[lwcamp]

A real life data point - around here, between October and January, it is common to see people walking around in the fields or hiding in vegetation or camouflaged blinds carrying either shotguns or rifles. They're hunting of course. If they're hunting deer, elk, or upland game birds they need to be wearing hunter orange; waterfowl hunters are usually wearing full camo outfits because ducks and geese won't come near enough to shoot if they can see you.

At other times of year, it is not unusual to see families out target shooting. Whereas hunters usually use shotguns or bolt action rifles, target shooters can be shooting off anything - semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s are pretty common.

Since coyote season is open year round, coyote hunters don't need to wear anything special (except during modern firearm deer season, when hunter orange is required), coyote and racoon hunters can hunt at night (except, again, during modern firearm deer season), and AR-15s are common coyote hunting weapons, an RPG character in a campaign set in the modern American northwest could walk around with some serious firepower once out of city limits and claim to be a coyote hunter. Of course, unless he is on public land or has prior permission he is likely to run afoul of the heavily armed landholders, who usually take a dim view of trespassers.

Legally, you can open carry your firearm in town, but people notice. You might have to explain yourself to the police. An open carry pistol is not too unusual - I see it somewhat regularly. I have yet to see anyone open carrying a longarm around town.

Luke