Anyone else carry a pistol when they hunt? I didn't until this year.

Only when I go to Wyoming elk hunting where there are a lot of "Grizz"

In NY we are not allowed to carry a handgun ("firearm of any description") while bowhunting.

However, I hunt only on my own property.

I have an unrestricted permit (concealed).

But I will neither confirm nor deny.

Yes, I always carry either a .40 caliber or a .45.

Generally - NO, but I have on occasion when bow hunting on or near the Mexican border though it's for my own piece of mind rather than any specific threat I feel.  If I hunted in an area with Grizzly or Brown bear I would need to change my answer.

Not usually.  If my son is with me, yes.  If I'm alone probably not.

Oddly, it's illegal to carry bear spray in the National Parks here but we can carry a pistol with a permit.  But while hunting with an Archery Only tag or during the archery season, we're not supposed to have any firearms in possession.  So I find myself carrying more when I'm NOT hunting than when I am.

Yes I do.. It's legal to carry in Pa while bow hunting. Mostly for the 2 legged varmints. 10 years ago here in Pa, a bow hunter was found dead in his tree stand from a shotgun blast to the chest.

Ive carried around the Mexican border but dont ever carry elsewhere. I only hunt black bears, deer, and feral hogs around here so I dont see the need

In AK I carry spray and a firearm of a suitable size, likely not a handgun.
In lower 48 Grizzly country spray and a double action handgun. Anywhere else spray for the highly unlikely event of an ill tempered black bear, and a .10mm for 2 legged vermin, rogue biker gang, Zombie Apocalypse or anything else that might need attention. A bow is not a self defense device.

In Alabama you can carry with a permit during bow season.

The thought has never crossed my mind. I have a concealed handgun permit. I guess I would if I ever felt the need.

Depends on where and what I am hunting. I did carry while hunting two weeks ago.
I always carried something when I lived in Alaska

I carry a .480 Ruger Alaskan while moose hunting in bear country.  Don't carry while bow hunting anywhere else.

Mike

Sometimes. I was regularly running into a bear with a couple cubs in my elk area this year so I carried.

I always carry a pistol with my NYS permit, hunting or otherwise. My experiance over the years has been that the ECO's I have dealt with, have no issues with you carrying a reasonable personal defense handgun, with a legal concealed carry permit, while bowhunting. Usually they are more interested with my Bear T/D & cedar arrows, than the little S&W .38 on my hip.
(My Ruger .44mag may be looked at differently though?)

I had a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull. .454 is not fun to shoot period but a 2.5" barrel is ridiculous. I got rid of it and replaced it with a 629. I do recommend Garrett Cartridges ammo for your bear deterrent, I also carry their 540gr Hammerheads in my 45-70.

Legal here in Texas. I carry a gun anyways after getting a knife pulled on me as I was leaving a restaurant. It's part of my hunting kit as well. Never know what you'll run into. A friend of mine found a man, with arms and legs bound behind him, hung from a tree.
I have a couple of guns I switch between depending on what I feel like.

Never leave the house without it ..... for anything ! To many crazy people out there these days

One of these is usually with me most times. Top- down, .44mag, .357, .357, .38 special