I also carry one most of the time we have Grizzles and black bears mountaion lions wolves and tree hugging **** holes . I try not to shoot the bears and lions they dont know any better .

 

I've had to killed quite a few mean rocks over the years and the gun comes in quite handy when they get out of line. Two things I never leave home without, my American Express and my 357. (j/k, i don't have an American Express)

I live out in the wild west, and everybody carries a gun.

 

Heck my 44 has a name its called company.

 

A kid got killed in our local San Bernardino Mts. a few years ago. A bear mauled him in his sleeping bag. Over the years, I have probably run into more bears than anything else. One person killed and one mauled by a mountain lion in the Santa Ana Mts. a few weeks ago. After that, everybody was seeing lions in their back yard. Somebody reported one, and the police ended up shooting what turned out to be a huge house cat.......poor fluffy! They had to shoot a bull that had gone feral in the foothills. It had massive horns, and was chasing folks. I think it particularly disliked mountain bikes.

 

Out here in California, Black Bears are prevelant but are generally pretty harmless except in certain instances. While Deer Hunting, I have found myself trekking on foot, right between a surprised mother and cub....not a good place to be! It's the kitties that are an issue IMO. This state is full of 'em! I don't give a rat's *** what DFG or the media says "after" the recent attacks. If you see ONE Mtn Lion, there are 10 more that you haven't seen.....but they see you! The simple fact that we are "seeing" them is reason to be concerned. They are desmating the Coastal Blacktail herd as they go unchecked with no real predation. The city folk in our major metropolitan areas stay at home all warm and cozy and think about how wonderful the fuzzy kitties are...how could we consider managing their population. Meanwhile, those of us involved in the outdoors see how bleek the future is for our local deer populations and wildlife and at some point in the not so distant future, some poor jogger, bicyclist, or small child on an outdoor outing with his/her "sheople" parents that don't recognize a hazard if it were to sneak up and bite them in their azzes.

I always carry when in the outdoors. The 3 S's....If need be, Shoot, shovel, and shut up!

 

Hey TreeDoc, I agree about predator control. We are trying that but that wacko group called PETA is all over our a@@ and trying to get a boycott of visitors. I say fine, I would rather have hunters and fishermen then the tree huggers, they do not spend money. The outdoorsman spend big and that is what is running our economy as the oil drys up. I like the the 3 S rule, I have seen it applied alot over the years. AlaskaBoy.

 

We have Grizzles we are part of thire food chain They are not like those nice Black bears.

 

P.E.T.A. What does that stand for again?


Oh yeah, it stands for People Eating Tasty Animals....... I was a member and didnt know it.

 

On June 18 of last year I posted this on the Honda forum and was told I was full of beans:

The desert is a very hostile and unforgiving environment. Appended here is a list of items I have on my ATV when I make excursions out into the unknown spaces. In the high desert wilderness, a problem only 5 miles away from the ranch could spell disaster.

ALWAYS a jacket – last Saturday (June 14) it was 98 in the afternoon and 41 in the morning
Water bottle + full extra canteen + 10L / 2.5 Gallon water keg (yes, all 3)
Survival rations
Cell phone
CB Radio and /or Motorola GMRS radio (if a partner has one)
Topo Map - Compass - GPS (GPS is always 3rd behind the Map & compass, never 1st)
Gerber Tool
SAK
tow strap
bungee cords
folding knife or fixed blade

Rifle and extra ammo - in addition to a 12Ga double barreled Coach Gun w/ 7 rnds of 00 Buck, 7 rnds of hi base #4s, 8 rnds of #8s, & 3 aerial signal flares paired with a Ruger 22 auto w/ 6 7/8 barrel and a box of ammo stashed in the Survival Bag on the rear rack. I also always wear a handgun: either a 45ACP, S&W Trail Boss 44 mag, or S&W 357.


German entrenching tool because it provides both pick and shovel
8X10 plastic tarp
1st Aid Kit & venom extraction kit
2 cell Maglight (AA size)
6 extra AA batteries in a small ammo pouch (for Maglight, GPS, CB)
Photon Flashlight
backpacker's candle lantern
Fox 40 whistle
1 roll toilet paper
Boonie Hat with chin strap
bandana (yup, them cowboys wore ‘em for a reason)
sportsman's survival blanket
Bic lighter, magnesium fire starter & magnifying lens
Sunblock
heavy leather work gloves
tool kit containing:
6" adjustable wrench
8mm,10,12,13,14,15, combo wrenches
lines-mans pliers
mill file, small (very handy)
multi blade screwdriver
roll of electrical tape
4" "needle nosed" Vise Grips
asstd sized cotter pins
3 hand held aerial signal flares
3 12 Ga aerial signal flares
1 Orange Smoke Marker
1 roll of duct tape
5 ft 18 ga. electrical wire
asstd electrical connectors
shrink tubing
50’ paracord
tire plug kit
spare fuses
spare spark plug & spark plug wrench
whet stone

Believe it or not TWICE all this gear PLUS a 12 gauge double barreled Stoeger Coach Gun will fit in a Cabela's rear-rack bag. The point is that it still leaves ample room for all the requisite prospecting gear.

I was forced to open the emergency kit up this past weekend (July13) when my buddy blew a tire and did NOT have proper repair gear. From the ranch, we were about 12 miles out in the desert in 120 degree heat. It 'could' have gotten deadly real quick. Preparation for those excursions into real wilderness areas can indeed mean the difference between an enjoyable time and a disaster with fatal consequenses.

 

Ol, I see this as a resonable and a responsible list and I carry just about everything you have on that list +/- a few things. I feel it is alittle overkill on the weaponry, I carry a sidearm .45 or 44 mag or even my .41 mag and a .300 win Ruger but no shotgun, to each his own though. Go prepared or die, good motto. AlaskaBoy.