Rigged for the Hunt

There is no better base camp. But make sure you’re equipped with these two things. Hunting is an ancient art form—a way of life as old as travel. Native Americans in the 18th century (and ages before) used to hunt up and down the Great Indian Warpath. Further west, tribes like the Sioux mastered archery on horseback to wade into the herds of bison that covered entire landscapes. (Yes, we’re thinking of “Dances with Wolves.”) But even today, hunters still shed the sedentary standards of civilization, mounting up their trailers and rigs to weave their way into the wild. The biggest advantage to bringing your RV on a hunt is location. Most folks have to travel out-of-state to find big game—or land where feral populations have gone hog wild. An RV enables you to close the distance and establish a base camp in the wild. That’s big for logistics and even better for comfort in the cooler months of hunting season. (Reminder: You should winterize before you go.) Also, some of the best hunting happens on private land, which means all you need is permission from the owner to park your rig on their property. But before you head out to the field and stream, take special care to consider two things for your hunting trip.

Safe and Secure Firearm Storage

The internet may argue otherwise, but we simply haven’t seen a good safe for long guns in your RV. Safes are really heavy and really bulk. Put one in your closet and nothing else is gonna make it in. This is why we prefer a gun case, like the PELICAN 1750 LONG CASE. It’s unbreakable, watertight, and plenty long for hunting rifles and shotguns— which should be stored unloaded, and separate from your ammunition. You can secure the case with a lock and easily slide its slender profile into a storage space within your cabin.

Knowledge of State and Local Laws

While the federal Gun Control Act of 1968 states you can carry firearms across state lines (with certain legal exceptions), so long as you and your passengers are legally allowed to possess the weapons in both the state of origin as well as the destination. That means you need to be aware of the state and local laws for both the destination you’re traveling to and the states you’re traveling through. Your firearms need to be unloaded and locked in a container (as mentioned).