AT Attacks

Downeast

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I personally don’t feel sorry for the hikers. The world is full of zombies and this zombie took advantage of the situation knowing full well that chances were slim that anyone would be armed. I bet his sorry ass wouldn’t have come charging out of the woods in November swinging an axe at a group of deer hunters. ;)

You can either behave like a predator or behave like the prey. It’s called reality and there really is no middle ground. I used to hike the AT many, many, years ago and even back then I always carried something, even if just a 22.



https://myfox8.com/2019/05/12/man-w...-attacking-2-hikers-on-the-appalachian-trail/

https://www.wjhl.com/local/1-dead-another-injured-after-appalachian-trail-assault/1997583055
 
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When i was a teenager thru college age, I used to backpack and hike the AT and other trails in 3 states. This is the first attack i ever heard of but am not surprised. I don't go to the corner grocery store w/o a gun now.
 
Yeah iI laughed at all the granola Birkenstock wearers on YouTube when they recommend saving weight by not carrying a pistol. 'Homemade wanderlust' channel on YT comes to mind. Bringing a gun to a knife fight doesn’t guarantee you won’t get killed but it’s better odds than a hiking pole in the same situation
 
I grew up shooting, hunting, etc. like quite a few on here. But I was never a serious self defense practitioner. Until 2007 (age 35), I owned 1 pistol (an S&W 659) and 0 holsters, an Ithaca M37 a Marlin M60 and a Savage .30-06. Fairly typical Midwestern must-have collection. I figured I was all set. I was not against concealed carry, I just never gave it any thought.

Then, in 2007 I took my ~6 month old and wife out for a hike in Pisgah NF. Beautiful day hiking around the South Mills River and Pink Beds area. We scouted some stretches of the river I hadn't fished yet. So, the next day I packed up the fly rod and headed back solo to do some fishing.

I get to the Forest Service road (1206, Yellow Gap Road) and there's a roadblock. Wildlife Officers, County Sherif and State Patrol have the road cut off. I asked what was up and was only told, "Can't go there, the forest is closed today".

Well, it turns out that while I was walking around with the wife and baby an asshat serial killer named Gary Michael Hilton was murdering 84 year old Irene Bryant and kidnapping (killing later after emptying ATM accounts) 80 year old John Bryant less than 1/4 mile from where we parked. It's known that he killed at least 6 people in various National Forest settings and is presumed to have killed several more.

I have gone armed every day since then. It hasn't stopped me from hiking, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors, but it was most certainly the catalyst for what my friends and family refer to as my 'obsession' with shooting.

When people ask me why I carry, I don't even try to argue or persuade any more. I simply say "John Bryant, Irene Bryant and Tommy Bryson"
 
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I have always hiked armed regardless of any unconstitutional laws telling me to disarm. But I cannot say that I don't feel sorry for the hikers. This type of attack is so rare it's like the Spanish Inquisition. Nobody expects it. I am sorry that their belief that the trails are a safe place to be lead to their injury and death.

I do find it interesting that there are no calls to ban axes from the trails though.
 
It’s really sad you can’t even go for a walk anymore.
There are far too many variables in the woods to not carry. 2 legs or 4 legs there are things out there that might seek to harm you, just like every other situation.

The biggest question for me is how to carry when hiking. Can’t keep it in your pack because it’s too slow, IWB isn’t ideal, OWB is ok but some people get weird about it(I don’t like drawing attention to myself) so I’m still working that out.


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I know a lot of people that like to hike. I am not one of them.

I do enough damn hiking with a full pack and rifle when I go hunting in Virginia. Not, the drive a 4x4 into the field to the blind, I am talking full 2000 foot elevation changes with fingers and hollers and thickets and good help if you get one. You can't use a motorized vehicle, you;re draggin bubba.

After doing 40 years of that and still doing it... I just don't see the fun of hiking.

But, I never, ever go into the woods without a gun.... that's just crazy!
 
The biggest question for me is how to carry when hiking. Can’t keep it in your pack because it’s too slow, IWB isn’t ideal, OWB is ok but some people get weird about it(I don’t like drawing attention to myself) so I’m still working that out.


