jehan
I noticed that you did not fill out your profile, you are also a newbie here. I suggest that you read some of the reams of material that have been posted and debated here, prior to writing your first post about being a gun aficionado and knowing more, without knowing what has preceded your challenging post.

I'm just saying that Tom D has about a billion times more credibility than you do and you should begin posting about things like gear and camping, not guns.

Jim

I am concerned because people use *everything* irresponsibly.

I am concerned because people hang their food wrong, wash in the streams and leave their soap suds behind, dig catholes in the middle of established wilderness campgrounds, and while I expect you will likely not be among them, people use firearms extremely irresponsibly. I'm not even talking about criminals here. I am not a victim to fear, as many people who pack a gun they don't know how to use are - I am possessed of extensive experience with the depth and width of human shortsightedness and stupidity, as I have seen it in action. Perhaps my cynicism is excessive, but all people of every socioeconomic status do dumb stuff, including people who are licensed to carry. I almost feel that I should post most of my own family tree in this space as examples.

...

Only if I know how to use it and keep it in my hands at all times. Things happen very quickly and having a gun in my pack does nothing for me. Concealing it means it's not in my hand when a cougar jumps off the rock in front of me. I will continue to be prepared in other ways and leave the heavy metal objects to people who are blinded by their own self assurance. A gun is at its lightest when it is not on my person.

You may think guns are the best protection, but they are good protection only under certain circumstances, which you are not even showing signs of acknowledging. Jimshaw is right, you need to read the other threads about guns for a while and understand your audience better before posting pro-gun messages.

According to the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2006 there were 16 homicides, 41 rape cases, 92 robberies, 16 kidnappings and 333 aggravated assaults handled by national park and refuge law enforcement.