With summertime now in full swing, many of us are heading out to parks, wilderness areas, beaches and other areas in search of outdoor fun.  Unfortunately, aside from the snakes, mosquitoes and ticks, there is an even more disgusting vermin hiding in the woods: criminals.

Crime in the outdoors, or “hoods in the woods,” is not a huge problem but something that can often be entirely prevented with a little forethought.  The problem is greater in summertime when more people are afield and the weather conditions are more conducive to criminals to engage in their nefarious acts.

Before getting into the meat of the discussion, we must first put the risk into perspective.  Of the millions of hours spent outdoors every year, very few people will ever become victims of crime.  Fortunately, most wildland crimes involve theft and only a tiny number of outdoors enthusiasts are touched by a violent crime.  The bottom line: you are safer outdoors than driving to work.  Of course, if you are one of the few people who have their gear stolen or are assaulted, the statistics are meaningless.

The most important factor to ensure your personal safety is something we call “situational awareness,” or seeing and understanding what is happening around you.  Being aware of your surroundings is critical whether you are in the inner-city of America or the Canadian wilderness.

If you maintain good awareness, you will see the creepy guy hanging around the shower house in a campground.  Being aware means steering clear of the drunken biker party fishing upstream (unlike I did one time while turkey hunting).  If you can see trouble coming, you can avoid it before bad things begin to happen.

Along with awareness goes common sense.  When a situation occurs that looks or feels uncomfortable, heed your inner voice that shouts “danger!”  When the hackles on the back of your neck suddenly start to rise, perhaps it is time to find another picnic spot or recreation area.  The sense of self-preservation is very acute if you will only listen.

Most crime is based upon opportunity.  If you lessen the chances for a criminal to be successful, you lower the risk of becoming a crime victim.   A prime example of this would be the large number of cars that are broken into while parked at remote trailheads.   Hikers leave expensive camera gear and radios in plain view inside the car and are often surprised to find the windows bashed and the merchandise gone upon their return.   Even hiding such things in the trunk is better than leaving an open invitation on the front seat.

Children should be raised in the outdoors but they present special safety concerns.  It is most important to never let them scramble beyond your sight for more than a few minutes.  This is a judgment call depending upon the children’s age, but few children are victimized when the parents are attentive and nearby.  Unfortunately, I always see small children running wild throughout campgrounds without adult supervision or concern.   As assaults on children occur every year at campgrounds within our state, such lack of supervision is unconscionable.

What about weapons?  Many people, frequently male, want to carry guns, knives, mace, machetes, machine guns, nuclear grenades or other such weapons while afield.  Please note that this corner is a strong supporter of right to bear arms but personal experience shows that most people are not psychologically equipped or properly trained to use weapons in a critical situation.  If you still think that weapons are required for your sense of well-being, do yourself and everyone a favor by learning the legal, moral and tactical issues involved in using a weapon.

One weapon I do recommend for nearly everyone is OC spray made from cayenne peppers.  This is similar to mace and other chemical agents, but actually works most of the time.  Being an irritant agent, it is much more forgiving than knives and guns if an error in judgment is made.  I can also personally vouch for its effectiveness, having been sprayed during training.  I assure you it would make Baja hot sauce merchant gasp for air.
Another good weapon is a stout hiking stick.  Aside from using the staff for balance purposes, I’ve used my faithful sassafras staff to fend off snakes, dogs and even an irate raccoon.  I’m sure it would serve well in case of human attack.

If you are the victim of a crime despite precautions, immediately report the incident to the local law enforcement agency.  Making the police aware of the problem can help prevent future problems for other outdoorsman and is vital if a physical assault has occurred.

Crime in the outdoors is a minor problem compared to the other dangers faced in the field but is also easily minimized with a few simple precautions.  Keep a wary eye open, use common sense and stay aware to prevent two-legged predators from ruining your outdoor fun.

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