Trail/Camping gun decisions

[Meeteetse]

Growing up in the Rockies I do not go into the woods without both a handgun and a rifle. That goes for everyone in the party.

If I am fishing I carry a large caliber handgun, usually a SA revolver in .44 or .45. A levergun in a similar caliber as the handgun and/or a .22 rifle are usually nearby.

If hunting I usually carry a .22 handgun and a heavy caliber rifle.

How I carry the handgun depends on the weather but it is usually concealed unless I am really deep in the wilderness and don't expect to see other people.

I've never worried about bears except in the spring months when sows are with cubs. Don't want to get between them. Most of the time all you will see of a bear is the backside moving away.

As far as two legged critters, I have only felt uncomfortable a couple of times. I didn't have a problem but that is why I carry concealed, so I can surprise them.

I forgot to thank Backpacker for the stories. I have been to most of those locations and hiked the same trails starting back in 1962 as a dumb high school kid with poor equipment. Unfortunately my hiking travels ended a few years ago when the knees gave out, but the memories remain. Now the trips must follow the roads, but the equipment remains the same and perhaps more of it.

 

[Digger Odell]

For those folks that do hike, camp, and hunt in bear or mountain lion country and think an encounter is better than average I would get some this as well

http://www.tbotech.com/bearspray.htm. It's some pretty cheap extra insurance for you kit bag. I'm a realist (not saying other posters here aren't) and think this stuff is going to have more of an immediate effect than any handgun on a really large bear. I'm a pretty good shot with my hangun but I don't think I would do so well if I had a enraged big A$$ grizzly coming at me full bore.

336A Your post reminds me of a bear warning sign at a trailhead I saw years ago, thought you might get a chuckle out of.
Due to frequency of human & bear encounters B.C. Fish & Wildlife Branch is advising etc ......... We advise outdoorsmen to wear little noisy bells on clothing to give advance warning to any bears close by etc...... We also advise to carry "PEPPER SPRAY" in case of bear encounter.
Outdoorsman should also be on watch for fresh bear activity, be able to tell the difference between black bear feces & grizzle bear feces. Black bear feces is smaller & contains lots of berrys & squirrel fur. Grizzly bear S### has bells in it & smells like pepper!
(Real sign on Fort Steele trail. ) .........keep your powder dry.

 

[MCgunner]

I like my .45 Blackhawk or for lighter weight, my 4" Taurus 66. Both offer extreme accuracy. The Taurus is a versatile caliber, very accurate with .38 wadcutter if small game are to be taken. That matters if I'm rifle hunting bigger game, but not so much for purely back packing. I like the light weight, though. The Blackhawk is stainless, a 4 5/8" gun. Stainless Blackhawks weigh a few ounces more than blued ones, but I like stainless. It's no heavier than a Smith and Wesson mountain gun and I like single action ruggedness and hot .45 Colt.

 

[KevinR]

Bear Country Camping Gun

Glock G20 10MM

Much Power

Many Rounds on Board

all weather plastic

quick reloads

Pistols shoot harder than Revolvers This should start a good conversation

 

[kludge]

Indiana: No bear, wolf, and only rumors of mountain lion (I believe I have seen one). Coyote? Lot's of 'em, but they tend to stay far away. The biggest threats would be feral/aggressive dogs, rabid racoons/possums, and meth labs.

I don't go "wandering about" much, but in out of the way places like Hoosier National Forest, whatever you carry for self defense will work for woods carry in Indiana.

A .38 SPL or a .22 Buckmark would be a good companion.

 

[jbauch357]

Live in Western Washington, do a lot of camping/hunting here and in Northern Idaho – it’s not uncommon to come along bear, cougar, raccoons and other wildlife. Wolf populations are increasing but I haven't laid eyes on one yet in these parts, my Dad has seen them by his camp in Idaho.

When in the woods I open carry a GP100 4" loaded with .357 mag 200gr hard-cast WFNGC, and typically have a reload on me of .357 mag 158gr gold-dot hollow points. If somehow I run out of my first load (and can still move) it probably means I'm dealing with people and not an animal that would have eviscerated me by then - so the gold dots are getting loaded for protection against the 2-legged predators.

My girlfriend likes to open carry our SP101 3” loaded up with .38spec +p gold dots as it gives her a reliable/simple pistol to work with, and has enough power to get the job done without punishing her hands.

Finally we usually keep a Mossy 500 loaded up with 2 ¾” Remington magnum 00-buck sitting at the heart of camp.

Well armed, we like to be

 

[JShirley]

You have to know what's likely in your area. When I spent more time hiking and camping in GA, I carried my Glock 23, loaded with XTPs. That would stop black bear, hog, wild dog, or human threats.

Honestly, if you're not going to be in an area with any likely threats other than wild dogs or people, the new Kel-Tec PMR-30 would look pretty good to me.

 

[RETG]

I do a lot of traveling and camping in out of the way places, from WY down to AZ. Primarily on BLM or National forest lands.
When on a trail in my Hummer, or on hikes, I either carry a .40 Stoeger with 10+1 and two spare mags. If I am carrying my Beretta it is 17+1, plus two extra mags. This is protection primarily from small four legged mountain lions, cougars, etc., and two-legged problems.

