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Protecting Yourself Hiking
Dennis CTB,
Do any of you go hiking unarmed? -- Dennis CTB
Heck, I don't even go shopping while unarmed. I've had a concealed weapon permit for a number of years now.
We had a gas station attendant get his head blown off by a young kid, armed with a 12 gauge shotgun. Why? The station attendant refused to sell him cigarettes, so the kid came back to settle the argument. The station attendant lost the argument.
I vowed to myself that should I ever be in a position to lend a helping hand, I would. From that day forward, I've carried a concealed weapon on me.
The station attendant was a very good friend of mine. He left behind a wife and two children, both under the age of 3. He was a very good man. If ever I am in a position to prevent such a crime, I'll do my very best to help save an innocent life.
Joel
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With the recent increase in hiking homicides, short of not hiking or carrying a gun how can you stay safe when hiking on the trails?
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I really doubt there has been an increase in hiking homicides. I believe you might hear more about cases when it happens because of our media based country... but is it necessary to arm yourself when you take a hike? No. Come on guys- most of the posts on this topic are bordering on paranoa.
Before anybody shoots backs at me on this one (no pun intended), know that I am a gun owner and I have been involved with professional camping for 20 years. I have never taken anything more powerful than bear mace on a hike. Never needed it either.
Go back and read these posts and tell me that this isnt an overeaction to a very simple question about homicides somewhere while hiking.
We hear about stuff more than we used to- thats it. Baby abductions are not on the rise- we just get them crammed down our throats when it does happen.
How do you stay safe on the trail? A few people have touched on it- Be prepared. One of the best books I own is the Boy Scout Handbook.- Best toilet book ever printed. Carry a pocket knife, wear comfortable shoes or boots- keep an extra pair of socks on a ziplock. Tell people where you are going. Sign the trail head log. Make donations to your local Search and Rescue- or better yet volunteer. (Karma kicks ass.) Cell phones are pretty popular these days. So are GPS devices. I've left a note on my windshield- "If this car is here on Monday after sun down..."
If you really want to take a gun on your hike, do it because it's your right as a citezen, not because our country is overun with crazed stalkers and rabid racoons.
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Protecting Yourself Hiking
Somewhere in the Boy Scout Manual it says "Be prepared". Isn't carrying a sidearm the very definition of being prepared? A gun isn't only for defense, if you get lost it can be used to hunt and to signal for help. And if you happen to be hiking in a real dangerous area, say downtown Portland, it is real comforting to have 
BTW, thanks for reminding me, I've been wanting to pick up a copy of the Boy Scout manual for awhile now.
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I also always go with my chocolat lab,he is of course no real threat,but some people are less familiar with the chocolat variety and he is young, lean and alert.
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Dennis I doubt there is an easier going breed than the Golden Retreiver at least the one we had. Yet I have heard him give the low rumble growl to a person as a friendly warning. Got my attention, think it did the person he meant it for. My guess is your lab, if he found his family showing real signs of fear or being threaten would surprise you.
They do make walking sticks with swords or knife points built in. Not sure of the quality. For our area the killings seem to be more on the line Joel told about or they knew each other. Not all, but most. About 5 years ago a good friend had a grand daughter and her small child kidnapped from the parking lot of a store her military husband and her brother went into to buy snacks and when they returned them and the car was gone. She was rapped and killed with the baby just tossed in a field. At least the state of NC had a quick find of the killer and a quick trial ( a matter of a few months not years). More than likely the piece of trash is still alive waiting on the execution so the bleeding hearts can, not sure what they can be. More trash to me. kt
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I haven't seen a post saying that because they see more violence they are going to carry a gun, they just have carried and do. I carry more often than I used to but I don't play the odds. Every day when I wake up I know there are more people in this country than the day before. More good people, more bad people, so on a per capita basis, there may not be more murders, but on sheer numbers it would make sense. You hear about it, you want to be prepared. Not knowing it could be a danger is ignorance. The media brings dangers to light however small the risk. I have had homeowners insurance for all the years I have owned a home and never needed it but I wouldn't be without it knowing that there is only a 1 in a million chance my home will burn down. I can only imagine how sorry I would be if I needed a weapon to protect my family and didn't have one. You cannot turn back the hands of time.
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Sounds like most are in agreement, one last thought from me, anyone who does not believe in self defense then don't carry or it will be taken and used against you.
but if you dont believe remember, McDonalds in CA, Luby's in Killeen TX, VA Tech, Tyler TX Courthouse, Columbine CO, etc...predators prefer unarmed victims and also strike at their convience, think...lion, zebra, waterhole. Or the truck driver in LA at the redlight.
last but not least, my motto in this life for many things, I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
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Just remember that the gal that was recently killed hiking in Georgia by Mr. Hilton had a large dog and some martial arts belt. The news said a "Blue Belt". I'm not into that stuff so don't know if that is correct nor what level of skill it took. The news also indicated that she was alive for several days before she was killed.
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YP, on the girl in Goergia, if she had a large dog and if she knew martial arts and she was killed, does it not make you wonder what it would have taken to protect her? It would seem if she was in as good of shape as a runner as she was suppose to be she could have even out ran the guy if he did not surprise her or lay trap or such. If any of those happen, would she been able to use the gun? Why would any woman do such by her self as she did amazes me. kt
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It goes to awareness and preparedness, IE combat mindset...
all the training and equipment in the world does not turn a sheep into a guard dog. You can put body armor on and implant sharp teeth into a sheep, it still wont guard the flock.
If you think you can reason or compromise out of being a victim then you will try that, and fail. Think of a gazelle reasoning with a cheetah
That being said, not all are guard dogs, that is why those among us who are must stand for those who are not...
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I mentioned earlier about problems on fly in fishing trips.
On one such trip I was approached (out on the lake) by 3 guys in a canoe, they were not dressed like, and did not look like typical campers or canoe trippers.
When they got close one of them asked if I was a cop, I said no, he then asked why I was wearing a gun, I replied that it was in case of an emergency.
They wished me good luck fishing and paddled away. I doubt that was their original intention.
I had another (though VERY different) incident a few years back where I had briefly parked my truck with the windows down and went in to a store for a moment. On the dash & console were several items that should not have been left so visible, namely a GPS unit & a cell phone. My pooch 'Deputy Dog' was also riding shotgun.
When I came out of the truck there was a man trying to offer assistance to an obviously injured young man, he was bleeding pretty good from his right arm. He was claiming my dog had 'attacked' him as he went by. I was a little nervous until I got into the truck to check that the dog was OK.
I spotted several drops of blood on the console, dash and drivers seat.
When the Police arrived (I called them) the young man explained that he was walking past and the dog lunged out at him. I showed the cop the blood drops in the truck.
Neither I nor the dog were in any trouble, the young lad was 'known to police' already.
Bottom line, a careless moment would have cost me a thousand bucks or so, maybe the whole truck had the dog not been there.
It's like buying lottery tickets, you never know.
Best of luck.
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