So, do you go woods walking without a handgun?

[Busterswoodshop]

I always have a pistol , and also carry a rifle.
Not so much for wildlife , but for the two legged kind that come up from the border.
Now that Trump has closed the border , I haven't seen a single one.
Life is good out in the desert these days.

 

[Mobuck]

"I don't walk unarmed in the neighborhood due to feral dogs."
That seems to be a political issue. There are folks in the business of removing that sort of pest.

 

[mirglip]

What I would worry about personally and always did is that I'm a dern good shot at the range putting holes in a piece of paper that is perfectly still but I seriously doubt anything dangerous I came across out in the woods is going to just stand there and let me calmly draw, take aim and squeeze the trigger.

Somehow they know. I faced off a Lion in my yard about 15 years ago. It was chasing my dog and stopped when it saw me. We looked each other over a few seconds. When I pulled my .44 Special snubby out of my back pocket and thumbed back the hammer it vaporized....all I saw was glimpses of a tail and a rump as it bounded through the brush.

 

[Tensaw]

I don't do much woods walking since my brother passed away and lost his property. I have a friend who has a farm in a very rural area. I always carry when in the woods. I don't worry too much about coyotes or black bears but there are a lot of crackheads that live in some nasty places.

I did pull my gun once while deer hunting. The night before a big black bear was caught on a neighbors game camera. I was leaving my stand after dark and was walking back to my truck about 400 yards away. I heard this gosh awful noise coming through woods very close to me. I thought for sure it was that bear! Shining my flashlight I saw a big armadillo cross the trail about two feet in front of me. A big relief!!!

 

[gramps]

What I would worry about personally and always did is that I'm a dern good shot at the range putting holes in a piece of paper that is perfectly still but I seriously doubt anything dangerous I came across out in the woods is going to just stand there and let me calmly draw, take aim and squeeze the trigger.

The good news, if they are attacking, they will be coming closer. Nailing
A bear, feral dog, or cougar just gets easier? Just my opinion.
gramps

 

[old 41]

I have yet to see a wolf, (2) mountain lion,(1) bear, (several) or coyote (dozens, maybe hundreds) in the wild that didn't separate itself from me pronto. or show any aggression unarmed
The wife saw a mountain lion near us, close to the middle fork of the Salmon River, it got out of sight quick.
Elk hunting I came upon where a lion had eaten many critters' bones old and fresh were everywhere, it did cause you to look around for a minute or two,
Also came upon a fresh bear track in a damp gopher mound about the size of a paper plate with long claws but there weren't supposed to be grizzly bears in that area, which also had me pause and look around some
I have worked and played in areas where those animals lived for over half a century. If hunting, I was armed but never carried a gun to protect myself from animals. Grizzly areas would be different.

 

[Neon Vernon]

I have yet to see a wolf, (2) mountain lion,(1) bear, (several) or coyote (dozens, maybe hundreds) in the wild that didn't separate itself from me pronto. or show any aggression unarmed
The wife saw a mountain lion near us, close to the middle fork of the Salmon River, it got out of sight quick.
Elk hunting I came upon where a lion had eaten many critters' bones old and fresh were everywhere, it did cause you to look around for a minute or two,
Also came upon a fresh bear track in a damp gopher mound about the size of a paper plate with long claws but there weren't supposed to be grizzly bears in that area, which also had me pause and look around some
I have worked and played in areas where those animals lived for over half a century. If hunting, I was armed but never carried a gun to protect myself from animals. Grizzly areas would be different.

Do we need to start compiling news articles on all the critters that didn't read the Separate Yourself Pronto memo?

 

[codebreaker]

A lot of people will say things like, there aren't very many mountain lions in Oklahoma and most of the ones seen were "passing through" as though that should be reassuring that you won't encounter one. I get that the chances are low but what if you're standing in the way as they pass through. Why would you not want to be able to shoot anything that needed to be shot - woods or city - low odds or not?

 

[blume357]

I Know I'm just spouting off here, could be some residue of the oxycodone, but I'd rather be eaten by a mountain lion, even with the very unpleasantness of it, than spend my last years in a nursing home having to have my butt and other parts washed by an old fat ugly mean nurse.

 

[mirglip]

I have yet to see a wolf, (2) mountain lion,(1) bear, (several) or coyote (dozens, maybe hundreds) in the wild that didn't separate itself from me pronto. or show any aggression unarmed

That is typical of my experiences, although about 20% of Black Bears did not run.
But animals, just like humans each have different personalities and dispositions, and some have not had a meal in a long time.

 

[Neon Vernon]

I knew a guy who hunted the lower 48 and Alaska extensively for 50 years, and in all that time he only had a problem with black bears twice. In both instances he was sure they had the intent to eat him.

 

[GSP7]

I carry in the field to kill any loose pitbull, german shepard, mastiff, akita etc etc that comes running to attack my bird dogs.
I am not worried about bears, coyotes, killer geese, or other wildlife
(y) :cool:

 

[Joezilla]

Actually, I don't go ANYWHERE without my firearm.

