What lurks in those hills?

[ZeroRing]

Both of you guys are making excellent, well reasoned, and RESPECTFUL points back and forth.

I hope the mods are seeing this and will let this thread continue (even though it's strayed ever so slightly off-topic) because I for one am appreciative of the conversation.

 

[Sun195]

Both of you guys are making excellent, well reasoned, and RESPECTFUL points back and forth.

I hope the mods are seeing this and will let this thread continue (even though it's strayed ever so slightly off-topic) because I for one am appreciative of the conversation.

Actually, I have let this go for that very reason.

 

[tionico]

Well, don't anyone go and read my comment on the Obama and gun ban thread in legal/political. I call for sealing the borders as the best solution to the drug/guns/cashflow issues. Not to mention the incursion of illegal invaders of other sorts. Truth is, I really HATE the idea of such drugs being readily available in our nation. But I hate that only a little less than the other two likely options. Somehow, I can't help but think someone is benefitting from the present situation and lack of "results".. just can't quite figure out who. Not the normal citizen on the streets like you and me.

 

[perdurabo]

The scariest warning sign I have ever seen was in rural Hawaii on a fence around a private banana patch: "Don't Get Caught." No exclamation point needed.........................elsullo

Or "Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be violated."

 

[perdurabo]

I had a little incident last summer in the shotgun creek recreation area east of eugene oregon. it is a destignated rec area. I was on my dirt bike ,on a high ground ridgetop, logging road over looking the valley below. stopped to take a break and have a drink of water admire the scenery,. down below i could hear some rapid shooting, for several minutes off and on.figured it was just people out target practicing.. then the shooting started up again,, except this time i could hear the bullets wizzing araound me!.. a few kickups of dust about 20 yards to my north.. as well as hearing a few hits on some of the trees around me..I just backed my bike, to the inside of the road were the berm of the edge of the road would block any line of site from the shooters. from the sound of the shots, and tree lines down below,, whoever they were they were probably more than 600 yards away,, i could not see anyone down there nor did i see any vehicles,, so they must have been in a tree line down in the valley somewhere..at that point ,i just got on my bike and stayed to the inside of the road and went somewhere else to play. figured a moving target would be harder to hit than a stationary one.

People are insane. When I was about 12 or so, my mother, my grandmother, and I went hiking in the Southern California desert, and somebody was sniping at us from some long distance away up on some rock hills above. We could hear the ripping sound of the bullets flying past our heads.

Needless to say, we didn't stick around to see what was up, we just high-tailed it out of there and stopped at a CHP station down the highway to report it. Never heard anything. What kind of person shoots at two women, one elderly, and a boy?

It's these (desert + my adventures encountering weirdos in the Oregon woods out 126 and 58 near Eugene) experiences that enrage me when I see stuff like the national park gun control legislation (that makes me a felon, btw). I'd rather take the chance of getting "caught" and having to bribe/explain to the LEO than get caught unarmed by an person with bad intentions on the menu).

 

[RainbowBob]

...leave keys in the ignition, and leave the window down to prevent locking them in your car.

clearconscience: Wouldn't your suggestion likely result in finding your vehicle rifled or stolen?

I hope the mods are seeing this and will let this thread continue (even though it's strayed ever so slightly off-topic)...

Long essays on the pros and cons of drug legalization are only "ever so slightly off-topic"?

You're joking, right?

We go from the original question of what to look out for in the woods...to discussions of whether Hmongs have a right to defend themselves while picking mushrooms - and whether or not we should legalize drugs.

Doesn't anybody know how to start a new thread when they want to change the topic?

 

[tionico]

ah, but pistol packing Hmong shroomers, and AK 47 toting drug growers, DO lurk in them thar hills..... and would NOT be much fun to encounter closely.

 

[RainbowBob]

...pistol packing Hmong shroomers, and AK 47 toting drug growers, DO lurk in them thar hills...

OK...so discussing how to avoid them and/or defend yourself is on topic (e.g., What caliber for meth heads?).

Essays on the pros and cons of drug legalization - however compellng they may be - are not.

I don't object to the topic, and I'd be interested in reading those essays in a thread devoted to the subject.

