Carrying a handgun on the AT

[Jack Tarlin]

Gunner:

*I know of no A.T. hikers who ever felt the need to shoot someone while on
their hikes (other than criminals, who I'm not counting here as "A.T. hikers".)

*I know of no hikers who ever felt the need to reveal or pull a firearm in
order to protect themselves while hiking the A.T.

Of course, I'm not saying it's never happened. But if it ever had, you'd think this would be widely known and discussed.

[rickb]

just think a thru hiker has a much better chance of being bitten by a snake or struck by lightning than being put in a situation where a gun would be needed to save life/limb...

No thru hiker has ever been killed by a snake on the AT.

No thru hiker has ever been killed by lightning on the AT.

Five thru hikers have been murdered on the AT. Four by firearms and one by an ax.

[cowboy nichols]

I'm a woman and I do not carry when hiking.I did while working in Miami Fl.
I also would say if I was.

[cowboy nichols]

Opps That should have read I would not say if I was.

[toenail]

Visigoth Balls are on sale this week at Big Lots!

[Red Beard]

i took it that he wasn't deriding the non-carrier. he was deriding the hysterically whining liberals. it is probably just a coincidence that they are sometimes occurring in the same place.
could just be me, though.

I sincerely doubt it is a coincidence. Love your signature!

[kolokolo]

Several years ago while camping along Noonatoola not far from the trail, I used a gun to run off some college kids who snuck into my campsite and were trying to steal my beer from a cooler. I didnt document anything and I doubt they did either. I also doubt they quit running until they made it off the mountain.

Oh, you're right, Airborne3325, we should all carry guns on the trail so that we can protect our beer!

[slow]

When your time is up it's up.Guns in the woods,if not hunting is just pure EGO.

[Desert Reprobate]

You're better off carrying a banjo. It will probably make you friends with the people you would want to shoot.

[Monkeyboy]

Guns don't kill people...........but they make it really easy.

[Garlic]

Hey, about about the old phrase, "Hike your own hike"

[slugger]

Hey, about about the old phrase, "Hike your own hike"

Hey now.... That's crazy talk. Maybe it's a good idea.

[woodsy]

Sissies pack heat, real hikers walk softly and carry big stick.

[KMACK]

The original poll was "Do you carry a hand on the AT" not "Who thru hikes and carries". If I had the time to do a thru I would change my answer to no. And no I'm not a sissie. Sissies = victim.

[beakerman]

But Randy, even you have to admit that accidents can happen and idiots do exist. I know, they've happened around my home. And it is true that it isn't usual and that a responsible gun owner isn't very likely to have an accident like that, but it has happened. And also stupid people fool around or get drunk then use guns. We all know that you know what you're doing, but the FACT is that there are people in this world who do not know how to handle a firearm, and have killed people or been killed because of it.

Like Weasel said, it only has to happen once for it to be a tragedy, so even if the statistic of gun accidents are "much lower" than other causes of death, there are still accidental gun related deaths.

ShLep so what are you saying here that firearms should be banned? then by all means let's get rid of all things that idiots use to accidentally kill one another!

Are you willing to give up your vehicle (assuming you own one--not a judgement some folks just don't)? Folks---sober, sane and well meaning folks accidentally kill other folks with their vehicles everyday--don't even get me started on the drunks! That is a straight line deduction from what you said.

On the AT a gun is just dead weight in my opinion---what or who is there to be worried about? Keep in mind I have a complete irrational fear of bears and along the AT I would not carry--the statistics just don't warrant the weight penalty.

That being said I also think that there should not be laws prohibiting me, a law abiding citizen from owning and carrying a legal gun of my choosing when I decide to do so.

[LimpsAlong]

Dang! Call names! Call BS!! Make nasty allusions!!! Wow!!! Feel better? TW

Go back and read some of your posts, I think you called the pro-carry speech "blather". Nasty allusions?? Oh, stomping your foot? I thought it was funny. As far as calling BS, well sir, it WAS BS.

TW[/quote] As I said before, in Post 18, carrying a gun is very, very difficult.

You just don't get it do you? Several posters here have explained how they carry and why. I don't remember reading where they carried on the trail but "Holy Cow was it a nightmare to tote that thing!". I've explained how I carry, ain't gonna do it again. I guarantee it is not any where near "very, very difficult".

TW[/quote] So go jump up and down because someone didn't genuflect to the Gun God (or at least the way you want him worshipped),
I, uhh, just don't, uhh, ............WHAT?? !!

TW[/quote]

[randyg45]

Weasel-

As I have said, I hike with my little peashooter in my pocket. As someone else has said, a cargo pocket on his hipbelt holds his just fine. I have pants with cargo pockets that could carry large hand cannons that would be, in my opinion, far too much weight and hassle. All safely.

Which is where you make an excellent point- the hassle factor. Clearly everyone makes their own decision about every piece of gear they carry, safety equipment specifically included. Some here think that minimal cooking is just too much hassle and eat cold. They're hiking a far different hike than me, and that's not just fine it's peachy keen fine. Many have decided a firearm is too much hassle; that's also peachy keen fine.

But to say it cannot be done safely is just, in my opinion, dead wrong. I agree with you that carrying one in a pack partially defeats the purpose; if someone else disagrees because they just want one with them in their tent at night- that's peachy keen fine with me. It's their hike, their firearm, and their perception of their personal safety.

[rickb]

But to say it cannot be done safely is just, in my opinion, dead wrong. I agree with you that carrying one in a pack partially defeats the purpose; if someone else disagrees because they just want one with them in their tent at night- that's peachy keen fine with me. It's their hike, their firearm, and their perception of their personal safety.

Exactly. But as you say, having it in a pack only partially defeats its purpose.

Most of the people killed on or near the trail were murdered at or near a shelter. Not all, most. That suggests to me that there was likely some interaction between the victims and their killers before they were shot.

We also know that most of those killed (thru hikers and non thru hikers alike) were hiking with a friend, and not by themselves.

Would a period of interaction have alerted a gun owner? Would any of them had time to prepare themselves by transferring their weapons from their pack to a pocket, or by bringing a holstered revolver into their sleeping bags?

No way to tell, of course.

One thing we do know is there have been no (zero) accidental shootings of thru hikers because of safety malfunctions or poor gun handling, but 5 thru hikers have been killed by complete strangers on the AT.

If no law abiding citizens packed in the backcountry, I am thinking there could well have been more. My guess, of course.

[randyg45]

But Randy, even you have to admit that accidents can happen and idiots do exist. I know, they've happened around my home. And it is true that it isn't usual and that a responsible gun owner isn't very likely to have an accident like that, but it has happened. And also stupid people fool around or get drunk then use guns. We all know that you know what you're doing, but the FACT is that there are people in this world who do not know how to handle a firearm, and have killed people or been killed because of it.

Like Weasel said, it only has to happen once for it to be a tragedy, so even if the statistic of gun accidents are "much lower" than other causes of death, there are still accidental gun related deaths.

Are there accidents with guns? Of course there are. Just as with anything else. One of the reasons I became involved with firearms training was to reduce accidents. I heartily reccomend More Guns, Less Crime by Dr Lott and Armed and Female by Paxton Quigley. Paxton worked for Handgun Control Inc until her roommate was beaten, raped, and killed by thugs at their leisure.

How many accidental shooting deaths have there been on the trail? None, right? How many people have defended themselves with a firearm? Unknowable, since by far the most frequent act of self-defence committed by an armed citizen is simply showing the evil-doer the weapon.

[randyg45]

I'm sure we'd all be a lot safer if the bill of rights was mostly repealed.

That could be a fascinating discussion.