hiking/biking/driving/tents?

I looked under transportation of firearms under the ATF sticky, and didn't have a clue what it was talking about, so I'll just ask here.

I live in Oregon, and from my understanding, I can open carry a loaded handgun anywhere it's not restricted. What about rifles or shotguns though? I've asked the sheriff chick (or whoever answers the phone at the courthouse for conceal carry licenses), and she couldn't give me an answer. I've asked cops before too, and they didn't know either, but they also gave me the impression that they didn't think it was wise to be carrying a gun anyway. To each his own I guess.

I do a lot of outdoors stuff, including bicycle touring. When I just do overnight bike tours where I won't be going to state parks or anywhere where there's lots of tourists or anti-gun regulations, I usually clip my kel tec .32 on a chest strap on my backpack where it's easy to see.

Unfortunately, the kel tec isn't really capable of anything other than self defense, and I ride/hike a lot of BLM roads where I'd like to be shooting squirrels and stuff along the way.

So, say I'm on a bike trip with no car, and just don't feel like carrying my gun openly, or am carrying a bigger handgun that's too heavy/bulky to open conceal, and choose to put it in one of my bike panniers or something. This would make it difficult to access, and since bicycles are considered vehicles while riding on the road, wouldn't that be the same as keeping a loaded gun in the trunk of your car, which is perfectly legal in Oregon from my understanding?

How about the same thing with hiking? Could I carry a gun in my backpack if I'm hitch hiking or whatever, and not be charged with concealing a firearm?

There's been several attacks and murders of people in the county where I live in the past 4 years at rest areas and campgrounds. Anytime I'm camping in my tent and have a gun with me, I keep it loaded and next to my sleeping bag. I usually only take guns to the lesser populated BLM campgrounds that only state that you can't shoot guns, not that you can't have one there in the first place. Since a tent is similar to a person's house while you're sleeping in it, is it legal to keep it loaded and next to you?

What is the specific rules on carrying guns in cars anyway? I know it's not a big deal if it's in the trunk. I know it's not a big deal if you have rifles in a gun rack in the back window. What about keeping a loaded gun on the passenger seat or on the dashboard where it's visible? I've slept in places where I've kept a .357 on the dash before, simply because it was places I didn't feel comfortable in. I wasn't too keen on the fact that anyone could see it easily while I was sleeping, but I wanted it easily accessible if I needed it for any reason, and didn't want to risk a clean record for concealing a pistol, even though it's doubtful a cop would find it if I put it under the seat or something.

I bicycle tour the coast at least once a year, and camp mainly in state parks. I've never carried there before, mainly because I usually head south into California (and I know that's a no-no with a gun), and because I'm worried about the reaction of tourists and what the gun laws are in OR state parks. Is open carry legal in OR state parks? What about conceal carry with a permit? I plan on getting a conceal carry permit eventually, but just keep putting it off. There's still times when I'd like to take a shotgun or .22 rifle hiking/biking with me anyway though, simply because they're more practical.

Although I travel out of state frequently also, I'm mainly just concerned with Oregon's laws.

Sorry for all the questions, and if there's a better place to ask them or a website with a better explanation of Oregon gun laws, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

My goal isn't to ward off evil doers with the presentation of arms, it's so if a cop stops me, there's no way they can say that it was concealed. That's the reason I don't carry a hip holster, because I wear long shirts untucked, and there's a good chance it would be partially covered enough that a cop might try and bust me for carrying concealed or something.

Yeah, I guess a long gun on a bike would be rather uncomfortable. I was actually thinking about putting the other grip with a sling swivel on my PGO mossberg 500 and biking with that though, since it wouldn't hang down very far, and it weighs considerably less than the backpack I carry while touring. Carrying long guns while backpacking isn't much of a hassle at all though.

I haven't heard anything about not being able to shoot on public lands except at approved targets or animals covered by a hunting license. I'm a disabled vet, so I have hunting license for that, but I've always been under the impression that you can shoot anything that doesn't require a tag on public property as long as you're not doing so in an unsafe manner. I shoot chipmunks and jack rabbits all the time, and have had a cop and forest ranger drive by and watch me do it without saying anything. This was also in douglas county and in eastern oregon, where guns are more of a way of life than some parts of the state though, so that might have played a part too.

When it comes right down to it, a lot of the carry issues I'm concerned with would be solved with a conceal carry license anyhow, so I need to quit procrastinating and just take the class.