I would never even step foot into an area that I can't carry a gun.

I do not care what the laws say When I camp I make ABSOLUTELY certain I am adequately equipped to ensure the safety and survival of myself and if with my loved ones as well.

You demonstrated the number one item in self protection, situational awareness, well done.

I’ve solo camped since the 1970s. In the 1990s I took several multi-state trips, solo camping without any incidents except a bear sniffing my tent at 3 am. The world has changed. I never camp alone now.

As a commercial backcountry wilderness guide for 10+ years. People would always ask, "What's the most dangerous part of guiding?" I would always say, "Humans." Safe travels everyone.

I have participated in camping for over 60 yrs. now and I cannot remember ever going camping without a firearm. Over the last 50 yrs., I not only carried a firearm, I always had a dog with me as well. On my most current camping trip, I was accompanied by my wife (who also carries a firearm) and my Boxer that weighs in at 115 lbs. I definitely agree that you should be ready to protect yourself while camping. There's a lot of predators out there that can and will do you harm...the most dangerous of them all is humans.

Bro, you went above and beyond and out of your way to de-escalate that situation. Hat's off to you and your people.

I started solo camping when I was 12 and I had a 22 rifle with me. Later a 22 cal handgun. Graduated to a 45 which I still use and I'm 80. 25 years ago I acquired a Retired Deputy Sheriffs Star and ID after 27 years of service , which goes with me along with the 45. Yep , firearms all the time but concealed , no percentage in advertising. My favorite item is non lethal even thought it makes you wish you were dead. It's Bear Spray with a range of 30 feet. I like it since it's good for all sorts of varmints both 2 or 4 legged ones. I backpack or canoe and my campsites are always out of sight and hidden. Old habits are hard to break.

Not having a firearm when camping? That’s like not having water! Glad y’all were aware and proactive. Damn fentanyl is everywhere.

As a forester we were cautioned about approaching remote camps - often grow operations or chem labs brewing bad drugs. We just never knew who or what we may run into. Safe travels you all.

I read so many comments on camping forums from people who do not believe this situation can happen. Thanks for sharing.

Looking into that Byrna… I highly appreciate you for posting this video. You are 1000% in regards to never trusting the area where you camp and always be ready! Thank you so much

Wow 😮 … “Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready”

I went camping in Northern New Mexico, last summer. Was told by the rangers that the parks were full of lunatics. We were heavily armed. A very large black bear came through our camp that night. His presence didn't bother me as much as knowing that there were lunatics in the campgrounds. Makes you not want to go on a hiking, or camping trip, especially with small children. Sad world.

Last month I was dispersed camping in a heavily over grown wilderness. Scouted the area earlier in the day everything seemed clear! Well later that night same thing, a light coming towards my camp about 100 yards. I was alone and had no protection. After 5 years of camping alone this was my first experience. As i watched the light bounce around I packed up and left. That is that last time I go camping without protection. Thanks for sharing

My Prayers to the Officers who got exposed to the fentanyl powder.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽👍

As a female who camps solo or with my grandchildren I appreciate this less than lethal info. I’m always armed & carry other forms of protection as well & my GSD always camps with me but this is definitely another defense I will be adding to my arsenal. For those who say “never camp solo”, for some of us living in fear & giving up what we love is not an option. Be aware, be safe, and HAVE FUN. Life is too short.

Moral here? Don’t do any solo camping or backpacking. I backbacked on the Old Chimney Trail in Great Smoky Mountains with a friend. Set up camp at a lean-to as darkness encroached. It began to rain. A stranger entered camp. He was wearing a garbage bag serving as a rain parka. He also had on cutoff blue Jeans and Converse basketball shoes. Me and my friend got the impression this guy was an escaped prisoner or someone on the run from the law. At any rate, no sleep because we had to keep our eyes on this guy as well as keep our knives handy. At dawn we ate some oatmeal and broke camp, continuing our hike into Gatlinburg where we finally got a good nights rest at a Holiday Inn.

