Packing a handgun in the field is not for everyone. Some may think it too Rambo-esque, while others just don't want to bother lugging a heavy handgun around on their hip all day. However, smart outdoorsmen know a good handgun on the hip beats a rifle in the cabin any day.

Some of the Rodriguez's favorite field guns are (from left) S&W Model 629, Freedom Arms' Model 97 and a Mag-na-ported Ruger Blackhawk.

As a hunting outfitter, I have some special reasons for keeping a handgun close--number one being that I'm sometimes called upon to put down wounded game. But not everyone who reads this magazine hunts. Whether it's hiking, biking, camping, fishing or ranch work, many of us spend time afield, where the potential for danger of the two- or four-legged variety is always present. A reliable, accurate handgun of adequate caliber, in a comfortable holster, is a good way to make sure you're able to stop those pests in their tracks when the need arises.

The most important factor to consider when deciding which handgun to carry is what sort of threat you are most likely to face. Across the country, bears are a big concern, with grizzlies making up an increasingly larger percentage of the problem in the West and have always been a factor in Alaska.

The author likes light-rail guns like these from (left to right) Kimber, Wilson Combat and Springfield Armory when tooling around his ranch at night.

In wild lands close to cities and towns, coyotes, feral dogs and even mountain lions can present a four-legged threat.

Smaller animals can pose their own problems. Last year my friend's boss, a South Texas ranch owner (a true rancher wouldn't have let this happen), took his kids out arrowhead hunting on the ranch. When they entered an old Indian cave, a little fox came out to greet them.

The fox seemed playful and curious, jumping up and down at the kids and running in circles around them. Its antics entertained them greatly. In fact, the boys tried several times to pet the fox. Fortunately, it was still a bit too timid to bite. It wasn't too scared, however, to follow them down the road nipping at their heels.

Blackhawk's SERPA lock holsters have an immediate lock-in system that secures a pistol but allows speedy access.

Back at the truck, the fox went and laid down in the shade of a bush and seemed to doze off. The man's youngest son walked over, sat by the fox and began to scratch its ears. Instead of reciprocating, the fox bit him on the leg. It didn't occur to the father until later that the fox's odd behavior could only be attributed to one thing: rabies.

Readers of this magazine are probably not stupid or naïve enough to let the situation get that far, but it does prove that rabid animals are a threat. Having a gun handy--along with the proper mindset--could have prevented that boy from undergoing a painful series of rabies shots.

Two-legged vermin are another concern for outdoorsmen. Down on the border, illegal aliens are the primary danger as increasing numbers of violent criminals smuggle drugs, arms or people. Ranch-gate carjackings, home invasions, robbery, rape and murder are all too common now in my neck of the woods.

In Alaska and most of the wide-open west, the danger of running into criminals or societal drop-outs looking for targets of opportunity is very real. After all, with no witnesses and little chance of getting caught, gear-rich campers, hikers, and fishermen can be irresistible targets for those on society's fringes.