Camping on the side of the road.

[aquadog]

But, for those who are really into using a gun, when I guided I used to load a rubber slug (warning, sometimes a banger first then a rubber), about 3 slugs (don't hit the guests) followed by buckshot loads (by then you know if the bear is really going for it, and you don't care). By myself, I'm not insecure enough to need to carry.

[spidennis]

just don't step on this when you camp off the side of the road .....

[aquadog]

Hey, let's all worry about the real danger - SNAKES! Ugh! No poisonous critters north of 60, thank you. Camping in Utah/Nevada it was also scorpions.

[skipro3]

I just completed a 6 night camping trip on my 2003 F650GS Dakar with a riding buddy, camping every night on the summits between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite;
Echo Summit, Luther Pass, Carson Pass, Monitor Pass, Ebbetts Pass, Sonora Pass and Tioga Pass. We spent each night camping on USFS land for free with no one around to bother us really. We had small fires to cook by and took our time to hit the road in the mornings before moving on. We bypassed big lunches, eating hard salami, cheese-in-a-can and Ritz crackers in a local park we were directed to after asking the gas station attendant where they might be in town.
The best camping was on Sonora pass when we hit a camp ground closed for maintenance. We rode around the gate and enjoyed a toilet and a picnic table instead of the bush and rock we would usually use for such duties. Even though there was still snow on the passes, they were absolutely beautiful.
We never felt a need for a gun, even though we were in bear country every night and you never know who the other guy might be. Everyone we met was polite and curious about our trip and more than friendly to talk with. I'll post up some photos later, but for now I just got home last night and leaving tomorrow for a week of Disneyland with the grandchildren.

[andmoon]

Originally Posted by BgDadddy

Yeah, but it's really not worth the debate. I'm going to carry and some people will not approve. They are not going to carry and I don't really care.

This is so wrong.

[haithabu]

Someone did a compilation of bear attacks in Alberta which were successfully repelled by a firearm. (Sorry, I don't remember the reference - it was in a local newspaper.) A large proportion involved hand guns - many at very short range from under the bear. Many other victims who weren't so lucky had long guns but were not able to use them effectively in the time it took the bear to charge.

[DAKEZ]

Originally Posted by skipro3

We never felt a need for a gun, even though we were in bear country every night and you never know who the other guy might be.

Translation: We never had a bear come into our camp.

[ziepan]

I'm not sure why you guys are so worried about bears..? I am a lot more worried about people at most of the places I have camped.

I have dealt with some problem black bears and had some down right scary experiences. But people are a lot more dangerous IMO.

I guess if you are going to Alaska you will see a lot more bears then people but in most places in the lower 48 their are some strange folks wandering around roadside camp grounds.
Some of the more popular free camping spots of Boulder county (west mag, 40 mile, etc) turn into the wild west in the summer hippies, tramps, Charles Manson type freaks, gang bangers from Denver trying to shoot guns they just stole, keg parties with drunk rowdies wandering all over, a zoo let lose in the wild. All sorts of fights, knives, rocks, sticks guns.

I don't pack so much about bears just people especally close to cities.

[Plaka]

Originally Posted by ziepan

I'm not sure why you guys are so worried about bears..? I am a lot more worried about people at most of the places I have camped.

I have dealt with some problem black bears and had some down right scary experiences. But people are a lot more dangerous IMO.

I guess if you are going to Alaska you will see a lot more bears then people but in most places in the lower 48 their are some strange folks wandering around roadside camp grounds.
Some of the more popular free camping spots of Boulder county (west mag, 40 mile, etc) turn into the wild west in the summer hippies, tramps, Charles Manson type freaks, gang bangers from Denver trying to shoot guns they just stole, keg parties with drunk rowdies wandering all over, a zoo let lose in the wild. All sorts of fights, knives, rocks, sticks guns.

I don't pack so much about bears just people especally close to cities.

One of the basic rules about making a dope buy is that if you haver to go armed, don't go.

[bigborefan]

Originally Posted by Birddodger

Not wise to Camp in Coyote country either.
Would a pistol help or hurt ?

Outside it's America!

[Bushav8r]

I just read through the whole thread and had a few good laughs. The funniest parts were about truck drivers throwing piss bottles at your tent if you set it up in a wall mart parking lot and not being able to get out of your mummy style sleeping bag while some 'shit kicker" decided to take his boots to you. At least bears don't piss in bottles or wear shit kickers or carry guns.

[FMFDOC]

Bump.

[bones_708]

Since there has been so much discussion of shotguns as bear guns I thought would throw my 2 cents in also. I think 12 gauges are used because they are so incredibly common and they will do the job but are not the best or perfect weapon. One of the issues is penetration not power. Because of the large diameter of the round you may not get the best penetration and may need extra rounds to take down a large bear. The other issue is of course range. This is set off by the wide availability and that so many people know how and are comfortable shooting shotguns as well as their ability to serve in multipul other roles in addition to just bear guns. There is some specialty ammo available that s a bit "harder" and a slightly smaller diameter that are made to give added penetration that should make them a bit bore effective.

[astrolump]

cant resist jumping in......personally I don't care weather you carry a firearm or not.....but for my own riding and camping..and i do a lot of it in bear country...ever since i got my first enduro when i was a tadpole in northwest MT....

I choose bear spray and the 3 cardinal rules....

1. don't cook in camp.....i stop down the trail if im going to cook...clean everything up and then ride on to camp.

2. no open food on the bike or close the the hammock....closed cans are fine...if i have anything that could smell i stash it far from where i sleep.... this includes open beer cans btw....and don't throw them in the fire..then they smell like bread!

3. no snacks...trail mix, half eaten granola bars in the pockets of your riding gear.

ive had bears pass through camp a number of times....one just 4 weeks ago.. he must have sniffed me in my hammock because when i woke up i smelled that "wet dog" smell really strong....then a camper down the line chased him off....i figure if you don't have anything remotely appetizing on you..they just wander off.

I choose not to carry a handgun mostly because of the worry about theft....i wouldn't carry it on my person, so that would mean leaving it in the bike.

i once had a .45 stolen when my gunsmiths shop was broken in to.....a horrible feeling that i never want to relive.

as far as encounters with 2 legged threats...i figure the bear spray K-bar combo is good enough for my peace of mind.

[bpw]

I stopped for a motorcycle accident in the Black Hills while driving through a couple years ago, Bike off the road in a ditch, Flagged down by the riders wife who had a badly fractured leg but had dragged herself up the ditch so we could see her waving.

Her husband was down in the ditch with a broken collar bone and a whole bunch of fractured ribs, all on the left side, just behind the pistol he had in his vest pocket.

Something to think about if you are carrying a gun (or other hard object).