Packing Heat.

[asianflava]

My dad has had guns for as long as I could remember, he had them stashed all over the house, though not loaded. He would reload rounds and target shoot, both on and off ranges. He only went hunting once that I can remember. He liked to shoot and liked collecting guns, it was hard to know what he had because he would sell and trade them when he got tired of one.

My dad bought my brother and I a small .22 rifle when we were kids. I think I was 6 and my brother was 7. Of course we only shot it when he was with us. Later on (not much later) we got the quintisential Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. We got pretty god with that. We would sit on the front porch and shoot the power lines. It didn't do anything to them except make a noise. When we moved to FL, we would shoot lizards. My brother was on the shooting team in high school. But I never followed.

Now, suprisingly enough, neither us own a firearm. It is a, "haven't got around to that one" situation. Now that my parents are moving, my dad is going to divide his collection among us. He didn't think we were interested because we never asked about them. He already gave his favorites away though.

We were raised around firearms and we knew to respect them. Though we never "played with his guns" that didn't stop us to find creative uses for fireworks. Boys will be boys....

[PaulC]

What was the first question?
Cheers
Paul

[asianflava]

Oh I guess I forgot to answer, Since I don't have any yet.....I don't pack heat.

[bledsoe3]

I have not camped in my tear yet, but whenever I'm in the woods I'm packing. Remember the little girl that was killed by the bear recently? I have two little girls (5 & 8 ). If the first shot doesn't stop 'um, the next 5 should. 40 S&W FMJ or 380 +P HP's.

We also have a cougar poupulation that's getting out of control up here.

Not meaning to downplay your choice of packing gun for the woods, but I think a .380 is a bit too lite for critters that bite. I dont' go with less than the .45 Colt in a Sherif's model (3" bbl.) . Easy to pack and enough punch to get serious respect from 2 and 4 legged critters.

I admit a 380 is kinda small, but it's easy to conceal (I do have a permit). But atleast I bought the best round I could find. It's a real nasty looking +P hollow point. It'll go in small.... And for Ira and others concerned about safety, when my kids got big enough for me to be concerned, I bought a safe to keep my guns in. Most of them.

[Rick Sheerin]

For anyone that thinks they need a gun when they go camping to protect themselves from wild animals, you might as well put a lightning rod on your tear and go buy a lottery ticket because you have about an equal chance of seeing any one of those three happening. If you are camping in a spot where you fear for your life, maybe you should rethink where you camp.
I have been camping in the Adirondacks all my life(black bear country)and have never felt the need to carry a firearm unless it was hunting season. Even then I don't fear the wildlife, it's the other people walking around with loaded weapons! Check your local news on any opening day during deer season and I garauntee a hunter was shot accidentally by another hunter. Just my two cents.

[madjack]

Rick, I absolutely agree with everything you have posted...in fact, one of the main reasons I no longer hunt is because of the other idiots in the woods...
...now here's a story(true) for ya...there was a man who loved bears...he loved them above all else...he spent his whole life documenting on film his love of bears...one day they showed him how much they loved him too...they ate him...
...course they were griz...not all bears are cute little black bears like y'all have up there in the 'daks...
...down here in the swamps, we have black bears but we also have gators, rattle back diamond moccasins as big as your leg and we have panthers(cougar, moutain lion) plus some rather strange people...
madjack

[len19070]

I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon/weapons, and I do, every day. One on my ankle and a bigger one under my arm. I think one of the few times I don't carry is when I go camping.

However if fishing is involved I'll bring one. Been bit by a snake 3 times. The next time they say I won't even get sick. Thats a theory I would like to remain untested.

Happy Trails

Len

[Joseph]

However if fishing is involved I'll bring one. Been bit by a snake 3 times.

True story. I've got a friend down in SC who carries a .357 mag loaded with snake shot. One day out in the swamp a water moccasin fell in his canoe.

"Tom! NO!!!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Glub, glub, glub...

Joseph

[Joseph]

For anyone that thinks they need a gun when they go camping to protect themselves from wild animals...

The only wild animals that concern me are of the two-legged variety. The times I've encountered black bears in the woods (a total of three) were very civilized and all parties retired from the field without engaging in combat.

you might as well put a lightning rod on your tear and go buy a lottery ticket because you have about an equal chance of seeing any one of those three happening.

Hmmm... well, after three bear encounters, maybe I SHOULD play the lottery...

Joseph

[Rick Sheerin]

MJ-
Never gave a thought to facin' down a gator, glad I'm up here in NY! Not many people know that there have been sitings of mountain lions in the ADK's or catamounts as they called them in the old days when they hunted them to near extinction. The deer population is large enough where they keep well fed and well hidden. There are also rattle snakes in the High Peaks region of the park. Just didn't want you to think we're a bunch of cream puffs up here in the Nor'east! And by the way-ain't nothin cute about a pissed off black bear mom when you get too close to her cubs!(been there, done that, not on purpose).

[Joseph]

Never gave a thought to facin' down a gator, glad I'm up here in NY!

What about them blind albino gaters in the sewers of NYC?

And by the way-ain't nothin cute about a pissed off black bear mom when you get too close to her cubs!(been there, done that, not on purpose).

Actually, the one time I encountered a mom & cubs, they were very close and very cute. Mom swatting the kids along like a couple of furry beach balls. "Come ON! There are PEOPLE here! Moveit, moveit, MOVEIT!!"

But then, I didn't get between them...

Joseph

[Arne]

re stories, my uncle and a friend went hunting, not sure what, but not deer slugs (shotguns)....

My uncle got a no. 2 nature call...... his friend saw the bushes moving and fired..... my uncle went to the hospital to get the bird shot picked out of his back.... no permanent damage that I know of..

good thing it wasn't deer hunting season.

[Rick Sheerin]

Arne-
Your uncles friend wasn't Dick Cheney by any chance,was he?

[Arne]

No, but I'm seeing a trend here.... don't go hunting with stupid people or people with poor eye-sight... could be dangerous to your health.

Some day I'll tell you the full story about a friend who shot his own arm off while trying to clamber through/over a fence line....oh, I guess I just did tell you the full story.... the good part? he learned how to hunt using only one arm....

[madjack]

Arne, I have a friend that blew his leg off with a shotgun when he was wearing some rubber boots and was running out of the house (drunk)to shoot at ???the barell got caught in the top of the boot and BOOM no lower leg...
madjack
p.s then there is the time my mother got caught between a black bear and a piece of flying bread...but that is a whole 'nother story for the campfire...