Thanks. I never heard of this type of device. I’ve been looking for protection gear for a few days. And this is the best one so far.

Thank you sir for the video information as well as the weapon options on protecting yourself. Here recently I've been doing alot of solo camping and this has definitely been on my mind. As well as setting perimeter alarms around camp.

Dang! That’s crazy. I don’t really worry about animals much while I’m out. But my concern has always been about people trying to do something. You handled that perfectly!!

Great message of awareness. Thank you. Stay armed, stay safe 👊 🇺🇸

So glad you guys and the LE are safe🙏. Thanks for shharing this with us. Good to know!

Good tip! Last time I camped, my full cooler was taken, later that night, I ended up pulling a knife on a guy who came into my tent uninvited. In retrospect, perhaps I should have left after the cooler theft? It was a red flag that I ignored.

Great situational awareness! I used to camp alone, now days you take your life in your hands. A single camper alone at night is a target.

Thanks for the video! A lot of us talk about preparedness when it comes to camp and having what we need. But being prepared for bad actors often gets left out. Thanks for bringing awareness

Great video! Always make sure you are prepared for any situation. You never know when you will have to take action to protect yourself.

Wow! Thank you for sharing. I've not been camping in a long while and considering it this summer. Your video was so very helpful. God bless you all.

You got really have really good descalation skills and avoided conflict really well. Excellent lesson and thank you!

Thank you so much for this info. I've never heard of a Byrna before. Getting one as soon as possible!!

Thanks for this video. Keep safe out there. Going to look into self protection.

you said it, no one is entitled to safety, you gotta look out for yourself and stay aware, because sometimes you got nobody else to rely on

I got approached by a couple of psychopaths on a New Years campout. The guys kept driving back and forth in the early evening. Then around 8pm, there was a lot of rifle fire nearby. Then awhile later, these folks drove down to a campsite 500ft away. They were dragging things into the woods. The one guy creeped up through the woods right up to my campsite to check me out. I kept a light in his face but was firm. About 20-30 minutes later, his female partner started ranting about the criminal justice system and how people treated her after she was incarcerated, as she was wandering into a nearby field. I packed up quickly and got out of there. I called the police once I got out of there. I had bear mace and a stick...no gun.

That was just crazy. Way to be proactive and not a victim. Thanks for sharing your experience with us 😊

Thank you for all the info and for sharing💜

Man oh man! When I originally saw your initial FB pics I thought the cops were dismantling your campsite.. Situational awareness is key.

This is an absolutely great video guys. Please do more of these for camp safety

Just so you know - my moment of subscribe was the shinobi line. Perfect. Love the idea of mixing up those projectiles to create a cocktail of pain.

A LOT can be learned from this! Thank you!

Wow! What a night. Thanks for the message and the quick equipment review. That’s something I should look into more aggressively.

You handle those situations so well. Thanks for sharing

TYSM! I love camping with my girl, Shadow and loved seeing this video. Always need to make sure we're protected. I do have my arms, but i love the Byrna SD. i must get me one. ❤❤❤

Thanks for making this video. I've had good luck camping with friends and road tripping with minimal gear, but I've been planning some longer road trips with nicer equipment. Gonna make sure I think that through before departing. The drugs are making things sketchy out there.

First, I never camp where I am prohibited from possessing my firearm. Secondly, I have equipped my truck with auxiliary lighting front and rear. The lights come on and illuminate the entire space, 360 degrees, when I push the lock or unlock button on my key fob. I always position my truck so that it will light up camp in all directions. Always put the key fob in the same place for easy access. I also keep a small but bright tactical light near my firearm. Thankfully, I've had to use all of this once to run off a curious bear that took shelter under my camper in the middle of a nighttime thunderstorm.