But they don't answer the OP's question and amount to a blatent thread-jack.

 

[jordanvraptor]

How prolific are venomous snakes in the Oregon/Washington forests? I grew up in Nebraska and rattlesnakes were quite common but I'm not familiar with snakes out here. When thinking of self protection, would it be more valuable to have a revolver with snake loads or a semi auto with just lots of rounds? If I took my 686 6 inch I have 6 shots. Say i loaded the first 2 chambers with snake loads. I effectively reduce my self defense against humans or cougars to 4 rounds plus the delay, albeit briefly, with firing those two snake loads to get to the serious anti-personnel/cougar loads. Do you think this is better than say taking an automatic and hosing a snake with hollow points? Has anyone fired snake loads in an auto? I haven't and often wondered about the reliability in cycling an automatic.

 

[PDXGS]

How prolific are venomous snakes in the Oregon/Washington forests? I grew up in Nebraska and rattlesnakes were quite common but I'm not familiar with snakes out here. When thinking of self protection, would it be more valuable to have a revolver with snake loads or a semi auto with just lots of rounds? If I took my 686 6 inch I have 6 shots. Say i loaded the first 2 chambers with snake loads. I effectively reduce my self defense against humans or cougars to 4 rounds plus the delay, albeit briefly, with firing those two snake loads to get to the serious anti-personnel/cougar loads. Do you think this is better than say taking an automatic and hosing a snake with hollow points? Has anyone fired snake loads in an auto? I haven't and often wondered about the reliability in cycling an automatic.

Wow, I've always managed to step to one side or the other and avoid any venomous snakes altogether....why kill it? Wear boots and upland snake pants if you're really paranoid...otherwise, step carefully and listen for their warning. In the time it takes you to unholster and take aim you could just as easily leave the creature alone. A walking stick is less noisy if you've got to disturb it and likely to keep you at a safer distance...and there's no ricochet, loud noises or flying rock chips.
My $.02....worth eveything you've paid for it.

 

[tionico]

Good words from Aloha.... why off him if you can sidestep? BUT-if you're bent on haivng snakeskin boots, I'd say the shotloads in the revolver would be fine.. two rounds should cover. You'll come across far more snakes than two or four legged perilous mammals. And, in most cases, you'll have plenty of time to get past the shotloads to the heavy hitters... particularly with the two-legged varmints. The discharge noise of a .410 is just as effective a warning shot as would be a .44 Mag JHP... and a bit less dear. And the pain of a direct hit with shot would tend to neutralise most two legged perps, at least for a short while. If he wants more, well, then, you'll still have four left. Worst case, he's coming on strong and is a maniac, unloading that round in his face will likely disable him long enough to get away, or tend to the next customer.

Cougars, now, that might be a different story.... though if one jumps you from a tree, the load you have in your self-defense weapon won't matter, cause you'll not have time to hand it and discharge.... but that seems rather an unlikely scenario. Not typical of these critters. If you should meet one on open ground, or a trail, he'll most likely be at least as afraid of you as the reverse..... if you stop immediately and slowly back away, he'll most likely leave you alone. Wish we could say the same for the two-legged variety of dangerous critter....

By far, the best defense out in the rough is a sharp eye, paying attention, and reacting quickly to move away from danger. Unless you're actively seeking a particular sort of quarry, leave the rest be and they'll leave you be. Except for ground nesting hornets.... but no firearm is effective against those snarly and obnoxious monsters. And once discovered, there is NO backing away, as they'll persue you for hundreds of feet. Psychopathic kamikaze monsters, those!!!

 

[jordanvraptor]

Except for ground nesting hornets.... but no firearm is effective against those snarly and obnoxious monsters. And once discovered, there is NO backing away, as they'll persue you for hundreds of feet. Psychopathic kamikaze monsters, those!!!

Is a can of WD-40 and a Bic lighter considered a firearm? :gun15: Cause it was pretty effective, you just have to wait until they sleep...

 

[Rix]

Beware open gates.

I was cruising through some dirt roads with a friend of mine, and came across a side road. cruised down it for a while, and crossed an open steel gate.
Not a nicely painted forestry service kinda gate, and older, rusty lookin gate.
it was open, so I continued.
Now keep in mind, this is way up off the beaten path. All wilderness, with a dirt road, and an off-shoot road.

