Can't carry while hunting?

[B A Booracus]

While hunting in Massachusetts, I just discovered that they will not allow me to carry my licensed firearm concealed during archery season.

This is basically what the law says:

"During the exclusive archery season for deer, a person hunting deer shall not use or have in possession a shotgun, rifle or firearm of any kind."



I'd feel a lot more comfortable carrying a .45 while in the woods with Black Bears. Any way around this?

 

[theicemanmpls]

While in the woods, wear it in a holster. When returning to your truck, or camp, put it in your backpack. You will be illegal. However, you won't be dead. The wardens usually work the roads, and parking areas. They only hit private property, or go into the woods, if they suspect a crime. To much area to cover.
Remember a while back, In the Wisconsin woods, some immigrant went wacko in the head and gun downed five hunters who left their rifles in the hunting cabin.
Ever since, when I am in the woods, I carry a light weight side arm.

 

[HootmonSccy]

Ankle holster??
I'm with you.. The best defense against bears is NOT a good pair of Sneakers...
You have to make a choice.. All choices CAN have consequences.. You have to weigh the pro's and Con's for yourself and decide what makes since for you, the possibility of being attacked by a bear unarmed, or the possibility of being stopped AND SEARCHED by a LEO..
IF you shoot a bear and get caught, at least you will be alive...
DO NOT carry a gun that has a Scope..

NOTE my Signature picture..

 

[B A Booracus]

I'll be:

"federal offense, loss of LTC, never carry again" illegal

-or-

"Lose my deer tag, get a fine" illegal?

 

[theicemanmpls]

The odds of getting mauled by a black bear are very low.

 

[Glock Fan]

If your bow is capable of taking a deer, it should be adequate to take a bear. Your hunting buddy or buddies should be able to catch your "6" while tagging and field dressing a freshly harvested deer. Be sure you have the proper broad heads that will do the job if a rabid bear chooses you as a target.


gf

 

[Stiofan]

The law in California was the same, no firearms in archery season. And I met up with more than a few wardens in the back country over the years, so that happens. I usually hunted in cougar and bear country, and I never carried, 25 years doing archery.

I definitely would not break the law, and wouldn't advocate such on a public forum.

I've been around black bears my entire life, I don't understand the fear on these gun boards about them. 300,000,000 people in the lower 48 and they are not eating folks every week.

The iceman makes a good point. I'd be more scared of two legged critters than bears. But a modern bow is plenty of defense for them.

 

[gvaldeg1]

If your bow is capable of taking a deer, it should be adequate to take a bear. Your hunting buddy or buddies should be able to catch your "6" while tagging and field dressing a freshly harvested deer. Be sure you have the proper broad heads that will do the job if a rabid bear chooses you as a target.


gf

I agree with you completely! I used to bow hunt and I'd bet on a good hunting bow and broad-heads stopping a Black Bear more effectively than the 45 this guy is talking about. Just for interest...Howard Hill stopped a bull elephant in Africa in 1950 with a bow. He was using 41 inch arrows and a 115 pound draw bow but...it was an elephant that he was hunting.

Howard Hill - Ol' One-Shot!

The average deer hunting rig should stop a bear easily.

 

[thedub88]

op. were did you get this from. Im from Mass and trying to find the law. The only thing I found was no dogs or any other firearms during shotgun deer season.

 

[trophyhunter]

I also carry during archery season I just make sure Im really careful Hiding it in my truck when going to and from woods most game wardens dont search you unless you have commited a infraction so just be safe and use your head and should be no problems i've been doing it for 7 years now without incident good luck happy hunting

 

[ggtgary]

If bears are truly what you are concerned about, carry a can of bear spray. It is pepper spray in a large cansiter that also has dye in it that confuses the bears. Statistically it is more effective than a firearm, repelling bear attacks over 90% of the time as compared with 66 to 67% for firearms. No brainer, more effective and legal. I know it is hard to leave the 44 mag. behind, it makes me all warm and fuzzy too, having it with me.

 

[danhammondsr]

op. were did you get this from. Im from Mass and trying to find the law. The only thing I found was no dogs or any other firearms during shotgun deer season.

This is usually a Hunting regulations thing. It's the same here in Kansas. I'm trying to get it changed, but I've reached an impasse. Wildlife Depatrment says they won't change it until it's legislated. Legislature says it's a regulation not a statute so they won't change it.

I hunt near Kansas City, KS. My problem isn't black bears, it's loose dogs and trespassers. Snarling rottweilers and poachers don't seem to be impressed by broadheads.

 

[Desert Dude]

Good morning. This isn't going to be nice.

I do not understand the mind set with some folks here who just say to hell with the law. What's up with that? If you elect to go hunting, hunt by the rules. And I WILL NOT listen to any 2nd Amndt stiff about RTKBA. There's a reason you can't bow hunt and carry a gun.

