15

CascadeBob, I think you mean the 2nd Amendment: " A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.".(the well-regulated militia part isn't mentioned much nowadays, and Supreme Court decisions expanded the basic right to all Americans, not just those in militias; in this case, conservatives don't seem to mind activist judges).

4th Amendment: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

An amendment to outlaw shooting up stop signs (and "No Hunting" signs) has yet to pass Congress and be ratified by the states.

16

Not Alaska but good advice anywhere:

This is down in the swampland, anything goes
It's alligator bait and the bars don't close
It's the real thing down in Louisiana
Did you ever see a Cajun when he really got mad
When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad
It gets real hot down in Louisiana
The stranger better move it or he's gonna get killed
He's gonna have to get it or a shotgun will
It ain't no time for lengthy speeches
There ain't no time for lengthy speeches.

17

SoloHobo, I appreciate your comment from a hunter point of view. I agree with you it's pretty rare.

ElGuapo, the song said it all!

18

I can think of a couple reasons for this, none of which stem from a slavish adherence to the letter of the constitution. or Bibles, for that matter. (yes I know the quote you were referring to, and the 2004 book that Obama was clumsily referencing - maybe Obama should have followed it up with "its not my job to worry about those people")

This probably isn't the thread for this sort of thing.

19

More related to the OP...I lived with a couple of guys that were avid hunters and gun-carriers. They were strange about it. If we were going hiking or on a river trip, they didn't feel the need to pack. But if it was a camping trip or a hunting trip, they packed the goddamn Arsenal of Freedom. I never understood the distinction, but they were serious about it. When they slipped into the packing mode, every character we saw in the woods was a potentially unstable and highly armed adversary. I'd say "guys, if this dude is some kind of militant a$$-hole, what's gonna happen if you start acting all aggro and flashing weaponry? We're all gonna die, that's what. What happens if you smile and wave and this dude thinks we're a bunch of stupid hippies on a camping trip? Nothing, that's what". Further..."by your logic", I'd say, "the backcountry should be littered with the bullet-ridden bodies of dumbass hippies, pacifists and foreigners too stupid to arm themselves for a camping trip...but that's not even remotely the case. In fact, you don't know even one solitary person shot dead by some militant hillbilly, not one, so put the guns away and stop trying to change that statistic"

They were unmoved by this reasoning.

Edited by: FlagStuff

20

When I was a teen and college years, in Missouri out on the farms/forest lands, we shot at everything from signs to beer bottles, with shotguns, rifles and handguns.

Rule #1 when learning about a gun, and how to use it, and this was back in the 1970's for me, so your buddy or father taught you, for me it was my best friends father, is the rule, never, ever, ever, point at a gun at another person, ever, period. Back then we didnt have gun violence to speak of, and most country/rural folks have shotguns, not handguns, as you cant hunt with a handgun, you need a shotgun for birds and a rifle for game. Regardless, rule #1, never point a gun at another person, one error, and they are dead. Even though any hunter or gun carrier worth 3 brain cells always has the safety lock on, the only time you dont is when bird hunting with shotguns in the brush/fields, (VP Dick Cheney shot the guy beside him)

It used to be very rare for even a policeman/trooper/sheriff to pull his weapon, as there was a common decorum among most people to not handle a weapon/gun in public or around others, but these days, its a free for all. I feel bad for the law enforcement.

Even walking in bear country, a handgun is not going to do much good unless you have a 44 and damn good shot at the chest or head, from 50ft or so you would be lucky at that unless you are very well trained on aiming and shooting a moving target from a standing position, staying steady is key, that is why even with a rifle, you need to lay down or have a stand to steady the shot. I mostly bird/duck hunted, I went dear hunting a few times but could not pull the trigger the one time I had a buck, thru the scope I looked into its eyes and was a wuss. If I was going to eat the venison then fine, but for sport, I am too much a animal lover I guess. I dont hunt anymore, going skeet shooting though in a few weeks, always fun. I do admire the bow hunters, takes great skill and a lot of patience to bow hunt, especially turkey.

Anyway, in all my years, the only time I had a gun pointed at me was my big brother's bb gun, he shot my big toe from 40ft, he was grounded for two weeks, and my toe took a month to feel better, I was 9, he was 14. Haha

BTW- I store my guns at my sisters house in Missouri, as having a gun in the city of Chicago requires a slew of permits and courses, and also you then go into a data base, that I find very intruding to my privacy, attached to me Drivers License, this a is a drag, as you get pulled over, then you get your car turned over inside and out, no thanks.

