Chief Warpaint

Dang ! Y'all have no idea how much this topic has suddenly decreased my intrest in starting this hobby. I don't have any weapons and I live on the outskirts of the Denver metro area. So we have tons of criminals and bad people along with lethal animals like mountain lions. Most of the cache's out here are in fields or woods and now I'm terrified that I'm going to have my wife and 3 yr old daughter out in the middle of nowhere and get attacked by animals or crazy people. Not sure what to do now. I haven't bought any equipment yet (GPSr) and not sure if I should now. Wouldn't worry about myself too much, but the wife and kid wanna go really bad and I couldn't live with myself if something happend to them. Anybody got advice or words to ease my mind ?