Felt safe until now

[memaquay]

I think you are on to something Alan. I know the next bit might seem like it is not canoe related, but in actuality, it is totally canoe related, and probably explains why a lot of us go wilderness canoeing.

In my first year psych class, many moons ago, we looked at the rat studies conducted by John Calhoun. Basically, he overpopulated a rat cage, but provided them with plenty of food and water, but just put too many rats in one place. I will let AI describe the results:

Psychological and social collapse

• Behavioral sink: Calhoun's experiments provided rats with unlimited food and water but restricted space. The rat population would initially boom, but then descend into severe psychological disruption and pathological behavior.
• Hyper-aggression and violence: Rats will become extremely aggressive, leading to frequent fighting that can cause serious injury or death. Dominant rats will engage in bullying, and overcrowding can trigger hormonal changes that increase aggressive behavior in males.
• Maternal breakdown: Mother rats may stop building proper nests, neglect their young, or even attack them. The constant stress of overcrowding interferes with normal caregiving instincts.
• Increased anxiety: A 2012 study published in PubMed found that chronic overcrowding increased anxiety levels in rats, which was measured by observing their behavior in different test environments.
• Social withdrawal: Rats may become withdrawn, anti-social, or excessively fearful. Some may compulsively hide or develop repetitive, abnormal behaviors like bar-chewing.

People aren't rats, we only share about 67% DNA, but people are often rat-like. It is my contention that city living is a blight on humanity, something humans are not supposed to do. Lots of rat-like behaviour blossoms in cities, less so in the hinterland.

I like Thomas Jefferson's idea - land ownership centers on a widespread distribution of small, independent family farms, with farmers owning their own land to cultivate virtue, independence, and a strong republic. Of course this idea would not work in the modern context, but it sure sounds good.

I think many of us crave time away from humanity, a reconnection with nature, an escape from the actual rat-race, and the perfect vehicle is a canoe. This thread was started because the OP was concerned that violence normally associated with cities was brimming over into areas of solitude. That would concern me too. The reasons guns became involved in the discussion is because some people see them as the first line of defence against the rats dressed in human clothes. Some people are very opposed to guns. I don't know what the answer is, I guess it's a you do you kinda thing.

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[Boreal Birch]

I have seen the rat and he is us!
We got a rat problem.
I had a job that entailed counting salmon. Walking up a stream counting them. I saw lots of bears doing this, never felt in danger. I also got to sit in the back seat of a Super Cub aircraft counting salmon flying low and slow up rivers, also saw lots of bears doing this. This was way more dangerous than the foot surveys. There were only two pilots that I would fly with. There are no old, bold pilots, flying low and slow is the recipe for disaster.
I think driving in cars is the most dangerous thing we do, but we willingly climb into one. They probably kill and maim the more people on a daily basis than most any other cause.

 

[Penns Woods]

The world is changing but I still feel fairly safe back in the Bush, it is out at the parking lot and near others that I watch myself. While nothing has happened to me yet, now that I'm getting older I feel a little uneasy. While I don't believe that guns are the answer and Since I usually go solo this subject interest me and I think we all can benefit from discussing it.

 

[Keeled Over]

I have to go with statistic's on this one.

I always taught my kids to "stop, look, think' and trained them that, statistically, you just have to be a little safer then the other people around you.

 

[yknpdlr]

My dad encouraged me to get my NY State "pistol permit" after I turned 21 and was an air crew officer in the Air Force, now over 50 years ago. In the AF, with an "expert" handgun qualification, I was certified to carry a .38 in my navigator's bag in flight whenever we had any kind of passenger on board the aircraft. Getting a state pistol permit was really not an easy thing to do, even back then. But My dad worked with and was friends with a worldwide/nationally known hunting author who was my personal instructor and mentor, and we also knew the local judge who determines if I am worthy and reliable. Since I regularly headed off into the deep Adirondack wilderness, Dad's reasoning was he wanted me to have something loud for emergency signaling, not to protect myself from other people in the woods. But it was a heavy item, especially if I had to carry enough ammunition to make sense as a signal device over any extended time. After a couple of years of lugging it in the woods I decided was just too heavy for my minimal backpack, but I still have it, plus a few others, even today.

One critical item my instructor told me. On your application, never, never indicate it is "for personal protection" which will guarantee rejection. Instead, it is officially for hunting and sport shooting.

 

[memaquay]

But it was a heavy item.....

That's pretty much the reason I don't take a gun on a regular canoe trip where I am not hunting. It's just a pain to lug around. Plus, I don't feel it is right to leave it unattended at one end of a port, so I would have to carry it all the time. It's Canada, so we are talking about a shotgun, not a handgun. My wife always wants me to bring a gun when we go, but I will remind her that when we want to go fishing, or a day trip paddling away from camp, the gun will have to go with us.

I haven't been in a situation yet where I have been threatened enough by any four or two legged beast to feel the need for a gun. However, I am somewhat of a gun aficionado, I have three cabinets full of them. I really should make room and get rid of some of them.

Any Canadians looking for a good buy on some boom sticks? Lol.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

There are a lot of canoe destinations that require driving thru some nasty cities to get there.
I definitely get a severe "pucker" when I'm driving thru Chicago on my way to BWCA.
It's the TRIP to canoe country that's the most dangerous part of the journey.

 

[Gamma1214]

But it was a heavy item, especially if I had to carry enough ammunition to make sense as a signal device over any extended time

I don't feel it is right to leave it unattended at one end of a port, so I would have to carry it all the time

Those are the two main reasons that I don't even consider taking a gun on canoe trips (or backpacking). Canada, however, has these really cool fireworks called bear bangers that weigh next to nothing yet sound enough like a shotgun that any nefarious wildlife (human or otherwise) will probably scram.

I don't think that you can't buy them in the US... pretty sure ATF considers them "explosive devices". (Yep, sure are & I like 'em!)