Wearing a dirk casually

[Terry Searl]

I live in bear and mountain lion country. While encounters are few you still want something that these animals will notice if they are hit and make the animal back off as fast as possible. Thankfully I have not been given a reason to draw a blade with these animals, yet I have been within 50 yards of a wild mountain lion and under 10 feet from a few bears.

If you draw a blade over 4 inches you can be arrested as that would be against the law, if sheathed it is not a violation of federal law but it could be an issue with local law. If you carry a 3" sheathed blade in Denver, Colorado you can expect the police to stop you as the city has a law about that. I have seen police watching people who wear large blades in public, and that type of attention is best avoided in my opinion.

I have lived and worked in the bush for almost 50 years and can say without a doubt in MOST cases making loud noises will keep bears and cougars away far more effectively than waving a knife at them. If you really think a bear or big cat won't come after you because you are armed, you will have a realignment of your thoughts when the beast is on you...... and when it is on you, well the chances of you winning the contest armed with a knife or not, favours the beast