What do you carry when you actually hike?

Bear Spray works on people too.

I think it's apparent that most people here have never been on backpacking trip of more than a few miles, otherwise you wouldn't be suggesting such heavy hardware.

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Don't make silly assumptions. I could carry that S&W .44 Mag in that shoulder holster further than you could carry a Beretta Nano in your pocket.

Ruger, Security six. 4" stainless. Carry heavy load 357 for bear, coyote, two legged critters etc and some 38 spl. shotshell for the crawly critters.

Don't make silly assumptions. I could carry that S&W .44 Mag in that shoulder holster further than you could carry a Beretta Nano in your pocket.

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That reminds me of something Colin Fletcher (The Compleat Walker) said he once overheard, "He's a real backpacker. He's got a filed-down toothbrush."

I've done the Applachian Trail, mostly in 140 to 150 mile sections, along with the Ozark Highlands Trail, Horseshoe Trail and a few others. Adding a pound to my gear makes me cringe.

I hike a lot near the Mexican border. I never hike without a weapon in this part of the country.

I second that -- in fact, I'd arrange for artillery support for a hike there!

Marlin 1894 .44mag, with a Glock 22 on my belt and a Kel-Tec P32 in the pocket. The latter two go with me everywhere; the former when I'm in the woods or mountains.

I used to hump eighty pounds fifty miles a day. Guns are fun!

It never fails that the time I decide to go light and bring a little magnum, there are bears running all over the place. So I try to bring the .450 levergun even if it isn't convenient.

I feel perfectly safe with my S&W 686 4in. loaded with 158gr. JSP in 357mag. Where I currently live, I believe this will handle anything I might encounter.

Bad Andy, I believe that you have quoted the heart rate for a hibernating bear. A bear's pulse is usually around 40-70 bpm and the pulse rate has nothing to do with how quickly blood pressure will drop to the point of unconsciousness. Besides, that would also be the completely wrong kind of shot to try on a charging bear--you want to break a shoulder (if you have a long gun) or do mass neurological damage (only option with handgun).

Don't mistake my reply for bravado: I'm sure firing bear spray into a headwind is much more manly than carrying a big gun.

Mike

Was my Ruger Security Six.
Just got a Speed Six that will soon replace it as primary woods carry.

I live in Alaska. We have very large and dangerous game here. I don't leave the side of the road without packing something. Even kids on their way to school are at risk of being trampled by a stubborn moose. If I am just walking with my family around the block or a power line I carry a Springfield XD .45 Cal. It will kill any unruly dog. And will put down a moose at close range. But if I am further from my home and getting into the remote or fishing anywhere, I will most certainly be packing my Super Red hawk .454 Casul with a 7 1/2" barrel. When standing up to a 10 Brown bear or a 1500 pound moose with calves I am not taking any chances. I see people posting with much smaller arms but I live in an area where people do get attacked by wild animals. We just recently had as group of 7 people get attacked by one bear. That is the largest group ever attacked by a wild animal. If one of them would have been packing then things would have turned out differently. Many people get stomped by moose every year. I have been chased into my home and car by them several times in my own driveway.

As for the dog comment. I am. Dog lover but I am not going to just stand there while some idiot that wants a dangerous dog s he can be super cool lets his dog loose and maul my children.

My at the time 10 year old daughter was attacked on the roadway by a neighbors dog while she was walking home from school. The man's excuse when I confronted him was that the dog was defending it's property! He actually said his dog was defending itss property from a 10 year old girl on her way from school.

AZ mike, I completely agree. Nothing like seasoning a warm meal for a charging bear like pepper spray in the face. Here in AK the bears always say "send more tourists, the last ones were delicious".

I know of a man walking from his home to his neighbors on a gravel road just outside the city limits Soldotna Ak. He was carrying a .454 casul. He heard a rustling in the bushes. He had enough time to pull his gun a and get one shot off. The 1000 lb. Brown bear literally fell at his feet. If that would have been a 9 mm what would the outcome be. A bear can reach speed of 45 miles an hour. And can get to those speeds faster than a ferarri.

My best friend likes to hike. He hikes one of the most difficult trails in Alaska frequently. One time he was driving by in his work rig. A semi. He decided to climb it. Its a mile and a half to the top and over 3000 feet in elevation. He can climb it in less than an hour. Pretty amazing times. Tis time he wasn't packing. While relaxing at the top he saw a brown bear several hundred yards away. He decided to make his presence known. Bad idea. The bruin charged and didn't stop. All he could do was run. He doesn't know how close the bear came but he made it down off the mountain in 23 minutes. The name is the trail is called Skyline.

Greycliff gunman said:

The man's excuse when I confronted him was that the dog was defending it's property! He actually said his dog was defending itss property from a 10 year old girl on her way from school.

