Carrying a gun when canoe traveling just because

I carry mostly for the trip to/from paddling destinations, not at all for fear of 4 legged critters in the back country.
We've had to stay in motels in sketchy neighborhoods.

Do I carry when I travel? You bet I do.

But I'm also responsible and I don't leave my gun in my locked vehicle (especially if it's unattended for days at a time) unless I have no choice (can't carry in post office, the ER, etc).

So when I travel in the back country, my gun goes with me and not left unattended at risk for theft.

A gun is simply a tool. Whatever way you choose to protect yourself you need to be proficient (ie train) with that method.

That said how many of you who carry bear spray actually fire off a can occasionally? Do you really know how to deploy it quickly? Do you really know it’s effective range? Will it spray as accurately as you think? Are you still carrying that same can of spray you bought 15 years ago?

Per the rules bear spray isn’t technically legal in the bwca due to prohibition of metal cans. Exception to the metal cans is “stove fuel, insect repellents and medicines”.

Suppose medicine exception was intended for inhalers. If they left off the word ‘insect’ from repellents you could argue bear spray being a repellant.

I am surprised some people are brave enough to go out of the house.
I carry a revolver on canoe trips. It is tucked away and I don't talk about it. I don't show it to anyone.
For backpacking and day hikes with predators the little Ruger LCR goes right in the waist belt pocket of my pack. I don't put it on display.

There are really two kinds of people in the US when it comes to guns. Those who are afraid of guns, and those that are afraid to go anywhere without guns. Keep guns out of sight to keep from upsetting the first group.

ppine said:

There are really two kinds of people in the US when it comes to guns. Those who are afraid of guns, and those that are afraid to go anywhere without guns. Keep guns out of sight to keep from upsetting the first group.

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Three. Those who aren't afraid of guns, but aren't afraid to go out unarmed either. Which is probably the majority in the US. Agree with the keeping it out of sight though.

I carry daily, usually a custom Kimber 1911, other times call for a smaller firearm. More for 2 legged predators than anything else.

Cookannapurna said:

I carry daily, usually a custom Kimber 1911, other times call for a smaller firearm. More for 2 legged predators than anything else.

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Kimbers are nice, owned a few. Always removed the series II safety. One less thing for the trigger to do. I’ve been a 1911 guy since my military service. Built several of them. Had a concealed carry license for 20 years, trained monthly at minimum until my son moved away. Don’t carry much now, but don’t begrudge anyone who does as long as it’s out of sight. Guns make people nervous, and I can understand that, the way the world is now. I took a pistol into BWCA in 2006, not since. Decided it was too heavy. I ran into some unsavory dudes who wanted to tour our campsite on Frost Lake in 2007. We had just landed and were setting up camp. Never laid down my axe until they shoved off. Anyway, I agree a gun is only a tool. A great noisemaker when griz visits camp. Having one and not needing it is better than vice Versa. I still keep a gun handy when I’m in a sketchy place or around crowds. Lately, I’ve been carrying to walk my dogs down a one lane road I’ve been using for 20 years. My being there seems to make some people angry. A large lady in a jeep jumped out to scream that she shouldn’t have to slow down, the road is for cars. Then she threatened to let her pit bull out of the backseat to take care of my dog. Then she jumped back in and pealed off, spraying gravel near us. People are becoming so unhinged you can’t tell where’s safe anymore.

I used to do a lot of pistol shooting, mostly just cutting paper but some IDPA, and hunted turkey and deer with a 12 gauge. Gun culture has become so toxic over the past decade or so, I disassembled everything and locked it in the attic. I hunt 100% recurve now, and I'm happier for it. I've camped, canoed, and backpacked my whole adult life and never carried a pistol, but I don't begrudge people who do, as long as they're not actively exhibiting signs of wanting an excuse to use it. If I lived in grizzly country I would think differently, for sure.
And I agree, it's generally insurance against unsavory people one might come across, not rampaging critters. I may get mine out and dust them off one day.

ppine said:

There are really two kinds of people in the US when it comes to guns. Those who are afraid of guns, and those that are afraid to go anywhere without guns.

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clemency said:

Three. Those who aren't afraid of guns, but aren't afraid to go out unarmed either. Which is probably the majority in the US.

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I have to agree with Clemency. I've been hunting and target shooting since I was a kid, as have many of my friends and family and very few of us feel so threatened that we carry on a regular basis. Maybe it depends on where you live and the places you visit. I'm thankful that I don't live in fear but I'm not naive either; as Black Fly mentioned there appears to be a growing number of wacked out people out there. I'm just not convinced that it's gotten so bad that I need to carry a firearm around with me for defense. The only time I've ever had a gun at the ready (not including hunting) was up in Alaska when we were working (and camping) in brown bear habitat.

