How safe are you when boondocking

So it really boils down to how good a shot you are?

exhaustipated wrote:
My wife and I have never boondocked before, nor have we ever spent the night in a Walmart parking lot. We have always stayed in campgrounds or RV parks where we know we will be safe. We our considering taking a cross country trip next year and was wondering just how safe it is to boondock in case we stumble onto a remote area that we would like to spend some time at. Do you folks out there carry a handgun with you when you boondock for protection and security reasons if and when you feel threatened? I would like some feedback on this before we head out.

Yes, it is safe to boondock. At least as safe as campground camping.

Yes, I carry a handgun most times. It is my right to carry one, and I prefer to utilize the right. Yes, it feels reassuring to be prepared "just in case." I am the one primarily obligated with preserving my own safety, not the police (who may not be able to show up for a half hour, not their fault, they can only be so many places at a time).

A firearm is a tool. So is a hammer. Both can be dangerous. If you don't believe me, drop the hammer on your toe. But we don't argue about whether or not we should carry hammers... if we want one, we grab one and take it with us, end of discussion. Same with firearms.

If you don't feel comfortable with, or won't become skilled enough with a gun to use it safely, then don't have one.

I did not take one on my recent summer trip of 3500 miles. Why? Because I went to Yosemite. California doesn't allow 'em. The time I missed that gun the most was the 2 nights I boondocked SW of Mono Lake, far from anyone else. But mainly that was because I saw big cat tracks in the area. You can bet I looked over my shoulder frequently, and when sitting outside I kept the trailer at my back.

I keep a big bundle of money which I blast out the door.
The bad guys scurry around grabbing the falling leaf bills.
I drive away.

bjohns wrote:
We carry, both in the truck and in the TC, and we have concealed carry permits. Some folks I know carry bear spray, which is extremely effective and you don't have to hit anyone directly. Our daughter gave an intruder one blast of bear spray and that was the end of the intrusion. She had watery eyes and the effects hung there for awhile, but the intruder fled probably to the ER. A blast of bear spray within the confines of a TC would be pretty hard on you as well as an intruder, but the intrusion would end right then and there. But in an extreme situation, a blast right by the door aimed outside would probably not be so bad. At least nobody, good guy or bad guy, gets killed.
That said, we have done plenty of boondocking and ever had an incident of any kind.

I like the Bear spray, Would never be needing to spray in the camper though, It would be hard to climb up in a truck camper anyway with a man standing inside the door blocking it. Im proactive and use the element of surprise, If they even raise their voice at me or look at me the wrong way they are getting sprayed. Spray them and drive away to the next town. Leave them laying there, don't even call anyone. At home I don't have to worry because in our part of Oklahoma we have a cure for the bad guys. But on the road Ill have lots of bear spray and a small maple fire bat used by the fire department for breaking car windows to rescue people. I have always lived in the country so haven't had a lot of problems. And I use the common sense tactics sleepy and some others posted. And also I probably don't look like a easy victim either. But Im still cautious. This has been a great thread. Some of it may have gotten off topic, But im thinking the OP probably has learned a lot about self defense and common sense tactics. Great thread.

I keep a pump 870 shotgun in camper,doubt it will ever be needed but its there just incase.Did you ever watch Americas Most wanted or Unsolved mysteries lots of crazies out there,just because you havnt run into them doesn't mean there not out there. I would rather have it and not use it,than regret not being able to protect family if a violent crime came in the middle of the night.

Good thing I keep most of my guns locked in safe in 51 year's of living around gun I you would think one them would have killed me in my sleep by now.
Contrary to what sleepy thinks some citizens are quite handy with a firearm!Google uspsa

In the last ten years I have stumbled on a number of meth labs and stolen/stripped vehicles on public lands. They thought they were far off the beaten path only to have me come through the area. I have not had a confrontation but you can bet I have not returned to these areas even after reporting the activity. As others have posted, the story of what happens in remote areas may only be told by the surviving party.

Even after reading all these riveting opinions, I'm still not scared. I guess I should be, no?
We have a home only, Ex-CHP, short barrel, Remington 870 pump 12 Ga. shotgun, that I bought after the 2nd L.A. riots in my lifetime (The Rodney King riots) when after 45 years I finally came to the conclusion that the L.A. P.D. were NOT going to be there and protect me from rioters. Prior to that, we had younger children and I was not going to have a weapon at home at all. The kids were now gone, we live in a rural place and we stocked up with lots of "00" buckshot. Yes, the "Kah-Klink" you get when loading a round I thought was the biggest deterrent. That being said, we carry no weapons on board the TC. Besides, our TC is so small that even a short barrel is not short enough. 8<)
It has all been covered above and for us boils down to:
1. If you smell ANY danger or exposure to bad, move on to another location.
2. Know where to stay away from. Like Sleepy, you CAN develop this sense.
3. Don't look like you are camping out if you must dry camp within a city. When we stealth camp, it's a quick move on our part to take what we need from the cab and vamoose to the TC. Shades are drawn. No signs of human habitation. We're only there to sleep and move on.
Many times, stealth camping in plain sight works for us. Under a street light. In the middle of a well lit parking lot.
I have always felt safe boondocking as we follow the advice above and are usually alone and far, far from any place any bad guy would even think to hangout. I think the best attitude can be summed up as deception, evasion, and seclusion.
regards, as always, jefe

The odds are greater of being struck by lightening than of having someone break into an RV in the middle of the night. Thieves (except for the bankers) are opportunists and most crime is in the poor parts of cities where the thieves live along with their victims.

A handgun is a great way to get yourself shot. In two-thirds of gun incidents where there is an intruder the intruder uses the homeowner's handgun to kill them - at least according to the FBI statistics.

I would not consider any public parking lot at a place like a Wal-Mart safe for overnight stays. If we cannot stay at a state rest stop or a truck stop or a campground and we are near a city we stay at an inexpensive motel.

99% of the time we find places to stay but I do route planning and locate in advance private RV parks, county RV parks, BLM and USFS campgrounds, etc. so every 200-300 miles we have a place to stay and if we make a detour I know in advance where we can stay for the night. It may not be the most scenic spot in the area but there is almost always a place to stay and when there is not we either do the motel option or driv a few more miles.

For example we often pass through the Barstow area but stay in Tehachapi, either stopping short or driving the extra miles when coming from the east. There are two RV parks in Tehachapi, one run by Tea Party rednecks and another by the glider airport. The people that run the one by the glider airport are very nice and keep the facilities very clean and that is where we always stay when traveling along this route.

in the past few days we had a 25 year old male shooting out of a mobile home window (Knoxville, Tennessee)

Many policeman responded:

The police shot a total of 42 times.

They hit the guy 8 times (including a leg, a hand, etc

finally after 42 shots and 8 hits they got a leathal hit

and one of the 42 police shots richeted and hit a sheriffs deputy... cutting a major artery in his leg... requiring heroic measures to get him to a hospital and major surgery.

Remember... the police are trained... have to qualify with fire arms often...

Are you sure that you can do better... they got 19% hits, only one leathel... and they injured one of their own.

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When you get buck fever I'd bet that you won't do any better that 1 out of 5 hits with a shotgun... and maybe not that much with a tauras judge 410 Ga shot shell in a revolver.

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If you don't understand the concept of "buck fever" sell your guns and for goodness sakes stay home.

You and/or your family members are going to die... at the thugs hands... or worse... maybe by your hand.


Sleepy