Women shooting alone in remote locations or at night?

[vintagesnaps]

I think I'll just walk around with one of my many souvenir collectible but still usable hockey sticks. And a Jason, Jason, Jason goalie mask. That ought to make 'em think twice! lol jk of course. I think.

 

[wyogirl]

There are 8 pages of replies and I haven't read them all, but here is what I do.

1. I do carry both pepper spray and a firearm. Both of which I have trained with and as for the gun, I train with that regularly. Pepper spray is less effective where I live because the wind is a constant. If I'm in bear country, then I carry bear spray as it is much more effective than even a firearm against a charging bear. What type of defensive weapon you carry is entirely up to your own personal level of comfort.... be it a gun or a big stick, or nothing at all. In my area I'm more concerned about rattlesnakes than people so I also try to carry a first aid kit with a snake bite kit.

2. I ALWAYS tell someone where I'll be and when to expect me back.

3. I make eye contact and speak with everyone that I come across. I do this for three reasons.... one, when in college, this is what was recommended to avoid attack. Something about looking someone in the eye makes you seem like less of a victim, or too much trouble. I don't know if that is true, but I do it anyway. The second reason is that I want to make sure I can identify anyone later that I might need to identify. The third reason is that so someone might be able to identify me... if for some terrible reason my face makes it into a missing persons list.

4. Sometimes I take my dog, when its practical. He's a 105 lb Lab/Chow mix and would probably eat someone's face off who tried to hurt me. (he's such a good boy....lol)

5. My head is always on the swivel. Meaning that I'm always looking at my surroundings. And I don't keep my eye in the viewfinder for too long. If I am feeling that spidey sense, I'll even resort to using Live View so that I can keep a better eye on my surroundings.

 

[dennybeall]

WOW! Quite a collection of good, great and not so good ideas. IMHO if you're not able and willing to deal effectively with an attacker then you have to concentrate on not putting yourself in a bad spot because you are NOT GOING TO WIN with a slap and a scream.
I'm 6 foot tall, weigh over 2oo pounds and carry a 9mm, a large and two small knives and no illusion that I will always win, so avoid situations that are not good.

 

[JacaRanda]

Okay. I have a great imagination and watch a lot of t.v. All I can think about is, strolling along with my camera, a tripod maybe, a backpack full lenses, 10 knives, and 3 guns (9mm, Glock, Model 18 semi, 44, 48, 357, 747, a Canon, and some Canon balls).

At some point the bad guy who wants just me and the camera gear (has no idea I'm packing like The Expendables). Even though my main focus is to find a landscape shot or a bird or a spot in the park I will be taking senior portraits. Meanwhile, I have my hand on the knife and 3 triggers of my favorite gun (because I am trained and ready for every person that walks by and looks like a bad guy criminal). Except when they saw every move I made since I arrived. I find the spot, I put my eye up to the viewfinder and that's when the boogeyman jumps out with a bigger Canon than mine (probably a Nikon). He points it at me while all my other 800 weapons are on the ground in my backpack. "JacaRanda - drop the camera and move away from the gear". Okay, can I trust you won't shoot me while I reach for my 747, 357, 48 and shoot you? Or will the bad guy with a gun pointed at me (from far enough away that I could not use a spinning back fist or kick) get all my gear and my 10 inch knife, my 15 inch knife, my Glick, glock, 10cm, M16 and ...........

BTW, I'm 6'1 and 245 lbs. Probably not considered an easy target except by a criminal mind that does not give a crap what size I am.

Sorry - hard to read, but I was excited and don't really care this time.

 

[thereyougo!]

5. Carry something to call for help, and to defend yourself. Your cell phone, absolutely--but also a whistle. Mace. A knife. At the very, very least, a good heavy stick.

6. Have a PLAN. If you DO encounter something like your situation, what are you going to do? Know beforehand how you're going to handle things. Let's say, somehow, I hadn't noticed that guy, and I'd gotten a little closer before I saw him. And there's nowhere for me to go to hide. I'd IMMEDIATELY decide what I have that I can do damage with--INCLUDING my camera if necessary. It's insured and I wouldn't hesitate to bash someone in the head with it if they intended me harm.

7. Get trained. Get some defense training if you plan to be out alone. Seriously. There is NO substitute for at least being prepared if something happens. I can't say I could stop a 6'3", 250-lb. man in his tracks if he intended me harm--but I can definitely say I'd go down swinging, and he WOULD have some battle scars.

This advice is dependant on your location. If the police in the UK caught you carrying a knife, you would be in some trouble.

 

[sm4him]

Don't know why this made me think of this thread.

 

[Solarflare]

Thats of course a camera body, I persume ?

 

[dennybeall]

I'll never understand... I'm guiding a 5000 pound missile down a marked path while I eat a burger and text my friend and am perfectly comfortable and yet a person shows me a small metal tool that fits in their hand and I go completely catatonic with fear.....
How about a photo essay of reactions to various tools. Start at an RV dealer where they hand a 78 year old guy the keys to a 40 foot behemoth and send him driving down the highway at 75 miles per hour.

 

[sm4him]

Thats of course a camera body, I persume ?

Don't be ridiculous. I would NEVER drag my camera on the ground.

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

Personally, I carry a gun; a little Colt .380 Government Model. I'm very proficient with it. I understand, though, that doing that isn't for everyone.

A very good option, if you're using one, is an open tripod. Don't try to hit an attacker with it. If you miss (which you probably will), you've lost your chance to defend yourself with it. Instead, lift the tripod and charge an attacker with it with the open legs towards the attacker. If you keep running, you're going to push the attacker back, and there won't be a lot the attacker will be able to do about it. Sooner or later he's falling backwards and, when he does, the very first thought to go through his head is that he probably doesn't want to mess with you.

I'm 6'2, 275 pounds. If a woman who tips is at 140 runs at me in this manner, I'm going to have a difficult time stopping her. I've used this very technique against a rather upset Rottweiler once, and it works like a charm. I was actually able to pin the dog to the ground.

Whistles are good. If I'm in a remote area, and I here someone frantically blowing a whistle, I'm going to investigate. Also, yelling "fire" is always preferable to yelling "help". Yelling anything about a child or an animal being in danger will attract attention.

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

This advice is dependant on your location. If the police in the UK caught you carrying a knife, you would be in some trouble.

Before I acquired my concealed carry permit, I carried a concealed weapon.

I justified it this way: If I didn't need it, no one would ever know I had it. If I did need it, I would be thankful that I was around to be charged for having it.

 

[Designer]

.. charge an attacker with it ..

Well, this is wrong. Charging at someone (weapon or not) is not the same as defending one's self.

 

[pixmedic]

Big cup of NOPE on where this thread is headed guys.
let not go there ok?
thanks.

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

.. charge an attacker with it ..

Well, this is wrong. Charging at someone (weapon or not) is not the same as defending one's self.

I could've been more clear.

If removing one's self isn't an option (an is he'll catch you if you run), being passive will normally yield unfavorable results. Being proactive will throw an attacker off. An attacker relies, in no small part, on his victim being afraid and passive.

 

[JacaRanda]

Time for me to find a new hobby. I've been engaged in risky behavior. Snake chaps for sale.