Trekking

[Ian]

So I've noticed a lot of y'all not only know about the life and history of the mountain man but you actually like to love it by going on your treks. I like that I am the same way I love to get dressed up and grab up my bag horn and rifle and head out with my brother in law and camp on one of my in law's pastures. Now what I'm getting at here is this is it legal to go out and primitive camp on public or state land? I understand that it may not be legal to take a firearm with you but I'm unsure of the laws on such a thing.

[matthew]

i think it probably depends on the state as far as firearms and camping are concerned.  here in missouri it's legal to primitive camp and hunt on most public land.  we have alot of conservation areas around and their rules vary from area to area. some of em you can't camp anywhere you like but have to stay in a confined pre determined "camping area".   National forest though is wide open for what ever you want.  and guns are perfectly legal to carry with you where ever you please.  i'd check the laws for what ever area your wanting to go into.

[Ian]

It seems that you can hunt on the Black Kettle National Grasslands and it says that primitive camping is encouraged so I wouldn't think it'd be a problem to carry my rifle with me. I don't really intend on hunting most of the seasons are over here except trapping.

[luke]

I'm going to try and stay off the soapbox, but there is not really any reason why a person should ever feel "Bad" or worry about the laws when carrying a rifle in the woods.

Here in Indiana we have everything from Mountain Lions to Meth Labs that a person might need protection from, and we have to take back our woods. Just having a long arm should not cause Fish Cops to jump straight to the conclusion that someone is Poaching.

Now last weekend I took a little walk on a Sunday morning scouting out an area where my AMM party might be doing a beaver camp in March. Its National forest, and I did do one thing just in case I ran into any other folks or the fish cops. I kept my rifle in its case while walking thru the woods.

[Ian]

Luke I too feel the same way. Here in Oklahoma we also have meth labs and mountain lions so I don't see what the problem would be with carrying a rifle especially black powder. I just felt like I should ask some folks more knowledgeable than myself because the last thing I need to is some overzealous federal agent accusing me of something I wasn't doing.

[luke]

Ian,

I dont want you to think Im ranting at you, just at how our society has fallen.

[Ian]

Luke I never thought such a thing I too am sick and tired of how our society has shunned traditions in favor of a "safer" environment making it so an honest man can't do anything without being accused or assumed to be doing something wrong.

[Pare]

Yeah, society has really went to shits. Everybody around here thinks they're a chemist...

A bit off the subject, a good friend of mine is a cop and said he and a few other friends were riding horses in the Ouachita National Forest in Talihina and that they were immediately surrounded by several guys on 4-wheelers with guns. They were ordered to leave the same way they came in. I read last year that there are Islamic training camps down there, too.

Ian, the annual Southwest Regional Rendezvous is being held over in Arkansas in March. Its a good place to pick up a few things and meet some new folks. I don't recall the exact date, but it was posted on one of the Facebook pages. If you're on it, look me/us up.

Pare Bowlegs

[Ian]

There are many mountain men and fur trade groups on Facebook I am in most of them I searched your name and I couldn't send you a friend request feel free to send me one. Ian White

[matthew]

i couldn't agree with you guys more about our right to keep and bear arms.   kind of on the subject/off the subject - the last weekend of muzzleloader deer season myself and a buddy were camped out in a wedge tent on private property, and the tent could be seen from a road.  about midnight one night my pard jumps out of bed, gives me a shove saying "wake up somebody's here", grabs his gun, and runs out the tent half dressed.  i come stumbling out half asleep, by buddy yells out "who's there?" and gets the reply "who's up there?".  at this point i'm really wishing i'd grabbed my gun before i came out of the tent.  so my pard says "you better announce and show yourself" to who ever is coming towards our camp and gets the reply of "sheriff's department" and a really bright flashlight being shown on us.  things at this point were pretty intense, as we weren't sure if it was a deputy or what.  so the visitor approaches and sure enough it was a deputy, apparently they'd had a call of "suspicious activity" on us.  things turned out fine though they could of easily turned out a lot worse and it was a pretty intense situation for a minute.  we laughed it off though it was FUBAR on a lot of levels.  learned my lesson to grab my gun before running out in the middle of the night to great an unannounced visitor.  plenty of meth and other big problems around here and been threatened once on public land with "snitches get stitches" when i came across a dude poaching deer . . . .
so heck yeah tote a gun where ever and when ever

[Jon]

I, like Matthew, also couldn't agree with you guys more. With this day and age we live in, now is not the time to lay down our arms but to pick them up. I'm fortunate to own quite a bit of private land with springs, trees and plenty of places to hide but I've also found meth labs and chased off poachers and thieves. I NEVER go unarmed any more even if its just slipping the little .32 in my back pocket while working a round the place. I've always had a healthy dose of respect for natures more dangerous critters but it's those critters of the two legged variety that scare me most.

[Ian]

Jon you're sure right about that I'd rather fight a bear than have to deal with a man you might be able to scare a bear off but you don't know what that man has in his mind I keep a tomahawk and my knife right by the seat of my truck at all times.

[Leifer]

Getting back to the original question, as was mentioned above, it shouldn't be a problem for the most part. I'm sure there are some differences from state to state. Some places might not allow fires, but that's not necessarily a problem. Your mindset might be trying to link back up with your brigade whilst dodging any hostiles in the area. If you end up doing an overnight in an area like that there are different food options for you that don't require cooking. Could end up being a neat experience for a person that you might not otherwise experiencing.

Leifer

[leatherstocking]

I'm always a bit amused by the neighbor who occasionally plinks with his full auto.....but that's Idaho and he's as likely a doctor or carpenter as anything "scary" but then again that's Idaho, which is an open carry state. Anywhere I have lived near National Forest, carrying is a given. The only problem I was ever aware of was back in Colorado where a National Forest "law enforcement officer" was issuing citation for packers and outfitters at a trailhead who were "carrying concealed" because their rain slickers covered their side arms. The local sheriff advised everyone to come to his office and he'd issue concealed carry permits......problem solved.

At a wedding rendezvous a ranger showed up to threaten to shut us down because we had "incendiary devices"....i.e. a Coehorn Mortar shooting tennis balls straight into the air for the kids to catch. Kendal McDowell a BLM biologist who was among our numbers, advised the ranger to "go for it"......and of course he didn't return.

The only time on public lands to worry about carrying a muzzleloader is when you got dead critters in possession without a hunting license to match.

Luke...nice coat!

[luke]

Thanks,

I finally got the gumption to start cutting on my pile of braintan and came up with a pretty decent garment.