Re: [Paddlewise] Guns? When and Where?

At 08:17 AM 04/18/2000 -0000, Sailboat Restorations, Inc. wrote:
>I was wondering how many people like to carry a gun on trips in wilderness
>areas.  .
>
>Also, if you do carry a gun, what do you carry?  And where?  
>I was thinking of
>having a bag made to carry it on the foredeck, but that could send the wrong
>"message" to humans I might encounter. . . .

Hi Mark et al.
If I'm traveling into areas where bears are likely to be a problem, I will
usually drag my pappys ol' 44mag along. If boating, I wrap it in an oiled
cloth and stuff it in a small dry bag along with my camera and two-way
radio. If I'm backpacking, and don't have the dogs along (dogs are the best
bear repellant), I carry it holstered on the waist band of my pack. It's
been a long time since I've worried too much about what "message" I'm
sending. I don't hunt, and thankfully have never had occasion use the
thing; in fact, the only time it gets fired is on infrequent visits to the
range. Even then, it's not a real popular choice due to the savage recoil.
My only real concern is nocturnal visitors, so I generally sleep with it
under my pillow. Lest this seem strange, when at home it lives in the
headboard of the waterbed, close at hand. I don't feel that this is any
more paranoid than bringing along a raincoat, and in lieu of anecdotes, I
will pass along a couple of thoughts handed down from my grandpa:

* If you bring it and don't use it, ya still gotta carry it, but if you
need it and don't have it . . . (applies to many things in life)
* Ain't nothing more useless than a gun that's not loaded.
* Never point a weapon at anything ya ain't prepared to kill.

Finally, for those of you shaking your heads in shocked disbelief, consider
this. I carry and use a knife daily, both at work and at play (that, and a
pair of chop-sticks make up my kitchen kit . . . and I can make another set
of 'sticks). It is always right at hand, and I keep it razor sharp. A far
more deadly tool than a pistol for close combat, IMHO, but nobody ever
gives it a second glance. Why is that d'ya suppose?
ByeBye! S.

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