I know most on here seem to be against bringing a gun with them on tripps, but it made me wonder, (without starting fights) is there anyone that does?

I have, in case I need to put down an injured llama. I show it to my hiking partners and that is the only time I bring it up. I don't wear it or bring it our for show and tell; it stays safely out of sight. Fortunately I've never needed my pistol nor the bear spray I keep handy. I don't enjoy the responsibility that comes with carrying a firearm and I don't take it on every trip, but it's the best option for the intended use.

No. Never. Never will. Too much weight, zero gain. You have to take a heck of a big one to be effective against a moose or grizzly, and you have to have really practiced a lot, have a steady hand and be cool in the face of a charging angry animal to really hit anything in an effective - stopping the animal instead of just pissing it off - way. In other words, too much margin of error to be useful when it really needs to be useful.

If I ever make it into grizzly or wolf territory, or into areas where people are actually a concern, I'm taking a big can of bear spray - I don't have to aim well, it kills nothing, and it works pretty darn well against all kinds of critters with mucous membranes. And yes, I've been pepper sprayed - a long time ago, it was part of the training one had to possess it.

Depends, when hunting I obviously bring a gun, but it is illegal to carry when bow hunting in CA. I also believe it's illegal to carry a sidearm in a backpack, it must be exposed and not concealed. It's is also illegal in national parks to carry a loaded gun without permits.

For reasons discussed at very great length in many threads that have been started over many years, taking guns while backpacking is usually the wrong solution to any problem that might arise. A gun could conceivably be one solution to a few unlikely problems, but it is almost never the best solution.

The one situation where a gun seems to be indicated would be in Alaska, in very remote territory inhabited by a numerous population of brown bears (aka grizzlies), but it must be a large caliber rifle capable of killing the bear, kept where it can be easily and rapidly accessed, and in the hands of someone very familiar with shooting it in a quickly developing emergency situation. Otherwise, bear spray is the better answer.

First off, I can only think of 3 legitimate reasons to carry a firearm in the woods. First as mentioned hunting. Second to protect yourself from predatory animals. Third protection from 2 legged wrong do'ers.

As Lori and Aimless put it so well, the choice of firearm for protection against predatory animals like grizzly or large black bears for that matter would have to be of such a large rifle caliber that you could actually bring down the animal in one accurately delivered shot. If you do your homework you will find instances where they have cut open grizzlies that were destroyed for killing humans and found the remains of men who went up against them using pistols. A human being on drugs can take quite a few 9mm projectiles and still keep coming. To a large predator it would be nothing more than an annoyance. Also you are not going to go hiking with the likes of an 8mm magnum rifle slung across your chest for miles at a time and expect to enjoy your adventure and that is exactly what you would have to do to have any chance at aquiring your firearm quickly enough to kill a charging predator. Lastly you had better spend 4 to 5 days a week training with said rifle shooting at running boar targets at a rifle range so you know you CAN make the shot. I know after shooting literally tens of thousands of rounds at paper targets in High Power competition I would not bet MY life on it. Oh, and you may want to poop your pants a little too while your shooting just to make it realistic.

I agree with the use of Bear spray because I too think it is simply the best solution for protection against predators. Two or Four legged. As of late with coyotes now packing and attacking humans I carry a can of spray most of the time. We have hiked some notorious grizzly country and have never so much as seen one. Making some noise on the trail will be much safer than carrying a gun.

In closing, yes I have carried on the trail once or twice but after educating myself I feel if I am in need of carrying a firearm, especially for protection against two footers, I had better find some better places to hike/BP.

I carried a 375 H&H, 308 or 30-06 with me when I worked in the field in Alaska and Yukon. I never had occasion to use firepower even when I had grizzly encounters.

At one time, I competed in PPC and NRA bullseye pistol matches (without any particular distinction mind you ) and so am familiar and comfortable with firearms.

I have been backpacking or climbing or doing research fieldwork for nearly 70 years. In that time, I have never been in a situation where having a gun along did improve, or would have improved, anything. That said, I carry a lightweight 380 ACP with me when I am hiking near the Mexican border but, again, have never felt the need to unholster it.

