For those of you who go hiking.. What type of protection do you have?

It has never occurred to me to carry a gun on a hike.

And if I see someone with a gun, I am wary of that person, rather than feeling safer.

* Guns are not used millions of times each year in self-defense
* Most purported self-defense gun uses are gun uses in escalating arguments, and are both socially undesirable and illegal
* Firearms are used far more often to intimidate than in self-defense
* Criminals who are shot are typically the victims of crime
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/gun-threats-and-self-defense-gun-use-2/

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Are there "1 to 3 million" defensive gun uses per year in the US?

The "1 to 3 million" figure comes from one "random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 4,977 adults conducted from February through April of 1993" and reported by Kleck & Gertz in 1995. Kleck says the random sampling error of his survey is less than 1%, but if so, that would produce far smaller error bars than 1 to 3 million.

Others have tried to replicate Kleck's data; here's a survey of polling
[quote]https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/gun-threats-and-self-defense-gun-use-2/[/quote]
Needless to say, they produce much smaller numbers and likely have their own biases. But here's a useful quote:

[quote]We analyzed data from two national random-digit-dial surveys conducted under the auspices of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Criminal court judges who read the self-reported accounts of the purported self-defense gun use rated a majority as being illegal, even assuming that the respondent had a permit to own and to carry a gun, and that the respondent had described the event honestly from his own perspective.[/quote]
What they're saying, in not so many words, is that guns are often used to intimidate. The guy who draws the gun may think he's preventing a crime. But putting another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm is the crime of assault (battery is when you make contact with the other person). So they're running these stories by judges, who say that many reported "defensive" gun uses are actually the offensive crime of assault, unknown to the gun user.

They also say "8. Criminals who are shot are typically the victims of crime; 9-10. Few criminals are shot by decent law-abiding citizens." i.e. they say it's almost impossible to find a criminal with a gun wound who was shot by a law abiding citizen.

And finally,
[quote]Victims use guns in less than 1% of contact crimes, and women never use guns to protect themselves against sexual assault (in more than 300 cases). Victims using a gun were no less likely to be injured after taking protective action than victims using other forms of protective action. Compared to other protective actions, the National Crime Victimization Surveys provide little evidence that self-defense gun use is uniquely beneficial in reducing the likelihood of injury or property loss.[/quote]

I'm not saying this Harvard data is perfect, but it asks a lot of specific questions about defensive gun use; and the results do tend to completely undermine the Kleck 1993 polling result.

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Here's the peer reviewed report from the two Harvard surveys:
[b]https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/6/4/263[/b]

Same author, an analysis of the National Crime Victimization Survey from 2007-2011 covering 14,000 incidents
[b]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743515001188[/b]
[quote]Results
Of over 14,000 incidents in which the victim was present, 127 (0.9%) involved a SDGU. SDGU was more common among males, in rural areas, away from home, against male offenders and against offenders with a gun. After any protective action, 4.2% of victims were injured; after SDGU, 4.1% of victims were injured. In property crimes, 55.9% of victims who took protective action lost property, 38.5 of SDGU victims lost property, and 34.9% of victims who used a weapon other than a gun lost property.
Conclusions
Compared to other protective actions, the National Crime Victimization Surveys provide little evidence that SDGU is uniquely beneficial in reducing the likelihood of injury or property loss.[/quote]
SDGU = self-defense gun use


America's gun homicides in perspective

homicide rate vs OECD


per capita gun deaths by state red vs blue

gun deaths by state


In the US we have FAR AND AWAY the HIGHEST gun homicide rate in the developed world!!!

The approach of fighting guns with more guns is FAILING!!!

I don't feel safe around guns at all

The things I bring hiking; snack, water bottle, compass if I think my phone will get no reception. a small first aid kit, and a multi tool.

I always carry protection

My hubby and I carry .357s when out hiking. And we each have a PPK .380 when we ride our bikes.

I take waterproof clothing for protection against rain.

And a map. As protection against getting lost. :)

Here in the mountains of WV, there are rattlesnakes, copperheads, bears, mountain lions, packs of coyotes .... my husband and I carry guns when we walk our woods here. Plus...if one of us are out alone...three rapid shots ..rings out help!

Ruger 40.
At least 2 sharp knives.
Different lengths, different purposes.

Protection from what? You're hiking. Most places don't have dangerous animals, and even in those that do, you are going to be safe in almost every situation if you conduct yourself sensibly. I've been in remote wilderness areas many miles away from other people, seen mountain lions, bears, rattlesnakes, etc. up close, and have never even considered carrying a firearm. It would degrade the experience. The only gun I have ever seen was carried by a Mexican national in Big Bend National Park, coming up a trail from the Rio Grande and setting traps for ringtail and other small game. I greeted him and offered him water, which he waved off and pointed to the river.

