Let me start by saying that the opinions here are mine only, and don鈥檛 reflect those of 国产吃瓜黑料 or anyone else.
My answer is that you should save the Wild West act for the shooting range and leave the gun locked up at home. I鈥檝e used firearms鈥攔ifles, shotguns, and handguns鈥攕ince I was 10 years old, and I鈥檝e hiked thousands of miles on trails across the country, yet there hasn鈥檛 been one instance during a backpacking trip when a gun would have been anything but dead weight. Here are my three main reasons why you should ditch the pistol.
Thanks to legislation passed by Congress two years ago, you鈥檙e allowed to carry a gun in nearly all national parks as long as you鈥檙e abiding by the proper state laws regarding permits, concealment, and the like. But in Yellowstone, it鈥檚 illegal to fire a gun under any circumstances. Firearms are also illegal in all federal buildings, like national park visitor centers and ranger offices. So what鈥檚 the point in taking one?
Guns can give you a false sense of safety and security. If you see a 1,000-pound grizzly charging in your direction, you're better off reaching for a can of bear spray than a handgun. But if you鈥檙e packing heat in your backpack, you may falsely believe that you don鈥檛 have to take all of the normal precautions with wildlife that unarmed hikers do.
The more people who carry firearms into the backcountry, the greater the chance that an accident will happen. Not everyone with a concealed weapon will be as safe and sober as you. As for using a gun as protection against unsavory people, there are avoidance strategies that work better than arming yourself. Camp at least a mile from the nearest road. Don鈥檛 camp near anyone who makes you feel unsafe. If you think you鈥檙e being followed, get to a road and report the person to rangers. Don鈥檛 backpack alone. No matter where you are, bad people should be dealt with by trained law enforcement officers, not you.