Concealed Carry While Hiking
Hiking is an excellent way to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, and in most cases, all you will encounter on a hike are friendly faces and beautiful wildlife. Nevertheless, there is always the risk that the people and wildlife you encounter won't be so friendly. Many of the nation's best hiking trails crisscross their way straight through bear country, and even predators of the two-legged variety have been known to target victims on hiking trails. To protect themselves from these threats, many people choose to carry a firearm with them while they are hiking. If you are thinking of concealed carry hiking, here are few things you will want to take into consideration:
Stopping Power
We don't want to veer into caliber wars, but many of the calibers popular for concealed carry simply lack the power to stop a charging bear. It's one thing to count on a subcompact .380 to stop an assailant; it's another thing entirely to think that it will put down an enraged momma grizzly.
In fact, if bears are your primary concern on the hiking trail, you may be better off carrying bear spray instead of a handgun. However, if you do decide to carry a handgun and are counting on it protecting you from bear attacks, make sure you choose an adequate caliber. Revolvers chambered in rounds such as .357 magnum and .44 magnum are popular choices for bear woods and, despite their larger size, can still be concealed if you have the right gear.
What about other dangerous animals such as wolves, mountain lions, and so on? Thankfully, anything that will put down a bear will certainly put down one of these animals as well. In fact, if these animals are your concern then any popular self-defense round such as 9mm or .40 S&W will do the job just fine.
Concealing Your Weapon
When hiking you have options for concealing your weapon that you normally don't have. One popular choice for concealing a weapon while hiking is to carry your weapon with you in your backpack. If you choose to do this, though, make sure that you choose a CCW backpack with a built-in gun holster. A backpack gun holster will keep your firearm secured in your backpack which is a good idea for a couple of reasons. For one, having a firearm rattling around unsecured in your backpack is a safety issue. Second, having your firearm secured in one location means that you will always know where it is when you need to access it.
Speaking of accessing your firearm, even the best concealed carry backpack isn't exactly going to make your firearm quick and easy to draw. If quick accessibility is important to you while hiking you may want to consider carrying your weapon in a more traditional holster. Keep in mind, though, that if you are carrying a larger firearm for bear defense it may be harder to conceal it in the traditional methods. Of course, in many states, open carry is legal. If you don't mind a few concerned looks from the park rangers and other people who pass by then open carry is often the most comfortable and accessible option for carrying a weapon while hiking.
Final Considerations
In short, carrying a firearm while you are hiking certainly isn't a bad idea, but it is something you will want to put a little thought into beforehand. Consider what purpose you are carrying a firearm for, and choose a weapon that is sufficient for that purpose. Next, decide how you will carry your weapon, giving careful thought to factors such as accessibility, concealment, and comfort. Lastly, always make sure to check your local laws and regulations concerning carrying a firearm. Federal and state held lands may stipulate restricted premises where firearms are not allowed, and since many hiking trails cross through several states, the applicable laws and regulations may change throughout your hike.
All of these things, though, can easily be accounted for with a little advanced planning, allowing you to safely and legally carry a firearm with you to keep yourself safe while on the hiking trails.
