steve_at_brown-web.net wrote: >I always carry my 357 mag on backpacking trips just in case of an >unfortunate encounter with unruly humans or pugnacious large animals. Hmmm... This is all very interesting for a city boy... I do most of my paddling around NYC, where there have been a few-hundred murders in the last year. I guess there haven’t been quite as many bear attacks. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet found a folding magnum for my Feathercraft and I have a bad feeling about where I might end up if I tried firing one from the cockpit. :<) The real issue here is one of threat management. I remember meeting an extremely accomplished martial artist who, when asked about practical self-defense, replied that the truly accomplished practicioner should be skilled enough to avoid a situation requiring the use of lethal force. There are many strategies for dealing with danger. As kayakers, we can go offshore in gale-force winds armed to the teeth with the latest safety equipment and finely-honed technique, or, we can check the weather forecast and find an alternative activity. The main characteristic that makes humans more successful and dangerous predators than bears is the brain. This is our most powerful (and often under-utilized) weapon. What would we say about a bear who walked onto an Interstate carrying an anti-tank weapon in case it encountered a car? Sincerely, Jeff jkayak_at_sopoint.com (who tries to avoid being unruly) -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ . *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jun 20 2003 - 13:03:59 PDT
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