Do you need it?

[SeattleLion]

We were staying at a KOA outside of New Orleans several years ago. I had placed the BBQ on the pad and had my bicycle off the carrier. The manager came by later in the day and advised me to not leave anything outside or lock it up because they were having problems with walk throughs stealing items from camp sites. Glad I had my Glock 19 in the trailer.
Don

For the record, I don't carry any firearms. I do wonder at this post. Would you really kill someone because he was stealing your barbecue? Even grand theft doesn't carry the death sentence. This thread is very interesting. Here in Washington a carry permit is available if you don't have a violent felony conviction for $35. The state constitution explicitly prohibits any law that would prevent you from owning a tank if you want. It does warn that Federal authorities may frown on some weapons.

I am a native New Yorker and have encountered sketchy characters most of my life. None were serious threats to my life or my family's. Scary yes, seriously dangerous, no. The vast majority of police officers never draw their guns over their entire careers. I am not against gun ownership. It concerns me that some folks appear to be trigger happy, but it is your right to own. Just don't shoot me , my wife or my dog.

 

[SeattleLion]

I don't own any guns . . .

But have been thinking about getting one!

No so much for protection against people . . .

But bears, mountain lions, coyotes, wolves and more that roam the mountain campgrounds where we like to camp!

Although after watching reruns of 'Criminal Minds' makes me wonder . . .

We are heading back to Yellowstone this year. We will buy some "bear spray". It's extra strong pepper spray and will do the job if a bear attacks. Mountain lions almost never attack humans, but if one does go after you, you better have your gun drawn and be a **** good shot. They move very fast. Most wild animals don't want to eat people; too much cholesterol.

 

[JohnDar]

Stealing my BBQ or bicycle won't get you shot. It might get you held at gunpoint until Mayberry PD answers the 911 call. But threaten me/mine with bodily harm, or enter our abode uninvited, and all bets are off. Anyone stupid enough to attempt a home invasion of an occupied dwelling deserves to have their DNA filtered from the gene pool.

It is a fact: "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."

 

[donr827]

For the record, I don't carry any firearms. I do wonder at this post. Would you really kill someone because he was stealing your barbecue? Even grand theft doesn't carry the death sentence. This thread is very interesting. Here in Washington a carry permit is available if you don't have a violent felony conviction for $35. The state constitution explicitly prohibits any law that would prevent you from owning a tank if you want. It does warn that Federal authorities may frown on some weapons.

I am a native New Yorker and have encountered sketchy characters most of my life. None were serious threats to my life or my family's. Scary yes, seriously dangerous, no. The vast majority of police officers never draw their guns over their entire careers. I am not against gun ownership. It concerns me that some folks appear to be trigger happy, but it is your right to own. Just don't shoot me , my wife or my dog.

I never said that I would shoot someone who tried to steal something but you never know how far this person might go beyond stealing.
Don

 

[Birchwood]

Stealing my BBQ or bicycle won't get you shot. It might get you held at gunpoint until Mayberry PD answers the 911 call. But threaten me/mine with bodily harm, or enter our abode uninvited, and all bets are off. Anyone stupid enough to attempt a home invasion of an occupied dwelling deserves to have their DNA filtered from the gene pool.

It is a fact: "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."

You would hold someone at gunpoint for stealing from your BBQ?Maybe you should camp at nicer places.

 

[Rob63]

For those of you that do keep a gun of some sort with you and camp in campgrounds other than State Parks, do you just keep quiet that you have a gun with you? Every campground website that I've looked at here in the Northeast has a policy stating absolutely no guns of any kind.

 

[cookie]

We are heading back to Yellowstone this year. We will buy some "bear spray". It's extra strong pepper spray and will do the job if a bear attacks.

I have been told that another good bear deterrent is the use of little jingle bells. For the noise.
I have spent a lot of time in the bush and have learned to easily identify grizzly bear dung.
It smells like pepper and has little shiny things in it.

Peace
Dave

 

[dbbls59]

You would hold someone at gunpoint for stealing from your BBQ?Maybe you should camp at nicer places.

I agree. One winter I did carry a firearm in my trailer. I worried more about someone breaking in and steeling it than I did for my personal safety.

 

[cookie]

For those of you that do keep a gun of some sort with you and camp in campgrounds other than State Parks, do you just keep quiet that you have a gun with you? Every campground website that I've looked at here in the Northeast has a policy stating absolutely no guns of any kind.

If I were to keep a gun of some sort, no matter where I would be, I would not tell one person. Not one.
Two reasons, you lose tactical advantage and become a target for a thief looking for a gun when you are away.
Just a couple thoughts.

