Concealed carry helps keep you and your hiking party safe. Whether you’re in a remote area or somewhere more populated, a firearm can offer you protection and peace of mind. Learn the top reasons people carry a concealed weapon while hiking.
1. Protection From Wild or Violent Animals
One of the best reasons to carry a firearm while you hike or backpack is to fend off wild or violent animals. Fighting a wild animal with your bare hands isn’t a reliable option for securing your safety. Sometimes, just the loud sound of your firearm is enough to frighten a wild animal and prompt them to run away.
Even if you’re not facing a wild animal, encountering a violent domesticated pet is still dangerous. Every year, there are millions of dog bites from aggressive dogs in the US, and some of those cases prove fatal. Hopefully, you’ll never have to defend yourself from an aggressive animal, but if you do, a gun will help.
2. Protection From Human Aggressors
The next reason to carry a concealed weapon while hiking is to protect yourself from human aggressors. Whether you’re in a remote area or on a popular trail, stay aware of the people around you. While most people you encounter will be genuine outdoor enthusiasts such as yourself, some bad actors take advantage of trail conditions to attack people.
To increase your safety, hike in pairs and let a third party know about your plans. Also, stay visually alert and listen to your surroundings. If you wear earbuds, keep one out so that you can still hear clearly.
Learn to feel comfortable carrying a gun so that you can keep your weapon concealed from potential attackers. If someone chooses to attack you, you can defend yourself with your firearm.
3. Emergency Signaling
If you get lost or stranded in the wilderness, you’ll need all the help you can get to return to safety. Many times, you can’t rely on your cell phone in a remote area. You’ll need to signal for help.
Perhaps the most common distress signal is the signal fire. If you build a proper signal fire, you can attract attention from miles away. But in addition to this popular option, you can use your weapon to create an auditory signal.
Fire three spaced-out shots to signal distress. By spacing the shots five seconds apart, you help other people around your area identify the sound as a distress signal and identify the location it’s coming from.
Texas Outdoors
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