Re: Weapon as camping equipment?

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Living in a war zone (Los Angeles) where it seems EVERYONE has a gun,
and being married to a part-time military police, I think that the vast
majority of people should not carry a gun as self-defense---this has
nothing to do with whether or not people have the right to carry arms,
etc, I just think that the risks of, as Heidi said, having it used
against you are MUCH higher than the likelihood that the gun will be in
the right place at the right time should you get into trouble.

One of the primary reasons why I support RM disqualifying people with
troublesome dogs in camp is to hopefully protect the abilities of us
responsible dog owners to be able to travel alone with a good dog. 
IMHO, a good dog that always seems to know Good Guys from Bad Guys,
always sleeps lightly and will always protect Mom beats a gun any day of
the week. (Sometime ask me about how trail riding, naked guys in bushes
and very brave young border collies, it's a great story).  And a dog can
never be turned against you.

I would agree with Heidi that if you're going to be in the boonies,
sometimes you might need a handgun to put down a horse, but even if
that's the only reason why you carry a gun, PLEASE learn how to shoot a
horse correctly.  I've never been in that position myself, but heard of
an off-duty police officer that went on a horse-packing trip where a
horse broke a leg.  Out of kindness, he tried to shoot the horse but
didn't know how and caused an immense amount of unnecessary suffering
before the job was done. I was taught to draw an imaginary line from the
base of each ear to the inside corner of the opposite eye.  Where the
two lines intersect on the forehead, place the barrel of the gun at a 90
degree angle and fire.  I was told this will cause instantaneous death,
but I'd like to hear from someone more experienced if this is true.  I'd
hate to be in that position, but hate even more to be in that position
and botch the job.

Enough rambling.

Susan Garlinghouse




> << The only problem
>  with that is one a friend skilled in self defense showed me, I could have
>  it taken away from me pronto, being an amateur who was rather relutant to
>  use the thing at all.   >>
> 
Heidi Smith wrote:
> I am a strong proponent of a weapon for self defense, but I agree with your
> friend that if you are at all unsure about its use or are concerned that you
> would hesitate to use it, definitely do NOT carry one!!!  If you feel that you
> travel in areas where there is risk, take a weapons class, become COMPLETELY
> proficient with the use of the firearm, and examine your own ability to use it
> if necessary.  Otherwise it could easily be turned against you.
> 
> Heidi Smith, DVM--Sagehill Arabians (Oregon)
> 
> P.S.:  The other reason for carrying a handgun, much as we do not wish to
> think about it, is to have a means of relieving your best friend in the horse
> trailer of suffering should the need arise due to serious accident in a remote
> area where there is no other help available.  I DO recommend having one in the
> rig if one is wilderness camping or traveling in extremely remote areas, but
> in places like that where human predators are not my concern, it is safely
> tucked away somewhere in the rig, and not loaded.