I’m not sure, but there were three big points I was prepared to make. First, and foremost, it was not easily accessible to me while wearing the pack. Damn near physically impossible, in fact. And then second, where was I SUPPOSED to carry it? And then finally, to any LEO I was thus engaged with, I think pointing out I was hiking across the entire state, starting in the border region, and camping in very remote areas, was going to be met with understanding and empathy.
I will cop to carrying it concealed a small number of times when I wasn’t comfortable leaving it in my pack. That was illegal.
It’s generally understood that folks need to transport firearms and there are laws around that. In oregon, for example, guns can be “concealed” by non-CHL-holders while hunting, or while driving to go shootin’, or whatever. In other words when driving to go shooting, if I have say a few rifles in the front of my truck, and a few handguns, and a handgun or two is covered up and out of sight, that’s not illegal. Actually since I have a CHL it’s moot anyway, talking about folks who don’t. I think the point is that it’s obvious to anyone that this person “has guns”, and secondarily, it would be a “gotcha” type law and so far, we don’t have too much of that in OR. Obviously somewhere like CA is a whole other story.
