Camping with a weapon

[CSG]

I always have a weapon nearby while camping. I've never needed it but I'm glad to have it for the remote chance it's needed. As a former deputy sheriff in my earlier life I decided I would always be prepared because you see another side of life most people don't until they become the victim.

 

[Viggen]

Wow, tons of responses. Im a long time hunter so I am trained and have a lot of experience handling firearms. I was just curious to see if anyone thought about the same sort of thing. Im not too worried about bear attacks as those are so very rare. Im more concerned about the weirdos out there.

 

[Tucson T4R]

Wow, tons of responses. Im a long time hunter so I am trained and have a lot of experience handling firearms. I was just curious to see if anyone thought about the same sort of thing. Im not too worried about bear attacks as those are so very rare. Im more concerned about the weirdos out there.

Got more than you asked for eh? :xxrotflma:xxrotflma Obviously a highly opinionated mix of polar views on the subject.

Living in Southern AZ we have the added challenge of boarder crossers heading North. The people runners don't bother me much except for the trash left behind but they are mixed with folks running drugs and I sure don't want to run into them unprepared.

 

[xtatik]

Got more than you ask for eh? :xxrotflma:xxrotflma Obviously a highly opinionated mix of polar views on the subject.

Living in Southern AZ we have the added challenge of boarder crossers heading North. The people runners don't bother me much except for the trash left behind but they are mixed with folks running drugs and I sure don't want to run into them unprepared.

OK, now we're talkin'. This is where I spend a great deal of time. I do a majority of my quail hunting (my prey of choice) along the border. Usually in backcountry San Diego county. But, we'll make an annual trip to Arizona for Mearns Quail.
Our border regions are an area where I would advise having a gun. I'm glad Tuscon has made a distinction between who's who in the northbound mix. We've run into small parties, but they minded their own business and we did the same. You'll know when your in the zone down there when you start seeing the discarded water bottles, packs and clothing and bits of serape with wire woven into it.:sombrero:
Now see, I'd mentioned the rare instances further up the thread........here's one of them. Of course, when I'm there, I'm usually walking around with a 20 bore sideby anyway.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I hunt Javelina in hand gun season with my buddies every year. We used to go South of Tucson but in recent years we have shifted to areas farther East and North to avoid all the North bound traffic from the boarder. We have run into multiple groups of people down South and like you, we just waved and they went on their way.

The routes are painfully obvious due to the trash left behind. :-(

 

[stolenheron]

anyone used a Camillus CQB knife for outdoor/adventure protection?

I have carried a fullsize Ka-bar (straight edge) on my hip for the past 4 or 5 years when hiking... the ka-bar is "cheap" robust and quite heavy. i've used it for cutting, pounding stakes, etc.

my brother in law (US mil) gave me a brand new Camillus CQB identical to this blade:

this knife isnt as all around useful as the Ka-bar imo, but its higher quality and a *******load better for "protection". my ka-bar is almost sharp enough to shave with but the CQB will cut through w/e i throw at it twice as fast as the Kabar.

anyones thoughts on carrying one or the other? technically i could carry both. camillus on my hip and kabar in my pack. 1 for protection (readily at hand) the other for activities such as setting up camp and cutting crap up.

 

[Chazz Layne]

anyones thoughts on carrying one or the other? technically i could carry both. camillus on my hip and kabar in my pack. 1 for protection (readily at hand) the other for activities such as setting up camp and cutting crap up.

Nice blade...:drool:

I'd say carry which ever one you are more likely to have on you - I'm betting that one is lighter, thinner and easier to carry than the Ka-Bar?



To the original question - I carry a sidearm at home, add a shotgun and a rifle to that when camping. I will probably never need it in either situation, but the lives of myself and my favorite travelling companion (also armed) just aren't worth that gamble.

 

[AxeAngel]

Never used to carry before. Spoke with the girl at length about this and I will be buying a Mossberg 500 before our next trip (provided we dont plan a trip between now and early August).

Only reason for carrying is the other stupid idiots that you can encounter out there. The idiots that shoot at your campsite, or the jacked up meth-heads, or the drunken aggressive idiots out there or the charles manson types.

I used to have a few guns before (glock for home defense), 30-06, remington 12ga, colt desert eagle all when I lived in south africa. Got rid of all my guns because i have a few idiot friends and unfortunately people think they are tough when there friend has a gun.

So back to the point, Mossberg 500 and deciding between a Stoeger/Bersa/Rock Island Armoury for the times that the rifle isnt convenient or out of reach.

 

[Wyowanderer]

Never used to carry before. Spoke with the girl at length about this and I will be buying a Mossberg 500 before our next trip (provided we dont plan a trip between now and early August).

Only reason for carrying is the other stupid idiots that you can encounter out there. The idiots that shoot at your campsite, or the jacked up meth-heads, or the drunken aggressive idiots out there or the charles manson types.

I used to have a few guns before (glock for home defense), 30-06, remington 12ga, colt desert eagle all when I lived in south africa. Got rid of all my guns because i have a few idiot friends and unfortunately people think they are tough when there friend has a gun.

So back to the point, Mossberg 500 and deciding between a Stoeger/Bersa/Rock Island Armoury for the times that the rifle isnt convenient or out of reach.

