As a law-abiding citizen, I believe that we have the right to defend our loved ones any time and any place.  State forests are no exception.  If a person doesn't want to carry a firearm, that is their choice.  There are far too many nut-cases in the world now and they will have weapon, legal or not.  Case-in-point....look what happed in Giles County in May of this year with the convicted Appalachian Trail Murderer Randall Lee Smith.  The convicted felon got a gun and wounded two fishermen just a few miles from where he murdered two hikers in 1981.  Fortunately for society - Smith died in custody.  More often than not, it's not the wild animals you have to worry about in the woods.