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While the dog owner is certainly responsible for his dog's behavior (dog should have been fenced, chained, on a leash under supervision, or inside), it's very plausible that the dog perceived your daughter as a threat which was invading its space. By no means am I absolving the irresponsible owner, but the dog is just an animal with no capacity for understanding that a little girl isn't a threat. Another case of dumb owner, unfortunate dog. Was your little girl ok? How bad of an attack was it and what happened afterward?

Your posts make me think of the saying, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." When in Alaska, it makes sense to carry much more powerful hardware than were I camping in the Appalachians or even the Rockies.

I carry my G21 with 230 grain FMJs. If my tax return ever comes ill pay off my G20 and carry buffalo bore FMJs.

On my last back-packing trip, ~20 miles from Mexico, took 3" Ruger SP101 and 5 xtra rounds. Lightest revolver with longest barrell combo that I feel confident with. Probably about 2 lbs. Black bear and cougars are largest animals. Biggest fear is running into them unexpectedly or at nite. Have never really needed a fire-arm, but when your miles from nowhere, rather be safe than sorry. Try to keep my pack to 30 lbs. Water is biggest problem.

willypete said:

While the dog owner is certainly responsible for his dog's behavior (dog should have been fenced, chained, on a leash under supervision, or inside), it's very plausible that the dog perceived your daughter as a threat which was invading its space. By no means am I absolving the irresponsible owner, but the dog is just an animal with no capacity for understanding that a little girl isn't a threat. Another case of dumb owner, unfortunate dog. Was your little girl ok? How bad of an attack was it and what happened afterward?

Your posts make me think of the saying, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." When in Alaska, it makes sense to carry much more powerful hardware than were I camping in the Appalachians or even the Rockies.

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Hey wileypete. The dog did not get lead poisoning because of it. The owner wanted to fight me. I have dogs myself and they are part of the family, I am sure every decent human does. Luckily my daughter did not receive any permanant scars physically. But it chewed her arm up pretty good. My
Son was attaackkedd by the same dog later. Eventually the owner decided to get rid of the dog after biting at least 12 people 9 of which were children. My daughter did get suspended from school for taking an knife to school to protect herself. She was at least thinking of defending herself and not being a victim. The knife was so tiny though it would not have done any good. She did not want to get bitten again that's for sure.

...3" Ruger SP101 and 5 xtra rounds. Lightest revolver with longest barrell combo...

S&W 329PD - an inch longer barrel, 1.9 oz lighter. Not cheaper, though :-

I wish S&W would make a super duper lightweight .357 J frame with a 4 inch barrel for not-grizz country - maybe 16 oz.

Greycliff gunman said:

Hey wileypete. The dog did not get lead poisoning because of it. The owner wanted to fight me. I have dogs myself and they are part of the family, I am sure every decent human does. Luckily my daughter did not receive any permanant scars physically. But it chewed her arm up pretty good. My
Son was attaackkedd by the same dog later. Eventually the owner decided to get rid of the dog after biting at least 12 people 9 of which were children. My daughter did get suspended from school for taking an knife to school to protect herself. She was at least thinking of defending herself and not being a victim. The knife was so tiny though it would not have done any good. She did not want to get bitten again that's for sure.

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That owner seems to be a jerk; dogs are better off without him! Sorry to hear your kids got chewed on, but your daughter sounds like a fighter.

Glock 21 stuffed with .45 Super is about ideal IMHO. 250gr handloads (JHP or hardcast) at over 1,150 fps, and 275gr hardcasts at 1,100 fps. Not like a 230gr XTP at almost 1250 fps wouldn't work either. Plus I've got 13+1rd capacity.

Walther PPK in 7.65 mil. It's got a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window. Should be fine for anything one should encounter on a hike.

I am tired of getting my tuxedo dirty, however.

I've been bit by a dog before. If I had been hiking rather than at work, and was carrying, the dog would be dead.

I am. Dog lover but I am not going to just stand there while some idiot that wants a dangerous dog s he can be super cool lets his dog loose and maul my children.

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Me too. If a dog went after my theoretical kids, not only would it be dead, but it would be kicked afterward too. I love animals, but I have no tolerance for vicious dogs or owners of dogs that let them run a muck. I almost got attacked last summer by a huge black lab. It got about 5 feet away and just kept barking. I wound up to kick it in the face and it jumped back, so apparently it has been kicked before. I was in a state where my permit was no good, so all I had was pepper spray. If that thing had twitched when it got close, if would have gotten sprayed. I can't believe I had the restraint I did.

Had one follow me home from work too. I was walking home from my office, so I wasn't armed. The thing just kept running up to me barking and growling. Finally I had enough and went after it instead. It ran off when it relized it had picked the wrong one. If it had lept at me, it would have had a knife in it's belly, and I would have been going to the hospital for a bite wound to my arm.

On another time I was working in the woods near a private residence. A very large rotweiler came after me. I managed to make friends with that one. Once we had our tense moment, and she decided I wasn't a threat, she was my buddy. She would follow me around and come get pet when ever I had to be near her property.

Had a healer follow me for a day. I named him Bob. he was cool too. I meet a lot of dogs in the woods.