Concealed Carry or Open Carry While Hiking Public Trails
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Trey Veston
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I think it depends on the area. My answer and my normal carry method when in the Idaho woods would seem ridiculous to someone whose idea of "hiking" is walking in a wooded park where they expect to encounter other people every few minutes.
I rarely see other people when I'm in the woods. In another 3 months or so, I'll be out picking morel mushrooms, with a hiking staff in my hand, a paper bag in the other, and my G29 on my hip in my old Bianchi military flap holster. I don't even have a concealed carry holster for the 10mm Glock.
Of course, my main concerns when out there are hungry bears coming out of hibernation and wolves looking for an easy meal.
If I feel the need to conceal my sidearm while hiking, then I am not really hiking.
I rarely see other people when I'm in the woods. In another 3 months or so, I'll be out picking morel mushrooms, with a hiking staff in my hand, a paper bag in the other, and my G29 on my hip in my old Bianchi military flap holster. I don't even have a concealed carry holster for the 10mm Glock.
Of course, my main concerns when out there are hungry bears coming out of hibernation and wolves looking for an easy meal.
If I feel the need to conceal my sidearm while hiking, then I am not really hiking.
You missed me.
I get that. I oftern forget that what some refer to as “hiking” I consider to be quite literally a “stroll in the park.”
.455_Hunter
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On the Colorado Front Range, there are vast tracts of city and county "Open Space" trails that generally (I know there are exceptions) restrict open carry. They may try to restrict concealed carry too, but it's a legal bluff. In those areas, obviously concealed is the way to go. I also don't OC in congested regions of NPs, like Bear Lake in RMNP.
However, on BLM, NF, or boonies NPs, I definitely open carry, usually a large bore revolver, with a concealed back-up.
I have only had one "negative" encounter with a curmudgeonry olde biddy (Karen?), on the backside of Guanella Pass, who definitely disapproved of my choice to be armed.
However, on BLM, NF, or boonies NPs, I definitely open carry, usually a large bore revolver, with a concealed back-up.
I have only had one "negative" encounter with a curmudgeonry olde biddy (Karen?), on the backside of Guanella Pass, who definitely disapproved of my choice to be armed.
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In my own state TN or AL, which is very close by, I normally OC unless it's cold and some sort of cover garment. In other states, I normally CC; I simply don't want the hassle of dealing with some cop when I'm out of state.
For me, there are far more advantages to OC, mostly due to weather and temps. At +70 degrees, it's simply more comfortable to carry OC since I don't have to wrry about having another shirt, or worse, having my sidearm right next to my sweaty stinky body. yuck.
Here's a pretty good discussion on open carry:
https://www.usacarry.com/forums/open-carry-discussion/7230-open-carry-argument.html
For me, there are far more advantages to OC, mostly due to weather and temps. At +70 degrees, it's simply more comfortable to carry OC since I don't have to wrry about having another shirt, or worse, having my sidearm right next to my sweaty stinky body. yuck.
Here's a pretty good discussion on open carry:
https://www.usacarry.com/forums/open-carry-discussion/7230-open-carry-argument.html
Charlie Martinez
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In an area where open carry is legal it should not offend, scare or surprise anyone if they see people openly armed. I don't think the weapon scares folks as much as the way the person carrying the weapon acts. In an area where open carry is legal I would open carry baddest gun I could comfortably tote around & for me that could be a 44 Magnum revolver and possibly even a Marlin 1894 fully loaded with 44 Magnum ammo.
If open carry was not permitted I would CC a smaller handgun, probably a 5-shot 357 Mag revolver.
Regarding places where CC or open carry are illegal I know several folks that hike regularly & for many years they have discreetly CC something regardless. They feel that if someone or something decides they are easy pickings they would rather be prepared. From what they tell me (Im not a big hiker like them) a lot of other folks do this.
If open carry was not permitted I would CC a smaller handgun, probably a 5-shot 357 Mag revolver.
Regarding places where CC or open carry are illegal I know several folks that hike regularly & for many years they have discreetly CC something regardless. They feel that if someone or something decides they are easy pickings they would rather be prepared. From what they tell me (Im not a big hiker like them) a lot of other folks do this.
WheelGunMan
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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.
Hunting is a different story...carrying a larger weapon holstered open carry.
Trunk Monkey
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He's saying that he hikes so far out in the back country that he's more likely to see a bear than another human being
Trey Veston
Member
When you can see for 20 miles in any direction and not see a town, residence, or paved road, then you know you are finally away from it all...
Many years ago my wife, dog and I were on the Blue Ridge Parkway in N.C. and we'd hiked down through the trees for a short distance. A man came past us and he had the scariest eyes I've ever seen on another human. Luckily there were other hikers some distance behind him and he just kept moving. Later in the year a couple in a National Park in N.C. were killed and my wife and I have often talked about if the killer was that same guy we saw. This was before the day of CC and I've never forgotten that wild look in this man's eyes or what might have happened if my wife and I had been alone. Needless to say I always carry something when we're out like that.
A perfect opportunity for them to learn that good, responsible people carry guns and it is OK.
Speaking to OPs question. I think that another poster made a good point about the advantage of surprise. On the other hand, I have witnessed the deterent value of open carry. Ornery folks tend to mellow out when they see that you are packing.
Trunk Monkey
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Or they try to take your gun
WrongHanded
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When it comes to many of them, I question your logic here. It seems more likely they would assume a person open carrying a gun is neither good, nor responsible. Because unfortunately, that's how many of them have been conditioned to think. Just my personal experience, of course.
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.
WheelGunMan
Member
I'll expound a little more on what I meant about attracting attention... that also means any attention from a "bad guy". I prefer to stay low key and anonymous on carrying keeping the element of surprise on my side. I'm certainly not shy about my feelings on the 2nd Amendment to anyone.
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Thibaut
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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.
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Trunk Monkey
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Trey Veston
Member
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.
.455_Hunter
Member
People are sometimes surprised at the anti-gun attitudes in the Midwest. Lots of with folks with a deer rifle, pump shotgun and a bolt .22. Throw a handgun into the mix, and you are "looking for trouble..."
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.
skeeterfogger
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Concealed all the way. Open just an advertisement for issues.
Trunk Monkey
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I'm not worried about the vast majority. I'm worried about that one crackhead standing behind me in line in McDonald's.
I've said it before I fully support your right to make your own decision as to whether or not you're going to conceal or open carry. It's just been my experience that open carry causes more problems than it solves so it's something that I choose not to do.
Having said that, "Most people won't notice anyway" is a really bad basis for your decision-making process.
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.
I've got nothing bad to say about people who openly wear guns and do a good job of being positive advocates for gun owners, but it's a slightly different goal than I typically have when I am carrying.
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.
jamesjames
Member
I could never make open carry work when backpacking. With a pack waist belt there is no real estate for belt carry, either open or concealed.
The two methods I employ when backpacking are a Hill People chest rig or a mil surp claymore or gas mask pouch on the pack belt. My pack is OD green and the pouch just looks like a water bottle pouch (the other claymore pouch on the pack belt is for water bottles). I put the hand gun in it’s holster and carry spare mag in the pouch. Then I have a belt holster for when the pack comes off in the evening.
The two methods I employ when backpacking are a Hill People chest rig or a mil surp claymore or gas mask pouch on the pack belt. My pack is OD green and the pouch just looks like a water bottle pouch (the other claymore pouch on the pack belt is for water bottles). I put the hand gun in it’s holster and carry spare mag in the pouch. Then I have a belt holster for when the pack comes off in the evening.
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