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Do you know how crazy you sound to advocate for carrying firearms while go hiking and fishing on the off chance of a bear attack.
Well, to clear, I am an advocate of carrying firearms at all times, as do nearly 700,000 people in Pennsylvania. Are they all crazy?
Quote:
Originally Posted by newdude05
Bear attacks in NJ is rarer than been hit by lightning (1 in 150years vs 74 in 50years in NJ). Does that mean you should also wear a faraday cage while hiking?
I use seat belts, airbags, life preservers, fire extinguishers, and other types of safety equipment even though I don't have a very high chance of getting in a car accident, sinking my boat, or my house catching on fire, but does that mean I shouldn't use them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by newdude05
If you are in bear territory all you need is a bottle of bear spray (stronger version of pepper spray) and generate some noise (ie play some music on the ipod) to avoid a surprise encounter / defense.
If it works. Oftentimes it does, but sometimes it doesn't. What if you're a bowhunter who has just shot a deer and are in the process of field dressing it and a bear attempts to take the kill? It happens quite often in that part of the state during fall bow season. Some hunters have had to surrender their harvest to bears. Others have been stalked by them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by newdude05
You dont need to carry around a gun, it is less effective, and you have a higher probability of risk injury against yourself or someone than using it against a bear.
I don't think you have nearly enough information on me, what level of experience I have with firearms, or experience operating a firearm yourself to make those three assumptions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by newdude05
Feel sad for the kid, hindsight is always 20/20 with millions of ifs and hows, but in the moment unless you are already educated on the matter and have preparation, it is a impossible situation.
Education is good. Education coupled with preparation is better. Carrying firearms is part of being prepared in certain situations. To be honest, I know that 100 times safer when I'm alone in the woods vs. among a crowd of people any day, but I've encountered bears enough, and known people who have encountered bears enough to know that something like this was bound to happen one day. It's no surprise that this happened in NJ and not PA, NY, CT, etc... NJ has a unique combination of extreme population density and preserved open space in close proximity that exists nowhere else.
Do you know how crazy you sound to advocate for carrying firearms while go hiking and fishing on the off chance of a bear attack.
i also advocate having a gun on you at all times. its not a big deal to carry, so why not carry and always be prepared for anything? (i dont because its not legal but i hope that changes)
its way better than playing dead. it may be good advice give such bad options but there is no way im playing dead.
Amazing that even a bear attack can be twisted into a platform for gun advocates.
Only when you live in the suburbs and/or never venture north or west of 287. "Sportsman's Carry" as it's commonly known is a complete non-issue in the rest of the country. From the Code of the State of Pennsylvania:
Quote:
(c) Sportsman's firearm permit.--
(1) Before any exception shall be granted under
paragraph (b)(9) or (10) of this section to any person 18
years of age or older licensed to hunt, trap or fish or who
has been issued a permit relating to hunting dogs, such
person shall, at the time of securing his hunting, furtaking
or fishing license or any time after such license has been
issued, secure a sportsman's firearm permit from the county
treasurer. The sportsman's firearm permit shall be issued
immediately and be valid throughout this Commonwealth for a
period of five years from the date of issue for any legal
firearm, when carried in conjunction with a valid hunting,
furtaking or fishing license or permit relating to hunting
dogs.
You cannot get a LTCF in PA until age 21, but hunters/fishermen 18 and older can get a Sportsman's carry permit. Why? Simply because PA recognizes the utility of carrying a firearm in the backcountry. The irony is that it's such a simple uncontroversial issue that is made out to be a menace by folks who have an agenda.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HalfFull
Are there any issues/problems/situations that have no gun angle?
Many, however, defending against a charging 300lb animal, I'd opt for the gun angle. I would venture to say that aside from Kracer and myself, NONE of the people posting in this thread have EVER seen a bear in the wild (the Safari Park at Great Adventure doesn't count) and never will. Please don't dictate to those of us who DO live and recreate in bear country how to deal with them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainNJ
shark attacks?
Actually most shark fishermen (except in NJ of course ) carry a 12 gauge shotgun for finishing off large sharks once their brought into the boat.
I'm shocked. I've hiked there alone and have run into bears. Usually clapping and coughing loudly get them to walk away. Scattering almost sounds to me that perhaps they triggered the bears chase reflexes. I would like to know more about this.
I'm shocked. I've hiked there alone and have run into bears. Usually clapping and coughing loudly get them to walk away. Scattering almost sounds to me that perhaps they triggered the bears chase reflexes. I would like to know more about this.
From it sounds like, the bear was stalking the hikers-probably because it smelled food in their packs. Because of the overpopulation problem, larger/older males stake out territory and push younger/smaller males (and females) out of prime feeding areas. So this male (reportedly four years old) thought he found an easy food source. If the hikers had stood their ground, yelled, thrown rocks, etc...they may have driven him off. Or not. Running most certainly triggered a prey drive reflex in the bear, but does that mean that the guy deserved to die?
No, he didn't deserve to die. I wonder if there were signs at the trailhead advising hikers what to do in case of a run-in, and, if there are, if anybody reads them. We lived in Sussex for several years, and bears were common around the house. Once, in our garage. But our kids knew that if they were approached by one at the bus stop, they should drop their lunchboxes and back away.
Honestly, the deer-car collisions are a bigger threat than bears.
Bears commonly rob deer carcasses from hunters while they field dress? Didnt know it was such a problem. Hell, we'll need bear prison before you know it.
IIRC in the middle ages the Germans put a bear on trial for murder. Man, if I could've been his defense attorney. What an easy case. Big teeth, claws, carnivore. What'd you expect?
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) carry a 12 gauge shotgun for finishing off large sharks once their brought into the boat.