I really like the Safepacker from The Wilderness. It conceals superbly while on a backpack strap or belt. It does not look like a holster at all, just looks like another piece of ubiquitous nylon gear.
 
It’s really sad you can’t even go for a walk anymore.
There are far too many variables in the woods to not carry. 2 legs or 4 legs there are things out there that might seek to harm you, just like every other situation.

The biggest question for me is how to carry when hiking. Can’t keep it in your pack because it’s too slow, IWB isn’t ideal, OWB is ok but some people get weird about it(I don’t like drawing attention to myself) so I’m still working that out.

I bought a zippered pouch that is big enough for my EDC. Since I'm right handed I attached it to my left pack strap. I can unzip it and access the weapon in less than 2 seconds in optimal conditions.
 
I've spent the majority of my life in or around the woods and have only ONCE come upon something with 4 legs that intended me harm, a wolf in WI and I dealt with that situation in the only way I had available. It's the 2 legged creatures wandering around that give me concern.
I've carried a sidearm ever since I was sworn in with GSP so it just became natural for me to be armed wherever I was, whatever I was doing. Home, woods, water, shopping I'm always armed.
 
I really like the Safepacker from The Wilderness. It conceals superbly while on a backpack strap or belt. It does not look like a holster at all, just looks like another piece of ubiquitous nylon gear.

That is very similar to what I use but mine isn't meant for a weapon it's just an accessory pouch really designed to go on your belt. I just lash it to my shoulder strap.

May have to look into these. Seems a little easier to access.
 
It’s really sad you can’t even go for a walk anymore.
There are far too many variables in the woods to not carry. 2 legs or 4 legs there are things out there that might seek to harm you, just like every other situation.

The biggest question for me is how to carry when hiking. Can’t keep it in your pack because it’s too slow, IWB isn’t ideal, OWB is ok but some people get weird about it(I don’t like drawing attention to myself) so I’m still working that out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There's the old fanny pack. Wear it over or under the hip belt. I've pretty much always been armed since 83'.

CD
 
I grew up shooting, hunting, etc. like quite a few on here. But I was never a serious self defense practitioner. Until 2007 (age 35), I owned 1 pistol (an S&W 659) and 0 holsters, an Ithaca M37 a Marlin M60 and a Savage .30-06. Fairly typical Midwestern must-have collection. I figured I was all set. I was not against concealed carry, I just never gave it any thought.

Then, in 2007 I took my ~6 month old and wife out for a hike in Pisgah NF. Beautiful day hiking around the South Mills River and Pink Beds area. We scouted some stretches of the river I hadn't fished yet. So, the next day I packed up the fly rod and headed back solo to do some fishing.

I get to the Forest Service road (1206, Yellow Gap Road) and there's a roadblock. Wildlife Officers, County Sherif and State Patrol have the road cut off. I asked what was up and was only told, "Can't go there, the forest is closed today".

Well, it turns out that while I was walking around with the wife and baby an asshat serial killer named Gary Michael Hilton was murdering 84 year old Irene Bryant and kidnapping (killing later after emptying ATM accounts) 80 year old John Bryant less than 1/4 mile from where we parked. It's known that he killed at least 6 people in various National Forest settings and is presumed to have killed several more.

I have gone armed every day since then. It hasn't stopped me from hiking, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors, but it was most certainly the catalyst for what my friends and family refer to as my 'obsession' with shooting.

When people ask me why I carry, I don't even try to argue or persuade any more. I simply say "John Bryant, Irene Bryant and Tommy Bryson"

When I was in Iraq, a high school friend of mine and current (at the time) UVA Grad student, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Hafter, was stopped at a Blue Ridge Parkway overlook either on the way home or back to school...I can’t remember which. She was reading or enjoying the view or both, when spree killer William Ashby, responsible for murders from VA, TN, down to SC, came across her and her vehicle. She was executed, two shots to the head and her body was tossed off the Greenstone Overlook cliff and her car stolen.

