[pct-l] Guns in the national parks

[Amanda L Silvestri]

Again, I am not trying to take your guns away.  I am not trying to put a end to hunting.  I am just questioning the need for carrying concealed hand guns in the parks and on the trails.  Who goes hunting with a .38 caliber pistol, a .45 or a 9mm?  Don't most hunters use rifles?  And who wants to carry a rifle day after day on the trail?  Are you hunting or hiking?  Some hunters go out hunting for a few days at a time, that's true, but that is not the the issue here.  It is hand guns, concealed hand guns at that.  And if not concealed, wouldn't it be a bit awkward to hold a postal in you hand and use your trekking poles at the same time, or shall we have holsters sewn into our packs for Quick-draw Mchiker?  Where is the weight savings in that?  Maybe, as some have suggested, legislating against the use of hand guns in the National Parks would be legally unmanageable, I don't know, but I don't think concealed hand guns are appropriate in
 National Parks.  Remember, just because you can do a thing doesn't mean you should.  This isn't the Wild West or Darkest Africia or the Amazon Jungle, these are National Parks, recreation centers, not battlefields.  Okay, well do whatever you need to do to feel safe.  
 
Amanda (Shepherd)