There have been some doozie gun threads here. When you search be sure to set the date range farther back than the default time of one week. Also check the archived thread links on the lower left corner of the forum home page. They require a different search engine. Believe me, they are out there. Here is one I found very quickly. Most gun threads I see here and elsewhere tend to bring out the.....errr.....passion in people.

I own guns, shoot guns, and have competed with guns. I have been through lots of firearms courses. I have also been paid to carry a gun as part of my job. I only mention this to give my opinion a little credibility.

For car camping: Maybe, if it makes you feel more safe.

For backpacking: Since your are statistically much more likely to suffer injury from a fall than from any harm inflicted by an animal (including the two legged variety) you would be much better off with a helmet, knee pads and ankle braces than with a gun. I'm dead serious. Also, guns and ammo are relatively heavy. If you look at a gun as a piece of safety equipment, there are much lighter and more practical things you can carry to protect yourself against the REAL dangers out in the woods. The odds of needing that gun to actually protect yourself from a genuine threat are very, very low.