Joe

 

[Jeepnik]

I have yet to see a wolf, (2) mountain lion,(1) bear, (several) or coyote (dozens, maybe hundreds) in the wild that didn't separate itself from me pronto. or show any aggression unarmed
The wife saw a mountain lion near us, close to the middle fork of the Salmon River, it got out of sight quick.
Elk hunting I came upon where a lion had eaten many critters' bones old and fresh were everywhere, it did cause you to look around for a minute or two,
Also came upon a fresh bear track in a damp gopher mound about the size of a paper plate with long claws but there weren't supposed to be grizzly bears in that area, which also had me pause and look around some
I have worked and played in areas where those animals lived for over half a century. If hunting, I was armed but never carried a gun to protect myself from animals. Grizzly areas would be different.

With lions it's not the ones you see, or hear that are the issue. They are ambush hunters. They like the odds in their favor.

 

[kmoore]

Yes and normally a rifle or shotgun nearby.

 

[Yaworski]

I don't go to the woods because I don't like surprises.

If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise
If you go down in the woods today, you better go in disguise
For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain
Because today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

 

[Gwitness]

nope..I will carry a 10mm 1911, a old model Vaquero in .45 Colt with some pretty hot hand loads or a SBH in .44 Mag with hot hand loads.....it depends on what woods and what's in those woods.

 

[M118LR]

Y'all act like the woods are a scary and unforgiving place? Scary is the concrete jungle, unforgiving is the sea. Peace and tranquility is what the woods brings to me.

I think everyone knows someone that has had their home burglarized or been victimized in a suburban or concrete jungle environment. All those that actually know someone gnawed, clawed, or eaten in the woods, Please testify.

 

[ChrisL]

Made in Turkey. Only took a few days to get here... I added some dark walnut stain and finished with oil/wax.
https://www.ebay.com/str/rsdarms?_t...255-0&siteid=0&campid=5338413729&toolid=10001

How was the fit?

 

[tabora]

How was the fit?

Almost perfect. I relieved the top of the grips a tiny bit for the hammer spur.

 

[tabora]

All those that actually know someone gnawed, clawed, or eaten in the woods, Please testify.

I have not had any of those experiences, but have encountered bears, wolves & coyote packs out in the northern/western woods of Maine. Walking out from my stand in the fall dark can be a bit unnerving at times...

 

[M118LR]

I have not had any of those experiences, but have encountered bears, wolves & coyote packs out in the northern/western woods of Maine. Walking out from my stand in the fall dark can be a bit unnerving at times...

Must be more tranquill in Dover Foxcroft.

 

[tabora]

Must be more tranquill in Dover Foxcroft.

That's Central Maine; practically downtown... ;)

 

[M118LR]

That's Central Maine; practically downtown... ;)

I've done a bit of Tundra Stomping in my time. Believe me when I say that nothing in nature is as dangerous as a day in the concrete jungle.

 

[codebreaker]

I've never had a house or vehicle broken into, never been robbed, never been assaulted and don't know anyone who has been assaulted. But I carry a gun in my city. (I may have been honked at.)
I've never had a run-in with a bear, mountain lion, wolf, coyote or anything else but I carry a gun in the woods.
I'm glad everybody is free to pick and choose what they want to do.

 

[M118LR]

I've never had a house or vehicle broken into, never been robbed, never been assaulted and don't know anyone who has been assaulted. But I carry a gun in my city. (I may have been honked at.)
I've never had a run-in with a bear, mountain lion, wolf, coyote or anything else but I carry a gun in the woods.
I'm glad everybody is free to pick and choose what they want to do.

I truly hope your luck continues.

 

[Gwitness]

Y'all act like the woods are a scary and unforgiving place? Scary is the concrete jungle, unforgiving is the sea. Peace and tranquility is what the woods brings to me.

I think everyone knows someone that has had their home burglarized or been victimized in a suburban or concrete jungle environment. All those that actually know someone gnawed, clawed, or eaten in the woods, Please testify.

ya think? here's an article from Washington state, this trail was pretty close to where I lived. https://komonews.com/news/local/ten...led-on-hike-near-granite-falls-and-no-arrests

 

[M118LR]

ya think? here's an article from Washington state, this trail was pretty close to where I lived. https://komonews.com/news/local/ten...led-on-hike-near-granite-falls-and-no-arrests

They are friends? Or just a news article?

 

[blume357]

I think M118LR makes a good point... but the reality is we here have to justify our need to carry... regardless of if the potential for a threat is real or not.. concrete or bush ... it does not matter... but then like someone above mentioned with Lions.. they are not going to walk or even run up to you.. they are going to let you go by them unnoticed and then pounce... there are also wolves and they attack in a pack.. now that I've described that... I realized the same happens in the concrete jungle...
there are some folks who carry who are 'Rambo' wannabes ....
and then there are us that carry and pray every day we never will have to use it.

 

[Gwitness]

They are friends? Or just a news article?

it happened in a local popular hiking area, an area I have hiked many a time.