Moonduck

I've had a CCW for a coupla years now, and very rarely carry on my person. As he said, I carry when there is need, but don't want to get pinched for carrying when I do need to, thus the CCW. It makes perfect sense to carry while horseback riding, hiking, camping, etc. You are a long ways away from any sort of support, and generally have no way to contact that support quickly at any rate. As such, it's a damned good idea to carry your own support. Same can be said for the desolate reaches we call interstates. Some are heavily populated, others not, and state troopers are pretty rare in many spots.

I prefer to have a gun and not need it than need it and not have it. A bit hackneyed, sure, but still true. I am also happy and proud to report that I've never fired any of my weapons in anger or in fear, and have only drawn in fear twice (both because of feral dogs, once rural, once urban wasteland). It's a record I'm proud of and plan to maintain.


EDIT: I should add that while I've never fired my weapons in fear or anger, I have fired a gun owned by a relative in fear on a few occassions. I used to spend every summer a sa youth on my Grandfather's farm in the mountains of NC, and would frequently go horseback riding and hiking. On those trips, I've had the occassion to pull the trigger on a couple of poisonous snakes encountered in dangerous circumstances. This is not intended to make myself look good, merely as a bit of further info for total disclosure on my own firearm use.
Just in case though...