Hunting/Guns

[denverian]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

People forget that there are two fairly distinctive groups living in Denver metro. The first is the large number of transplants coming from mostly other metro areas outside of Colorado. At lot of those people have no strong connection to hunting, fishing, or firearms. The second large group in metro Denver are people who moved there from rural areas in the Rocky Mountain and Plains states because there are jobs in Denver. Many of these people have strong connections to the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and firearm ownership. Many Colorado natives who grew up in the Denver metro area are hunters and gun owners, as well. Finally, there are the many people in Colorado who may hunt very little, if at all, but own guns for protection of themselves, or their loved ones and property. I happen to be one of those. In rural Colorado, most residents own and know how to use firearms. That is one reason that home invasions are pretty uncommon in rural Colorado. Criminals may be pretty dumb, but most are smart enough to know that breaking into an occupied home in rural Colorado may likely lead to them being killed by an armed homeowner.

Colorado is also a "must issue" state for concealed weapons permits, so a large number of Coloradans have permits and "pack." (I do.)

As for hunting, my usual adage goes--the farther away from the Front Range one gets, the better the opportunities are for hunting and fishing. Colorado has a very strict system for issuing hunting licenses for big game, with some licenses requiring drawing for licenses or hunting areas. Lots of info here:

DOW (http://wildlife.state.co.us/Pages/default.aspx - broken link)

I can understand if you live in the mountains where you could encounter bears/mountain lions, etc., why you would regularly carry a gun of some sort. But for me, going to work/gym/grocery store, etc. here in Denver, I've never needed a gun. Never seen an armed robbery in progress, been robbed, attacked, or in any situation where I needed the option to end a life or use a gun as a threat. I just don't get it and it seems like most people who legally carry concealed weapons do so out of paranoia. If you're not involved in illegal activities and have the common sense not to to go to shady places, the odds of you just stumbling onto the scene of an armed robbery, or being the victim of an armed robber, are incredibly minute.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by denverian

I can understand if you live in the mountains where you could encounter bears/mountain lions, etc., why you would regularly carry a gun of some sort. But for me, going to work/gym/grocery store, etc. here in Denver, I've never needed a gun. Never seen an armed robbery in progress, been robbed, attacked, or in any situation where I needed the option to end a life or use a gun as a threat. I just don't get it and it seems like most people who legally carry concealed weapons do so out of paranoia. If you're not involved in illegal activities and have the common sense not to to go to shady places, the odds of you just stumbling onto the scene of an armed robbery, or being the victim of an armed robber, are incredibly minute.

I never used to feel the necessity to arm myself in Colorado, either, but there is a small, but increasingly violent segment in society these days, and they do exist in Colorado. Two of the strongest advocates I know for people getting CWP's and arming themselves have both been county sheriffs in rural Colorado and in Wyoming. Neither is the "paranoid" type, but they both made it all too clear that calling 911 and hoping that law enforcement can get there in time to save you from one of the increasingly dangerous cadre of criminals wandering around is not a particularly good survival strategy. I have never had to unholster my weapon to defend myself, either at home or traveling, and I sincerely hope that I never have to. But if I'm confronted with a situation that requires that, I will. It's just a form of insurance--I hope I never need it, but it's there if I do. As to wild animals, the odds of being attacked by one are probably considerably less than being attacked by another human. That's a pretty sad commentary about us as a species, I think.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I agree.

Let's discuss my INability to SHOOT
squirrels
foxen
pigeons
non-migratory geese
rats
in Denver.

I hate these creatures.
I should have the right to own a gun and shoot these "things" on my own property. But, I don't.

It's called an air-rifle or .22LR pistol and a certain amount of discretion.

Or there's always a trap.

[RockRiver1]

Originally Posted by denverian

I can understand if you live in the mountains where you could encounter bears/mountain lions, etc., why you would regularly carry a gun of some sort. But for me, going to work/gym/grocery store, etc. here in Denver, I've never needed a gun. Never seen an armed robbery in progress, been robbed, attacked, or in any situation where I needed the option to end a life or use a gun as a threat. I just don't get it and it seems like most people who legally carry concealed weapons do so out of paranoia. If you're not involved in illegal activities and have the common sense not to to go to shady places, the odds of you just stumbling onto the scene of an armed robbery, or being the victim of an armed robber, are incredibly minute.

And the chance of your house burning to the ground are also incredibly minute, but you still have home owners insurance. Reason being, if the unthinkable happens, the consequences are devastating and life changing. Same for personal protection. Newsflash, CO has bad people in it, just like NY, or CA, or IL, or FL. Mostly good, but some bad, and a subset of those who are really, really bad. If your path crosses with one of them, better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

For fans of guns and shooting sports, it's common sense. For people who have thought about it, it might make sense. For folks that happily go through life not giving it a second thought, until something terrible happens, well that is what it is.

Bottom line. you have an unarmed populace, you have an unlimited supply of potential victims. Bad people hate it when stealing a wallet or breaking into a house could result in them dying. Even morons like that realize that isn't worth it.