That story, like yours, has really stuck with me about how it can really happen anywhere to anyone


BTW, she was 22 years old at the time. Her mother had recently lost her husband, Lizzy’s father, to cancer and Lizzy was brutally murdered. I can’t imagine what she carries daily
 
I always carry in an urban setting but I have no problem being unarmed in the woods. I carry mainly because sooner or later you need to get back to your vehicle and thus, a good chance of encountering either people and zombies. When I say "in the woods" I'm not talking about a local state park or trail system. You generally have to go way out of your way to find me. Not much out there that will hurt you critter wise unless you step on something. Maybe it's because I've been plundering off the beaten path my whole life. I've trapped gators, bears, collected snakes and bats and other assorted beasts so wild animals don't scare me (they are 100% honest in what they do unless they are sick) but human beings are totally unpredictable.
 
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Yeah iI laughed at all the granola Birkenstock wearers on YouTube when they recommend saving weight by not carrying a pistol.
Haha same here. I got interested in lightweight backpacking a few years back and while people are counting ounces, if not grams, thee was no way I was ditching my pistol to save 2lb. That’s a weight penalty that is well worth it.

Even on the hardcore lightweight forums, plenty of people mention carrying and just exclude it from any weight discussions.
 
I carried on our trip to the Smokies. Worked out a deal where one carried bear spray, I gave up my water filter and e tool in order to carry my pistol. So we split the load up. Wish this POS had tried that at Tri Corner Shelter. My list of concern was in order; hogs, people, bears, snakes. Since I can't shoot bees I leave them off.

I feel plenty sorry for the hikers. Yes, they tend to ignore reality somewhat. But the thru hiker season is a moving community. You tend to be pretty close to the folks you are hiking with. It's different than any other hiking. We crossed paths with nearly 30 other hikers. We had hikers asking about other hikers, and talking about where folks were and were going. And this guy attacked a group of 4 hikers. If they feel there is an issue they will hike in a group for safety. You don't expect to be attacked in a group either.

The reason that LE let him go is no one could stay around for a few days to testify. Not sure why you can't take statements and make an assault charge stick. And expecting these folks to throw a multi day stop into their trip unplanned is likely not going to happen.
 
I carried on our trip to the Smokies. Worked out a deal where one carried bear spray, I gave up my water filter and e tool in order to carry my pistol. So we split the load up. Wish this POS had tried that at Tri Corner Shelter. My list of concern was in order; hogs, people, bears, snakes. Since I can't shoot bees I leave them off.

I feel plenty sorry for the hikers. Yes, they tend to ignore reality somewhat. But the thru hiker season is a moving community. You tend to be pretty close to the folks you are hiking with. It's different than any other hiking. We crossed paths with nearly 30 other hikers. We had hikers asking about other hikers, and talking about where folks were and were going. And this guy attacked a group of 4 hikers. If they feel there is an issue they will hike in a group for safety. You don't expect to be attacked in a group either.

The reason that LE let him go is no one could stay around for a few days to testify. Not sure why you can't take statements and make an assault charge stick. And expecting these folks to throw a multi day stop into their trip unplanned is likely not going to happen.

And look at the results of not following thru with LE.

CD
 
And look at the results of not following thru with LE.

CD

Yeah, it seems he dealt with LE in NC for an assault (hot springs shelter) and somewhere in TN before the attack in Wythe County VA. And multiple other incidents and threatening behavior along the trail. That's just absurd. He was actually escorted off the trail by a volunteer and given a bus ticket but apparently got back onto the trail above Damascus. It would have been dicey if he had been around Damascus for Trail Days.

I don't think we would have dealt with any of the folks that got that far north. But lots of college kids, one family, about half or more female, and a couple retired guys. Which really pisses me off. It's a great community to deal with and hike with. They look out for each other. And to have a predator like this come in and take advantage of that is just infuriating. The word was out on the trial, so there is a good chance this group knew who he was. Particularly since they were breaking camp to leave.

One thing that did piss me off about the trail volunteers response was that there was "bad information" going around about this guy that may have pissed him off. Uhm, he killed one and tried to kill another. In hindsite it actually does not appear that information was bad if they are worried about him becoming violent and trying to avoid him.

I'll be happy to load you up some of my shot capsules... If they work on skeet a Bee wouldn't stand a chance!!

As fun as that would bee, it might draw too much attention. But the only thing I've been attacked by in the woods has been bees.
 
