Dear Dpt. of Forrestry,

     I would like to express my approval of law abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons in Virginia state forests. If I can carry a weapon for personal protection in a downtown location that is well populated for protection, then what can possibly be the reason for not carrying one in the forest? I live in an area where there have been 2 murders in forest areas. One was random and one was an exicution. I love the woods and hike and fish. I would like also to fulfill my obligation to my family to protect them if necessary. We take precautions to not put ourselves in potentially dangerous situations but, one can't always predict the future. I began carrying a weapon because my wife does art shows. At the end of the show we are typically one of the last to leave, getting dark and sitting ducks for an armed robbery. Thank you for taking my concern to heart.

sincerely,

Thomas M. Karaffa