Firearms on the Trail

Are you going to bring a gun with you on the hike?

 

This had to be the most common question I heard when I told people I planned to hike the Appalachian Trail.  It seems to be a common question for others as well, as I have noticed an uptick in discussion on several Facebook hiker groups lately.  I think having a Marine Corps Infantry background, a concealed carry permit and having  thru hiked the AT this year, gives me unique perspective on the issue so I figured I would throw my two cents in.

 

Please keep in mind that what follows is strictly my opinion, to which I am entitled just as you are entitled to your own (which I respect). That seems to be a concept that often gets ignored when a hot button topic like this is brought up.

This post is also strictly dealing with a long distance hike on the Appalachian Trail. There would be additional considerations made for trails out in Grizzly territory, for example.

Let’s start with the basics:

Did I carry a gun on the trail…No

Would I recommend that someone else carry a gun on thru hike of the Appalachian Trail…No

I can now also say, there wasn’t a single time on the trail that I wished I had brought a firearm.

If you are considering carrying a firearm on a long distance hike, there are several things to think about, including:

• The level of anticipated threat (both wildlife and human)
• Legality of carrying a firearm
• Safety concerns
• Weight

 

Let’s begin with the threat (or perceived threat) on the Appalachian Trail.  There is a saying on the trail “We carry our fears”. If we are afraid of being cold, we may carry an extra layer. We may pack extra food for fear of running out and so on. Carry a firearm is no different. You are adding about a pound of weight (at a minimum) to carry a firearm, ammunition and holster, to counter what you may believe is a threat.

And let’s consider the threat itself. Many immediately think of Bears and other humans as a threat and justification to carry a firearm. On the AT, most bears are more afraid of you, than you are of them. I personally scared off more than a dozen while walking through Virginia. Most I didn’t even get to see, they heard or smelled me coming (probably smelled if we are being honest!) and took off well before I could see them. I would hear the thunderous crash of the bear tearing through the woods. Unless you openly provoke a bear or happen to get between a mother and its cubs, the only problem you should have is getting your camera out in time to snap a photo.

As for people, most research has shown that criminals tend to be fairly lazy. That is to say, it is very unlikely that they will hike deep into the woods to commit some sort of crime. Of course the trail does pass near and even through some towns, but generally the crime rate is no higher than you would find anywhere else in the country. In fact, it is probably lower.

The next issue, is that of Legality. The trail passes through 14 states, each with its own set of laws regarding the carrying of concealed firearms. There are also a number of national parks with their own rules/regulations as well. Without the proper permits, you may be forced to carry illegally or miss sections of the trail

Then there are the safety concerns. I am going to forego the traditional anti-gun argument that guns are a threat to the person carrying it and everyone around them and make the assumption that if you are going to carry a firearm, you understand how to handle and carry it safely. My point is more on the inconvenience that carrying a firearm on a long distance hike brings about and the safety concerns that arise when a corner is cut.

If you chose to carry a firearm, you are essentially tied to it for the next several months. Everywhere you go, everything you do, will be with that firearm. You simply cannot put it in your pack and walk away from it.

For example, you cannot go for a swim to cool down or clean off in that nice mountain pond you just found. You cannot have a couple beers in town. You cannot walk into a bank, post office or other federal building (legally anyway). You are essentially babysitting a handful of metal and gunpowder.

There is also the weight to consider. Sure a pound or two doesn’t seem like much, especially if you have not spent much time long distance hiking. But give it a week or two and you will be looking for any way to lighten your load. There is also the issue of where/how to carry the firearm. Some keep it tucked into their waist belt, others opt for a fanny pack, and still others use a chest harness.

As anyone that has carried a concealed firearm can tell you, it is all about finding a balance between concealment, comfort and accessibility. This can be pretty difficult when you are wearing a pack that keeps shifting around as you climb up and down mountains. I noticed at least a half dozen people carrying “concealed” firearms throughout the course of the trip, it isn’t very hard once you know what to look for.

 

So those are my counterpoints to carrying a firearm on the trail. There is no right or wrong answer. Anyone considering carrying a firearm on the trail, needs to weigh the pros and cons of carrying and come to a decision for themselves. Personally, even though the benefit of carrying a firearm was that it might save my life, I did not feel that the probability was high enough to outweigh the items I wrote about in this post.

The best advice I can give is to simply be aware of your surroundings and if you feel unsafe, hike in groups, especially in town and you should be just fine. After all, if you can’t accept a bit of risk in your life, the trial probably isn’t for you anyway.

Finally, I will end with one little story of a firearm alternative I saw on the trail (on two separate occasions actually). Early in the trip, I passed a hiker that look to be around 20 years old, that was carrying a walking staff with what looked to be a 6in spear on the end of it. The spear was covered in a leather sheath to protect it (or maybe to protect others from it).  It was about 6ft tall and had a manufactured look to it, clearly not hand made.

I didn’t think too much of it, until a month later when I saw another hiker carrying an identical walking “stick” with the same spear point and sheath. This time I stopped and asked about it. He said he did buy it for the hike. I jokingly asked if he intended on hunting with it, he said “no its for protection…I couldn’t bring my gun, so I had to bring something”, you know, for bears and stuff”

I couldn’t resist asking the obvious question, if a bear did attack, was his plan to reach up, unsnap the sheath to expose the spear, then lower the spear and hope to land a killing blow on a charging black bear. As we was considering his response, his hiking partner laughed and said “thank you! That is what I’ve been telling him the whole time!”

It was another example of carrying your fears, although in this case, I guess he gets extra credit for at least combining it with a useful walking stick!