Gwl,

Couldn't agree with you more. For bureaucrats to prevent people from protecting themselves is insane. I'm sure there's other matters to consider but why not allow people who hike to carry a firearm to protect themselves. The right to bear arms is an issue which will be argued forever but in the case of someone hiking in the wilderness there really is no other way to avoid what happened in this tragic situation other than to have some type of firearm to scare the bear away. Does it guarantee everyone would carry a firearm, certainly not, but is it an option which could save someone's life absolutely. It would also help preserve the balance between nature and society which is a delicate balance but one we can't ignore and think the only answer is to kill everything that moves. These animals are absolutely beautiful but they are wild and need to be respected and given their distance. As I said we are infringing on their land and there's less and less land every year they can survive in due to our own populations issues. If the right to carry a firearm addresses the right to protect one's self in the event anyone finds themselves in the same situation these five gentlemen in West Milford did, why would legislators not pass that law. It's something which should be revisited.

Dakota