[pct-l] Gun on PCT?

[Edward Anderson]

Although I am pro gun rights, I did not bring one on the PCT. I could see no 
real need. 


Riding long distances out of my ranch in Comptche (inland 15 miles from 
Mendociino) I usually brought my revolver because of the Mountain Lions. Over 
the years I have seen lots of them, as well as bears, in those coastal 
mountains. The bears out there are no problem because they always run away when 
they see you. The lions do too. I always feel blessed and lucky when I see 
one. But - I know of two cases when a lion attacked a horse. In one case, about 
25 years ago, the rider was riding after dark and a lion jumped on the back 
of his horse behind the saddle. The horse bolted and shook off the lion. 
Probably a rogue lion. Up there lions often kill sheep - and the rancher could 
call the county trapper who would shoot the lion - if he could find it. 


The reason I usually carried a sidearm was that I often rode alone, and 
fast, over long distances conditioning for endurance racing, sometimes a loop of 
over 50 miles. I only rarely saw another person on the backcountry trails and 
old log roads that I used. I saw lions almost as often as I saw humans - perhaps 
one lion for every 15 or 20 human sightings. And that's quite a few. Now to 
explain the reason I carried a gun. If I had a horse accident and was hurt and 
there was BLOOD, I would be a wounded animal and a easy meal for a hungry lion. 
The gun, and the fire that I would build, were for protection. On the PCT I ride 
slow, at the walk, and I am cautious - I don't take risks with my horse. I felt 
no need to carry a gun.

MendoRider/Ed Anderson