Do you feel the need to have a weapon when camping
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PirateMcGee
Expedition Leader
Depending on the situation and the bear, dogs can be an attractant to bears. This is a fairly regular occurrence.
My bear encounter involved a young juvenile male about 200-250 lbs (black bear) that came barreling out of the woods after my 75lb Golden Retriever...it was pretty clear he was planning on eating "Chuck". Chuck turned around and ran directly back at me with the bear in tow. Bear stopped once it saw myself and my girlfriend at the time and then ran up the hill beside the trail. It then proceeded to sprint down the hill at us and stopped dead less than 10ft from us...where it sat watching us for a nerve racking 10 seconds. It then turned and wandered back up the hill.
I was able to hold my girlfriend (who was trying her hardest to run) in place, and I guessed correctly that the bear was bluffing/test charging. More often than not it will be a bluff charge. If the bear is gnashing teeth and hoping with it's front paws the bear is very nervous/afraid. Just back away slowly with low voices and you'll likely not have an issue.
I have hiked thousands of miles in really remote areas throughout the country, spent lots of time in front country sites, and frequented Grizzly bear areas in MT growing up fishing and elk hunting. This is the only negative/risky bear encounter I have ever had out of all that time.
I like guns but they are NOT the best bear defense by any means at all whatsoever.
Here's a 7 year old female I radio collared the week before my bear encounter.
My bear encounter involved a young juvenile male about 200-250 lbs (black bear) that came barreling out of the woods after my 75lb Golden Retriever...it was pretty clear he was planning on eating "Chuck". Chuck turned around and ran directly back at me with the bear in tow. Bear stopped once it saw myself and my girlfriend at the time and then ran up the hill beside the trail. It then proceeded to sprint down the hill at us and stopped dead less than 10ft from us...where it sat watching us for a nerve racking 10 seconds. It then turned and wandered back up the hill.
I was able to hold my girlfriend (who was trying her hardest to run) in place, and I guessed correctly that the bear was bluffing/test charging. More often than not it will be a bluff charge. If the bear is gnashing teeth and hoping with it's front paws the bear is very nervous/afraid. Just back away slowly with low voices and you'll likely not have an issue.
I have hiked thousands of miles in really remote areas throughout the country, spent lots of time in front country sites, and frequented Grizzly bear areas in MT growing up fishing and elk hunting. This is the only negative/risky bear encounter I have ever had out of all that time.
I like guns but they are NOT the best bear defense by any means at all whatsoever.
Here's a 7 year old female I radio collared the week before my bear encounter.
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I have to agree that understanding predators is a far better defense, bears are just more commonly seen so they get spoken about. Moose can be pretty volatile too, and I have seen enough warnings about cougars in the area I travel to keep an eye out for them.
I have 2 simple rules I always check anywhere I am going to camp for garbage and signs of recent bear activity. Either one and I move on, garbage will generally mean wildlife issues -particularly food stuffs that are rotting (seen that more than once). While I will burn if possible and clean up if not, I don't stay there. And fresh bear scat and tracks have the same effect just move on down the road.
The problem with almost all defense methods in the northwest, is you tend to see the animal at very close range. And under 100m is way too close for more than a single shot of anything if you are truly being charged.
PirateMcGee
Expedition Leader
Yep, and always cook, clean game (fish esp. and if it's a really bear heavy area wear disposable gloves), yourself etc well away from your campsite.
OCD Overland
Explorer
To wolves, on the other hand, that dog is another wolf, invading their territory.
I don't mind carrying a firearm if I am camping where predators may be a problem, be it man or beast. Dogs are an excellent deterrent for critters, but bad things do happen at the hand of people in the wilderness, and for that I prefer a handgun. It's something I would rather have and not need, then need and not have. It's not hard to carry, and doesn't take a lot of space. But the key Is to know how to use it in a stressful situation, but also how to not use it and get away if possible.
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
Can't say as to where you camp/live, but here in the super remoteness of Nevada, I never go anywhere without my best friend sig or his little brother ruger!! as others have said " it's not the animals, it's the methheads ", I've never had to pull my friends but I did have to let a couple of shady pieces of s#!t know that sig was present two years ago in the north part of the black rock desert, they just pulled up to where I was camped, got out of their beat up dodge bro truck and acted like my stuff looked like their stuff, needless to say just seeing sig on my belt made them decide that they should leave!! which they did quickly!! I never trust in the goodness of my fellow man, can't say why, I just don't!!!
Well, maybe this is why!!
http://blackrockdesert.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ronald_Bristlewolf
http://www.oldiesmusicradio.com/maj_murders.htm
Well, maybe this is why!!
http://blackrockdesert.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ronald_Bristlewolf
http://www.oldiesmusicradio.com/maj_murders.htm
I say do what you feel comfy with.
I'm a fan better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
I will say about training, as far scenarios, running mental drills as in "what if this happens". Approach you mental planning based on the environment.
