MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

I put in for a archery bear permit. Now if I was lucky enough (be quite 9er) to draw that tag. Is it leagal to have a pistol on my side (I do have a concealed weapons permit) for protection. If that bear comes at me after I stick it with an arrow I want something that I can defend my self with.

Do any of you guys have any knowledge on this. I can't find anything in the regs saying that I can't carry a pistol for protection if I have the concealed permit.

Thanks.

Deadi
This is what I found in the proclamation, I think the last paragraph my work in your benifit???

(4)(a) A person who has obtained a limited entry bear archery permit may not possess or be in control of a firearm or have a firearm in his camp or motor vehicle during an archery bear hunt.

(b) The provisions of Subsection (a) do not apply to:

(i) a person licensed to hunt upland game or waterfowl, provided the person complies with Rules R657-6 and R657-9 and the Upland Game and Waterfowl guidebooks, respectively, and possesses only legal weapons to take upland game or waterfowl;

(ii) a person licensed to hunt big game species during hunts that coincide with the archery bear hunt;

(iii) livestock owners protecting their livestock; or

(iv) a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon in accordance with Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7 of the Utah Code, provided the person is not utilizing the concealed firearm to hunt or take protected wildlife.

Yea I saw that part. It is the same for the archery big game hunts. I guess my question more applys to the rare chance that the bear charges. My bow is not going to stop a raging bear in a charge, so if I have to shoot it with the pistol to keep it from eating me, am I going to get screwed.

Guess I better make sure the camera is running so that I have evidence huh?

Another turn on that question, is what if my dad is holding the pistol.

Just wondering.

think of a bear as just a big coyote. on are ranches in new mexico there were times you would see 10 + bears within 100 yrds a day. we had 1 place you could sit on a pond and 1 night 17 bears came in to water or swim in the pond. so we were around a TON of bears and mostly they were close , with in 200 yrds. with the hundreds of bear incounter i would bet the farm on what will happen when you have a run in with a bear 99.9% of the time. they take off running as fast as they can to get away from you. i wouldn't even think about carrying a gun, there is no need. just keep a bowie knife in your teeth just in case

Since the animal you are hunting is the one that you want to protect yourself from is a big grey area. I think that if you had your father there holding the pistol then you should be fine as long as he doesn't have a tag also. I don't know of any laws that says that your father can't protect him and you if he feels threatend.

Hope you can run fast
Make sure you have the camera on! Good luck
I would call the DWR, they can explain it better than the proc.

if you do have someone there with you and the bear charges just make sure your shoes are tied. you don't have to out run the bear just the other person

I hunt down around monticello where there is a ton of bears and we see them all the time when i bow hunt i carry a pistol i also have a concealed permit i talked to the DWR and they said as long as i have my permit and i am not taking game with my pistol i would be fine i asked him what if i was being attacked he said that would be self deffense and that is the reason you got the concealed permit correct so you should be just fine