You need a pistol in Hurst more than you need one in "The Woods".

I’ve been around more hogs than many people and never have had one charge me. They really just want to get out of your way, not attack you. I chuckle when people say they carry a pistol for hogs.

I’ve also killed most of my pigs with a .22 LR


That said, illegals or other nefarious characters are a concern, so I will carry while out and about. Also, I hate snakes

All I needed to see was videos of charging hogs. That's enough for me.

At home, Copperheads are about all I've got to worry about. Every non-venomous snake gets a pass. If the non-venomous are helping with the rodent population, that discourages the Copperheads from hanging around. And, I've killed 5 Copperheads in 11 years. Not too bad.

I carry a pistol for pigs, but not because I'm afraid of them. I carry it for the times that I have an opportunity to reduce the pig population when I'm not carrying a rifle.

I’ve shot a pig or two with a sidearm. I’ve just never been afraid of them enough to warrant a gun specifically for them.

I’ll stalk into a herd and shoot one with a bow and no side arm without a second thought.

Javelinas are much more dangerous than hogs are.

Yup.

Yep, J.G. , I’m not all that worried about being in the woods. It’s my land and I’ve never, in 40+years of landownership, I’ve never worried about rattlers, etc. or mussentuches. None of them are doped up predators.

At 82 years old, I’ve never had a problem with rattlers, etc. I understand them. Human predators worry me and I’ve had to be glad I was armed twice. Didn’t have to pull the trigger and damned glad of it.