Tree huggers don't make laws?
Steve
Actually, in my State, Washington, the tree huggers are the bulk of the voters who elect folks that make laws. The vast majority of the State's population is located within a given radius of the Space Needle in Seattle and they are pretty liberal. The Puget Sound urban elite have little knowledge of hunting, firearms or consitutional rights. We are lucky for the reasonable folks in eastern Washington, but they are the voter minority. The Democratic party practically owns this state. In fact there are famous quoutes about the the Soviet of Washington, which refers back to how left leaning this State's politics have historically been.
We had a very tragic situation last year where two young boys who had gone through the state mandated hunter safety course had been dropped off to go hunting by their grandfather. One of the boys shot a woman hiker in the head on a well marked trail, according to statements, thinking she was a bear. It was a long shot, there may have been fog at the time and a variety of conflicting stories.
http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/teen_in_fatal_sauk_mountain_shooting_faces_amended_firearms_charge/ http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/young_hunters_need_adult_supervision/There was talk in some circles about if zones around hiking trails should be firearm free and/or off limits for hunting. There have been discussions about making public lands off limits to hunting. All of these things have been able to have been avoided, but if enough tree huggers get their panties all bunched up, who knows what might happen.
Even in hunting season, the tree huggers feel like they own the woods. Those friends I know who are avid hikers and don't own firearms or hunt, I remind when hunting season approaches and suggest they wear some visible orange. After the accident last year some decided I might be right after all and started asking me to keep them briefed as to when various hunting seasons occurred.
Do I have the legal right to open carry while hiking in this State, absolutely I have a legal right to carry open or concealed. I will open carry during hunting season or in eastern Washington, but I will concealed carry on when I hike on popular western Washington trails so I don't freak out the tree huggers.
P.S.
The reason I carry either a 44 Rem Mag, 45 LColt located to very magnum levels, or a 357 Mag loaded with 200 grain bullets, is not so much out of fear of bears (most black bears I have seen have run off when they see me) but more out of fear of very large animals. I have experienced situations where people I have hiked with have said hey look at the pretty elk, lets go over and take a closer look at it. At that point, I said in a calm voice that it isn't a good idea and then say "hey look at the size of the hooves on those animals." Also during hunting season I have heard packs of wild dogs in the distance. My carrying in the woods is about prevention of bad things from a variety of four and two legged creatures, but mostly four legged ones. Most of the two legged crime happens in the trail head parking lots.
