View Full Version : Firearms on the AT
Eagle1979
02-21-2015, 19:39
How does everyone feel about Firearms on the AT in case you come across that situation when you wish you had one? Accidently get between a momma and her cubs, a rattler that you were't expecting or a rabid animal.
Rocket Jones
02-21-2015, 19:42
Nearly impossible to carry legally along the entire length of the AT. Why carry unnecessary weight for an extremely unlikely event?
There are many opinions on this topic.
Lone Wolf
02-21-2015, 19:45
How does everyone feel about Firearms on the AT in case you come across that situation when you wish you had one? Accidently get between a momma and her cubs, a rattler that you were't expecting or a rabid animal.
i'm fine with firearms on the AT. like water filters they're a want not a need
Just curious why you would ever think you need to shoot a rattle snake? If you have enough time to pull a gun you have enough time to stop and get out of danger. I saw a dead rattlesnake on trail that some thoughtless idiot killed. Please educate yourself about wildlife before you go and do something stupid. Rant over.
Sarcasm the elf
02-21-2015, 20:15
How does everyone feel about Firearms on the AT in case you come across that situation when you wish you had one? Accidently get between a momma and her cubs, a rattler that you were't expecting or a rabid animal.
The only species of bears on the A.T. are Black Bears. Contrary to popular belief black bear mamas DO NOT aggressively defend their cubs, that is strictly a Grizzly bear trait. Black bears are excellent climbers and at the first sign of danger cubs head for the trees and climb out of harms way. Mothers often "bluster" to get the attention of whatever the threat is, but it is not normal for them to attack.
More info can be found on this link: http://www.bear.org/website/bear-pages/black-bear/bears-a-humans/39-what-if-i-get-between-a-black-bear-mother-and-her-cubs.html
As Malto said, there is no reason to carry a pistol for a snake, just doesn't make sense. Snakes want nothing to do with people, just back up a few steps and give the snake a bit of time to get on it's way.
For the record, I'm a gun nut myself, but you simply don't need a gun to deal with the situations that you listed.
if you're so scared of dangers along the trail that you feel you should have a gun with you.. then for god sakes please stay home. All you will do is annoy your fellow hikers, carry extra weight, and make everyone around you feel less safe. Furthermore, in the national park sections including Baxter State park.. either get rid of the gun or face legal issues.. serious ones. Why oh why does this issue keep coming up on white blaze?!
Carry your pistol and be quiet about it, everyone carries they just don't talk about it, you would have to be a damn fool not to.
Sarcasm the elf
02-21-2015, 20:29
As for Guns in general on the Trail, it depends where you're going. Permit reciprocity laws are weird to say the least and you can easily become a felon if you make a mistake when traveling from state to state. If you have the right permits then you can likely carry on the Southern half of the trail, but MD, NJ, NY, CT, MA and a few other states have little to no reciprocity and it is very hard to carry legally in these states if you're not a resident.
This site is about the best resource I've found for looking at permit laws quickly, but honestly it's best to check the laws with each state individually.
http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_reciprocity_maps.html
Sarcasm the elf
02-21-2015, 20:33
if you're so scared of dangers along the trail that you feel you should have a gun with you.. then for god sakes please stay home. All you will do is annoy your fellow hikers, carry extra weight, and make everyone around you feel less safe. Furthermore, in the national park sections including Baxter State park.. either get rid of the gun or face legal issues.. serious ones. Why oh why does this issue keep coming up on white blaze?!
It keeps coming up because there are many of people actually exercise the right to bear arms and who like to keep informed so that they can do it legally and responsibly. Wouldn't you prefer that someone comes here and asks an honest question instead of just showing up on the trail clueless?
One correction to your statement by the way, it is now legal to carry in National Parks as long as you have the correct permits for that state, they changed that a few years ago. You still can't enter enter federal buildings if you are carrying.
2 times I have been attacked by a pack of wild dogs. One pack had taken down a deer right on the trail. I was just hiking alone and about 50 feet in front of me was 4 dogs eatting a deer. 2 looked at me and before I had time to react a pit bull looking dog and a german shepared looking dog were in my face. I had to defend myself with a hiking stick used with every bit of force I could muster. Even if I had a pistol I would not have had time to get it out, chamber a round and aim and shoot. I had one dog with his mouth on the stick and using the other end to hit the shepard with, I backed up fighting and they finally just followed me barking and groweling
TJ aka Teej
02-21-2015, 20:40
Guns are a very common item to be sent home at Neel Gap.
MuddyWaters
02-21-2015, 20:54
i Why oh why does this issue keep coming up on white blaze?!
Because newbies that have never set foot on a trail end up here, are insecure about being outdoors, and are too lazy to use the search function.
Sarcasm the elf
02-21-2015, 21:00
Because newbies that have never set foot on a trail end up here, are insecure about being outdoors, and are too lazy to use the search function.
Lets be honest, that has more to do with the lack of functionality of this site's search function than it does about laziness.
Lets be honest, most of us that have been here for years still can't get this site's search function to work properly...
Hey hey, tru dat...
saltysack
02-21-2015, 21:06
U don't need much of a knife......much less a gun....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MuddyWaters
02-21-2015, 21:09
Your dog should carry a gun, and smoke in the shelters on your sobo winter thruhike, while drinking of course.
And do it all on $1000, and in 3 months.
mtntopper
02-21-2015, 21:20
Your dog should carry a gun, and smoke in the shelters on your sobo winter thruhike, while drinking of course.
And do it all on $1000, and in 3 months.
My dog quit drinking last year and started going to AA. Lost his job and is now broke. He still smokes tho. Bums cigs from the neighbors.
Sarcasm the elf
02-21-2015, 21:22
Your dog should carry a gun, and smoke in the shelters on your sobo winter thruhike, while drinking of course.
And do it all on $1000, and in 3 months.
Roger that.
http://www.gunsandammo.com/files/2013/03/Machine-gun-dog.jpg
(Sorry, I'm stuck at home and bored tonight.)
The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
I'm not sure I understand where this is going...
Personally I don't care. Just don't get knocked by the Feds, they don't play around. You might catch some grief from the communist on the trail though :D
Guns are a very common item to be sent home at Neel Gap.
Isn't sending a gun in the post a federal offense?
Tipi Walter
02-21-2015, 21:23
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2005/The-Seventh-Nutbuster-Trip-43/i-wxTx43F/0/L/Ranger%20Qualified-L.jpg
RANGER QUALIFIED.
rocketsocks
02-21-2015, 21:52
Pretty sure that's the same dog that pulled me over once. I knew he was a cool dog though, he only gave me a warning and shook me down for a couple bones.
Slo-go'en
02-21-2015, 22:15
The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
But they can be well regulated.
BTW, Rattlesnakes are protected. Bad karma to kill one. Anyway, they eat mice which is a good thing.
Alligator
02-21-2015, 22:16
This is pretty generic question that has been asked numerous times. Try a search, if you don't like the site search tool you go do it with Google. If you have a more specific questions ask but realize this is a controversial topic and we do not appreciate the unnecessary nonsense resulting from it and may close it at our discretion.