Even if I could carry n conceal here in the city, with all the murders/shootings and flash mobs hitting the nice stores randomly, and I live in a very nice area, but next to the projects, there is no way, you pull a firearm out in the city, and you better be ready to use it, then get sued to high heaven for anyone you do shoot, and also get shot by a undercover cop. I hear gun shots every few months, usually punks just screwin around.

I also used to be a sheriff reserve and would ride with a cop a few nights month back in the day, it was a K9 unit, so the german shepherd did all the talking, no need for the big guns...haha

21

Chena Hot Springs Rd. is one of the busiest recreational areas in the Interior. Your decision to stop behind another vehicle like that is perfectly normal. I usually stop too because it typically means there is something interesting to look at. I've done that hundreds of times and nobody has ever said anything crossways to me. That guy was way out of line and you should have reported him to the troopers. That guy's behavior sounds way off (like 'hiding the body' off).

22

There are a lot of bodies hidden in the woods out there and in the woods near the Parks Highway. Lots of hot-tempered rednecks. The river to stay away from for camping is the Knik River, which you drive over on the Glenn Highway en route between Anchorage and Palmer/Wasilla. Lots of beer drinkers with rifles; lots of bullet-riddled signs and objects, such as abandoned cars.

23

Reading the original description, it just doesn't seem to add up. Oh sure, maybe there's a slight change he encountered someone half crazy, but I think there's a bit more to it than what was described.

24

Actually, it sounded like he pulled over and interrupted the guy hunting - maybe purposely.

Still doesn't give th right to point a gun at someone, but something did sound a little fishy.

25

FlagStuff, I supposed to hike around the Russian river, but drive pass it until I arrived maybe at mile 71 (?). A guy is preparing for the hike. his backpacker is super light with a rifle (8 bullet is visible) and hiking pole outside of the backpacker. His car with a sign of "air force veteran". I chat with him a little bit. He got the dall sheep license. The way he looks and talked remind me a true militia. what he said is short but precise. I have tremendous admire of him on the spot. He pointed me to the direction of Russian river campground.

26

SoloHobo, my father used to have a handgun, and occasionally my brother find the unused bullet hidden somewhere in the house. At that time, boys are fond of colloecting the shell. And he tried variety of ways to seperate the bullet from the shell ,which almost kill him. I stayed away from gun since then.

27

section8, On Denali Hwy, I saw ATV almost every other miles, and some guys process the meat on the field. some guys stayed in Tangle River Inn waiting for the rain to stop, some guys just hold the binocular scanning the fields. In comparison, Chena Hot Spring rd is less crowd

28

vinnnn, I described the situation accurately, from when I pulled over to the guy stop chasing me, I believed all happened within 3 minutes. When I looked back, the lesson I learned from this is that I control my own fate, and there is chance where I could prevent the situation get escalated, but I didn't and lose my cool. For example, I should not yell back, and said "What's your problem?" As couple of folks pointed out, I should moved on quickly and avoid confrontation.

29

CascadeBob, absolutely I didn't interrupted. I stayed in my seat, turned off the engine, my camera is in the bag, I make no sound. I am solo traveller, and no one else or pet in the car. I don't have better way to clear myself from such accuse, but of cause you have rights to be suspicious.

About 10-20 minute before that, I saw 3 guys walked on the left side of road, with their guns pointed to the sky -- that image certainly give me impression this is hunting zone. Plus, there are signs periodically saying "hunting zone Begin/end". So I am aware of I am riding on the hunting zone. However I am not 100% certain that driver is a hunter at very beginning, until he pull the gun pointing at me. He is just empty handed, stood to the back of his pickup and looking toward the woods on the right when I stop.

For me, I told this story is not looking for a justice. As frequent traveler, gradually my interest switch from nature/wildlife/landscape to history/culture/people. And whenever possible on the road, I tried to start a conversation with the people next to me, could be another traveler, a local, a bus driver... And most time I am simply an observer, this is particular true when I visit Hopi or upper New Mexico pueblo -- I simply sit there, observe, leave, no trace.

At the core, the issue is a conflict between a local and outsider, a hunter and a traveler. Can they co-exist peacefully? I happened to tuned in the radio on 9/12 late afternoon when I drove on Park Hwy toward Anchorage, an interview/open discussion about Chugach State Park, the panel include the superintendent, a veteran conservatives activist, and many audience called in. And the debate is about how to resolve the parking issue, whether to purchase private land, how to develop the park. I am fascinated by different opinion about should the park service to develop mountain bike trail, horse trail in conjunction with hiking trail.

Alaska is huge, everything is big, the mountain is big, the sky is big. However at the urban, not far away from where people live, there seems a resource issue, which could be a conflict within local community, or a conflict between local and outside. That guy is certainly stressed out when I pull over behind him. If that's what you define interruption, then yes, I believe I interrupt him.