We never go camping without a firearm. Where on the NRA's website are you looking that show it would be a problem having one while camping?
In my mind, there is no doubt that this is a situation where I would much rather have a means of defense and not need it, then need a weapon and not have it.
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trucker495 wrote: Here is my spin, I personally keep a weapon in my RV for personal protection. I was raised around guns and did lots of hunting as a kid and was taught gun safety at a very early age. My children were also taught to respect firearms. It all comes down to personal preference, if you are anti gun thats great. If you are pro gun that is also great. I respect both.Crime can happen anywhere including boondocking areas so my philosophy is be prepared for any potential problem. Just one old farts opinion.
So true!
Now it is up to the methheads to discover if I'm carrying or not...
For the purposes of this discussion, boondocking far from civilization, you will assume I'm packing. BTW, the people parked next to us are packing also.
Welcome to the forum...two pages already, don't ask about camping at WalMart next . Let's see small firearm in the '70s, society today?? Maybe RPG!! Really whatever makes you feel good, being strictly legal, a shotgun is easier to follow the rules, and that very distinctive pump action will probably clear the field of fire before use becomes necessary.
Hey, I get to post before this one gets shut down.
We consider this:
You will be on your own. No one will hear your yells, screams, pleas, whatever. Whatever starts will finish or be finished without outside help. Plan on your cell phone not working. Just like you did when tent camping. Hint.
I've been backpacking two days in only to have someone come into my little camp cursing the world, yelling about what a BS world it was and how it treated him. I moved a mile when he left and had no fire that night even though I had a pistol. On another BP trip searchers finally found the body (murdered) of a guy who was missing (someone was cashing his travelers checks) in the valley I was camped in. A guy I used to know was loading a boat at night in an out of the way location in Alabama and had three guys walk up and tell him they were taking it. He pulled the pistol and kept it pointed at the ground. They said something like "Just kidding". And he was a big guy.
It's less likely to happen when camping than in town but more intense if it does. And even less if you are not an easy victim. If nothing else bear spray works on people if there's only one.
Most all the people will be really nice and fun to meet.
I consider it my sacred duty to protect my loved ones from evil and harm using whatever means is necessary at the time. Therefore I am prepared for the worst.
Get your head out of the sand. Doesn't matter what the odds are.....it can happen.
Four legged creatures-I have seen a black bear open up a trailer in Yosemite as easy as you and I tear open a bag a chips....the best defense is prevention. And even if you decide to shoot one in self-defense, you will spend a lot of time answering questions. Whether it turns into more than that depends. Based upon what I have read about the newer bear sprays, that seems to be a deterrent.
Two-legged varmits-This tends to vary. I have backpacked, tent camped, hunted and boondocked my fiver all over California and Colorado and states in between and north and south-I have had two incidences in the wild that could have been bad for me and mine without a firearm. So for me there is no issue with carrying a firearm. I grew up around firearms and in communities where EVERYONE it seemed carried so to me this is the norm. My jobs have always included firearms in one way or another (either carrying and using them or managing those who do). To not be armed seems silly to me but to each their own.
The thing missed by most people is that if you decide to carry, you need to be of the mindset to USE it if necessary. Some people will be scared off by the sight of a gun, but some won't. This is a very individual decision and you need to have an honest conversation with yourself.
What to carry varies.....PM me if you want to know my opinion of what and how.
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Let me tell you a short story that occurred several years ago in Florida. Older couple pulls over for the night at a rest stop. In the late night, knock on the door. Man identifies himself as a police officer. Man lets him in. He is a real bad guy. Shoots the woman, shoots at the man. Man runs out of motorhome and hides under motorhome. Another man pulls into the rest stop. Sees the commotion. Shouts what's going on. Bad guy goes over and shoots him. Tries to get to the old gent hiding under the motorhome, but takes off fearing I guess he has killed two innocent people - enough for one night. You make your own decisions about carrying a weapon. Just remember - there are a whole lot of really, really, bad and desperate people out there.
We carry a .45 auto all the time and a .223 rifle occasionally.
We also have a camp axe, an engineer’s hammer, two limb saws, a flare gun, and two folding shovels. Add to this a knife block with chef’s, boning, serrated, paring, and steak knives. Are these tools or an arsenal?
We boondock almost exclusively in areas that are often used by drug farmers, manufacturers, or smugglers. I see self-defense as self-explanatory. In fact, I see it as self-sufficiency.
We also carry extra fuel, water, food, first-aid items, etc. We carry recovery kits in case we get stuck, a tire plug gun, and spare belts and fuses.
But, for our personal safety, it’s:
1. Situational awareness. If it feels weird, move on.
2. A rather large Akita dog.
3. Then a weapon.
A side benefit is that, where we camp, we can usually set up the PVC target stand and practice with the weapons. (I’m cheap. I don’t like to pay for campgrounds or shooting ranges. )
Groover wrote: I heard of an interesting, legal and inexpensive option recently. Carry a can of wasp spray. Most have a range of over 20 ft and it would probably run off most wildlife and humans if sprayed in the face. I feel sure that a good spray in the face would take the fight out of me and mess up my aim with a weapon. Since it is legal everywhere you could keep it closer at hand. A firearm won't do any good if it is not with you when you need it. Also, virtually any family member could use it, not just trained and practiced individuals.
This option certainly is better than nothing.
However, in my experience, pepper spray on some humans doesn't always work. I have seen people that have been sprayed, not affected (certainly not the norm). Beware of spraying dogs with pepper spray unless there are no other options, I have witnessed it not work on dogs. I never tried pepper spray on a bear, but if it failed to work on a dog, God forbid should you spray a bear with it.
I do not have any experience with Wasp spray and am interested in it's chemical makeup, if you have any information on this, I would appreciate it. But please remember even wasp spray will not stop another gun.
I have to agree pepper spray does not effect all however every dog charging at me retreated with the spray and always check on wind direction and as being retired Law Enforcement I'll not comment on the gun , Bill
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. Let's see small firearm in the '70s, society today?? Maybe RPG!! Really whatever makes you feel good, being strictly legal, a shotgun is easier to follow the rules, and that very distinctive pump action will probably clear the field of fire before use becomes necessary. 
, DW Donna 
. Class A, 2000 Gulf Stream, 4 SAMS 6VOLTS, DIRECTV, YAMAHA 2400 GEN 
)
