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  1. #41
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    A "sixth sense" instinct / gut feeling is vital in many facets of life. While not a panacea for anything, to discount its existence is the real bunk whatever some ivory-tower FBI bureaucrat claims notwithstanding. What I put no stock in is the FBI's ability to "profile" criminals - that is to say predict who did it w/o evidence. The law enforcement community largely scoffs at these FBI claims.

    Child abduction is not a major problem anywhere in the USA. Most child abductions are parental.

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-w...-idUSKCN1P52BJ
    Be Prepared

  2. #42
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    That depends upon ones idea of a major problem. To me it's a major problem, according to that link there's 350 chid abducted a year so that's about 1 a day, that's major to me. They just recently had 3 big child abduction cases on the east coast.
    Somewhere close to 100 kids were found in each case. 100's people arrested so that's major to me.

    Sorry for the drift folks it's just something I feel very strongly about.

    Let's all learn from these attacks on the trail. It's a shame we have to be so cautious of other, but you really don't know who has bad intentions.....

    Like BlackCloud says " Be Prepared " !!

  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    Have you ever seen a highly skilled female crossfit or highly skilled female ufc fighter in the fight for their life? It'll give you a new appreciation for the "weaker sex" .
    I am 6 foot 3 and was in great shape at age 25 — not to mention over 200 pounds — when I was was put in the hospital (broken leg) by a scrawny guy in a parking garage who seemed half my size.

    While I had already lived in one of the most dangerous places in the world by that time, my lack of appreciation for bad guys in a small midwestern city practically guaranteed that I would come out on the short end of the stick.

    Good people start at a significant disadvantage that eclipses their physicality.

    Best to put distance between you and whatever makes you feel uncomfortable without delay — even if, or perhaps especially if, you have adopted ownership of a shelter or Trail or your small section of a so-called “safe” area. I paid the price for not doing so, as I suspect many victims on the Trail did as well.

    Especially when the circumstance in which you finds yourself are not all that different from those of tragic events of the past.

    Or not. You will probably be just fine.

  4. #44

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    I forget who posted it but I did see some martial arts instructor on YT demonstrate what one can do with a hiking stick used as a weapon.It was impressive.However,when I say hiking stick I do mean a wooden staff,not an aluminum or carbon fiber pole.If bets were being taken between a knife wielding assailant vs a knowledgeable person with a good stick,my money would be on "stick man".

  5. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    That depends upon ones idea of a major problem. To me it's a major problem, according to that link there's 350 chid abducted a year so that's about 1 a day, that's major to me. They just recently had 3 big child abduction cases on the east coast.
    Somewhere close to 100 kids were found in each case. 100's people arrested so that's major to me.

    Sorry for the drift folks it's just something I feel very strongly about.

    Let's all learn from these attacks on the trail. It's a shame we have to be so cautious of other, but you really don't know who has bad intentions.....

    Like BlackCloud says " Be Prepared " !!
    800,000 children are reported missing every year. So yes, it's a big deal.

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...83P14020120426
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  6. #46

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    Here's link to the martial arts instructor demonstrating a simple walking stick technique in case any of you ladies or gentlemen would like to see that a "big stick" is a pretty good weapon against someone not packing a firearm...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWgtJw-65aE

  7. #47
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    Yes a trained " stick man " is going to win against a knife. Stick man has distance advantage ... unless of course he is a knife thrower....

    The "staff" as a weapon originated from Japan. The Japanese army took all firearms away from the farmers so as a way for the farmers to protect themselves the staff was one way they developed into a weapon. They would have to practice in the dead of the night for years what would work and wouldn't.
    And once they were proficient with it they would disguise there weapon as a water carrier, a 6' bo,stick on their shoulders carrying buckets of water. When they seen an adversary coming they would drop the buckets and use the staff as a weapon.
    Last edited by JNI64; 12-24-2020 at 21:37.

  8. #48

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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    Yes a trained " stick man " is going to win against a knife. Stick man has distance advantage ... unless of course he is a knife thrower....

    The "staff" as a weapon originated from Japan. The Japanese army took all firearms away from the farmers so as a way for the farmers to protect themselves the staff was one way they developed into a weapon. They would have to practice in the dead of the night for years what would work and wouldn't.
    And once they were proficient with it they would disguise there weapon as a water carrier, a 6' bo,stick on their shoulders carrying buckets of water. When they seen an adversary coming they would drop the buckets and use the staff as a weapon.
    The English developed the staff as a weapon, called a quarterstaff, independent of the Japanese.

  9. #49

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    I suspect it didnt take much developing to pick up a stick and wack someone.
    Interesting post about the profiling. Does seem to be hollywood and news show talking head nonsense. Anyone remember the DC sniper issue ?
    guess really all we can do is reduce risk and make yourself a more difficult target, no way to completely eliminate it.

  10. #50
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    It was actually pretty darn smart of the Japanese. And there is alot more to it than picking up a stick and whackin someone with it. Someone could hike with such a stick/staff and use it for self defense .

    That's all they had was farm tools for defense.

    Like nunchaku was a rice flair and they figured out a way to use these two sticks tied together with a rope as a weapon.

    The sickle of coarse

    The tonfa was a handle to bring up water , police used to use these .

