Concealed weapon or not: The bush and animal protection

If you are bush bashing, it is amazing how much crud ends up on your handgun. I mostly use full flap holsters when I belt carry and even then some crud gets onto them.

A shoulder holster keeps them higher and generally drier but you have to wear your jacket over it like your duty belt rig.

There's nobody around when I ATC as I work in very remote areas. I've never been checked.
 
plinker 777 said:
Although I've never carried in the bush, I too have "bush bashed" and if the amount of crud inside my boots are an indication of how much would end up in the holster...stainless and rubber for sure! LOL!:)
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Agreed!

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geologist said:
If you are bush bashing, it is amazing how much crud ends up on your handgun. I mostly use full flap holsters when I belt carry and even then some crud gets onto them.
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A foam ear plug in the barrel works wonders for keeping the crud out.
 
vviking said:
Very practical carry rig you got there geo.
Liking the full coverage larger flap and closed muzzle.
Would like to get me a 45 degree front crossdraw version of that for the antiques.
Mind telling us who made it.?.
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It's a Mernickle made from horsehide. It was supposed to be angled for a right handed cross draw but it came vertical. I like it as I can wear it on either side of my duty belt.

I carry cross draw too.
 
screwtape said:
All right, Sharp '63, enough is enough. We get it already: You don't think handguns - especially BP ones - are of any use whatsoever for wilderness protection. So don't carry one.

For myself, I can't help noticing that there are any number of reported cases (stretching back into the 1700s) of people who have been attacked by bears and have fought them off and/or killed them with hunting knives - in one case in the 1990s that I remember, an angler killed a bear with a filleting knife.

So there is absolutely no reason to think a pistol bullet won't work, even if it comes from an "antique". And that would be true even if there weren't ALSO numerous reported cases of wilderness types fending off various critters with pistols...

Plus one reported in John Lachuk's Gun Digest Book of the .22 about a wilderness guide who killed a charging young grizzly with a lever action rifle -- a .22WMR rifle, that is.

(Note: If "antique" pistols are as useless as you claim, I wonder why the Mountain Men invariably carried a .45 to .75 calibre single- or double-barrelled percussion muzzleloading pistol in their belt... They just liked toting the extra weight perhaps?)

FWIW, I personally know one guy who killed an attacking black bear with a 6-shot .25ACP Basque pocket pistol. Not anybody's first choice for 'bear defence', but it was the gun he had so it was the gun he was carrying out berry-picking when he got cornered in an old gravel pit...

(And no, you won't find a report of this particular incident in the news anywhere, on account of the fact that not only did he not have a "wilderness ATC", the pistol itself wasn't registered. RPAL was not an issue as this happened back in the FAC days. So he left the dead bear where it fell and didn't report the incident; though if the body was found and analyzed, I suppose that particular province's DNR might have a 'bear autopsy report' somewhere in its archives noting a bear with .25 pistol slugs in it.)

So kindly do us all a favour and take your "a .45 Schofield is a worthless pea shooter" crap and stick it in an appropriate receptacle. I for one am completely and totally sick of hearing it.
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Yes. ^^^^^^^^
 
geologist said:
It's a Mernickle made from horsehide.
I carry cross draw too.
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Thanks for that info geo.
I find a steeply angled belly cross-draw most practical for sitting down, cinching on the pack's waist strap, and keeping the guns butt from banging into everything in sight. Good access when all loaded down with cargo. Bit of a pita when ya gotta pee though lol.
Fairly comfortable too.
 
vviking said:
Thanks for that info geo.
I find a steeply angled belly cross-draw most practical for sitting down, cinching on the pack's waist strap, and keeping the guns butt from banging into everything in sight. Good access when all loaded down with cargo. Bit of a pita when ya gotta pee though lol.
Fairly comfortable too.
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I carry mine on a Charlton 2.75" garrison belt worn on top of my pants but not in the belt loops.. It is more than stiff enough to support my Super Redhawk.

When the call of nature arrives you just undo the safety buckle and drop the whole rig. I wear it pretty far on my left so a quick squirt is pretty easy.
 
geologist said:
I carry mine on a Charlton 2.75" garrison belt worn on top of my pants but not in the belt loops.. It is more than stiff enough to support my Super Redhawk.

When the call of nature arrives you just undo the safety buckle and drop the whole rig. I wear it pretty far on my left so a quick squirt is pretty easy.
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And when you eventually get to my advanced state of decrepitude ... them "quick squirt's":runaway: ... they come all too frequently ...
:cheers::rockOn:
 
46 friggin pages, and no-one's even mentioned what's written on the RCMP antique status letter:

"It has been determined, based on the information you supplied, that this firearm meets the definition of an "antique firearm" as set out in the Criminal Code under subsection 84(1). Pursuant to subsection 84(3)(a) of the Criminal Code Antique firearms are deemed not to be a firearm.