Peace
Dave

 

[caissiel]

One retired sheriff told me he never did carry a gun for personal use.
His reasoning was that you better be ready to shoot first or loose.
And better be ready to face the consequence of shooting first.


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[danemayer]

One retired sheriff told me he never did carry a gun for personal use.
His reasoning was that you better be ready to shoot first or loose.
And better be ready to face the consequence of shooting first.

Interesting. Shoot first or lose. I wonder if that's how he felt when on the job as sheriff.

 

[porthole]

Since we're talkin sheriff's - (or wanna be's in this case) this is almost too funny except for the very serious nature of the underlying story

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-accidentally-shoots-SECOND-time-career.html

 

[Birchwood]

Interesting. Shoot first or lose. I wonder if that's how he felt when on the job as sheriff.

Think he would of been a good sheriff

 

[danemayer]

Think he would of been a good sheriff

Seems to me if you have to shoot to keep from losing (euphemism for dying?) when on the job, you'd also shoot to avoid losing (dying) when not on the job.

Maybe this particular sheriff thinks if he shoots someone on the job, the consequences are less than if he shoots someone while not on the job. If that's the issue, maybe he's really saying that local authorities prosecute private shootings done in self-defense.

 

[Birchwood]

Seems to me if you have to shoot to keep from losing (euphemism for dying?) when on the job, you'd also shoot to avoid losing (dying) when not on the job.

Maybe this particular sheriff thinks if he shoots someone on the job, the consequences are less than if he shoots someone while not on the job. If that's the issue, maybe he's really saying that local authorities prosecute private shootings done in self-defense.

????????????????

 

[danemayer]

????????????????

Ok, let me spell it out.

The point of the sheriff story was to imply that if a law enforcement professional doesn't need to carry a weapon when off duty, neither does anyone else. The story is predicated on the explicit argument that you have to shoot first or die, along with the implied argument that there would be "consequences" to face for shooting first.

The first argument illustrates a shoot first mentality that is likely to result in having your finger on the trigger before you've decided to shoot. I'm pretty sure all private firearms training explicitly and repeatedly counsels against doing so. I don't know, but I'd guess law-enforcement training does the same.

Since the sheriff takes a different approach when off duty, and mentions consequences, that suggests that he believes he would be treated differently for the same action if taken off duty rather than on duty.

There are many places where prosecutors insist that when, as a private citizen, you are threatened with deadly force, you have an obligation to retreat and run away or hide. If instead you respond with deadly force, they charge you with homicide because they believe you had another option available.

It sounds to me like this sheriff is in one of those local areas that prosecutes you if you don't retreat. He thinks he can get away with shooting first when on duty, but thinks he'll get prosecuted for shooting first when off duty.

And by the way, he doesn't sound like a good sheriff to me.

 

[Heathcote4]

All I am going to say is I hope I camp with all of you.

I would rather have one and not need it then need it and not have it.

But I would rather be in a camp with honest, friendly, and respectful people along with those that are willing to protect others.

"An armed society is a polite society."
- Ted Nugent

Josh

 

[caissiel]

What the former sheriff (Retired) meant is that if you draw a gun the other party will possibly do the same. If you take time to evaluate and think it will be to late and if you act first you have to live with the results.
Nothing at all to do with service, as they have proper procedures.

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[Shortest Straw]

It is nice to see this discussion here. I as well as my wife and three children all have CC permits. We shoot quite a bit and go to a training every year even though it is not mandatory. I know there are those that don't believe in guns and don't want anything to do with them and I can respect that. That respect is why I do not tell anyone I carry. I will say this, what ever your belief is, you should be able to protect yourself somehow. An average 8 minute police response time nation wide is the only reasoning I feel I need. Twelve years on a Paramedic ambulance showed me that the police usually show up to take a report.

 

[Birchwood]

It is nice to see this discussion here. I as well as my wife and three children all have CC permits. We shoot quite a bit and go to a training every year even though it is not mandatory. I know there are those that don't believe in guns and don't want anything to do with them and I can respect that. That respect is why I do not tell anyone I carry. I will say this, what ever your belief is, you should be able to protect yourself somehow. An average 8 minute police response time nation wide is the only reasoning I feel I need. Twelve years on a Paramedic ambulance showed me that the police usually show up to take a report.

I never ever felt in my entire life I had to protect myself with a weapon !!I live for 6 months in FL in a high crime area and walk about as I please and never felt I need a weapon.