I gotta say I am kinda torn on this one. I know there are times I would feel more comfortable in the back woods with a hand gun "just in case". To be fair, I was raised around guns, my father collected guns and was through a gun safety course when I was like 7 yrs old. I dont personally hunt as I cant find much stomach to harm any wild life except in defense.

I have raised wolf hybrids as well and know animals well and I interact well with animals. I also know how ugly things can get under the "wrong" circumstances....hense the desire to carry a gun in the back country.

But....I also know humanity and for the most part....I can see MAJOR problems letting just any yahoo cary a gun in the back country. Animals killed all because a person dosnt know how to act when they are in the animals back yard. People killed because they were suspected to be an animal (I see visions of a south park episode where they would see a rabbit and yell "its comming right for me!!!!" as they pulled the trigger....comedy that is sadly closer to reality than most are comfortable to admit.)

So....with the balance of safety and the knowledge of human nature....I agree that while even I would feel a bit safer with a sidearm in the back country....for now...as we are in our evolutionary adolesence...I can see wisdom in NOT allowing guns in the backcountry of our NP.

Roman