waveslider
Outdoorsman
Just fyi in my case this is because I prefer to have my pistol attached to a holster on the waist belt of my pack. Carrying concealed while also wearing a pack is not comfortable and also not practical.
Open Carry in Wilderness Areas
- Thread starter jk2007x
- Start date
Just fyi in my case this is because I prefer to have my pistol attached to a holster on the waist belt of my pack. Carrying concealed while also wearing a pack is not comfortable and also not practical.
robert
Expedition Leader
It depends; I used to carry in a fanny pack while wearing my pack. I've also tried a chest pack (too hot) and used a shoulder holster on occasion. An M3 tanker style works fine under a pack and a light shirt or jacket. Years ago I pretty much settled on a S&W 642 in a camera pouch on my pack belt though, I've never had anyone pay any attention to it, even park rangers. Out west I just open carried a larger gun.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
I use a Blackhawk drop leg holster and love it. My weapon is out of the way, yet easily accessible if needed.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
What he said.
I have a CCW, but open carry when backpacking, due to the above reasons.
Also, to the point of practicality, if you conceal carry while backpacking, you are carrying for protection against large predators, so caliber matters.
The little 380 LCP stays home, and the XD40 comes with. If I lived more in grizzly country, Id pack a larger caliber.
Point is, with a larger pistol, if you do not open carry, then it is in your pack somewhere, and no matter how "easy" it is to get to, its inaccessible enough to be considered useless.
waveslider
Outdoorsman
And wearing a drop leg holster is just, well, weird. (unless you're in parts of North Idaho, then you might fit right into all the wrong places) lol
mep1811
Gentleman Adventurer
I belong to an organization Texas Law Shield /US Law Shield . It is a legal defense for self defense program that provides legal representation should you have to use a weapon to protect yourself. Another component of the program is access to attorney's to ask questions about firearms laws when traveling.
This would be a good topic to ask an attorney about.
I like this program , it is very extensive and cheap insurance .
This would be a good topic to ask an attorney about.
I like this program , it is very extensive and cheap insurance .
robert
Expedition Leader
I can't say as I've ever really worried about anything not on two legs or that couldn't be handled by a .38, i.e. feral dogs, on the east coast. I have carried larger guns before but it was just because I wanted to. Obviously I'd carry something larger and higher capacity if we had brown bears or I was near the southern border. Almost all of the unsavory sort of critters I've run across while hiking and backpacking were at trailheads.
Thanks for all these responses, lots of good places for me to start with. BTW, yes I do have a Texas LTC. And I'm not interested in around town open carry, only out in the woods while camping and hiking.
Seeing that I have never had any contact with a Forest District or BLM office, are the rangers helpful to honest questions? I have visions of them being rude and apathetic to the public, based on previous experiences with Texas game wardens and other law enforcement entities.
Seeing that I have never had any contact with a Forest District or BLM office, are the rangers helpful to honest questions? I have visions of them being rude and apathetic to the public, based on previous experiences with Texas game wardens and other law enforcement entities.
2025 deleted member
Well-known member
My experience they have always been polite, more like ambassadors.
waveslider
Outdoorsman
That has been my experience with the Forest Districts. With the BLM? Not so much.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
yep, all about what you need to prepare for.
Around here we have cats, coyotes, black bear, wolf, and grizzly.
And working down that list, in that order, the more curious/troublesome/dangerous.
There are always weirdos in the back-country though, and I treat everyone with respect based upon my own and my groups safety.
I've never had a serious confrontation, certainly never enough to draw a firearm, but just having it open carried is probably enough for any potential opportunistic threat.
We do tend to steer well clear of popular areas though, so encounters with other people is few and far between.
Still, actual threat or not, our safety is first and foremost, so I dont encourage much interaction on the trail beyond friendly hello's and chat about trail/pass conditions.
We were born and raised right in the Owens Valley, and grew up backpacking the High Sierra.
Talk about weirdos. I remember at one point years ago, the wilderness there was regarded as a haven for baddies.
There are just so many places to hide, and all within a day or two of one of the small towns.
So we have always carried firearms, legally or not.
grogie
Like to Camp
I don’t personally open carry around the city but I don’t have a problem with anyone that does. But in the woods I do open carry. I agree with Kenny above to treat everyone with respect and keep it to small talk, as yes there are plenty of weirdos in the back-country. I grew up that we always had guns around while in the woods. We’d go on hikes with a rifle strapped to our packs. We’d pass people on a trail, and not a big deal. Rifles were commonly hanging in the back of pickup trucks like they were now a set of Maxtrax.
D