Here in Calif if you elect to bow hunt with a gun and get caught, well, it's the bow, gun, most likely the truck, big fine and possible jail time.

So, go ahead, laugh at the law, hide your 45acp in a IWBH and hope to hell you don't get caught. Sorry, I just don't get it. My bow will stop anything in Calif and I don't have to hide anything or keep looking over my shoulder.

 

[Glock Fan]

This is usually a Hunting regulations thing. It's the same here in Kansas. I'm trying to get it changed, but I've reached an impasse. Wildlife Depatrment says they won't change it until it's legislated. Legislature says it's a regulation not a statute so they won't change it.

I hunt near Kansas City, KS. My problem isn't black bears, it's loose dogs and trespassers. Snarling rottweilers and poachers don't seem to be impressed by broadheads.

My muzzy seemed to work pretty well on a 80 lb feral pit bull that attacked me once while packing out my game from a local hunting area. :biggrin:

A large caliber handgun would be ideal, but when laws or restrictions prohibit it, you need to do what you need to do to keep safe.


gf

 

[JSDinTexas]

I hunt S. Texas deer (80-150 lbs/ 40-80 lbs dressed) with a Horton HD175 crossbow and the same law applies in TX. The reasoning is that law-breakers will shoot the deer with a firearm, and stick an arrow in it afterwards.

Everyone I know carries a small handgun during regular season to dispatch the deer - if it's not dead - so we don't have to wait all day to get it dressed, and I miss that ability, especially using a crossbow and bolt (arrow) that may cause the deer a while to bleed out.

Nice thing is, we don't have any bear in S Texas to worry about - might have to hammer a wild armadillo, but that's about it.

PS: I do know that black bear has been taken down with the crossbow I use, but I would prefer my Glock 20 to do that :laugh:

 

[Ed Hamberger]

I've been an avid Bow Hunter for over 45 years now and I've never worried about the Grizzlies in my home state, (Colo.) bothering me while hunting. I have had one confrontation with one a long time ago while fly fishing the Arkansas River, she wanted my fish so I gave them to her and she left me alone long enough for me to skidaddle.

 

[floyd58]

Floyd58

HELLO TO ALL. THE LAW IN KANSAS IS THE SAME TO.leasantry:

 

[theicemanmpls]

Good morning. This isn't going to be nice.

I do not understand the mind set with some folks here who just say to hell with the law. What's up with that? If you elect to go hunting, hunt by the rules. And I WILL NOT listen to any 2nd Amndt stiff about RTKBA. There's a reason you can't bow hunt and carry a gun.

Here in Calif if you elect to bow hunt with a gun and get caught, well, it's the bow, gun, most likely the truck, big fine and possible jail time.

So, go ahead, laugh at the law, hide your 45acp in a IWBH and hope to hell you don't get caught. Sorry, I just don't get it. My bow will stop anything in Calif and I don't have to hide anything or keep looking over my shoulder.

I am saying to hell with the law when it comes to being unarmed in the woods. The reason for no firearms during archery, is to stop a poor archer from pulling out his handgun, and taking a deer by firearm. I agree with the intention of that law. You must of seen what happened to Ned Beaty when he got out of canoe unarmed? In Kalifornia, because of the abundance of fruits, and nuts, I would not be alone in the woods without a firearm.

 

[JJFlash]

I am saying to hell with the law when it comes to being unarmed in the woods. The reason for no firearms during archery, is to stop a poor archer from pulling out his handgun, and taking a deer by firearm. I agree with the intention of that law. You must of seen what happened to Ned Beaty when he got out of canoe unarmed? In Kalifornia, because of the abundance of fruits, and nuts, I would not be alone in the woods without a firearm.

I"m with you on this, Iceman. The law has its place but if it makes no sense or renders me defenseless, then...you do what you gotta do. Many of us old-timers have carried long before all the "shall issue" laws hit the books. Why did we do that? For the same reason we do now.

Here in the Outback, the legislature passed a law several years ago, saying we can carry while bow-hunting due to the spread of mountain lions across the state. My odds of meeting up with one are pretty slim, but it's nice having the hawg strapped to my leg when I'm sneaking out of the bowstand after dark. And there's always the 2-legged critters, too...meth heads and whatnot...

 

[B A Booracus]

Thanks for the input everyone, I appreciate it. One of my main concerns with this is the severity of the penalty. Would the ramifications be:


"federal offense, loss of LTC, never carry again"

-or-

"Lose my deer tag, get a fine"


If it were the latter, I would be more inclined to carry. If I got caught, I wouldn't mind paying a fine and coming back to hunt next season.

If I had the chance of going to prison and losing the right to carry, then no way would I carry.

It's funny however, to hear arguments like, "don't worry about the gun, chances of being mauled are low, a bow and arrow or mace will be fine" from pro-carry proponents.

It seems like that is the argument a lot of anti-2nd amendment folks go with: "Why would you need to carry, chances of being mugged are low, mace is better than a gun statistically"