Walking boots, mobile phone, personal alarm.

On the rare occasions I hear anyone using a firearm for hunting I become extremely nervous as such people generally mix their pastime with alcohol consumption and appear unaware of those around them 😐

When I was visiting North Carolina with a friend, I could NOT convince him to come hiking with me. I had to go alone. Fortunately I found a little cylinder of mace at a North Carolina yard sale, and that is what I carried with me.

I carry at times when out in nature .. more so in more remote areas

Walking boot's, waterproofs, water, food.

The forest doesn't require guns

I've never thought to carry a gun with me when I go hiking.

I live on a rural country farm in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and with black bears, bob cats, domestic dog packs that have gone wild taking down calf's, sheep, goats, and chickens around my area yes, I do. Usually, a .44 mag black hawk and Marlin carbine riffle or larger caliber.

I like to carry an assault rifle and a bazooka just in case I find a country that has oil and maybe being suppressed by it's ruler.

I saw on the news where we are starting to be over run with pythons. We also have a huge alligator population here. I have definitely thought about carrying when I just walk around the neighborhood.

Meh. Animals typically won't piss with you unless you piss with them so. And I know this rural area really good. Some crazy homicidal cows but as long as you don't chase them they won't charge you.

I have seen open carry and concealed carry guns that do not bother me, it all comes down to the person, place, and situation of the encounter that either raises my alarm or not.

I live where there are many Nut Orchards.. those farmers are happy to let you take squirrels,
and fed on hazel nuts and almonds? they are FAT and delicious ( yes I might be a hill billy)
dont shoot them direct, but scare them a bit so they flatten against a branch. then[i] shoot that branch[/i] Just under their heads, knocks them right out!
[i]don't hate me squirrel lovers![/i] i LOVE THEM TOO, both ways..

Rural Americans are far more comfortable with firearms and thus less alarmed when seeing them.
Many urban Americans see firearms as a sign of potential imminent danger, and thus are uncomfortable. [i]can you blame them?[/i]

[quote]If I seen someone in danger in the forest I would not hesitate to use my gun to save them[/quote] and[b] good on your for that.[/b]
My back country carry? [i]the hard to find[/i] Ruger 44Mag carbine ( the venerable 10-22 but in 44 Mag) AND the Ruger blackhawk 44 mag revolver.. also rare these days
[i][c=002673]what do others like for back country arms? [/c][/i]

A flare gun, yes, but not a gun. (I wouldn’t feel safe going on a hike with anyone who has a gun, unless I know them really well)
Can be used to signal emergencies, and scare off animals.
That, with a multipurpose knife and a hiking pole is all that I carry in the name of protection.

When I lived closer to and hiked the raw wilderness I was always armed - 9mm, not against people but to scare off any cougar or bear that seemed aggressive. Never had to. Now I carry nothing being closer to people.

I take our prime minister Trudeau with me! He has all our guns, but in the event of a grizzly encounter, I'm on my own cause even a griz wouldn't eat that piece of shit!!

I would answer this post, but I'm too busy hiking and looking for something to shoot

A buddy, Deet, water, a snack, a sweater and sometimes an umbrella/parasol.
If it's allergy time again ibuprofen and nasal spray inside some Kleenex is good.
Bubbles. Blowing bubbles prevents me from rushing through.
You can't be safer by planning to fight.

Condoms make good protection

How much does the gun weigh?

don't feel the need

Oh, Being I own a timber farm. I always have my still 460 chainsaws in the woods usually in hand doing timber work unless I am bow hunting. I welcome a dog pack, bear, or stupid human to threaten me and the 460 Stihl too.

Pepper Spray.

A stick

Lo-Fkn-L... like I could carry in a forest in NJ! If I used bear spray I'd be arrested for assaulting the bear...

In my country when I go hiking i take a back pack and water. And a raincoat for protection.

Just suntan lotion,a cap and my mobile phone

My EDC is a new Bersa Thunder .380ACP that I recently bought earlier this month, it's almost half the weight, and smaller, than my Beretta 92FS 9mm I was previously carrying, I don't even notice my new pistol. I carry because my portable oxygen tanks make me a target for those cowards who wish to prey on those they perceive as weaker than them, luckily I currently live in a state that allows Constitutional carry, I also still have my armed security license in my wallet, from when I used to carry on the job in Las Vegas years ago, so I am properly trained and educated.