When camping in the high altitudes at night, I will sleep with my S&W 500 next to me, just in case a big bear decides I look like a midnight snack. Would never use my 9, and not sure if I would use a .40 against a big black bear or grizzly. Might just pee them off. But the 500 should help if needed. And I will add, I hope it is never needed. It's there house, I'm just visiting.

I carry either open or concealed; depending on where I am and how I feel. I should also mention that I really do not have to follow state law for the state I am in. However, for you who do, BLM and National Forests pretty much follow state laws, and most of the states out west do allow open carry. If it is in an area full of people, I prefer to carry more concealed; don't want to scare the two-legged tourists.

For National Parks, effective 2/22, if you have a permit for the state the park is in, or a permit recognized by the state the park is in, you will be able to carry, but I believe it will be concealed only. In a populated area of a National Park, I only carry concealed. Out in the boonies, it's how I feel determines how I carry. Out of all the people in the Dept. of Interior, NPS Park Rangers tend to be the stuffiest. BLM rangers tend to be more relaxed along with National Forest Rangers (under Dept. of Ag).

 

[ATBackPackin]

PA questions

I live in PA and love to camp and go backpacking (bet you would have never guessed huh?), but I am not a hunter. I do have a ccw, I know I can use that in state parks, federal parks, and wma's and I also know that PA is an open carry state.

My question is ( I have looked and I haven't been able to find anything definitive) am I allowed to carry a long gun or shotgun in these areas as well? I won't be hunting, but I would love to carry my shotgun. If I'm not allowed to carry it open, am I allowed to carry it concealed in my backpack? I would rather carry it open, but in my backpack is better than nothing. I would still have my handgun and hopefully that would give me enough time to get my shotgun out of my pack if the need ever arose.

Any info would be greatly appreciated or even pointing me in the right direction. I have looked on handgunlaws.com and the PA state police website.

Thanks

Shawn

 

[Al LaVodka]

From One Extreme to the Other

I backpack and camp. I was one of the earliest owners of the NAA Mini-Master, an 11 oz. 4" stainless very-small frame single-action five-shot that I was the first to have custom made with both a .22 LR and an alternate unfluted .22 Mag cylinder. The .22 Mag and a rubber coin purse that perfectly holds another 10-rounds have been my companions since except...

Bacpacking/camping in the Colorado Rockies, where I've had a 3 1/4" 6-shot 357 Mag Rossi 971-Comp (with Federal CastCore Vital Shocks) and Alaska where it has been a 5-shot .44 Mag Taurus Tracker (with Buffalo Bore lower-recoil hard-cast Keith Semi-Wadcutters); these latter two included consideration of bear.

Al

PS: Don't ask about the Taurus picture -- it was composed as a joke to emulate a pompous poster's.

 

[BHP FAN]

A well worn old 1917 .45 acp revolver is a good choice.

 

[MCgunner]

Al LaVodka,

Man, I've been wanting a mini master like that! How accurate is it? Is it close to, say, a 4" M63 Smith or Rossi 511 in accuracy? My little 511 will keep plain old bulk pack Federals into 2" at 25 yards. If it could do that or at least 3" from sandbags, it'd be awesome! I used to carry a 971 Rossi, too, 4" not comped. It is a neat hiking gun, lighter than a K frame, sort of half way between a J and K frame. I shot rabbits with it, even took a Javelina with it, once. I replaced it with a 4" Taurus 66 that's a good shootin' gun, very accurate, a little heavier, but not too much. I have a .45 Colt Blackhawk, but never been in Griz country, usually opted for the lighter .357s for hiking. Don't do much anymore, sorta old and out of shape. And, my knees can't stand it, seem to be a lot weaker than when I was younger. They hurt a lot.

 

[huntme]

i live in oregon,so i neaver go out in the woods with out my trusty danwesson 357.158 grain j.s.p.open carry in the woods in my state.

 

[The Tennessean]

I spend a fair amount of time outside futzing around, though not as much as I'd like. I am by no means an expert outdoorsman, nor do I claim to be. That said I think what I have works well for me.

I carry two, full size pistols when I'm out in the woods/mountains which is typically on my own property, which is 50 acres, mostly wooded or on some other large, public lands. The first is a S&W 627, eight shots of .357 Magnum. I'm not a reloader, I buy ammo wherever it's cheap. This gun is always hip carry and is mostly for snakes or other critters, although it would do fine on people as well. I do a four snake, four JHP combo.

The second gun is a S&W Sigma in .40 cal. I have the 15 round magazines and carry two additional magazines. This gun stays in the backpack and is really just for people should I need it. It gets bumped and banged around a lot being in the pack, but always fires and is accurate inside of say 75 feet. I know it's not a popular choice but it works well for me and I have no complaints about it, plus it was inexpensive.

 

[NinjaFeint]

We have only black bears/foxes around hear so my 4" GP100 is sufficient. I carry it semi concealed. If there are going to be a lot of people around who I don't know or the possiblility of it. I carry my PM9 concealed loaded with DPX.

 

[Al LaVodka]

Trail/Camping Gun Decision?

And whadidja decide on!?
Al