Yes, that IMO seems to be a perfectly appropriate time to carry. At least based on reports of some of the goings on at the boarder. However, I have no first hand knowledge so I refer to those who know better than I.

jimmyb

I carry here in AK. I have a .357 and the hubby (when he comes with) carries a short (legal) shotgun.

However, if I have to shoot an animal, that isn't already wounded of course, then I have already probably screwed up by not handling my food correctly or not hiking correctly. But that is my personal opinion, however it is alway in mind.

Alaska has a very high level of crimes against women, though that is mostly domestic abuse. However, they did "recently" catch a serial killer.

When I lived in Anchorage and Hiked in the South Central Alaska wilderness I carried a 0.41 magnum pistol. But Then I found out it was much too small for big bears. It also was heavy and I didn't like carrying it. We also saw a few bears at a distance but none of them bothered us. So I hiked regularly without a weapon except a small pocket knife. A friend there told me to remember to that most bear charges are false charges! Much later after i left AK a friend was killed by a bear near Gridwood so perhaps I was naive. We have only black bears where I hike now, and no recorded deaths in recorded history. I have had training (military) in how to use a gun (and mostly when not to), but I worry that some people may create more problems than they solve carrying a gun. Just My opinion, others may feel differently.

I never have, but I've hiked with folks who do and never had reason to worry about it.

I've never hiked in grizzly country though. I probably still wouldn't carry a gun. I'm sure I'd carry pepper spray.

I don't carry pepper spray here. The black bears here haven't attacked anyone in a long time. They don't even steal your food here. They hide from people. Of course, that's probably because a lot of people here do carry guns.

I don't, except when hunting.
One reason is that the large majority of my hiking/camping/backpacking is when I am with scouts. It is against their policy for me to carry one.

I also don't own a handgun. I plan to...when I have the funds.

Bear spray is pretty dang effective...as is proper food storage.

Not anymore unless solo along the Texas/Mexico border. Use to carry when hiking but decided hauling a "brick" around areas with little likelihood of trouble made no sense. Even in cat/black bear country. Griz/polar bear country is a different deal. Hiking in Alaska, one of our party carried a rifle. Hiking in Canada, we were unarmed...still saw bear and moose, but no trouble.
I do carry pepper spray but never in 40+ years of hiking have I had a need to deploy a weapon.

Guns are always a hot topic. I am more afraid of someone with a gun than animals. Too often hunters mistake hikers for an animal of some sort and shoot at them. In spite of that, I don't carry or own a handgun. Most of the pro or con debate is anecdotal. The only time I ever saw someone with a gun was a hunter in NZ who had a rifle of some sort. Handguns are banned there for the most part.

Now that guns are allowed in national parks, one more thing to worry about-national parks are full of "city folk" who are inherently afraid of the outdoors, paranoid, have visions of being attacked by wild animals, and are the people most likely to shoot first and find out later what they were shooting at.

Agree, this is a big problem in our area. A Cop shot a woman here last year for a deer among many other shootings over recent years. Of course having quite a bit of knowledge of police and guns, they are many times the least responsible with them.

In this part of the country, IMO the mentality of hunting has changed over the years. Its gone from more of a sporting attitude to a need to kill something. Years ago the focus was on the hunt. The approach was more of outwitting the game. It used to be it didn't matter so much if you came home empty handed, if you are putting yourself on the same level as your game to make it sporting it is only right if the animal wins at least half the time. Now with all the advantages of modern gear and machinery the hunt seems more secondary. Of course this is not the case for every hunter, only a trend that I have seen over the years.

jimmyb

I haven't noticed that here. We have our share of not so brights hunting but for the most part hunters in the Ozarks hunt for food & sport, and that's the order of their priority. Very few hunt just to kill something.

