Let's say you're going deer hunting, and for those of you with more than one hunting handgun, how do you choose which gun to hunt with on a given day? Simple rotation? Fields vs. woods?? Still hunt vs. stand hunt?
I'm asking because I got a second handgun recently, so I have yet to figure out an approach to this urge to take both!

You guys can help!

Is is whatever feels right at the moment.

For the still/stand hunting I normally do I usually take 2, an Encore for longer range where I know I'll have some time to get set up on the deer, and then either my Desert Eagle or one of my revolvers as my primary gun for closer range stuff and as my walking around gun... If I were hunting out of a tree stand or blind, I'd base it on my expected shot distance and whichever I was most comfortable with.

The one you are most confident with or is most appropriate for that hunt's situation.

ie: If I am going antelope hunting and want a chance at a real good buck, I would probably take my Contender in 6.5 JDJ over any of my revolvers.

If I was hunting mule deer or elk in the timber, I would take my .475 Linebaugh revolver for closer work.

If your choice is between two revolvers or two single shots of similar capabilities, then revert back to the "one most confident with."

If equal confidence, then what s4s4u said.

I have favorites but I often take a particular gun just to get it bloody or to test a bullet or some other reason that I come up with.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should mention that my hunting is mostly restricted to deer and I have a Ruger Bisley Hunter in .44 mag and now an Encore with a 7mm-08 barrel. I have a lot of experience with the .44. I'll be shooting the Encore a lot and by next deer season want to be just as confident with the Encore and will want to bloody it. I still-hunt and stand-hunt both, so your answers on how you choose are interesting to me.

Similar to Gary, my choice is usually based on recent use/harvest and getting other guns into the rotation. And I will regularly take two (or more) and set yardage restrictions in use.

This, for the most part.

First are those that have not taken game. Second are the science projects (terminal performance experiments with new bullets). After that, it's conditions (distance, game sought, etc.), and then, most likely, it's preference.

First what's legal for season, then the ones with the saddest face. I frequently carry two: one on belt and one scoped.

I almost always take 2! My usual setup is to carry my scoped, Contender 358JDJ on a sling as my primary gun for most shots. I have a 2x6 Bushnell Elite scope that I keep on 2x in case a shot quickly presents itself. My other gun is usually an iron sighted, Redhawk 44 magnum in a Bianchi cross draw holster. When walking or stalking in thick cover I usually have the Redhawk in hand and the Contender hanging at my side.
If I am hunting terrain where all shots are under 100 yards or in very bad weather, I sometimes carry just a S&W 629 with a 2x B&L scope as it is probably the best shooting (holding) offhand gun at distances over 40-50 yards. I carry it in a chest rig, bandoleer holster.

[quote=NHSHTR]Thanks for the replies. I guess I should mention that my hunting is mostly restricted to deer and I have a Ruger Bisley Hunter in .44 mag and now an Encore with a 7mm-08 barrel. I have a lot of experience with the .44. I'll be shooting the Encore a lot and by next deer season want to be just as confident with the Encore and will want to bloody it. I still-hunt and stand-hunt both, so your answers on how you choose are interesting to me.[/quote with these 2 cartridges you have it covered, good choices.

I take two one scoped for longer range and the 4 5/8 th blackhawk .45 colt for 60 yd and under and walking up on down game,I never walk up on a downed animal bare handed. Which long range gun goes depends. The 6.5 Rem mag Competitor got the nod this year as I had yet to take game with it . It has been broken in now 2 shots two deer.Next year its the 7 TCU's turn.Sometimes its as simple as what I have loaded ammo for with proper bullets for the game.But the short .45 always goes.

I always have a wheelgun of some sort on the belt, which covers me out to about 100 yards. If I am going to be expecting a longer shot I will sling my Contender over the shoulder. The specifics of the hunt will dictate which tool.

I place them all in a circle and then spin a bottle in the middle!

works every time!

Bull,
Sounds simple enough. I'll just have to buy more guns so that I can make a circle!!!!

I started the thread because I had the urge to take both, but didn't think anyone was actually doing that. I will just have to figure out how to comfortably carry both. For you guys that have the Encore on a sling, did you just add regular rifle swivels to the standard rubber grip and fore-end? Not sure that would hold. Do you have a walnut grip and f/e?