The Mossberg is a great choice for personal defense. Please get a mentor to show you how to use it if you aren't already profficient with it already.
I'd also reccomment two other things for it; sling mounts and a good sling, because the sling mounts that come with it stink, and a stock that fits YOU. Depending on your build, the stock may be too long. If it is, you won't shoot it as well. Choate makes a great stock that may help your shooting.

Just a little friendly advise; get rid of the idiot friends. People who behave like that aren't friends, they're liabilities.

 

[Chazz Layne]

Even if you're big, you might find you like the shorter stock better. They make the shotgun a bit more maneuverable and easier to handle. I'm 6' and long-armed, but I prefer the "children's" length Hogue stock on my 500. As an additional plus, that means it fits the wife perfectly too...

I'd recommend Glock for it's simplicity and low maintenance... but the Rock Island (1911) is a fine gun as well and a good deal. Plus, the RIA is fun to customize.



I know what you mean about idiots that think they are tough stuff because of a firearm. This can happen anywhere... best thing I can say to that (and a policy I follow religiously) is: Out of sight, Out of mind.

 

[john101477]

I respectfully exercise my right to carry. I thought I had answered in this thread but I guess not. I also carry a knife. having both is IMO important.
Lots of folks do not believe in guns or the usefulness of a gun in the outdoors and thats ok. I have been in a few situations where a gun was handy so I will continue to carry. It is MY choice not anyone elses.
I have read a hole heck of a lot of non sense in this thread on boths sides about "experts" (people teaching "politically correct" ways of dealing with nature) and even the guy claiming to have seen 4 Big cats in one day. Even if he had seen a mother with 3 cubs it is highly unlikely that he would see them all together in the open. specially ON a road. Having tracked cats I can tell you IF you see one on the road it is because it crossed it, usually in a single jump. and on the flip side I have never seen anything "political" while out in the middle of nowhere. I have found pot farmers, cool animals both predators and prey, and lots of places to enjoy myself while not listening to the psycho babble of people that might spend a weekend a year in the outdoors.

 

[d1sc0ver]

...and even the guy claiming to have seen 4 Big cats in one day. Even if he had seen a mother with 3 cubs it is highly unlikely that he would see them all together in the open. specially ON a road. Having tracked cats I can tell you IF you see one on the road it is because it crossed it, usually in a single jump.

It's not that unusual to see big cats out here. They're thriving here in southern AZ. I've seen 3 in a single day, while working a joint project between Cochise and Graham counties. We saw 2 mountain lions, TOGETHER, running straight down FSR 61 on the west side of the Huachuca's. The other cat was larger, running down the west face of Dos Cabesas near Willcox. AZ.

I carry.

 

[Sgt Grunt]

With all the lions, tigers, bears, crackheads, zombies, yeti's that are mentioned on this site in conjunction with guns.....I'm left wondering if many here just aren't really mentally prepared/experienced enough for backcountry travel. It isn't for everyone, and many here come across sounding like they just don't feel comfortable out there. The best way to know if it's important or not, is to spend enough time in the sticks without one and you'll know.
If you are an experienced outdoors person, your answer to yourself and your partner should be simple. From your question, I'm assuming you've never needed it in the past.............? So, what's been your experience.
Most of my friends and I have spent our lifetimes outdoors.....climbing, backpacking, flyfishing, hunting, etc. None of us even remotely feels it necessary to pack a gun during backcountry travel inthe contiguous states. Here are a few exceptions we make.....one, is while hunting (no-brainer). Second, is when on our Alaskan fishing trips, and we leave that business to the guides. Truth is, individually we've had many encounters, primarily with Black Bears, and cats. Most of those encountered amounted to views of them desperately running in the opposite direction to avoid contact with us.
Most of the wildlife attacks in North America are resultant from human stupidity. If you leave the gun at home and bring your brain with you, you'll be just fine. As for human interactions, I would venture a guess that there are far more crimes and opportunities to become a victim of a crime occurring daily within a mile of your home than will ever be realized in the boonies.

I couldn't agree more!!!!

However, I'd also add that if you're the type of person that does carry make sure that you are trained and keep up on the training and not by your brother-in-law the mall security guy. :sombrero:

 

[Chazz Layne]

Don't forget the feral dog problem, they run the land in packs much like coyote. Unlike coyote, however, many of them are fearless, vicious little bastards and won't scatter at the sound of a gunshot.

I have been lucky enough to only see them while driving, so I just kept driving. Friends have not been so lucky...

 

[AxeAngel]

The Mossberg is a great choice for personal defense. Please get a mentor to show you how to use it if you aren't already profficient with it already.
I'd also reccomment two other things for it; sling mounts and a good sling, because the sling mounts that come with it stink, and a stock that fits YOU. Depending on your build, the stock may be too long. If it is, you won't shoot it as well. Choate makes a great stock that may help your shooting.

Just a little friendly advise; get rid of the idiot friends. People who behave like that aren't friends, they're liabilities.

Thanks for the recommendation. Will look into a sling and the stock as well.

Never shot a Mossberg before but have heard nothing but great reviews. If I don't get a chance to shoot one before the upcoming gun show I will just bite the bullet and buy one.