On the daily carry subject, I have a friend who compares EDCing a pistol to Frodo carrying the Ring in Lord of the Rings - the more you carry it, the more it affects how you see the world, and the more you expect hate and malice from the people around you, and the more eager you are to justify carrying it by wanting to use it.

MyKneesHurt said:

On the daily carry subject, I have a friend who compares EDCing a pistol to Frodo carrying the Ring in Lord of the Rings - the more you carry it, the more it affects how you see the world, and the more you expect hate and malice from the people around you, and the more eager you are to justify carrying it by wanting to use it.

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I don't carry myself and I can't remember ever feeling threatened. To me the attitude Knees illustrates is similar to one described in a juvenile novel by SF writer Robert Heinlein (I think his mid 1950s "Tunnel in the Sky"). In it a student about to graduate high school in the future has the theoretical situation explained by a teacher as feeling "too safe" with a gun, that it's better to be scared and wanting to avoid the situations where a gun might be required, and without the gun the character is more likely to be more careful in avoiding danger.

I can see having a gun ready in polar bear country where, to the big white bear, anything that moves is potential food, but I personally have never been there. I have been canoeing in grizzly and blackbear country many times and seen a few grizzlies and many black bears. In over 60 years of wilderness travel I've never needed a gun or even thought that I did. Same in civilization. I know there have been situations where bear attacks have been fought off with a gun. I don't know how many were because of lack of attention as result of Heinlein's "feeling safe" or intentionally doing "dumb" things a la Tolkein's "wanting to use the ring/gun." Maybe none?

I'm a gun enthusiast and love both long range rifle shooting and pistols and I've had a carry permit for decades but I rarely carry in either urban or wilderness. In almost 60 years I've never been in a situation where having a gun would have led to a better outcome.

MyKneesHurt said:

On the daily carry subject, I have a friend who compares EDCing a pistol to Frodo carrying the Ring in Lord of the Rings - the more you carry it, the more it affects how you see the world, and the more you expect hate and malice from the people around you, and the more eager you are to justify carrying it by wanting to use it.

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I take it that your friend doesn't carry.

Curious - how many of us have been in a situation where a firearm was actually used for personal safety from another human? It seems people are concerned about the 2 legged adversaries out there more so then the 4 legged kind. Using that as a framework, I have run around most of the larger cities in North America for years but have never felt the need to carry, nor have I ever felt threatened.

I can see Knee's point - I only know 2 people who consistently carry and since they started there is a change in their behavior. One seems to be looking for a fight - the other actually wants to shoot someone. One of these carries 2, and sometimes 3 pieces as a time. I find this both amusing and concerning. When questioned on the need for multiple pieces - more than the actual police carry, there is never a response, just blank stares. In my experience some, not all, seem to have a switch flipped when it's time to carry. Working in wholesale sporting goods brought me to many gun shows. There is a type. Seen it it a bunch. Not disparaging anyone on here - we are all normal, but some dudes are wound a bit too tight to be playing with matches. I am from a family of cops, DEC officers, prosecutors, etc and none of them carry when not at work. You will find that many police officers have never even had to draw their weapon, this while actively GOING INTO harms way.

Personally I had carried a couple of times many years ago, but have not in probably 30 years. Never saw the point and hated dealing with the extra weight.

This whole thread just doesn't need to be in a canoe tripping forum.

How many hand grenades should I carry to defend myself against a angry racoon?

F it. I think I'll just check out of this forum.

I think I agree with Scott. This thread has moved much beyond carrying a weapon while canoeing. It seems now to about just carrying weapons while out and about.

No. I've worked and camped in some of the remotest parts of the lower 48, alone, at night, and never carried a gun. I sometimes bring one car camping because I camp in remote non-campground areas where you occasionally see local yahoos out shining or drinking or both and you know they are carrying.

But I feel more nervous and less safe with a gun. Every noise becomes "should I grab the gun"? or "should I take the safety off now"? No thanks.

At the risk of stating the obvious, no one has to read or even open a thread if they don't like the topic.

Guns are a controversial topic and discussions of them can go off in different directions. So far, the discussion has been civil and I don't think the direction violates forum rules. However, the points being made are perhaps becoming repetitive or even exhausted, so I'm going to thank everyone for contributing and lock the thread.