I've often had fellow hunters ask or even tell me to take a gun with me when leaving camp during the off season to work on feeders or other types of activities. And I've always been one who never does. In fact, I've often told guys that if I take a gun, I'm sure I won't see anything that I might if I leave one behind. Call it a form of reverse psychology, but it seems you're far more likely to see wild game during the off season when you didn't bring a rifle. Granted, I'm not saying that having a gun during the off season is more likely to lead to poaching, but that karma always works against you if you take a gun.

So then, what's your normal practice during the off season for taking a firearm when traveling about on your property or lease?

We have large pigs come through our place and I've been caught in a feeder pen without a gun a couple of times. No more.

Hog season is always open! I carry a "truck gun" , Remington auto 30-06 carbine, when I go to my place because my regular hunting rifle is in a safe on the property and sometimes I see hogs when coming through the gate or even deer during the season. I have a rifle scabbard on my dozer because I have seen hogs and coyotes while working.

I always take a gun.

I do. You never know when you might get an opportunity to take out one more pig.

I haven't had a lease in quite a while but the last place I had was in S. Texas. The landowner told us to never get caught without a weapon because of all the illegals. On my place I carry my AR-15 in the Mule. When I'm on my tractor I carry a pistol.

Always carry a gun in my mule either 22 mag, or 17 hmr lever or 22 lr auto sometimes my AR

Axis are always in season. I try to always carry a rifle.

Encore 18” barrel 6.5 CM

Safest truck gun made

It's silly not to have a long gun handy. It needs to be handy, or it's worthless.

Hogs and coyotes always have a gun

It appears I'm definitely in the minority.

Lots of pigs and coyotes are killed when it's hot and you're doing work. I have an old 243 that always rides with me, that gun has killed a lot of critters during the "off" season. There is no off season to me.

Hogs, coyotes, raccoons, or rattlesnakes...I always have a gun at the ranch.

FTW

most of the time I have a gun. we also have axis deer so it makes sense to bring a gun if i need a deer for meat.

Almost always have a gun even if it’s just a pistol

I try to take a snake gun, but that's about it.

We don't have exotics, since we penned feeders the hogs are almost nonexistent, and getting a shot off at a coyote would be near impossible.

I like to be prepared so I carry some kind of gun most of the time

Yeah I always carry

Pistol on me all day, every day (except on duty).

Rifle with me in the truck, in the shop, on the tractor, in the Mule, everywhere I go.

Hogs and coyotes are not going to kill themselves.

If you leave a gun behind, you are more likely to see something that needs to be shot. In addition to my everyday sidearm, I usually carry a nice handy lever action in the off season.

From the time we arrive to the time we leave the Mule always has a couple of rifles cased on it.

Snake gun is all I carry in the offseason