hard cast.

[pianoman9701]

During Archery season, it's illegal to hunt with a firearm while you're bowhunting, USMC74. The firearm can only be used for personal protection.

I'm not sure if that was the intention, but when I looked back at the regs book, that seems to be how they wrote it...

Not sure what the thought process behind not allowing someone to carry something like a .44 Mag for bear/cougar while bowhunting deer/elk is.  I guess this was the consolation prize for removing the crazy stipulations they used to have on hunting grouse with a pistol.  Maybe I'll just switch to carrying the 3" .44 Special when bow hunting...

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

From page 85 of the Big Game Regs:
"b.It is unlawful for any person to carry
or have in his possession any firearm
while in the field archery hunting,
during an archery season specified for
that area, except for modern handguns
carried for personal protection.
Modern handguns cannot be used to
hunt big game or dispatch wounded
big game during an archery, big game
hunting season."

The first line that I bolded would indicate that you can't hunt anything, including grouse, with a handgun while archery hunting. The second line kind of muddies the water by specifically calling out a prohibition on hunting big game. If you are interested in shooting grouse with a handgun while archery hunting, I would certainly contact the WDFW LEO for your area and get their opinion. While they may or may not interpret this correctly, at the very least a citation would still mean that you'd have to fight it.

I didn't mean to imply I wanted to shoot grouse with the pistol while bow hunting.  But the .44 SPC will launch heavier, better shaped bullets than the .45 ACP.  I've just carried the .45 because it meets the 4" barrel requirement.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I was just exhibiting my skills at Cut, Paste, Bold, and Underline! 

[Shawn Ryan]

Anyone know the interpretation of "in the field" and "possession" for the rule P-man cited?  Rifles are legal for bears during archery elk season.  Can i have a rifle in my pickup or at camp while I'm hunting for elk with my bow? Is camp "in the field?"  Is the rifle in my "possession" if its in the pickup while I'm driving to the spot I want to hunt elk? How about having it in the pickup while I'm carrying my bow in the woods? Or carrying the rifle in the woods while my bow sits in the truck?  Anyone have an LEO encounter with this situation?

[harguess]

I carry a smith $ Wesson  44mag  with a 6 1/2" barrel  with bear loads.

[BLDtraLR]

Tag

[snake]

I carry a smith $ Wesson  44mag  with a 6 1/2" barrel  with bear loads.

whats your preferred bear load? 

[brew]

Anyone know the interpretation of "in the field" and "possession" for the rule P-man cited?  Rifles are legal for bears during archery elk season.  Can i have a rifle in my pickup or at camp while I'm hunting for elk with my bow? Is camp "in the field?"  Is the rifle in my "possession" if its in the pickup while I'm driving to the spot I want to hunt elk? How about having it in the pickup while I'm carrying my bow in the woods? Or carrying the rifle in the woods while my bow sits in the truck?  Anyone have an LEO encounter with this situation?

i teach hunter ed in yelm and during the classroom portion we have local f/w officers come in and talk to the students.  once we had 2 in on the same nite and they got into an argument about some of the regs...bottom line is-and they admitted it- is that every officer interprets the regs differently and one long standing thurston county f/w officer actually said its not his job to interpret the laws its his job to write tickets and have the judges interpret them...thats a direct quote.  imho if its archery season and i have an archery tag and its also bear season and i'm out driving around the roads with a bow and a rifle how the heck do they know what i am hunting ?  you can hunt bear with any legal weapon so if i'm stopped while driving i am bear hunting.  if i am walking around in the woods with a rifle i am bear hunting.  if i am walking around in the woods with my bow and my rifle is in the truck i am just asking for some jack nob to throw a rock through the window of my truck and steal my firearm or vice versa

[copasj]

i teach hunter ed in yelm and during the classroom portion we have local f/w officers come in and talk to the students.  once we had 2 in on the same nite and they got into an argument about some of the regs...bottom line is-and they admitted it- is that every officer interprets the regs differently and one long standing thurston county f/w officer actually said its not his job to interpret the laws its his job to write tickets and have the judges interpret them...thats a direct quote.

That's always been a beef of mine with WDFW regs.  There is no reason that the hunting (or fishing) regulations should require any form of interpretations.  That whole paragraph could be stricken from the rule book and have 0 effect on game management.  For that matter they could strike section (a) as well, since not mentioning or differentiating between fixed blade and mechanical broadheads would make them defacto legal.



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[Cylvertip]

whatever you take just load it with hard cast.

Check out Underhill Underwood Extreme Penetrator Ammo.  All the benefits of hard cast plus you get some hydraulic action of the fluting down the sides that adds a good sized wound channel as a bonus.

For the wet side of the state I carry a Glock 17L ( Long Slide - 6") with two extra mags and this year it was loaded with the above mentioned ammo in +P+. (usually it is full of FMJ).  When I finally get the coastal Rosie I am on a quest for and start hunting further east, I will get the Glock 40 (10mm Factory Long Slide - 6") and load/ carry  it in a similar fashion.

[NW-GSP]

In case of a bear attack, your chances are at least 10 times better with bear spray vs ANY pistol.  But you are probably more likely to be struck by lightning that be attacked by a bear.  Either way, don't be scared.

I have no idea where your getting your info, it is not factual.
A guy just recently stopped a charging bear with a 10mm in Alaska.

http://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/trail-news/ask-a-bear-how-many-bear-attacks-really-2/
I could get you at least 20 other sources.  Its a common fact.  you can shoot a Grizz in the heart with just about anything and it will still live long enough to kill everyone within at least 50 yards.   

Yes and I can do the same, I have seen many animals have no reaction to pepper spray.

[BrianF]

I carry a 1911 in .45... works for me... it's a little heavy but it's what I have

[snake]

In case of a bear attack, your chances are at least 10 times better with bear spray vs ANY pistol.  But you are probably more likely to be struck by lightning that be attacked by a bear.  Either way, don't be scared.

I have no idea where your getting your info, it is not factual.
A guy just recently stopped a charging bear with a 10mm in Alaska.

http://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/trail-news/ask-a-bear-how-many-bear-attacks-really-2/
I could get you at least 20 other sources.  Its a common fact.  you can shoot a Grizz in the heart with just about anything and it will still live long enough to kill everyone within at least 50 yards.   

Yes and I can do the same, I have seen many animals have no reaction to pepper spray.

haha, I'm sure you have...