This letter provides confirmation that you may lawfully possess this particular firearm without a valid license or registration certificate. It is recommended that you retain this letter with the antique firearm as confirmation of its status.

Please be advised that the following regulations do apply to antique firearms in order to deter loss, theft and accidents:
* Regulations for Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals
* Regulations for Storage, Display and Transportation of Firearms and Other Weapons by Businesses"

I think with this letter, it would be fairly clear to an officer what you're legally allowed to do with the gun. I think without the letter specifying the serial number, I would not want to be found with an antique handgun in the woods.
 
Last I took the course open carry, strong side hip was a part of the conditions of a ATC permit. Been awhile since I have taken the course and things may have changed.
 
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Thank for for the interesting thread, OP.

This may be of interest from many here, it is from the NFA, and they have lawyers, as well it is referenced from the CC.
3. CC s. 93: Possession of any "antique firearm" at any location is legal.

4. CC s. 94: Being in a motor vehicle with any "antique firearm" is legal.
5. CC s. 95: Being in possession of a loaded "antique firearm" (which is also a "restricted firearm" or a "prohibited firearm"), or one with readily accessible ammunition is legal even if the person is not the holder of any licence, registration certificate, ATT, or ATC.
6. CC s. 99: Transferring or offering to transfer any "antique firearm" is legal.
7. CC s. 100: Dealing in any type of any "antique firearm" is legal.
8. CC s. 101: Transferring any "antique firearm" is legal if the transfer apparently violates the Firearms Act.
9. CC s. 103 and 104: Importing or exporting any "antique firearm" is legal.
10. CC s. 105: Not reporting the loss or finding of any "antique firearm" is legal.
11. CC s. 106 and 107: Not reporting the destruction of any "antique firearm" is legal, and knowingly making a false report of that type to a firearms official or the police is legal.
12. CC s. 117.03: A peace officer who finds a person in possession of any "antique firearm" is not authorized to demand that the person present a licence, registration certificate, ATT, and/or ATC.

Source:
https://nfa.ca/resource-items/antique-and-blackpowder-firearms

ETA;
Can we please get past the idea that an antique firearm couldn't even pierce a bears pelt, please, gentlemen? We get it.
 
I have just been reading this thread and think I will put in my .02c in.

I am a geologist, but I am not only at risk working in the bush. I find with the amount of time I spend outdoors gold panning, hiking, rock hounding, hunting, etc on my own personal time I am very vulnerable to attack from all kinds of critters. I carry rifles right now, but I often find them 10-20 feet away when I am gold panning, or doing any kind of labor related work. They are really just a pain and they end up being out of reach. I have bought an antique because it is my only means as a last line of defense against animals. I may have a cap and ball but I will tell you what, at under 15 feet away (which is where I would likely shoot an animal). I think it will pack enough punch with the right shot placement. Half of my reason to have a gun around is to scare the animal off before the situation gets too dangerous anyways (works most of the time). I would love to be able to carry a large caliber pistol all the time, but the laws don't allow it, so I took the next best thing. My plan B is always a pig sticker I have on my belt, but really any animal that has me on the ground more than likely will kill me if I am being realistic. They are much more powerful than any man, and evolution has made them deadly.

As far as holsters go, I have thought a lot about it, and I think a shoulder holster rig would be good, although I haven't tested it with my gear on. It would keep the pistol handy and out of the elements for the most part, and out of the way of any waist straps. The only problem would be in certain weather conditions when you have to wear coats. My second option would be a drop leg holster with a flap over top to prevent crud and rain getting into it.

I am still an avid proponent of bear spray, it may not work on all animals, but it has kept me alive so far. I have never had to shoot a rifle at an animal in self defence, but it only takes that one time in a thousand.

I was talking to a guy in Granlunds today, and he mentioned that Indian tactic of putting a mask on the back of your head so that predators think you can see them when they are behind you. I might actually give that a try gold panning. I often forget to check my surroundings regularly.
 
Hunter Stabs To Death 880-pound Grizzly Bear
October 24, 1995|By Jane Hirt.

PRINCE GEORGE — A Canadian hunter won a fight with a grizzly bear, stabbing it to death as the animal tried to tear him to pieces.

Bob Nichols of Maple Ridge, near Vancouver, was hospitalized in Prince George for his wounds.
The 880-pound grizzly bled to death late last week north of Ft. St. James.
The animal was with three yearling cubs and another cub a few months old, wildlife officials said.

The bear attacked Nichols near a beaver dam and began chewing on his legs and chest, said Danny Boyd, Nichols' hunting companion.
"He couldn't get his gun up because the bear got on him too quickly. He finally . . got his knife and started jabbing this thing in the side of the throat," Boyd said Sunday.
Nichols, 49, later fired his rifle to alert his companions.

Pig sticker just might do the trick. This guy is one wiry tough SOB though.
 
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