Anyone who considers carrying a firearm in the city or backcountry need competent, hands-on professional training, and lots of frequent, self-defense practice at the range. This is not a skill that ought to be learned from watching videos on the Internet.
If a gun owner must carry their gun, they should have a legal CCW permit and carry the weapon concealed, even in the backcountry. Showing the weapon openly is an ego-centric behavior, will freak some people out, and perhaps get the gun carrier in trouble with law enforcement.
Potential gun carriers need to ask themselves if they would be willing to kill another human being in order to defend themselves, their family or friends. This is a huge responsibility with the potential for serious legal, moral and psychological ramifications.
The best defense against bears or bad guys is situational awareness and avoidance of conflict, first and foremost.
Very well said.
I heard about the robbery on/near the PCT and that's the first time I ever thought about having my carry weapon more accessible on trail. It still ended up in my bear can on my most recent JMT section hike though.
Sadly, open carry is the only option for most folks. CA does not recognize any out of state CCWs, and a CA CCW can be difficult or impossible to get depending on which county one lives in. Luckily, my sheriff is reasonable to deal with on the subject.
Common sense and common courtesy will keep you out of a lot of bad situations.................................DUG
