|
|
Post by cheaptentguy on Feb 27, 2016 18:41:54 GMT -8
You know, the most interesting thing to me on this thread, is that the folks who seem to have the most experience hiking and have spent the most time in really wild country seem to be the ones who see no need for carrying a firearm. Make what you will of that. Reminds me of a recent conversation with a couple of guys: one who grew up a few years in Alaska and then went back to fish. Another who hasn't spent much time in the back country. That latter kept talking about packing heat in the woods, while the former, who'd been among bears while fishing just grinned and said guns weren't real helpful. |
|
|
|
Post by llamero on Feb 27, 2016 18:58:59 GMT -8
Chances are I will never need it but I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I hear you, I carry bandaids and a PLB for the same reason. No problem for me if you want to carry a firearm, just please be careful and considerate. Enjoy. |
|
|
|
Post by High Sierra Fan on Feb 27, 2016 19:57:17 GMT -8
the most interesting thing Is also that virtually all of the solo hikers who spend time solo in grizzly country don't carry a firearm but many of those who tend to hike in groups not in grizzly country do. Groups may very well be a serious health risk. Just about every fatality I read about occurs to people hiking in a group. Makes me wonder if people just rely too much on other's judgment when out in the back jcountry to their detriment? Deferring to someone else can have serious consequences. Especially when the group, almost of necessity, is composed of relative strangers. |
|
|
|
Post by Lonewolf on Feb 28, 2016 5:24:29 GMT -8
I don't really have any problems with someone wanting to carry a firearm if it makes them feel better but IMO they need a better rationale than lions and bears are such deadly creatures that one needs lethal means of defense. True they can be but it's such a remote possibility that it can be ignored as long as reasonable precautions are taken.
Just because an animal track is found (now there's a surprise in the wild) doesn't mean the animal is lurking for an attack. I've found bear and lion tracks outside my tent when I woke in the morning and never even knew they were there during the night and there's no sign of them in daylight. Much more likely to be curiosity than anything else.
All animal attacks in the wild are the human's fault even if they don't know the why of the attack because unlike humans, animals operate off instinct and don't have malicious intent. One may say "I didn't do anything wrong!" but they're obviously forgetting they invaded the animals' home and animals don't live by human rules and logic.
One is far more likely to have a deadly anaphylactic attack from an insect sting or bite than be attacked by a predator in the wild.
|
|
|
|
Post by scapegoat on Feb 28, 2016 17:18:10 GMT -8
has anyone found a whistle to be helpful at all in warding off curious/hungry animals? I always carry an emergency whistle and wonder if it would be useful as a last resort in scaring off a seemingly aggressive animal. I'm curious, too -seems like every other gadget has a whistle built in to it now a days, so I basically have a whistle in the woods whether I like it or not lol |
|
Image Credit / Coolkat