We came into a large "flat spot" I won't call it a clearing.
There were a dozen or more trucks, most with campers on the back, a ton of tents, and a bunch of people standing around, all staring at us.
Men and women, with the men all bearded and clad in flannel.
the women (ALL OF THEM) were in skirts and had long hair.

Pretty sure every one of them had some sort of "assault rifle".
I saw a couple minis for sure, and at least one ar/m variant, and at least one ak.

I turned around and left.
Not slowly.
Not "fast"

I had my P89 on me, with 2 magazines and a box of ammo.

My friend had his .40 on him as well.


Neither of us felt safe, or felt like seeing if the road continued.

The gate was closed when we came back.
No more than 15-20 minutes later.

I drove around it.
we camped a good 10 miles further than the spot we were looking for.

If it looks "hokey", it might just be a good idea to leave it alone.

 

[gallogiro]

Sounds like Old Believer Russians having a party. They do that a lot up by scotts mills.

 

[gjohnson]

Sounds like Old Believer Russians having a party. They do that a lot up by scotts mills.

The Russians are no joke when it comes to crashing their parties.

 

[pdxjohann]

Wow, you all have some interesting stories to tell. Early in this thread some wise advice still seems appropriate; go out with a companion and watch - your - six. Mushroom harvesters protecting themselves or is it staking a claim? A big difference there. Tweakers are always dangerous it seems. Another note earlier simply reminded to be wary of the two legged beasts. Then again my good buddy fell to his death on a trail he frequented. Snakes, Cougar, loss of bearing, cold weather, Russian partiers (note to self: bring booze) - A companion while hiking is sage advice.

 

[yotehunter]

Wow, you all have some interesting stories to tell. Early in this thread some wise advice still seems appropriate; go out with a companion and watch - your - six. Mushroom harvesters protecting themselves or is it staking a claim? A big difference there. Tweakers are always dangerous it seems. Another note earlier simply reminded to be wary of the two legged beasts. Then again my good buddy fell to his death on a trail he frequented. Snakes, Cougar, loss of bearing, cold weather, Russian partiers (note to self: bring booze) - A companion while hiking is sage advice.

What happened to your buddy if you don't mind my asking?

 

[pdxjohann]

Yotehunter, he was a great old guy. The short of story; he developed vertigo from a health issue. Still, so confident a hiker he continued to hike. A few months ago he fell off a trail in the Gorge falling to his death. His dog standing as witness. I could go on and on. A retired professor, gentle soul, prolific at all he focused on - including hiking solo or with friends, Ol' Joe Kohut is missed by many.

Oh on the same day on a trail close to Ol' Joe a family of four were knocked off a trail by a rain induced slide.

 

[beararms5000]

What lurks in those hills? I've seen plenty of bear-sign (including actual black bears) hiking in the Olympics and Cascades. I've found a couple big cat prints over the years too but have never seen anything bigger than a bobcat up close. I've come across rattlesnakes in North-East Oregon and a friend has encountered them on a ledge while out climbing near Leavenworth (I've read that rattlesnakes are not "supposed" to be that far west but I guess no one told the snakes that). Parts of WA (mostly the remote north Cascades) are known to be territory for grizzly bears, though you're pretty unlikely to ever meet one. We also have wolves, though like the grizzlies, they're few and far between and tend to avoid people. Still, one more reason to look after pets, children and your food supplies when out in the woods.

Those're the animal threats that come to mind. For two legged threats, one should of course be on the lookout for random crazies and everything else already mentioned. I might add that I'm hearing from a few friends who work in wildlife conservation that pot farms are increasingly common in national parks, including in Washington. I doubt you'll find them on everyday hiking trails but if you start doing some bushwhacking, it's one more thing to look out for. An article I just read about the issue: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103866520&sc=fb&cc=fp

 

[pdxjohann]

Bear Arms, I read that article via NPR link. Doesn't it seem that we will hear more of those tales of grow sites motivated by Pot $? I expect also other troubles due to the profit generated by drug sales as there seems to be momentum on actions to remove the money incentive to drug traffic.