Camp Safety and Preparation

[ThatOneGuy]

This is a repost of a reply I wrote. I thought it may be a good reminder for any flatlanders. Stick to populated patrolled campgrounds unless you are prepared for the unexpected.

If you find a campground that isn't packed with families, couples and generally not intimidating folk - I recommend extreme caution. I'm born and raised El Dorado county, been camping for decades.
It is not uncommon to encounter bizarre situations if you find yourself in a remote area and display any potential weakness - particularly I have found that groups of men in remote camps have a tendency to get weird and even dangerous as night falls and booze and tweak go around.
Always be prepared to defend yourself and your camp - don't be paranoid but prepare with a firearm if you have one, and at least some kind of blade.
If you are isolated and just a couple camping with the dogs, move your camp if you find a rowdy or large group arrive nearby. At the minimum you will likely have a long night of irritating loud hooligans.

Over on the highway 50 side I've had confrontations with the rough redneck pickup truck of drunk or tweaked out wiredos - even a group of 2 encroaching on our typical camp of 4 men 2 women.

Even in the family campgrounds domestic altercations are not uncommon- when abusers or angry drunks get going at 1am they often don't calm easily- at least there you have Rangers to break it up. You don't want rednecks getting wasted and aggressive if you are isolated - pack and move if any potential rough group arrive.
I've seen weird camps be nice, come visit offer you a beer - they might be scoping your camp. I'm telling you, groups of nice people sometimes behave much different at late night - don't take the chance if you don't have the means to defend yourself.

Pay attention and listen to your gut if something doesn't seem quite right.

 

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[Capt Nemo]

This year I'll be packing a Saiga 12 shotgun with 10 rnd mags. (AK 47 in 12 ga) Not too worried about the hooligans, but the wolves, coy wolves, and mama bear with young cubs are to be worried about. At least with a shotgun, a self defense claim is easier to defend if it goes to court, due to it's short range.

 

[davin]

ThatOneGuy, you make some very good points and it sure is the truth. better to be safe than sorry. there is just way to many wackos
around and as you mentioned, after dark some of these people turn become sketchy and possably rob or worse yet harm anyone .

 

[bedrock bubba]

I went to Mineral Bar CG for a weekend of gold picking. The CG was taken over by a rowdy, beer swilling gang of bikers! So I moved on.

I was camped out with a bud at Mammoth Lakes one night, and a horde of drunk rednecks came roaring thru with their cars about 1 A.M. in the morning, hootin and hollering!

Put out two fires at Huntington Lake and Mineral King by drunk rednecks throwing gasoline around in a campfire, and their son actually caught fire, and me and bud grabbed a blanket and ran over and snuffed him out! That was on two sucessive nights!

 

[SteveOrygun]

"Rednecks" ? Really, I guess your so high on the social ladder it allows you to name call others or place people in some group to suit your needs. I bet you use other terms also while with your equals, terms like ****** (edited by mod) or any number of names to belittle those you seem to think your better than.

Ive seen more rich noble's get hauled of in cuffs from many a camp ground than the humble redneck familys around.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Personally, I'm a redneck and proud of it, I'm red, white and blue to the core...My neck is red, my hairs turning white and my collar has always been blue.


I'm a vet, I fly the American flag on my car and on my front porch, I drink beer, eat bbq, listen to southern rock, own lots of guns, always armed, support our military, our police, our Bill of Rights, our Constitution and our country.

 

[Skunked68w]

I'm different. When I camp I like to reach out to the other camps and make friends. Older people I approach with good whiskey or tequila and a smile. Younger people beer and a smile. Everyone is in the wilds to have fun just like you. Some of the best stories I've ever heard came from strangers at campfires. Also don't hate on rednecks they are the best friends to have in a bind. They ussually have good mechanical and construction skills.

 

[calnatv]

My camp safety. And I'm not a Redneck. I'm a good old boy

 

[Goldwasher]

Nice Iron. That single six is gettin almost as expensive to shoot as it is to run 38 spl hand loads isn't.
Almost 16 bucks a brick of .22 last time wally world had them.

 

[Aufisher]

Love them Blackhawks!

 

[wildminer]

I must be a redneck AND a good old boy.

 

[mattt]

Red necks are fine . Add meth and alcohol to young red neck = danger

 

[Duckshot]

All you need to confuse a meth addict is to carry a kernel of popcorn in your pocket. When confronted by an armed tweeker, just crumple the kernel, drop it onto the ground, look down side to side, say aloud- "I dropped my ice!", then turn and run like hell when tweeker starts looking for it.

 

[goldenmojo]

My camp safety. And I'm not a Redneck. I'm a good old boy


View attachment 1445090

Hey that's the same pea flicker I've got. Six shots reload and shoot m six more times

 

[Oregon Viking]

Revolvers rule!!!!!

 

[bedrock bubba]

"Rednecks" ? Really, I guess your so high on the social ladder it allows you to name call others or place people in some group to suit your needs. I bet you use other terms also while with your equals, terms like ****** (edited by mod) or any number of names to belittle those you seem to think your better than.

Ive seen more rich noble's get hauled of in cuffs from many a camp ground than the humble redneck familys around.

Relax buddy! I',m a bit of a Redneck myself! Didn't mean it in the perjorative!

 

[Au dave]

Not trying to incite a riot ... but I don't understand how all you in the U.S. believe that you are friendly, caring and tolerant of/towards your fellow countryman/human when a great % of you feel the need to carry a weapon for protection. Yeah I understand some of your local wildlife can be a bit nasty but most times it will go the other way. In AU there are strict restrictions on how/where a firearm can be used and carried and to get a licence requires a 4 week course (run by the police) and extensive background/police record checks. Throughout the forty odd years I've been camping I have only had 1 occasion of trouble, which was sorted quickly without agro, and have found those times within campsites to be happy memorable trips. It strikes me that .."the right to bear arms" gives you the right to be paranoid. Dunno...maybe Aussies are a different 'species'. As I said ...not causing trouble .. just my opinion.

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[utah mason]

I don't carry a firearm for people, I carry it in case the Bear spray doesn't deter the animal being sprayed. I have grizzly and black bears in my area along with mountain lions. Any many moose who can be quite aggressive and can split your head open like a Mellon. And yes usually if they hear you coming they go the other way. But having my son with me it's just not a chance I'm willing to take.

 

[Au dave]

no probs with that Utah.... just that your country has more guns than people ...

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[spillercanyon]

Hey Dave, we're not paranoid, it's just that we like to know we have the upper hand if and when things get out of hand. I always carry when prospecting and have my cancel carry license as well. What most foreigners don't understand is that we are not all sitting on the edge of our seats ready for a gun fight, in fact quite the opposite, we are very friendly in camp and socialize well, most people don't even know if we are carrying or not (a plus for those that don't carry). We are very relaxed knowing whatever happens, we have a good fighting chance to take care of the situation and thus we're ready for a good time.

Lots of gold to you Dave!