Sidearm or Bear Spray for Bowhunting?

If you have a Carry and Conceal permit, you can carry your sidearm no matter where you are. Federal laws supercede state laws. I carry either a Beretta PX4 Storm in .40 or .45 just depends on which one I pull out when I reach under my pillow...lol

I have bear spray and carry it some times. In CA you cant carry a pistol while archery hunting, but sometimes I dont follow all the rules. I would rather be judged by 12 that carried by 6.

Better safe than sorry. I dont trust Bear Spray like I trust a bullet.

I guess the fact that in CA you have to be Law Enforcement or be responsible for transporting money to have a C and C permit might have something to do with it.

4 years ago I shot a cat coming in to my elk bugle at 4 yrds had I not turned around and backtracked my trail after a half hour calling session (which I ussually go longer than that but something didn't feel right) I wouldn't have even known she was there I took about 10 steps up my back trail came around a small pine and we were face to face only thing that saved me is she hesitataed and I didn't the moment I saw her I was at full draw Well after a 4 letter word and a five foot jump. The biologist said the only reason he can figure she hesitated to pounce as she was already crouched was she expected an elk. I'm here to tell you I wouldn't have even had time too draw a gun. Now luckly this was a cat and not a grizz as they are in the area too would I have faired as well against a bigger animal. I don't know but I can still tell you I would have never gotton my side arm drawn my bow was my only chance. When I hit her she jumped higher than I had, landed at my feet took 2 steps away and died. I sat on a rock and dry heaved from adranilane for about an hour and every time her tail twitched I jumped. I didn't even have enough sense left to move away from her. That arrow is deadly when placed correctly. I've replayed this a couple thousand times in my head ussually as I'm bugling for elk without anyone around and I'm not sure how I would have drawn a gun against any animal and an Angel was on my side when that animal didn't react immidietly. As far as bear spray, a man used it near our hunt on a grizz and effectivly detered it 2 yrs ago I think, Forest service came into camp advising everyone but it made me more nervous to know that there was one pissed off grizz in the woods that had a bad taste left in his mouth from his last experiance witha human, made me wonder if he came in close contact again if he would hesitate. And ya I carry a .45 auto xdm. But doubt I will ever use it.

I hardley ever carry anything but my bow. If im going where i know there are Grizzly bears i will take my bear spray but thats about it. I might regret that some day. I have been chases by a black bear sow and ran off an elk I just killed by another bear but i still dont carry anything, slow learner i guess but it just doesnt bother me.

In Calif, i think the question is what crime for carrying a sidearm during bowhunting?  if you lose your ability to pull a hunting license for 1 year vs. being guilty of a felony makes a big difference...?  Without doing any research, i would ask does anyone know what the ramifications are in Calif for carrying a pistol?

We have to be specific when it comes to saying 'bowhunting' and thinking it covers it all animals. The California laws are in relation to deer hunting. You CAN carry a sidearm when archery hunting for turkey, bear (just not the crossover deer season or the archery specific bear season), and wild hogs. You can't carry a sidearm during the archery season for deer or during the general season in you only have an archery tag.

We all have a right to bear arms, but we don't have a right to hunt and we need to follow the laws that are put in place for each state we hunt in.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Notice I said you cannot is you are only hunting with an AO - Archery only tag during deer season or in a bowhunting only area. You also cannot carry a sidearm if you are hunting during a specific archery season.

For example, if you are bear hunting during the bear archery season you cannot carry a firearm. BUT as soon as the bear general season opens (but not during the crossover deer season) you CAN carry a sidearm because both are legal methods at that time.

§354. Archery Equipment and Crossbow Regulations.

(h) Except as provided in subsection 353(g), archers may not possess a firearm while hunting in the field during any archery season, or while hunting during a general season under the provisions of an archery only tag.