We really do need them here too. By the time deer season rolls around the populations are getting to the point where you're constantly worried about one running into the road in front of you. In the county I live in over 2500 deer were taken last month. Two were taken within 1000 feet of our house and I don't know how may taken on the public land around ours but I heard at least a half dozen shots taken and most probably hit their mark. My dogs start dragging home bones and hides at the beginning of bow season through firearms and based on that I'd say at least a dozen were taken within their snooping range.

Most of the shots taken here are from a pretty close range. You have to hunt that way because the forest is so thick. Most deer here are killed within a 100 ft of the hunter. There's just too many trees and low growing brush to try to shoot further in most cases. Very few hunters will waste a shot. Miss and you don't get a second chance. Take a bad shot and your deer will almost always run way down into a hollow where it's a tough to find and haul out. So after being here a few years I've become comfortable with hunters and seeing people out carrying a rifle or handgun.

Overall, my feelings on guns are pretty mixed. I can't add anything to the debate, and I don't know a good solution to the problems associated with them. Like Tom, I don't own one, never have, and probably never will own a handgun. My wife has been encouraging me to consider deer hunting. We have the land and the deer and now that's she's been here awhile she's grown fond of venison, tired of dodging deer on the road, learned I really did butcher a lot of our own livestock when I was a kid, and she's always been fond of saving money.

It's harder to "Shoot your eye out" with a deer rifle, so I might get one. Might not though. Might charge to let someone who has one hunt our land instead and buy a beef cow from my neighbor with the proceeds

Very well put Bill! I hunt but let me tell you the killing is by far the worst part, I hate taking a life and feel a deep respect for any animal that is harvested. Being a meat eater I feel better about hunt harvested meat than feed lot cattle that live a horrible life in squalor conditions, to me at least this is much worse than an animal that lives naturally. As far as hunting dangers goes people are very safe, hunters must not only identify what they are shooting but also what could be hit beyond in case you miss. In states that have buck only hunts are even safer, unless you wear a antler hat and buck skin clothing. My son started hunting this year and to me what's way more important than him being successful is firearm handling. How he reacts with a loaded gun is my entire focus. What's your background, is there any other animals behind your target, can you see where your bullet goes if you miss,all very critical. Next is land management, never leave trash, never waste an animal, no matter how tough it is, it is our responsibility to utilize all of an animal that you take. I'll never forget my first 22, my grandpa gave it to me when I was 6 yo and then spent the next 3 months drilling safety into my head. One day we were target shooting at his barn when a robin landed on the wood pile. He told me I could shoot this bird, not having a good grasp on empathy I took aim. Just before I was about to pull the trigger my grandpa leaned over and whispered into my ear " you can shoot, but it's going to be your dinner". Never ever take a life without the intent to use this life as best you can. From my experience this is how most hunters are, and like anything there is a small percentage that don't live by these rules. It's just not fair to label a whole group by the actions of a few jerks. This goes for ANYTHING in life, including backpackers. How many times have you come to a camp that has trash blowing around, excrement not buried or packed out, this doesn't mean all backpackers are this way.

Also remember deer kill more people in a year than hunters kill people on accident. Don't let fear cloud reality.

I have to assume this was not meant for me as I believe I was pretty clear in NOT making a blanket statement.

We do come from 2 entirely different parts of the country and being in a small state with a whole lot less land area appropriate for hunting the problems are intensified. The last day I ever hunted I walked out of the woods after hearing more shooting than I could imagine even on a rifle range. You could actually trace the path of the deer through the woods by the reports of the shotgun rounds being fired by the so called hunters. People who have no experience what so ever flood in from Boston and other parts of the eastern part of the state and make hunting season an UNSAFE time to be in the woods. I will only attempt to hike on Sundays because hunting is prohibited and you couldn't pay me enough to go any other day even with blaze orange from head to toe.

The day I walked out of the woods my hunting buddy was nearly killed by another hunter a mere few yards away. The hunter raised his gun and shot at a deer that passed between the two of them without even seeing my buddy dressed in blaze orange. Thank God the slug hit the deer in the spine as that was the only thing that stopped it from continuing on through my friend. If that shotgun had been loaded with buck shot he surely would have been hit. Now that was 32 yrs ago. You can imagine how the increase in population and the decline in safe hunting acreage has complicated things even more.

