Ah paranoia..........my forte! My first day in Nam, one of our cooks stood by an mess hall hooch open back door, a VC sniper ended his culinary career..
As I said in my post that got deleted, In my 55 of camping, I've encountered Grizzly, Wolves and angry Moose, but man is still my biggest worry. From drunk jerks discharging firearms indiscriminately in nearby areas. To those strange beat up vehicles driving slowly by.....
By a long shot, my worst fear is going off hunting or fishing and being some miles away from my rig. If a criminal has been watching me for some time, he knows I'm alone and if I'm hunting may have some other firearms, or something else he'd like to have in my camper..and there is no one else now around to stop him.from getting it.. So,.. you think you've heard paranoia.. stand by.. I'm looking into an electronic portable surveillance system:
Some tricks I have, make anyone believe there is someone else staying in the camper,....Wave good bye through partially open door to your invisible other as you leave, and leave a radio on low inside to some elevator music or country station...just so you can hear it about 25 ft. away. No stations in daytime, a MP3 player plugged into a portable.. both batteries full charge. If you were in the military, you will know how hard it is to see someone in the woods with only mediocre camo and binoculars watching you. However, scanning surrounding area with your own good 7 X 50's is always a good idea. This is one reason I would not buy a new FWC without awnings over the open windows. At night, way to easy for anyone to see and tell how many people in camper....If close enough, they can also hear you. Which leads me to another point,... picking a campsite with a good perimiter clearing. If area is wide open most criminals will not cross into it. Gravel and hard dirt with rocks is your friend here, ever noticed how easy to hear someone walking outside a pop-up on such surfaces? Brooming, a prospective perp may come in to have a look, take a broom and sweep a 4ft. wide ring 25 ft. or so out from your rig. Check for fresh tracks in the sweep in morning, It's also interesting to see what critters came in to have a look at you....
In most areas of Idaho and Montana I go, help is a long ways off, even with my Satellite phone cranked up.. When I had to use it, help was a long long time coming..... If you choose to carry, carry all the time. It should be light enough and quick to put on and off,not in your way, and adequate for what ever wildlife you could encounter. In Griz. country I pack a 4" .44 mag with skull penetrators. If forced into areas of Calif. with pot growers. 9mm Glock with 3- 20 rd. mags. And inside the ubiquitous Stainless 20" 12 gauge with 7 shot mag. and one ounce rifled slug. or # 4 buck.
On the normal side of enjoying the outdoors, most all others you will meet in those most remote areas will be like yourself, and will bend over backwards to help you and enjoy your company around their campfire. But I'm sure you've had those times the hair stood up on the back of your neck,,,the giver gave us that sense for a reason. Common sense and a little situation awareness is all that's needed to tell you, you need to change your location...
Cheers,,
Edited by 180pilot, 24 September 2014 - 10:13 PM.
racial epithet removed
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