i have been a handgun hunter for 40 or so years, however i have enjoyed shooting rifles as well. I normally take one with to possibly salvage a trip just in case, a safety blanket of sorts Happened on my elk trip this last January. has anyone here kicked all other means of hunting to the curb and only hunt with handguns?

Not me. Rifle, bow, handgun, I use them all. Although I have to say, my bowhunting is getting less as I age. At 73 years I can?t hold the pin as steady anymore. I hunt with all, but just for shooting fun, it?s a handgun. I just don?t enjoy shooting a rifle for fun, and I don?t enjoy my semis as much as my single actions.

Not quite. Mr. Green Jeans would probably give me a stern talking to if they caught me trying to hunt ducks with my handguns.

In all seriousness, I've mostly used rifles this year, but for two very good reasons. In the first instance, I finally used my late grandfather's Weatherby to take a meat doe, although I also managed a handgun kill minutes later. Then, since I've started to figure out coyote calling, I've been hunting mostly with an AR-15 because we've had a population spike in this area that I need to thin out.

Deer, squirrels, and just about everything else from now on? It'll be handgun only, unless I have a really pressing need to use a long gun.

I with you Dave Thomas. Leave the rifles at home. The only way to ensure that you'll take game with a handgun, is to only bring...a handgun

That is 100% correct, and you will wonder why you did not do it sooner.

yep I agree- have to have the gumption to leave them home and not regretting it if you get skunked due to handgun limitations.

My last rifle killed animal was a deer at 401 yds. with a .30-06 in 1978. It was too easy. I converted to handguns and have never looked back. I do use a bow when nothing is in to handgun hunt.
All my rifles burned up in my 2002 house fire. Saw no need to replace them since I can do anything with them from squirrels to elephants that can be done with rifles.

I bring my son to shoot the rifle, but he likes to be up close and personal too!!

Rocky...Rocco handled that TC Contender pistol in 357 Max with some serious class and style...and that was at 9 years old..he's doing just fine

He likes Blades now..spears, broadheads, soon knives!!

AWESOME! Whatever it takes to keep his interest in hunting

i hunt with every weapon when it is in season as i hate to miss an opportunity to hunt, however I have been contemplating just leaving the rifle in the gun cabinet when it comes to being able to choose a handgun instead

STARTING IN 1980's I SWITCHED TO HANDGUN HUNTING EXCLUSIVELY. SINCE THEN I HAVE SHOT 3 COYOTES, 2 PIGS, 1 NILGAI AND SOME SQUIRRELS WITH RIFLES. LEAVE YOUR RIFLES AT HOME.

I always played around with handguns but was mostly a rifle guy. I kept gravitating to shorter carbine type rifles and after a Hernia surgery bought my first Super 14 Contender. Hmmm ? Much handier than any carbine I thought. Well that was the start and after having the good fortune of meeting the "West Virginia Hitman" he made a believer out of me! His exploits helped to dismiss many of the short sighted views the "Experts" had cast on handgun hunting. As the "Hitman" did ,most of my rifles were sold or traded to finance my Specialty Pistol habit. As I tell many non handgun hunters , harvesting any game animal successfully is special but doing it with a handgun magnifies the accomplishment ten fold!

All weapons matter!

Seriously, I love using a handgun, but I hunt with everything. I'll kill a deer or two a year with a handgun, then it's on to using different rifles that I own. I do enjoy squirrel hunting with a handgun though. More so than a long gun.

Yeap....I use handguns only (30 years now) - except during bow season. I even use other people?s handguns (gasixgunner) 😜.

I shoot rifles some, and at times compete with them, but I don't hunt with them very often.
I sure did hunt with rifles last year though, for a couple of nice trophies.

Pretty much all of my big game now is with a handgun.

Dave, When I started hunting, all those years ago, I did`ent own a rifle and was told Pennsylvania allowed handguns for deer. I never looked back...

i figured there were a few purist on the sight. interesting to hear about how others arrived at handgun only hunting. going antelope hunting in october and leaving the rifle at home so nothing to fall back on, however except a running shot i dont think the rifle has much of an edge on a specialty pistol.

About this time last year, I hunted with a rifle, or I couldn't have hunted at all. New Zealand does not allow hunting with a handgun.
I went hunting!

I agree with hunting with any weapon that is legal and ethical. i am trying to line up a moose hunt for myself and daughter in 2021 in canada and wont be able to shoot a handgun. I will hunt with my rifle but will be wishing i had a handgun option. if it is between hunting and not hunting i will choose hunting!

I Love hunting with a handgun but on many occasions it is just not feasible. Legality in some places limits me, and with a 100 yard limit I often pick up the rifle.
Scenario: cull hunts when the landowner wants many animals taken and you are in a blind. Haven't tried it yet but to push the blind closer to the animal to get in range could be a challenge.
Scenario2: 4 day whitetail hunt and unable to get inside 100 yards on a trophy...
I always try to use the handgun, but sometimes i just can't get close enough to what I want to shoot.
However, if it is shooting a couple of does for meat, I will keep trying and not bother with the rifle. Same for hogs.
SnT

TO THE MULTI-TASKERS: TO EACH THEIR OWN, BUT I WILL NOT SPEND GOOD MONEY HUNTING WITH ANYTHING BUT A HANDGUN, AND EVEN IF A BUDDY HANDED ME A RIFLE AND TOLD ME TO SHOOT A 200 INCH WHITETAIL (FOR FREE) I WOULD PASS.

I like shooting and hunting with firearms too much to limit myself to one particular style or platform. I use them all.

all good points

I look at it like this: I spent many years hunting with rifles and handguns. When I go into the woods with a handgun, and have the opportunity to stalk game, I feel just as good coming out of those woods unsuccessful with a handgun as I do being successful with a rifle. Unless there is a once in a lifetime opportunity that a local law requires me to use a rifle for, I will be leaving the rifles at home... ...or selling them to buy more handguns!

I like shooting and hunting to much to limit myself other then to stay away from muzzle loaders.

I got into handgun hunting because the southern half of MN is shotgun/slugs or any flavor of handgun for deer hunting. It's a lot more enjoyable with a handgun. The off season practice and prep is also a lot more enjoyable.

I hunt with everything but handguns are the main method for at least 60% of my big game hunting.The 40% is divided among bow, muzzle-loader and rifle.

For several years now I have only deer hunted with a bow or a handgun. I even hunt with a muzzle loader pistol. I enjoy it much more than when I was using a rifle.

I hunt exclusively with handguns, except for birds, but I keep a couple of hunting rifles in the back of the gun safe, just in case. I've had a health issue that I thought would bring an end to my ability to handle heavy recoiling handguns, but my condition improved and I can still enjoy handguns. The rifles are there if I ever get to the point where handguns are not an option.