-- Pending where I am and what season, I always have a Mossberg 12g and a Glock 19 on hand. My daughter is 7, attends private military academy (never send my children to public schools) so she's certified with AR platforms and getting there with pistols (final beginners course next year). I don't go anywhere unarmed. And I always go with a couple teammates and their families (save state campgrounds which I find safe enough - least the ones around here). I'll ask KZfaqrs that do off the grid camping (there's a bunch of them) questions. How much does your kit weigh, what brand is this, that, etc. They're happy to answer until (especially the women that go out alone) I ask them what sort of firearm do you carry for protection. Half of them don't answer (in such a manor that leads me to believe they're not carrying), the other half say, 'A gun? Oh, heavens no I don't carry.' Of course I carry in bear country too, but 99 percent of the time if you encounter an aggressive bear, you've done one or multiple things wrong, or, you're out during the wrong time of the season. Had more problems with people similar to your experience than aggressive animals. Good advice you have there, thumbs up. But I'd stress, off the grid camping requires a buddy system (you have it) and the correct firearms. If I can't camp in an area because it doesn't allow firearms, most of the time I don't camp there. Sometimes I just break the law (don't recommend that). I'd rather be alive than dead.

I am so glad someone finally addressed this issue...I watch videos of women and men alone camping. Jesus...arm yourselves!!!

Thank you for the video! Byrna is a great option!

Wow! Great way to stay aware of your surroundings! Good to know you’re always with others who are aware as well. Plus you know whether you can bring a firearm or bring something else to protect yourself in a time like this. I would be more worried about a man roaming with a flashlight then a black bear in the woods. Sadly! It’s come to that these days. I pray those officers are OK and recovering after the encounter with drugs. That’s a sad situation.

This is a great video, and something that more people need to keep in mind! The only thing that I would add is not to be overly reliant on the OC. It's a great option, but it can be of limited effectiveness on persons under the influence. I've sprayed about a dozen people, and the drunks are always the ones that can fight through it.

Man thats crazy , thank you for thie video

Thanks for sharing the info on Byrna! I'm going to get one for family protection :)

That is crazy dude. Way to stay diligent and aware of those around you. Prayers that the officers recover. And I’m gonna need one of those NDK hats you were wearing. Just bring it to the next ALC.

Absolutely right that it is our own responsibility to protect ourselves and family. Even the police are not obligated to protect us, that’s been proven by at least 3 Supreme Court rulings. Their weapons are for their own protection.

First time seeing your channel. Thank you for the optional gun info. As a woman who’s planning to do camping in the near future it’s an excellent choice for me. Keep up the good work. Subscribing 👍👍👍👏👏👏🙂🙂

Well done sir👏🏻 I carry my blade at all times. Even in my swim trunks at the beach. Becasue you never know what you will encounter, and when. Thanks for this video!

Great video. Glad everyone is safe. Hope the officers are okay.

Wow, I’d be terrified as well. Great suggestion with the Byrna, absolutely fantastic to have on you, not to mention a fantastic product. Great advice, Sir.

It's good that you actually confronted a potential problem and stayed vigilant as opposed to being passive and assuming those homeless folks would leave you alone.

Thank you for the recommendation on the Byrna, I've been looking for an option like this

Insightful. Liked the quotation. I hope this video gets more traction. Weapons for protection are paramount as is the buddy system. I have weapons scattered throughout my house even, especially when I'm in the shop running loud equipment late at night. Ambush is so easy and so is having weapons strategically placed.

Wow that was crazy. Glad to hear everyone was OK 👍 hopefully those officers are OK. Perfect way to think. I'm the former warrior on a boat trying to grow a garden. Wait.... I might have jumped out of too many airplanes ✈

Wow. I horse camp alot Alone. The situation you just described sent chills up my spine. ( Im ALWAYS... Strapped 😉 ) Great video. Very important info. Thank you.

G;ad your safe and the situation handled brother, thanx for the tips

Thanks for making me aware of Byrna. Had never heard of them before I saw this video.

Dang it, I was going to stay at military bases during my travels to stay safe and now I have to worry about drug addicts hiding on the base. Thank you for the video and glad to hear that everyone is safe.

thank you for the information

Well said and true ! I like that device that shoots the different balls , great idea to carry that !

