DrakeZ07
Regular Member
*OC, and KY Specific*
Are there no hiking, and trailing groups in our lovely state that are Gun/OC friendly?
The warmth of the seasons now and to come, and with the gym and exercising I've been doing over the winter, has put me in a mood to get more adventurous than ever before, in regards to our beautiful landscape. So, it sparked me to search both in person and online, for a group, or club, consisting of hikers and trail walkers and climbers, to hang out with and do stuff with in the outdoors.
However, there is one startling factor that all the Hiking, Rock climbing, trail walking, trail biking clubs, groups, and organizations based in and for this state, all share in common. They all either implicitly ban Open Carry of firearms, OR, Outright ban weapons of any sort in general, with a good portion of these hiking groups, like the Lexington, Louisville, and BG groups going so far as to ban knives, mace/spray, and axes from group activities while in areas like the DBNF, and Cumberland areas, where OC and firearms, and such is legal and all good.
Whats more, they all prohibit group members form having firearms and weapons, on the premise of "Group safety" and "Group Comfort".
An example, I registered on one website for Lexington Hikers, and they frequently prefer primitive trails, and over-nighting on trails in deep eastern KY, and down along teh red river. For group safety, firearms, and sharp objects are banned, fire-making-instruments are banned too. How is that in anyway, shape, or form "safe"? Maybe I'm just needlessly fearful, but the last time I went hiking and camping in primitive areas of the Gorge without a firearm, with no cell service, miles away from the trail head, I ended up using a shovel to dig a foxhole, and cover myself with dirt, leaves, branches and was so scared I built a massive bonfire, lol.
I'm sorry to make a rant but, are there truly no OC/Gun friendly outdoorsy/Hiking or climbing groups in this state? Even the ones I found in person by talking to climbers in Winchester, was sternly anti-gun.
And really, just how 'safe' is it to do outdoorsy activities in very primitive parts of our state, with no instrument for self-defense, and solely relying on "lay down, cover your head, and play dead"?
I suppose we as OC'ers and exercisers of our rights, are doomed to enjoy our surroundings alone, with nothing but our sidearm, and the birds to keep us company out on the trails.
Are there no hiking, and trailing groups in our lovely state that are Gun/OC friendly?
The warmth of the seasons now and to come, and with the gym and exercising I've been doing over the winter, has put me in a mood to get more adventurous than ever before, in regards to our beautiful landscape. So, it sparked me to search both in person and online, for a group, or club, consisting of hikers and trail walkers and climbers, to hang out with and do stuff with in the outdoors.
However, there is one startling factor that all the Hiking, Rock climbing, trail walking, trail biking clubs, groups, and organizations based in and for this state, all share in common. They all either implicitly ban Open Carry of firearms, OR, Outright ban weapons of any sort in general, with a good portion of these hiking groups, like the Lexington, Louisville, and BG groups going so far as to ban knives, mace/spray, and axes from group activities while in areas like the DBNF, and Cumberland areas, where OC and firearms, and such is legal and all good.
Whats more, they all prohibit group members form having firearms and weapons, on the premise of "Group safety" and "Group Comfort".
An example, I registered on one website for Lexington Hikers, and they frequently prefer primitive trails, and over-nighting on trails in deep eastern KY, and down along teh red river. For group safety, firearms, and sharp objects are banned, fire-making-instruments are banned too. How is that in anyway, shape, or form "safe"? Maybe I'm just needlessly fearful, but the last time I went hiking and camping in primitive areas of the Gorge without a firearm, with no cell service, miles away from the trail head, I ended up using a shovel to dig a foxhole, and cover myself with dirt, leaves, branches and was so scared I built a massive bonfire, lol.
I'm sorry to make a rant but, are there truly no OC/Gun friendly outdoorsy/Hiking or climbing groups in this state? Even the ones I found in person by talking to climbers in Winchester, was sternly anti-gun.
And really, just how 'safe' is it to do outdoorsy activities in very primitive parts of our state, with no instrument for self-defense, and solely relying on "lay down, cover your head, and play dead"?
I suppose we as OC'ers and exercisers of our rights, are doomed to enjoy our surroundings alone, with nothing but our sidearm, and the birds to keep us company out on the trails.
