I have read and re-read this thread a couple of times now. I try to avoid "polictical" discussions because they usually deteriorate into pissing contests and flame wars... however this one seems to be maintaining a very nice level of civility... so I'm going to chime my two cents worth in.

I come from a very long line of gun savvy women. I learned at an early age to handle a gun from my mother, who learned from her father, who learned from HIS mother... yadayadayada... my daughter shot her first gun at the age of about 5. I have NEVER lived in a house that didn't contain a firearm or ten. My significant other is in law enforcement, my sister and her fiance are MP's... some of my best friends are in the military. I am surrounded on a daily basis at work by people carrying loaded weapons. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of helping my Grandfather with his reloading equipment.. and of watching him refurbish antique rifles... and then going out to the desert (to designated shooting areas) to make use of those rifles and ammo we'd loaded. And DANG does brass get hot laying in the sand!!! I was also raised in the outdoors. As a child almost every vacation was spent at some national park or another in the Southwest US... or in some county or regional park camping. I can remember exactly 1 vacation where we had a firearm with us... and it stayed locked in the truck the entire time we were on the road. But I digress...


I have NEVER run into an issue where I wished I had a gun with me while camping, hiking or backpacking... and I live in San Diego and do most of my playing here as well. I KNOW that there are area's in my part of the state that due to "border" traffic, would be dangerous to hike in. So I don't go to those areas... I also know that if a wild animal is going to attack me, there's about a 99% probability I am NOT going to see it before I feel it's teeth or claws sinking into my flesh. In the instance of an animal attack, your chances of getting a weapon drawn in time to STOP the attack are unlikely. That is even considering the fact that you probably aren't going to be carrying a weapon with enough force to actually stop a charging animal instead of just pissing it off or injuring it (which would probably just piss it off more). You are more likely to avoid becoming animal prey by following the "rules" when you're in the wilderness. You know the ones... make noise, be aware, stay in groups...

I, too, remember following the stories of the poor souls like Meredith who were killed in parks... the older couple that the same guy who hurt Meredith killed... the Mother and daughter and Friend in Yosemite... and unfolding even now as we debate this the poor 17 year old who went running at Lake Hodges in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) after school and Thursday and never came home. The deviant who is "suspected" to have hurt her has been arrested now... NONE of which were acts perpetrated by gun toting villians (to the best of my knowledge). All of which occured in fairly close proximity to the "fore"country. As a matter of fact... I don't think any of the stories I've ever heard about people being attacked in National (or State or County)Parks have involved guns. Would a gun have saved any of these peoples lives? Maybe in the case of the Mother and two girls... if one of them could have gotten the gun out and capped the crazy before he finished stabbing them. But so far as I know, crazy-mad killers of the type that committed these atrocious acts don't walk up to a persons face... they lie in wait, stalk their prey... wait until their backs are turned, and then incapacitate them in order to do whatever nefarious things it is that they are going to do... just like the animals that they are. You can't shoot at something that you can't see... and if you're being snuck up on... you can't see.

Now... do I worry about crazys? Of course. As a fairly petite female I attempt to be congnizant of my surroundings at all times. If I am aware I am less likely to be taken by surprise. If I'm hiking with my children... my Mother... or my boyfriend, it doesn't matter. I always try to keep on eye who is there, who is paying attention to my kids... who is to close.... but this is the same behavior I display no matter where I go.. the Zoo, the park or the Mall. Do I think having a gun would keep me safe? No... I don't.

Would I carry a gun in the backcountry? Why would I do that? First of all... there is the issue of weight. Anyone who knows me knows I have enough of an issue without adding extra weight to my pack (or my hips). Would a gun make me feel safe? No... if someone is going to the trouble of hauling their ass to altitude and into the backcountry to hurt me... a bullet isn't going to stop them from doing so. Besides... if they're going to ruin my vacation I'm going to want to do alot more hurt then a bullet can do to pay them back from my misery. But in all seriousness... I see no reason what-so-ever to have gun (legal or otherwise) in the parks. Most of us go into the park system to get away from the everyday craziness... we don't want it hauled back there with us.

Ok.. that was only meant to be two cents... it turned out to be more like a buck fifty or so... do with it what you will...

Last edited by SoCalGirl; 03/01/10 11:49 PM.