Here's a link to an interesting article from Paddling.net about going solo. If you scroll to the bottom of the page, the article lists about twenty other articles on the same subject.

It makes for fun reading when cabin bound.

On going solo ...

Thanks. Will be some good reading on the next winter storm.

I read that today, but haven't got around to the rest of the list yet.

Holy moly. That's the book for why not to solo.

Entertaining read . . I like this quote (of a quote):

"I often paddle alone on the weekend. In our society, there appear to be more and more individuals intent on hurting other individuals. Everyone traveling alone should have something they can use to defend themselves. One tool which is quite effective and efficient ... is wasp spray. It appears innocuous, but it works somewhat better than bear spray, because it will spray 20 to 30 feet in a nice forceful stream. Of course, as with any tool, one needs to practice."

Wow - that is the worst idea I've ever heard, lol. If somebody comes into my campsite to do me harm . .I'm going to spray them with wasp spray and then get away in my canoe . . .riigght.

Personally, I don't worry about or prepare for such a thing. I honestly wouldn't go solo (or at all) if I thought I might face danger from humans . .but if I were, the only thing I would consider for self-protection against humans in the wilderness is a gun.

Maybe the wasp spray idea came from the play/movie Extremities. That’s how Farrah turned the tables on her would be rapist.

Food for thought.
I carry bear spray in my cabin and in the wilderness for protection from moose,bears and humans.
I live six miles from my nearest neighbor. In the past I've had my home broken into two times by bears.
Since I live in a US government guard station I'm not legally allowed to have guns inside.
I live in heavy grizzly bear country.
If my bear spray can turn a charging griz, I think it should be pretty effective against us humans.

However, thankfully I have not had the opportunity to test my theory out.

Women and cops carry Mace, I carry bear spray. ;-)

Well . .the thing I was thinking about is . .ok, great, you temporarily disable your attacker . .bear spray would certainly do that . .but then what? You're out in the middle of nowhere - chances are you can't get far enough away by the time he recovers. If you can run on foot . .ok . .but I'm thinking of a typical BWCA campsite. Although you probably could scream for help most places in the BWCA.

Anyway . .I carry bear spray. It's not for humans but I would use it if I had to because I don't carry anything specifically for humans. I guess in the unlikely event I'm ever attacked by somebody out in the woods I'll just have to improvise.

I also tend to think anybody that would be attacking somebody in the woods would have a gun. I would not spray an armed man with bear spray.

If someone tried to attack me in the wilderness, i.e. deliverance, I'm assuming they are thinking about killing me and getting away with it in the wilderness setting. The bear spray to the face is just step one, even if they had a gun. Step 2 is probably a rock that I use to cave his head in while he is trying to get his vision back. Sorry to be brutal and brutally honest, but someone trying to attack me in the wilderness has just invited himself to a fight to the death with someone who has no intention of prematurely leaving his wife and family.

quote thinblueline: "If someone tried to attack me in the wilderness, i.e. deliverance, I'm assuming they are thinking about killing me and getting away with it in the wilderness setting. The bear spray to the face is just step one, even if they had a gun. Step 2 is probably a rock that I use to cave his head in while he is trying to get his vision back. Sorry to be brutal and brutally honest, but someone trying to attack me in the wilderness has just invited himself to a fight to the death with someone who has no intention of prematurely leaving his wife and family. "

Yeah . .I used the word "improvise" but we're talking about the same thing. In the unlikely event that it ever happens . .you do whatever you need to do - using whatever you have available. But is it something to prepare for/worry about? I say no.

So, in terms of "being prepared" . .do I like the idea of spraying an armed man with bear spray? no . .I don't. That's not a great plan. But if that's what I had, would I use it if I thought I needed to? sure. But in that case, like you said, it's a fight to the death which is not part of any plan of mine when I head out to the wilderness.

This thread baffles me. Has anyone here ever been attacked by others on a canoe trip? Do you know anyone who has?

My neighbor is one of those who are concerned about this. He wears a gun whenever he goes into the woods. I don't know what to make of this. Maybe he knows something we don't? Perhaps he knows something about himself and others like him?

I think the last thing we need is more people going about afraid and armed.

I've been camping alone in the woods and wilderness for over 60 years and have never once felt the need to protect myself from other human beings. Some people watch too many scary movies.

quote awbrown: " Some people watch too many scary movies. "

I think you nailed it on the head. The movie Deliverance did a lot to fuel the fear. I doubt this guy is still out there. :)

quote awbrown: "I've been camping alone in the woods and wilderness for over 60 years and have never once felt the need to protect myself from other human beings. Some people watch too many scary movies. "

+1 Well said.

quote TomT: "

quote awbrown: " Some people watch too many scary movies. "

I think you nailed it on the head. The movie Deliverance did a lot to fuel the fear. I doubt this guy is still out there. :)

"

Scary folks aside, the movie Deliverance really got me interested in trying multi day canoe camping trips. Just not down south. LOL

quote arcadie: "This thread baffles me. Has anyone here ever been attacked by others on a canoe trip? Do you know anyone who has?


My neighbor is one of those who are concerned about this. He wears a gun whenever he goes into the woods. I don't know what to make of this. Maybe he knows something we don't? Perhaps he knows something about himself and others like him?


I think the last thing we need is more people going about afraid and armed."

Maybe your neighbor just reads the news: BWCA Incident

Thankfully, these criminal incidents are a relative rarity. But that is no comfort to those who have the misfortune of being victimized. To them, it doesn't feel like a rarity.

I have spent more than 25 years camping and moseying around the woods and forests and I have never been victimized by humans. I have been disturbed, but not victimized. The only time I felt somewhat threatened was about 12 years ago while camping in a National Forest during the fall Salmon run. I awoke in my tent to sounds of people around my tent. When I came out, two 20-something year old guys were standing over my tent looking it over as if they had never seen a tent before. They were looking over my gear and talking among themselves.

Not knowing what to think, I asked them what they wanted. They said they were curious as to who was in the tent. That made me suspicious but I tried to be calm. It turns out that they were camped not far away in another tent. I thought it was rude for them to invade my space and if they had been criminally minded, I would have been in trouble.

Just to scope them out, when I started my breakfast and my Polish sausage was cooking, I invited them over to share it with me. The situation was a bit unusual but I ended up thinking that those guys were young and dumb, not intent on killing me. I can't be sure but that's what I would like to think.

Psychologists estimate that as much as 3% of the human population is criminally antisocial, this being across the demographic spectrum. We don't need to be paranoid, but we do need to be aware of what is going on around us. I don't think everyone needs to go about armed but I do think we should not appear to be soft targets. If a criminal thinks you might give him trouble, that might be the one thing that keeps him from attacking you. A little bit of mystery can be a good thing.

Ive also noticed that millennial's may have a different view on social norms, appear socially awkward at times (which can be mistaken for anti-social or criminalistic tendencies) and may not know or practice the same woods or camping etiquette we have.

Ohh the pains the baby boomers must have gone through dealing with my gen, the X'rs....