Some people may think it's silly to worry about being out in the woods and armed with a sidearm when they have a rifle, but this is a different time, and not a whole lot of years ago in our history you were a dan fool if you didn't have more than just a rifle with you.

I was out walking the woods a couple years ago and only had my 30-30 Winchester and four rounds in the gun. I walked up on a big sow and she was moving and I got off a shot, and not seeing she had a bunch of piglets she turned and headed straight at me at about 60 yards and closing. I fired two more shots and she kept coming and I had one left and finally dropped her with the last shot in the gun at about ten feet.

Was she charging me? I don't know as I can't get into the head of that hog, but I do know I had to empty that rifle to stop her as there was no trees are anywhere for me to run, and with a bad leg I took the best way out.

I felt a little naked walking back to my Jeep with an empty gun or I should say club.

All I have to say is if you have it use it. If you don't then to each his own, but it's better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it!

I'd tell the story about walking up on a pack of feral dogs, but that's another story!

I carry a 4" 357 S&W. first two rounds are snakeshot, next 4 are 180 grain corbon. I'm not so much worried about something attacking me as I am coming across a snake, or having something handy in case I need to finish an animal off at close range.

Screw that. If I have to fire my gun in that situation, I guarantee I won't be shooting into the ground.

its nice to have a weapon of choice for protection. but i dont see blasting off a few rounds at a snake or something else to ruin a hunt. is it that bad out there?

x2

Browning A-Bolt 300 WSM 180 grain XP3s. I havent had a hog take a second step. I did however shoot a wounded hog the other day with my .45 that had been shot with a 243. 4 chest shots and one in the side of the head at 15 feet to take it down. I will stick with the rifle.

I like my Cahrter arms Bulldog in 44 special with a laserlyte laser and 200 grain JHP at about 950FPS. Very comforting when I go after a hog that I wounded with my bow in the dark east TX woods. PLus its ligth and comfortable to carry.

My ported Taurus tracker 4inch in 44mag aint bad either.

Glock 22 in .40 with 15 rounds

any

A Sig.

Yep. Did that one for a long time. This year I got a Glock 27 (.40). I mostly use it for follow-up shots on animals that are down, but not out. Snakes will get beat to death and other varmints will get the rifle, as well as wounded game that are still mobile.

Don't forget in South Texas (as well as here) you get a lot of exchange workers moving through on foot. You're "garden variety" illegal is not a problem, but the cartels, drug mules and coyotes (not the "yotes", but the ones who transport illegals) can be somewhat disagreeable. It's never a bad thing to be armed.