Sad... Scout leader killed by knife-toting psycho

[Tallpine]

it turns into an hour-long regurgitation of the same tired conversation that I'm sure you guys have had dozens of times as well.

No, not really.

Maybe a funny look, maybe a "what caliber?" question, or maybe a "that's cool" comment. 

[brimic]

After all, aren't all good scouts told to "Be prepared"

Beat me to it.

Where I take my kids hiking along the WI/MI border, I won't go out without at least a .45 on the hip. Bears, Cougars, wolves, nogoodniks are present. The odds of an attack are very remote, but then again so is my ability to keep a bear from mauling one of my kids with a stick.

[T.O.M.]

Add feral dogs to the list, and rabid animals as well.

[Perd Hapley]

No, not really.

Maybe a funny look, maybe a "what caliber?" question, or maybe a "that's cool" comment. 

I'm guessing you have a demeanor that (coupled with the gun) scares off the harmlessly annoying. Too bad for you, that it doesn't work over the internet.

[brimic]

I'm guessing you have a demeanor that (coupled with the gun) scares off the harmlessly annoying. Too bad for you, that it doesn't work over the internet.

Best internetz I've read all day!

[Tallpine]

I'm guessing you have a demeanor that (coupled with the gun) scares off the harmlessly annoying. Too bad for you, that it doesn't work over the internet.

Yeah, otherwise I'd have this whole forum to myself     

[Matthew Carberry]

http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Safe-Avoid-Danger-Backcountry/dp/0972575820

Buy a copy and loan it to anyone you know who is outdoorsy but "iffy" on self-defense mindset, awareness and the idea of being armed in the backcountry.

Michael Bane is a long-time skilled extreme outdoor sportsman as well as a respected gun writer and the host of "The Best Defense" and a couple other shooting shows on the Outdoor channel.

It's got great stuff that doesn't push guns (the first edition was published by "The Mountaineers", not a noted "pro-gun" group, back before CCW was as widespread) but rather awareness and planning and then brings guns into that conversation as a tool to consider (moreso in this newer edition). 

He points out that a lot of "wilderness", like the trail the scout leader was on, is only a short distance from "civilization" and thus as accessible to the bad guys as the good.  He also notes that predators follow their prey and as more people go into the backcountry the human predators follow them there as well.

Anyway, if you are looking for a good read and a great loaner on awareness and self-defense mindset in general and in the outdoors in particular this is the book.

[Tallpine]

Probably less dangerous in the "wilderness" than in most areas of "civilization".

[brimic]

Probably less dangerous in the "wilderness" than in most areas of "civilization".

 I play a game with my son when we go hiking.
I point out different things along the way such as an orange mushroom, animal droppings, an odd looking tree, etc.
Then I play a game called "dad has a broken leg."
I hand him the truck keys and tell him its going to be dark in and hour and half and he needs to find his way back to the truck and beep the horn to try to get someone's attention.
I would follow him and give him hints, such as the way the grass is broken when we walked through, or which way we turned when we saw the orange mushroom.
He did really well until he came to a 4 way intersection of deer trails that we had walked on. I put a bit more pressure on him and told him he needs to make a decision and he can always backtrack and try a different direction. He got frustrated and laid down the ultimate trump card: "Dad, I have to poop."

 

[AZRedhawk44]

I'm guessing you have a demeanor that (coupled with the gun) scares off the harmlessly annoying. Too bad for you, that it doesn't work over the internet.

I guess that's it.  Sigh.

Went on a hike today in a Wilderness area behind Cottonwood.  Took 5 others, 3 guys and 2 gals.  1 of the wimmins was all itchy over it.

I put on my 4" Redhawk, in holster, when I got out of the truck.  We all rally up at the trailhead and she asks:
-Is that a gun?  --Yes.
-Is it real?   --Yes.
-Is it loaded?  --Yes.
-Why do you have that?

And I gave her a brief but patient and thorough response: 

--I've had several instances in the back country where safety would have been enhanced by having a gun available, including run ins with predators.  But, today, most likely, it's just going to be a weight on my hip all day.


She brought it up several more times through the hike.  It thoroughly rocked her assumptions, that I was carrying it without a safety of any type.   All I told her was that 99% of all revolver designs don't have safeties at all, when she asked.

Bleh. 

We even met a USFS ranger on the trail, which is pretty rare around here.  She left the subject alone after the ranger didn't so much as bat an eyelash at my sidearm.

Wimmins.  Hoplophobic wimmins.  Argh.

[Scout26]

I guess that's it.  Sigh.

Went on a hike today in a Wilderness area behind Cottonwood.  Took 5 others, 3 guys and 2 gals.  1 of the wimmins was all itchy over it.

I put on my 4" Redhawk, in holster, when I got out of the truck.  We all rally up at the trailhead and she asks:
-Is that a gun?  --Yes.
-Is it real?   --Yes.
-Is it loaded?  --Yes.
-Why do you have that?

And I gave her a brief but patient and thorough response: 

--I've had several instances in the back country where safety would have been enhanced by having a gun available, including run ins with predators.  But, today, most likely, it's just going to be a weight on my hip all day.


She brought it up several more times through the hike.  It thoroughly rocked her assumptions, that I was carrying it without a safety of any type.   All I told her was that 99% of all revolver designs don't have safeties at all, when she asked.

Bleh. 

We even met a USFS ranger on the trail, which is pretty rare around here.  She left the subject alone after the ranger didn't so much as bat an eyelash at my sidearm.

Wimmins.  Hoplophobic wimmins.  Argh.

You done good teaching, hopefully, but the icing on the cake that made it "okay" for her was more than likely the USFS ranger.  It will be expected that you carry from now on.  At some point you might want to ask her if she wants go to learn to shoot.  Each one-teach one and all.  "Like to walk it a while, maybe
bring the word to them as need it told." 

[Tallpine]

And I gave her a brief but patient and thorough response: 

--I've had several instances in the back country where safety would have been enhanced by having a gun available, including run ins with predators.  But, today, most likely, it's just going to be a weight on my hip all day.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

[/Woodrow Call]

 

[lee n. field]

--I've had several instances in the back country where safety would have been enhanced by having a gun available, including run ins with predators.  But, today, most likely, it's just going to be a weight on my hip all day.

"You're not in Schaumburg anymore"

[Azrael256]

I was once asked by a boy what you should be prepared for.  As always, the proper response is "for whatever happens."

The correct answer is "for any old thing."  Crime evidently doesn't fit that definition.

The scouting museum here is posted.  I'm done with scouting.