I always carry in the woods. Here in the peoples republic of NY you can not carry a handgun during archery season. Few yrs back I had a big sow black bear and 4 cubs come in. One of them decided to come up ladder in my stand. I wasn’t to worried about a 100lb cub but if mom had saw me as a threat I’d sure like to of had more than a bow in my hand. I shued the cub away and they all ran off. Mom never knew I was there.