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etiquette??? What
Posted by Dontaskme on Jan 15 2005
My rule: If you are unarmed and outdoors in Alaska, you are no longer at the top of the food chain.
A .45, IMHO, should be left at home for two reasons....one: CANADA ('nuff said bout that), and two: it's an inadequate caliber and pistol for outdoor use in AK, if you have another choice. In AK, so is a .357 revolver. If you want to send a pistol, and you are coming by car, you can ship one to YOURSELF care of your hotel via FEDEX or UPS.....usual caveats about checking first with your lawyer, BATFE, and the Lollipop Guild apply. :)) If you fly up, check it into your luggage.
In autos, a high cap 10mm (i.e. Glock 20) with FULL-POWER loads (no .40 S&W wannabe loads, please) is a good place to start, and in revolvers you would START at a .44 Mag. with hot loads. Most high power rifles with good ammo are suitable as are 12 ga' shotguns with slugs, if you can do YOUR part.
In 2004 a hiker inside the Anchorage city limits was attacked by a brownie on a trail, and shot it 4 times with his .44 mag. When he arrived back with the game warden, the bear was still not dead, and it required the last shot from the .44 AND a 12 ga slug to finish the bear. Think about this story before you decide what you will carry.
I take a rifle when taking the family berry picking and stand watch while they pick. And you CAN run across a brownie away from the salmon streams. This past May, while fly fishing a small lake, I had a Brownie approach from behind to within 30 yards of me and my kids without us noticing him. Fortunately, I had a carbine on my back. It was very reassuring to be staring at the bear over the sights of my rifle rather than over my fly rod. A little shouting ran the bear off, BTW.
Don't shoot a bear unless you have no other choice......the fish and game officer WILL ask you some tough questions if you do shoot one. The law requires that you skin and pack out certain parts of the bear and report it if you do shoot one. (Read up on the regs via the web before you go.)
Guns are accepted in Alaska as everyday tools in the outdoors. For example, we can buy handguns, rifles, shotguns and ammo at some of our largest grocery stores. For concealed carry, three major requirements: Immediately notify any law enforcement officer who approaches you that you are armed; Do not drink any alcohol while carrying; do not carry a LOADED gun into any establishment that serves alcohol for consumption on the premises (restaurant or bar). Also, you need to notify the resident of your concealed weapon before you bring a gun into their home, and of course no courthouse or school carry, etc. Read on the web for the full regs,and the usual legal caveats apply.
Do your homework before you go, but, other than those very reasonable requirements, you will be able to carry almost anywhere you want concealed. I do every day. I did take the time to get a concealed carry permit, but most Alaskans don't. No one cares if you carry a gun with discretion. Heck, we even carry pistols with us when we go fishing for halibut, just to shoot the fish!!
Alaskans are very friendly. Just don't put on airs.....they could care less how important you are back home. A little humility will open most doors up here. Enjoy your trip..you won't soon forget it.
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