Why pack a gun while fishing?

[TyroneFly]

Not wanting to hijack another thread, fire arms while fishing, why carry a firearm while fishing? I can understand if you fish in places like Alaska where bears and mooses are commonplace that you would want some type of protection. If you fish in an area known to have the potential for violent confrontation, why go there? As I see it all you are doing is inviting trouble.

I myself own several hand guns. I am not a hunter, but shoot for fun at target ranges. I am not against guns in the right hands. I just want to understand why some carry one while fishing.

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

Snakes, rattlers that is at some places I fish. Bears, lions, and now wolves at some of the other, and this is in Wyoming.

[DarrinG]

Meth-heads, crack-heads and illegal marijuana patches that dope rollers like to grow on Forest Service lands.
Take a wide berth and carry a big stick.
Not really for the 4-legged critters!

[dudley]

Crackheads, methheads??????
they wouldn't know a trout stream if they fell in
don't kid yourself with macho paranoia

[gqualls]

Dudley,

With all due respect to you ..... when Darrin mentions crackheads/methheads ...... there's not one scintilla of macho paranoia in what he said. I know Darrin, and the area he fishes. I also know his line of work validates his comment. The crackheads/methheads in his neck of the woods are notorious for breaking into cars/trucks and getting what they can while the owner of the vehicle is fishing closeby. It's been a big problem for the past 3 years.

[Sully]

Dudley,

With all due respect to you ..... when Darrin mentions crackheads/methheads ...... there's not one scintilla of macho paranoia in what he said. I know Darrin, and the area he fishes. I also know his line of work validates his comment. The crackheads/methheads in his neck of the woods are notorious for breaking into cars/trucks and getting what they can while the owner of the vehicle is fishing closeby. It's been a big problem for the past 3 years.

Meth-heads, crack-heads and illegal marijuana patches that dope rollers like to grow on Forest Service lands.
Take a wide berth and carry a big stick.
Not really for the 4-legged critters!

I agree 10000% with these posts

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

We are actually starting to get more of that around here. Nephew with the sheriff's Dept, tells me ever time someone is busted for drugs near a place I go fishing or hunting or the wife and I like to just go for a drive and go hiking.

[Eric-WD]

I have spent the last 20 years reading crime reports. A gun doesn't weigh much, does no harm to any one while in the holster and if needed it beats fingernails.

Eric

[mnklagoon]

dudley,

ilive in mississippi and carry just for snakes. when i lived in oregon outside of rogue river and fished in the BLM areas i have come across methheads and nut jobs growing marijuana. they are very scary individuals. the rangers there do tell you to be careful in these remote places because of this. its not "macho paranoia....