I watched a couple of guys use that on themselves to test how effective it was, it definitely worked, especially the tear gas and pepper spray one. It is a pretty cool set up

Thanks for this informative video. I've always made sure I had a knife when camping or hiking. Not really a gun guy but this option is excellent. Thanks for the great review. Also great to ward off bears and lions while hiking in mountains which I really like it for.

Thats crazy! We used to camp out on the Eglin reservation all the time. Its been a few years since we've been out there but thankfully we never ran into any of that.

Never heard of a Byrna!! Thank you for putting that out there!!

As someone who camps a lot in Baja California, where carrying a firearm isn't an option, I really appreciate this video and will look into that "less-than-lethal" pistol. Thanks.

Very good message! I have a patch on my headliner "It's up to us, help isn't coming" Always expect to self rescue. I've done a fair amount of camping in Canada where even bear spray is illegal in places, much less firearms. Always have some type of plan to take care of yourself. Thanks for sharing!

Great example and great video.

Jesus - you guys are vigilant! I'm impressed.

Excellent video and information. I had a feeling you were going to bring out the Byrna, a tip on the Byrna with kinetic rounds two to the chest and one in the sac it will drop anyone.

I appreciate that information I'm in the mountains of Colorado have been for six months I've seen about everything

Thanks! Just made me a subscriber! 🤗

If you like the Byrna, you’ll love the FN model 303! Its like a Byrna Assault Rifle, and used by prison systems and police departments. Like the Byrna, it has several types of projectiles including CS/CN powder, heavy impact, dye marking ect. And utilizes a drum magazine.

That's why I love camping in my beautiful Arizona, everyone is well equipped and no one have a guts to wonder around your campers in dark.

I'm Australian so I camp away from trees Dropbears are known to frequent. Always keep my swag zipped up to discourage snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies from entering during the day. You take your chances when and where you swim due to things like sharks and crocs. Apart from that, some Aeroguard and Bob's your uncle 👌

I appreciate you sharing your story. Some fools pulled a gun and robbed people hanging out at a beach bonfire in San Diego a year or two ago. So literally no where is safe anymore!

Thumbs up for being aware of the surroundings. Stay alert stay alive.👍

Go with your gut feeling. If or when camping and there is a group that is close by and they are loud and most likely drinking. It is best to move camp. Do not get discouraged going camping. You can have great time. Just make sure you are aware of your surroundings and keep a weapon of some sort close. Get out doors, just be smart about it.

Kool ❤❤thank u for the great inspiration

Good on ya for calling 911 and following their advice. Continuing on your vigilante style investigation into the dark unknown could have gone extremely bad for you in so many ways.

had this not been a military facility things could have happened very differently. Glad the mps showed up when you called and took it seriously.

I camp these places often on Eglin reservation. I've never had any issues like this. Glad yall were safe and please come back. Try duck pond next time. It's really nice up there.

Great information.

Great Video, thanks 👍 !

Your best line of defense in this video was your awareness and willingness to take action. More often than not that is all that's needed.

70 years old now and have always packed going camping or just road trips..its like american express never leave home without it.. more now in these times that you may need it. In 70s it was more for animal protection but now its more for protection from 2 legged animals that are strung out on meth or other drugs or just plane crazy ones... Happy summer camping to all. Take care have fun stay safe.

👍 Thanks for all the tips 👍

Golly, what viligent people! God bless you and your own.

Thank you for sharing the non-lethal alternative.

Thanks for sharing de Byrna ! Great alternative to firearms !

Brings back memories.I might have run around your camp ground when I was eight 1974 y'all enjoy.

That could have went weird in a hurry ... nice job handling the situation

People, been seeing more and more of these kinds of stories lately. Have fun out there!

WOW... thanks for the video. Frightening though, I have been wanting to go solo camping now for a few years. Now after watching this video I will have to reconsider it. I don't own a gun, I use to camp a lot when I was in my 20's now I'm in my 60's I guess our world really has changed. I've watched a lot of videos on camping, hardly any talk about how to stay safe while camping. I'm glad the two officers did not die from the fentenall and you all were safe.