Summary:
An article about a trip to Glacier National Park and the thoughts and feelings I had while carrying a concealed handgun with me while hiking.

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Excerpt:

When I went hiking in Glacier, I took it with me. As I said, I had a fanny pack that it stayed in, snug in a holder. The pack was designed specifically for the gun and had a looped cord that stuck out from the inside of the pack. With one quick pull, the zippered front would be fully opened, allowing for easy access to the gun. I imagined ripping open the pack, yanking out the gun and aiming it at the head of a charging bear, should I find myself in a such a situation. I knew even as I imagined it that it was an unlikely, overhyped scenario. Even if I did stumble upon a bear, the notion that I would simply and fluidly open that pack, pull out the gun and stop the bear dead with a well placed shot was ridiculous. Most likely, I would fumble and stumble, either unable to get the gun out of its holder or unable to properly fire it. It would take a well placed shot, I surmised, to stop an angry bear. I doubted I was that good of a shot.

Yet, I took the gun with me while hiking. Even with the knowledge that the likelihood of it offering me any real protection was slim, it still brought me a small amount of comfort. Which is not to say that I took every step on those hikes with the terror of being mauled to death. I did not fear the bears all that much, as coming across bears while hiking is rare and being attacked by one is rarer still, especially if you are following the recommended hiking procedures. It was nice to have that aura of protection, though.

The funny thing about carrying a gun is that it changes how you think. Having that gun on me was having a strange power. In reality, the gun didnt have its greatest effect on me when I thought of bears, but rather when I thought of humans. It struck me when I came across fellow hikers the first time I carried the gun. Two women were hiking the opposite direction of myself. We passed, said hello, were short and friendly with each other. But I had a gun. I had easy access to this gun and, even more compelling, these two other hikers--these strangers--had no idea I had a gun. I literally could have killed them, murdered them, and they knew nothing about it. I was just a guy out for a hike, same as them. Except I had this power strapped to me--this tool that could be used for such destruction.

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Written by: Joel Caris
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