Here is for instance, WHAT IF you are seated in the middle of a small cafeteria. Some one has a weapon and is robbing the store or whatever. You decide that you're going to act. If you shoot level to the target, who else is endanger. But if you get low kneeling or prone you will minimize the the likelihood collateral injury to another.
Not saying its the best plan, but its a plan. You should always think plans and contingencies so in confronted with a serious problem you brain will revert to the rough draft you established already. Which puts you ahead of the emotional and confusion curve.
I'm a fan better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
I will say about training, as far scenarios, running mental drills as in "what if this happens". Approach you mental planning based on the environment.
Here is for instance, WHAT IF you are seated in the middle of a small cafeteria. Some one has a weapon and is robbing the store or whatever. You decide that you're going to act. If you shoot level to the target, who else is endanger. But if you get low kneeling or prone you will minimize the the likelihood collateral injury to another.
Not saying its the best plan, but its a plan. You should always think plans and contingencies so in confronted with a serious problem you brain will revert to the rough draft you established already. Which puts you ahead of the emotional and confusion curve.
GregSplett
Adventurer
A few years back i spent a week hiking and fishing the Olympic national park.I started on the coast and came out inland on the Hood canal.Melinda dropped me off and picked me up.She decided to take a couple days and do some camping,just her and the dogs.Christine Fairbanks,The local forest service law reinforcement officer stopped by her camp.She,fairly aggressively tried to convince her she should not be out here by herself.My wife grew up in the woods and is very capable.Add to that she had an attacked trained dog with her.She brushed off Christines warning and all went well..
A couple weeks later I spent a couple days in the grey wolf drainage ,leaving my new subaru at the trail head.When I came out it was burned to the ground.
This left me afraid to play in the woods That both of us grew up in.Broke my heart.
A couple months later Christine was shot up at the forks campground.This is where the grey wolf joins the Dungeness river.
http://http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/US/WA/Silverdale.html[/URL
This really hurt me as I have a huge respect for her and her husband who is an WDFW officer.
After my emotions settled down I decided that these meth addicted people were not going to chase me out of the woods.
A couple weeks later I spent a couple days in the grey wolf drainage ,leaving my new subaru at the trail head.When I came out it was burned to the ground.
This left me afraid to play in the woods That both of us grew up in.Broke my heart.
A couple months later Christine was shot up at the forks campground.This is where the grey wolf joins the Dungeness river.
http://http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/US/WA/Silverdale.html[/URL
This really hurt me as I have a huge respect for her and her husband who is an WDFW officer.
After my emotions settled down I decided that these meth addicted people were not going to chase me out of the woods.
GregSplett
Adventurer
A few years back i spent a week hiking and fishing the Olympic national park.I started on the coast and came out inland on the Hood canal.Melinda dropped me off and picked me up.She decided to take a couple days and do some camping,just her and the dogs.Christine Fairbanks,The local forest service law reinforcement officer stopped by her camp.She,fairly aggressively tried to convince her she should not be out here by herself.My wife grew up in the woods and is very capable.Add to that she had an attacked trained dog with her.She brushed off Christines warning and all went well..
A couple weeks later I spent a couple days in the grey wolf drainage ,leaving my new subaru at the trail head.When I came out it was burned to the ground.
This left me afraid to play in the woods That both of us grew up in.Broke my heart.
A couple months later Christine was shot up at the forks campground.This is where the grey wolf joins the dungeness.
http://www.odmp.org/officer/19566-officer-kristine-marie-fairbanks
This really hurt me as I have a huge respect for her and her husband who is an WDFW officer.
After my emotions settled down I decided that these meth addicted people were not going to chase me out of the woods.
A couple weeks later I spent a couple days in the grey wolf drainage ,leaving my new subaru at the trail head.When I came out it was burned to the ground.
This left me afraid to play in the woods That both of us grew up in.Broke my heart.
A couple months later Christine was shot up at the forks campground.This is where the grey wolf joins the dungeness.
http://www.odmp.org/officer/19566-officer-kristine-marie-fairbanks
This really hurt me as I have a huge respect for her and her husband who is an WDFW officer.
After my emotions settled down I decided that these meth addicted people were not going to chase me out of the woods.
mezmochill
Is outside
The stench of fear is overwhelming in this place
Dr. Cornwallis
Adventurer
The stench of naivety is overwhelming in your post. Realizing that there are in fact creatures out there who plan to do you harm is not paranoia or insecurity, it's realism. It's your choice to willfully remain a potential statistic, it's mine and many others choice to mitigate those chances. Im not going to rip on you for being a naive, weak minded, misguided wimp; so please don't insult me and anyone else who chooses to carry a firearm for self defense by calling us scared.
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mezmochill
Is outside
BTW I said nothing about gun ownership.
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
Those last few posts are edging towards the fine line that gets these threads closed, which would really be a shame.
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