    And the sai actually came from other countries

    All were simple farm tools

    I remember the dc sniper all to well . The plumbing company I used to work for had white vans and at that time That's what they were looking for and a couple of us got stopped. It wasn't even a white van they were in.

    And the truck stop where they finally got them off of I-70 was 5 miles up the road from us. A trucker called it in then they blocked the road out with their trucks.
    Last edited by JNI64; 12-25-2020 at 13:35.

  11. #51
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    I tried YouTube for hiking self defense videos and only a couple came up mostly firearms. (One was "Dixie, homemade wonderlust").

    Someone should do a video on trail safety meaning self protection and surviving a lethal situation. They could go over different scenarios and how to implement your environment.
    Meaning ways to use what is around you as protection, just enough to hopefully get away . They could cover ways to use rocks, sticks, trekking poles, tent stakes, bear hanging rope, guy line, straps hammock or backpack, backpack as a shield for protection against a weapon etc ,etc. You know stuff we already have with us. Heck even your titanium spork can be a lethal weapon as most arteries are only 1/2" deep.
    There's a company out there that makes kids book bags out of Kevlar if something goes down at least they'll have a chance against a gun or knife.
    Last edited by JNI64; 12-25-2020 at 13:42.

  12. #52

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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    Here's link to the martial arts instructor demonstrating a simple walking stick technique in case any of you ladies or gentlemen would like to see that a "big stick" is a pretty good weapon against someone not packing a firearm...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWgtJw-65aE

    that guy would be pretty devastating with that stick

    Regarding the comments on “gut instinct”, I think if your gut tells you some individual isn’t quite normal, you should be wary. That emotion is probably biologically as well as culturally imprinted in all of us as a means of survival.
    HOWEVER, just because a stranger is friendly, charming and witty, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.
    In other words, you should heed your gut instinct and maybe move along if you perceive a “bad” character but take it slow and always be somewhat on guard if you perceive a “good” person.
    If that “good” person over time, turns out to be a psycho or a creep, then whack him with the stick as per the video.

  13. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by orthofingers View Post
    ........Regarding the comments on “gut instinct”, I think if your gut tells you some individual isn’t quite normal, you should be wary. That emotion is probably biologically as well as culturally imprinted in all of us as a means of survival.
    HOWEVER, just because a stranger is friendly, charming and witty, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.
    In other words, you should heed your gut instinct and maybe move along if you perceive a “bad” character but take it slow and always be somewhat on guard if you perceive a “good” person..........
    Well put. Always be wary of people you perceive as "not right" but creeps can seem normal too.
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  14. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    Here's link to the martial arts instructor demonstrating a simple walking stick technique in case any of you ladies or gentlemen would like to see that a "big stick" is a pretty good weapon against someone not packing a firearm...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWgtJw-65aE
    My 6' bo, staff,walking stick would have a rubber tip on one side and a 1/2" carbide tip on the other. For multi purpose use of course.

  15. #55

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    With increased hiking experience comes greater situational awareness so more experienced female hikers may have fewer issues. Unfamiliar males and females congregating in close camping/sleeping surrounds at AT shelters likely factor into it. If I recall at one AT shelter, there were actually two, two real nice ones, very well maintained, painted grey if I recall, one shelter had a sign over it Men and the other Women. That may be a helpful approach?
    Last edited by Dogwood; 01-15-2021 at 23:14.

  16. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by orthofingers View Post
    that guy would be pretty devastating with that stick

    Regarding the comments on “gut instinct”, I think if your gut tells you some individual isn’t quite normal, you should be wary. That emotion is probably biologically as well as culturally imprinted in all of us as a means of survival.
    HOWEVER, just because a stranger is friendly, charming and witty, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.
    In other words, you should heed your gut instinct and maybe move along if you perceive a “bad” character but take it slow and always be somewhat on guard if you perceive a “good” person.
    If that “good” person over time, turns out to be a psycho or a creep, then whack him with the stick as per the video.
    very well said
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  17. #57
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    double post
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  18. #58
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    I’m going to go back to the OP. First, thanks for being aware of your behavior. I think there are a lot of guys who are probably good people who wouldn’t hurt or harass anyone so they don’t think they could come off as creepy but they do. I would encourage guys to envision their daughter being on the trail alone and ask yourself how would you feel if you saw a strange man acting a certain way towards her. What would you tell your daughter to say if he asked her if she was out there by herself? Lie, right? So how about you stop asking women that question. Don’t be the guy you don’t want around your daughter.

    I’ve been backpacking on my own for a long time and really feel the easiest way to avoid trouble is by not camping or hanging out anywhere near roads. I am not paranoid, but I pay attention to my surroundings. Some of the most on edge I have been on the trails is from men who just aren’t thinking before they act. First example that popped in my head is at a road crossing on the SHT a guy was standing outside his car. We exchange a hello and nice weather. When I stepped on the single track going into the woods he was immediately right on my heels. Is car guy probably harmless? Yeah. But now I went from listening to white throated sparrow and enjoying my hike to really upping my pace to get away from him, figuring out an out plan to get back to the road, and trying to be stealthy and remove my pepper spray because this dope couldn’t wait 60 seconds to enter the woods.

    Don’t be that guy. Think of your words, think of your actions.

  19. #59
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    Thank you for your balanced opinion and post.

  20. #60

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfMHgEODn6k

    lots of good information for self defense on YT.I didn't know these moves were an option.But it would take some practice.....

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