Dances with Wolves
aka jk240sx
I grew up in Clearwater and spent a lot of time mountainbiking in Ocala. They were checking on their crops.
Do you feel the need to have a weapon when camping
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I grew up in Clearwater and spent a lot of time mountainbiking in Ocala. They were checking on their crops.
TheSurvivalist
New member
LOL, yeah, probably.
GregSplett
Adventurer
It is almost like some peoples forays into the back country is consumed by their fears.
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
Another excellent point. One of my friends said he carries for those reasons: in the event he has to spend days in the wilderness due to an unforeseen incident. I get it. I also asked him if he uses anything like a SPOT or inReach and he looked at me like I had three heads.
I use an inReach, and have for a few years now from Baja to Iceland, Ecuador, and all over the remote West. I've sent and received over 300 messages without a single failed communication. So, in the event of some bummer in the woods, I'll likely get saved by that little widget than anything else. So, if you carry a gun for those reasons, I would advocate an inReach as well. Way more effective. You can have help on route in minutes, and it needn't be full blown SAR.
Another excellent point. One of my friends said he carries for those reasons: in the event he has to spend days in the wilderness due to an unforeseen incident. I get it. I also asked him if he uses anything like a SPOT or inReach and he looked at me like I had three heads.
I use an inReach, and have for a few years now from Baja to Iceland, Ecuador, and all over the remote West. I've sent and received over 300 messages without a single failed communication. So, in the event of some bummer in the woods, I'll likely get saved by that little widget than anything else. So, if you carry a gun for those reasons, I would advocate an inReach as well. Way more effective. You can have help on route in minutes, and it needn't be full blown SAR.
I think perhaps you misunderstood my meaning. I don't advocate carrying a firearm to signal others to your location (although it can certainly be used that way in a pinch), in fact I don't advocate carrying at all unless you are properly trained on how to use a firearm.
I think that those who choose to carry do so because in the event of suffering an injury resulting from a physical confrontation (human or otherwise) police/rescue will potentially be a good ways away from helping you, with or without a GPS/Sat communicator.
A firearm gives you the ability to defend yourself.
A GPS/Communicator gives you the ability to determine your location and send messages to others.
2 different tools fulfilling 2 different roles.
Same here!
rayra
Expedition Leader
lol ask Timothy Treadwell about that. And his girlfriend. Better bring a ghost-whisperer though.
rayra
Expedition Leader
That's mostly about population densities in the northeast and their comparative lack of open ranges. Shot and slugs travel a lot less distance then an errant rifle bullet. Western states the rifle bullet can usually fly to its heart's content without any risk of hitting anybody.
Blind_Io
Adventurer
You could say the same thing about wearing a seatbelt or owning a fire extinguisher or first aid kit. It's not about the likelihood of an animal attack, it's about what's at stake. I am not "consumed by fear" but I am aware of the risk, there is a difference. Having a firearm helps to mitigate that risk, the same way having a fire extinguisher in your kitchen helps to mitigate the risk of a grease fire.
Now, I've never had a grease fire, but I still keep an extinguisher near the stove. I've never had to point a weapon at anything other than a practice target, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave it at home in the safe.
Awareness is a cognitive process, fear is an emotional one.
MOguy
Explorer
Essentially the same idea I was trying to express, but in a much more articulate manner....well said!
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
I have put in many days of scouting for elk through an area where I know there are black bears and cougars present without carrying a weapon, but it's also an area that sees little human presence and bears/cougars are wild enough to know that human scent means they go the other direction. I keep telling myself I will start carrying a can of bear mace but haven't yet, do your homework and you will learn it's far more effective than a sidearm. It's the areas where the animals get used to humans and their food that you need to worry about interaction. To be honest though, moose scare me more than anything else in the woods, they aren't scared of anything and will not get out of the way on the trail.
Blind_Io
Adventurer
Moose are the ones I worry about the most; 700 lb of irritable ice-aged mega-fauna that stomps wolves to death with hoofs the size of hubcaps and can run 35 mph.
Pepper spray is effective, no argument on that, but it's rage is also limited and once you've used the can, it's gone. I've never met anyone who carried more than one small can of bear spray. A rifle is also useful in a survival situation, to signal for help (three shots is a sign of distress), or to start a fire (take a cartridge apart for the gun powder). A rifle, shotgun, or pistol isn't just for dissuading aggressive wildlife - but that is the point I chose to address because it was within the scope of the discussion.
Pepper spray is effective, no argument on that, but it's rage is also limited and once you've used the can, it's gone. I've never met anyone who carried more than one small can of bear spray. A rifle is also useful in a survival situation, to signal for help (three shots is a sign of distress), or to start a fire (take a cartridge apart for the gun powder). A rifle, shotgun, or pistol isn't just for dissuading aggressive wildlife - but that is the point I chose to address because it was within the scope of the discussion.
highdesertranger
Adventurer
so now we are to rely on some electronic gizmo to save our bacon. for heavens sake learn how to take care of yourself. all this search and rescue is seriously taxing rural counties. the I got lost because the GPS on my smart phone said to go this way has to end(won't because of our collective mentality nowadays). to say I do not need to carry a firearm because I can call for protection is ridiculous. when seconds count, help is minutes, hours, or days away. you now what, if your attitude and main plan is I can call for help on my smart phone or any other gizmo, is naïve and greedy. please stay out of the lightly populated rural counties. you are taking what little money they have for you to be stupid. sorry but I am sick of it. I travel to lightly populated areas and on the local news it's almost a constant though out the summer months. city slickers getting into trouble and having huge search and rescue operations going on. have the tools on hand to handle any situation you might get into, without calling for help. 40 years ago who were you going to call, nobody. boy I can feel the flogging already, begin the flogging. highdesertranger
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