Pistol Carry question and Deer hunting question

[vontar]

I am going out Deer hunting starting Saturday and this is going to be my first time with a HCP as well. Plus the first time Deer hunting in about 10 years.

I know where I am going and there is a chance I may encounter Game Wardens in the area so I want to be certain I am legal.

1. I have all the correct permits

2. The land is not post, I am good to go there.

I will be hunting with my .270 Rifle

I am planning to carry a 38 special pistol with me while hunting. I was also planning to keep this on me as my self defense weapon driving to and from my hunting spot.

If a Game Warden checks me would I have any problems by having that? I know they changed a law allowing Bow hunters to carry if they have a HCP for self defense. I just don't want them to try to get me in trouble for road hunting or anything like that. I know that is one of the main things they watch for in the area and I am not dumb enough to do it. I just don't want them to check me and say well you have a loaded 38 special, you must be road hunting.

All Seriousness, I need want to have it on me while hunting in case I were to get jumped by some wild dogs or coyotes. Before anyone thinks that is unlikely, (long story but I was once jumped by a pack wild dogs when I was about 18 and I just made it back to the 4 wheeler)

I should add this will not be on any TWRA land. I won't be driving on any TWRA land either. In fact as bad as these roads are they are actually public roads with names and on a map because they go to a graveyard way back in the mountains that the county actually spilled some gravel on last spring.

[Punisher84]

I believe you are good to go, but I've been wondering myself. I'm hunting a WMA this year with a crossbow.

[vontar]

I am not certain is a 38 special a large enough caliber to be legal to deer hunt with in a pistol? Just wondering. I don't plan to pull it out to shoot a deer with it instead of my rifle but just for talking and knowlege. If so would I need to be carrying a certain type of rounds verse any other kind? The reason I am asking this I believe my dad told me when he gave me that gun, you could deer hunt with it if you carried the correct ammo.

[DaveS]

The hunting regulations cover the carrying of handguns on WMA's and other areas. Carrying a handgun by permit on private property while hunting is legal. Just remember though, that if you decide to take game with it, there is a minimum barrel length requirement. By game I don't mean feral dogs, coyotes, sasqautchies and zombies....they fall under self defense or better known as "shoot first, ask questions later"!

[Guest ADAM]

from twra website

Deer, Bear, Boar, Elk, and Feral Hog Hunting

• Shotguns using ammunition loaded with single solid ball or rifled slugs. No restriction on number of rounds in magazine.
  
• Rifles using any center-fire ammunition, in all counties except where regulated by legislative acts.
  
• Muzzleloading percussion cap or flintlock rifles, handguns or shotguns of .40 caliber (.40-inches) minimum. These muzzleloading firearms are legal during any gun season or hunt unless otherwise specified. Muzzleloading firearms are defined as those firearms which are incapable of being loaded from the breech.
  
• Longbows, compound bows, crossbows and other bows drawn or held by a mechanical device.
  
• Hunting arrows and bolts shall be of a barbless design and shall have sharpened blades.
  
• Centerfire handguns firing a single projectile and having a barrel length of four inches or more, in all counties except where regulated by legislative acts.
  
• Weapons may be equipped with sighting devices except those devices using an artificial light capable of locating wildlife. Night vision scopes are illegal.
  

[KahrMan]

You are good to go. As long as you have your hcp, you can carry your sd gun with you while hunting.

As adam and wd pointed out, as long as your pistol barrel is at least 4", you can hunt with it. While shooting a deer with a 38 is legal, it is not a caliber I would ever use to shoot a deer.

[vontar]

Yep, I agree I would not draw the 38 on a deer having my Rifle. However just maybe after shooting a deer and I walked up to it to find I had been as sucessful as I would intend on the rifle shot and found it to still be alive on the ground I might on the spot make a decision to finish it off with the pistol.

However I just measured the barrel of the 38 and it is just barely under 4" even if I put the tape measure right up to the revolver cylinder.

I am not certain on where to measure from but I assume it can not be any more then the tip of the barrel to the cylinder to count as barrel since the cylinder is chamber.

In short, the 38 for all purpose is going to be my sd carry, intended to be loaded to and from and while traveling(for feral dogs, coyotes, sasqautchies and zombies) my .270 semi will not be loaded but I will have my Mag loaded.

As I understand having my .270 mag loaded and not in the gun is not in any violation. I know years ago dad I had were checked several times and that was never an issue. I am talking when I was between 10 and 18. I Know laws change.

[Punisher84]

Yep, I agree I would not draw the 38 on a deer having my Rifle. However just maybe after shooting a deer and I walked up to it to find I had been as sucessful as I would intend on the rifle shot and found it to still be alive on the ground I might on the spot make a decision to finish it off with the pistol.

However I just measured the barrel of the 38 and it is just barely under 4" even if I put the tape measure right up to the revolver cylinder.

I am not certain on where to measure from but I assume it can not be any more then the tip of the barrel to the cylinder to count as barrel since the cylinder is chamber.

In short, the 38 for all purpose is going to be my sd carry, intended to be loaded to and from and while traveling(for feral dogs, coyotes, sasqautchies and zombies) my .270 semi will not be loaded but I will have my Mag loaded.

As I understand having my .270 mag loaded and not in the gun is not in any violation. I know years ago dad I had were checked several times and that was never an issue. I am talking when I was between 10 and 18. I Know laws change.

You can carry any long gun loaded with an hcp as long as a round is not chambered.