So my GF thinks bringing guns /out/ is a bad idea. She is native to the PNW. I am from the south, it is about 50/50 that I bring a gun to the woods in the south. You can shoot anywhere for fun and nobody is going to miss a squirrel down south. Now I moved to the PNW.

I saw a fucking mountain lion on my first good hike. I am now trying to explain to my GF that we live in the west and we absolutely need guns for these woods because a cougar will fuck your shit up badly and so will bears. She says shes lived here her entire life and has never needed a gun when going to the woods. I just keep telling her you have a gun for situations you wish to avoid, and that I wish to avoid being mauled to death by a lion.

Am I a gun nut? Is she unaware of the dangers?

I never had a probem going to the woods in the south without a gun, there is not much more beyond a coyote here. Which, I have been attacked by 3 coyotes before and kicked them into oblivion. I just think because you have grizzly bears and lions a gun would be a good goddamned idea.