You missed me.If I feel the need to conceal my sidearm while hiking, then I am not really hiking.
I get that. I oftern forget that what some refer to as “hiking” I consider to be quite literally a “stroll in the park.”If I feel the need to conceal my sidearm while hiking, then I am not really hiking.
You missed me.
I do both. It depends on where I am.
National Parks and State Parks, I carry concealed (or as much so as is comfortable). I figure it's polite to not spook the sheep during their recreation. Some of them don't get outdoors much and guns make them visibly uncomfortable.
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Ornery folks tend to mellow out when they see that you are packing.
A perfect opportunity for them to learn that good, responsible people carry guns and it is OK.
Concealed carry for me. I don't want to attract attention good, negative or otherwise.
Hunting is a different story...carrying a larger weapon holstered open carry.
Concealed carry for me. I don't want to attract attention good, negative or otherwise.
Hunting is a different story...carrying a larger weapon holstered open carry.
One of the biggest myths of OC: That people notice someone open carrying. The vast majority of people are oblivious.
For example, I was looking at rural property a couple years ago. I met the owner and her brother at his house, talked for a couple minutes, then I drove us to her property a mile or so away. She sat right next to me in my F-350 and I'm right handed.
Got out and walked around in the open,talking about the property. It was a good 15-20 minutes before she exclaimed: "Are you a cop, you're carrying a gun!" Her brother and I sort of exchanged glances and half rolled our eyes at the total lack of awareness. I, of course, was wearing my S&W 329PD 4" .44 magnum. Not really a small unobtrusive sidearm.
The 2nd point I want to make is about gun owners who are too afraid of their own shadow. Gun Owners who are fear something as simple as "attention"; they just give up and cower in the corner afraid to show the world they own guns. No wonder the gun banners are winning.
One of the biggest myths of OC: That people notice someone open carrying. The vast majority of people are oblivious
I'm not necessarily opposed to open carry, I'm just not all that familiar with open carry. I've seen it in a few states but even then, not a whole bunch of people wore their gun(s) openly. I can't recall ever seeing it in my home state or states in which I have lived and worked. I've thought open-range kind of people open-carry. Out of necessity, mostly. Cowboys and cowgirls. Not urban. People in suits don't open-carry because they are paid to be discreet with their guns. I just don't know. While hiking, concealed but available if someone/some thing is headed in my direction.
I moved to Prescott Valley, AZ in 2006 from Iowa and went to a Taco Bell about a half-mile from my house. I got my order and went to sit down in the back, and there in the corner was a high table and two men in their 60's wearing SASS gear, complete with double-pistol rigs, enjoying their tacos and not giving a hoot what other people thought.
It was refreshing and a stark contrast to Iowa, where I had the cops called on me for having a Glock in a Bianchi leather holster while wearing khakis and a tucked in polo shirt in an A&W with my wife and two small children. I was with Homeland Security then and the cops chastised me for upsetting the local mouth-breathers.
Yup. This guy didn't notice at all. Oh, wait...
Dictionary: look up the definition of VAST and MAJORITY and then try to put those two words together and see if you can determine the meaning.
This makes perfect sense for someone who carries to make a statement. I think you can see why someone who isn't interested in attention, who isn't out to show the world they own guns, and who isn't carrying to make a political statement might take a different approach.The 2nd point I want to make is about gun owners who are too afraid of their own shadow. Gun Owners who are fear something as simple as "attention"; they just give up and cower in the corner afraid to show the world they own guns. No wonder the gun banners are winning.
The vast majority of people aren't predators. There's little reason to be worried about what all the people who aren't predators do or don't notice as long as your activity is legal and you don't mind a clueless person "exclaiming" about your gun once in awhile. There is a reason to be concerned with what the small minority of people who are predators notice, and they tend to be a bit more attentive to what's going on around them so they can exploit openings when they see them.One of the biggest myths of OC: That people notice someone open carrying. The vast majority of people are oblivious.