This is simple. Which one do you shoot the best?

I always carry two during our regular firearms season. The "back-up" gun is a Smith 329PD that primarily fills the role of self-defense. I would not hesitate to shoot at closer ranges with it, but in all honesty it probably will never take a deer---when I stand-hunt these days I pay strict attention to the woods so my primary gun is already in-hand and I'm in a reasonably good position long before a deer gets within "back-up-gun" range, so I'll just shoot with the primary.

The primary hunting gun for me has been a .454 SRH scoped with a Leupold 2x in prior years. It's accounted for lots of meat in the freezer and a little bone on the wall. But with the addition of a 30/30 Contender recently, and being very satisfied with it this season (both in comfort of carrying/shooting and performance on game), it's supplanted the revolver on many days this year.

So at this point, if I were to hunt on the ground through the thick mountain laurel or brushy overgrown farms in my region, where shots are rarely more than 60 yards and getting on target a little faster is paramount, I'd take my SRH, but if I were to hunt in a treestand in the same areas or hunt the open woods and field edges, I'd take my Contender.

If I get frustrated with big game after opening week, and take a day or three to chase squirrels during our regular big game gun season, I take one of my .44M SBH's just in case a deer that I want to shoot shows up while waiting for squirrels. Way more controllable than the 329PD. Hasn't happened yet during gun season, but the one time you aren't prepared is the exact time that a great buck appears out of the thicket and walks 20 yards from your tree.

It sure is nice to have options.

I always carry two handguns when hunting. I carry one in a cross draw holster for closer shots, and a scoped gun for longer shots. The scoped gun will vary depending on the anticipated shot distance. These guns will vary between Contenders, Encores, and Savage Strikers.

The guns I carry on my hip will vary between a 10mm Glock, custom Ruger in 510 GNR, 1911 in 460 Rowland, and a custom Redhawk in 429 GNR.

My Contender sling swivel studs came from SSK industries many years ago. They replace the Pachy forend screw and the grip screw. Maybe they have a similar setup for the Encore. I suggest you email or call them.

billa, thanks for the info. I'll check them out.

Uncle Mikes also make sling sets for the Contenders and Encores. I use a Barrel band instead of the forend screw as it puts the sling studs farther apart .The barrel bands are from Uncle Mikes also. They are for shotgun barrels. Just mike your barrel and get a set in that size range,they make the gun hang better for me.There is a picture on the bragging board of three of my contenders with barrel bands and slings if interested.

Junebug, thanks for the info. I saw your photos and the set up looks good. I also found the right size barrel bands online, but is it necessary to have a Pachmayr grip to connect there?

I don't think so .The stock bolt has I think two different length spacers with it . You will have to drill a hole in the gripcap.I make my slings up so I can unhook the front swivel and loop the sling over my head and one sholder when stalking . The loop is adjusted just long enough so that when I bring the gun up to a shooting position I have pressure on the sling which is still attached at the grip. When I need hands free for binos the gun hangs at my side by the grip. When carrying long distances just re hook the front swivel and use as a normal sling. This works very well for me.

I usualy try to set goals to hunt with several of them at the beggining of season. I know that there is no way to take them all so I pick out usualy 5 or 6 that I plan on taking. Out of that 5 or 6 I try to prioritize but letting the ones with the least kills go first.

Ive worried myself to death this yr trying to figure out what handgun I wanted to carry. I caught myself carrying 3 the other day...just in case I got attacked from the local whitetail herd.

WiseGuy, I'd like to see a picture of that! (carrying three, not being attacked!)

Take one round from all the possible candidates, place them in a bowl, have my wife reach in the bowl and pull 2 out...those get to go hunting that day!

My last trip out of state I had two tags so I took two guns incase I got the chance to fill both. One open sights and one scoped there was heavy timber and open fields so both had their place just didn't know which stand I would draw.

6686pp, I plan to take two on my next trip out of state also; a Ruger 44 and the Encore. I need to be able to shoot from a tree-stand or a box blind since I also could be in either on any given day. I've been shooting the Encore (7mm-08) and getting better groups all the time. I've done well with the .44 from a tree-stand. Just need to learn to shoot "down hill" from the tree-stand with the '08.!!