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Guns On The Trail

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    • Story doesn't say what type of weapon was involved, but there's no question about what kind of idiot packs a loaded weapon in a backpack in a way that the safety can be deactivated and the trigger activated. A first-class idiot.

      Idiot, meet karma.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard

    • max.patch wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Also, would it be accurate to say that most (or all?) Incidences for which a gun would have any value would require the gun to be more accessible than inside a pack?
      That's the first thing I thot of. IF someone thinks they need a gun on the trail then storing it inside their pack doesn't make a whole lotta sense.
      my guess is they sleep with it cuz they're scared of things that go bump in the night....or grrrr

    • Muddywaters wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Also, would it be accurate to say that most (or all?) Incidences for which a gun would have any value would require the gun to be more accessible than inside a pack?
      That's the first thing I thot of. IF someone thinks they need a gun on the trail then storing it inside their pack doesn't make a whole lotta sense.
      my guess is they sleep with it cuz they're scared of things that go bump in the night....or grrrr
      That's exactly why my wife has her LCP 380 in her pack. I'm always asking her if one is in the chamber. There's no safety on the gun

      We were at a campground somewhere and she had her bear spray sitting on a table close to her. I asked her what she'd do if a bear started attacking me. She said she'd get her gun and shoot it. I've seen her shoot. She'd probably miss from 10' away. I told her to only use the spray or I'm a goner for sure (might be her plan all along). They she laughed, while I kept telling her I was serious.....

    • Dmax wrote:


      That's exactly why my wife has her LCP 380 in her pack. I'm always asking her if one is in the chamber. There's no safety on the gun
      We were at a campground somewhere and she had her bear spray sitting on a table close to her. I asked her what she'd do if a bear started attacking me. She said she'd get her gun and shoot it. I've seen her shoot. She'd probably miss from 10' away. I told her to only use the spray or I'm a goner for sure (might be her plan all along). They she laughed, while I kept telling her I was serious.....
      Sorry DMax, but I had a good laugh at this.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • Dmax wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Show her the research paper on how useless guns are at bear defense.

      wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.342
      It's more of a mental thing. Kinda like how some people can't sleep without one in a night stand, or under a pillow, at home.
      Is having a loaded gun under your pillow really that good if an idea? ?(
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • Astro wrote:

      Dmax wrote:

      odd man out wrote:

      Show her the research paper on how useless guns are at bear defense.

      wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.342
      It's more of a mental thing. Kinda like how some people can't sleep without one in a night stand, or under a pillow, at home.
      Is having a loaded gun under your pillow really that good if an idea? ?(
      Well. I had a single action .22 magnum in a western holster with leather strap over the hammer, it hung on the headboard and the barrel touched the floor, I was sitting on the floor using the phone leaning against the headboard and some how it undid the leather strap, raised itself above me, cocked and pulled the trigger and shot me in the back, my best friend was a policeman who I called over to check me out, he kept wanting to know who's wife I was with....you stand a much better chance shooting yourself in the head.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • CoachLou wrote:

      OK I'm sorry I went there! Do we even have moderators here?
      Well. Rasty seems to have left the building. And I struggle between my distain of censorship and my desire to have this place be a place for civil conversation. It all seems to go to crap quickly when politics, guns and dogs are brought up. For now I chose to just use diversion from these topics as a tactic.

      So, if I hike the those last 50 miles to the northern terminus of the Long Trail, how can I get back to my starting point? Would it be safe to leave a car at 'Jouney's End' for 5 days, or should I leave it someplace in Richford Vermont? Anyone have any ideas?
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier

    • IMScotty wrote:



      So, if I hike the those last 50 miles to the northern terminus of the Long Trail, how can I get back to my starting point? Would it be safe to leave a car at 'Jouney's End' for 5 days, or should I leave it someplace in Richford Vermont? Anyone have any ideas?
      Seriously, the safest option during a pandemic would be to turn around and hike back to your car rather than risk getting into someone elses car or using public transportation.

      Just for the sake of conversation -- because after all these years I'm positive this is no longer an issue -- but when I rehiked Vermont in the 90's I was considering whether to rehike the AT or do the Long Trail instead. At the time there were multiple reports of people who left their cars at the northern terminus of the LT returning to their cars that had been burned by vandals.
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:

      IMScotty wrote:

      So, if I hike the those last 50 miles to the northern terminus of the Long Trail, how can I get back to my starting point? Would it be safe to leave a car at 'Jouney's End' for 5 days, or should I leave it someplace in Richford Vermont? Anyone have any ideas?
      Seriously, the safest option during a pandemic would be to turn around and hike back to your car rather than risk getting into someone elses car or using public transportation.
      Just for the sake of conversation -- because after all these years I'm positive this is no longer an issue -- but when I rehiked Vermont in the 90's I was considering whether to rehike the AT or do the Long Trail instead. At the time there were multiple reports of people who left their cars at the northern terminus of the LT returning to their cars that had been burned by vandals.
      And at this time I am especially concerned about leaving a car there that has Massachusetts plates. But, if I leave the car in town, then I would probably want to do another hitch to get from Journey's end into town. What to do, what to do?
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”

      John Greenleaf Whittier