In closing I will tell you I have been shot at twice, and that was on two different organized NRA affiliated rifle ranges. It is not fun hearing rounds come down range like that. In one instance my white pickup truck was parked downrange while pasting targets. That's how ridiculously dangerous and negligent people can be. I assure you I enjoy shooting more than most but I am well aware of the dangers of putting firearms in the hands of the general public and a hunter safety course just doesn't cut it.

When foolish accidents happen around here the lawyers take over and that's all she wrote. So yes a few bad apples can ruin it for everyone. I am glad for you that it is not as bad in your area. Stay safe

jimmyb

PS I don't mean this to sound confrontational at all. Just trying to shed a little light on how things are in our overpopulated area.

Bill I think that folks who are relying on harvesting game for their daily sustenance have a much better grasp on things in general. I have met many folks from north of us that rely on moose, deer and bear meat to keep their freezers full. I was coached by a few gentleman from Wisconsin that were very reliant on their winter harvest. I would have had no worries hunting with either of them.

Your comment on making the first shot count is absolutely the correct way of approaching it as recoil affecting your successive shots will surely put your projectiles over the back of your game, and where are they going from there?

It is nice to know that some parts of the country still retain hunting as part of the every day culture.

jimmyb

My comments where not aimed at you at all! I was being very general and should have prefaced my comments with the fact I've only ever hunted in the west, definitely vast,wide open,very few people. We don't even use orange, and can always spot someone from out of town.Back east is a whole different ball game. I don't envy your situations. Sorry if it seemed my comment was directed at you! This season I never heard a shot, and didn't take one myself.

Rock, I'm pretty passionate about gun safety, maybe too much sometimes so thanks for clarifying. I always dreamed as a kid of hunting big sky territory where you can make a 5oo yd shot on big game. I had an uncle that lived in Wyoming that ate a whole lot of antelope. I did get the chance later in life to shoot a whole lot of paper circles at very long distance.

jimmyb

In this neck of the woods (NW Oregon) we seem to have a lot more problems with casual shooters who just drive out on a forest road somewhere, set out a 'target' (which might be an old microwave or some other piece of trash) and start plinking away at it, than we do with licensed hunters or concealed carry holders. It takes all kinds to make a world, but I sort of wish this kind didn't exist.

Agree, much akin to racing cars on the street. Great activity in the wrong place. Take the cars to the track and the guns to the range.

jimmyb

There are parts of Wisconsin that suffer from this too. People from No. Illinois, mainly the Chicago/Rockford area, go up there and wreak some havoc every year. They're the type that bring quarts of whiskey with them to "Deer Camp", cross over into private property, and blast their guns as you've described. The locals up there got to the point of dreading them, and then to the point of really disliking them. I haven't heard of any serious run-ins there in a few years, but it was getting to the point of ugly when I last lived up there.

We're lucky to have so much public land here, and lot's of fairly large tracks of private land. There's plenty of elbow room here to find a safe spot where no one is even in range.

And hunters here do were blaze orange. It's the law, and the fine is heavy if you're caught not wearing while sporting your gun. Hikers wear it too. We know there are hunters out there and it's not uncommon for me to hike into their range before I notice them. Generally they'll wave some blaze orange to catch your attention and when I do see them I change course and get completely out of their range, and if they're lucky I'll flush some game there way, so it works outs pretty good.

There's always something in season to hunt here but I mostly stay out of the forest during firearms season for deer. It's tough because those are two of the most perfect weeks to be in the forest, but you have to share.

I don't even hike my own land during those weeks. Locals here have hunted that hollow for thousands of years and I am not going to be the one that tries to end that tradition. No one has ever abused it or been stupid about it so I've never had a reason to anyway.

I often carry a compact 9mm with me when hiking or backpacking--but I also carry one in daily life, so it's just part of my thing. It's for coyotes and two legged snakes. Never needed it, hope never to. Where and how I carry it depends on what else I'm carrying.