I always tell people I carry for the two-legged creatures, not the four-legged ones.

I have a similar story to @Tim ...I believe I've told it on this forum, but I regale you anyways...
One of the few true wilderness areas in/near Central Florida is the Juniper Prairie Wilderness in the Ocala National Forest. My friend and I hiked in and camped at Hidden Pond. Great undisturbed Florida habitat. Not a year or two later there was a murder in the exact same spot that I laid my head by some loser that knew the spot was popular with college kids, and "wanted to kill someone that had something to lose" (as opposed to a random murder). Additionally (not that it would have really helped had the beast decided to attack), I saw a rare Florida Panther stalking a deer not a 1/2 mile from our campsite on the same trip.

If those two things don't convince you that you're a bit "out gunned" then you need to check for a pulse.
 
I don't go anywhere unarmed.
The crazies are everywhere, in the cities and in the woods.
And this is exactly why I don't get why my family/friends are thinking I'm paranoid for wanting to carry a gun and have them stashed in several places in the house!! LoL. Guess they don't watch/read the news?
 
It’s really sad you can’t even go for a walk anymore.
There are far too many variables in the woods to not carry. 2 legs or 4 legs there are things out there that might seek to harm you, just like every other situation.

The biggest question for me is how to carry when hiking. Can’t keep it in your pack because it’s too slow, IWB isn’t ideal, OWB is ok but some people get weird about it(I don’t like drawing attention to myself) so I’m still working that out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I’ve thought about this too and I think the kit bags from Hill People Gear would make a good solution.

https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1
 
I personally don’t feel sorry for the hikers. The world is full of zombies and this zombie took advantage of the situation knowing full well that chances were slim that anyone would be armed. I bet his sorry ass wouldn’t have come charging out of the woods in November swinging an axe at a group of deer hunters. ;)

You can either behave like a predator or behave like the prey. It’s called reality and there really is no middle ground. I used to hike the AT many, many, years ago and even back then I always carried something, even if just a 22.



https://myfox8.com/2019/05/12/man-w...-attacking-2-hikers-on-the-appalachian-trail/

https://www.wjhl.com/local/1-dead-another-injured-after-appalachian-trail-assault/1997583055
Everyone I met on the trail in the early 70's were all hippies. We would take a couple hundred hits of acid with us for a long weekend. We passed it out to folks on the AT & partied our asses off.
 
Everyone I met on the trail in the early 70's were all hippies. We would take a couple hundred hits of acid with us for a long weekend. We passed it out to folks on the AT & partied our asses off.
Nothing like trippin' in the woods! LOL.
 
Everyone I met on the trail in the early 70's were all hippies. We would take a couple hundred hits of acid with us for a long weekend. We passed it out to folks on the AT & partied our asses off.
Ohhh... So, THAT'S what happened... :D
 
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Another reason to be armed... A friend used to camp a lot and during one outing with his wife, I don't remember where, they were accosted by some dogs. They were pretty aggressive, but they soon saw the owner and a couple of others up the trial laughing. He shouted out, "You wanna call off your dogs?" The owner just continued laughing, until by friend pulled out his shiny new 6" Model 66. The owner quickly called his dogs and left apologizing. My friend said, if he hadn't called the dogs off, he was fully planning to shoot them. And I know he would have.
 
I just picked up a new Gregory pack. I need to see if the hip belt pockets are big enough for my 605. I had to stash it in my pack on the AT. I can’t OC in TN.


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I remember hiking with my sons back in the mid 90s on Land Between the Lakes in TN/KY. It was TVA land and NO GUNS outside hunting season. However, black powder was not considered a firearm so went hiking with my 1851 Navy .36 in a Slim Jim holster. TN back when in 91' concealed handgun permit was only limited to the county that issued it and not throughout the state. KY had no CCW then either but allow OC. One thing that TN did allow the OC'ing without a permit was the Army/Navy revolvers! Glad laws finally changed for the better in both states.


CD
 
To not feel sorry for people who were just enjoying life and happened to be unarmed is, to me, ridiculous.
I get it, we're gun enthusiasts, but not everyone is and not everyone feels they need to be armed at all times.

Sucks that something as basic as hiking will be tainted by this
 
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