Got bounced outta "Handguns and Pistolcraft", still interested in response..
Nothin like a little late night adrenalyn.....
Bout 9:30pm, 10 or 12 shots rang out just a couple hundred yards west. (Fast semiauto rifle, not a .223) I went straight out the front door, not a sound or sight, just a vehicle close to a mile off, traveling away. Oh well, not a rare occurance out here.
Later, cars started slowing down as they passed, guess it didn't soak in. I later discovered a roadblock out front, after.....
A car pulls up our driveway, stops under the streetlight for a minute or two. I started out to see who the hell it was at 10pm, they didn't see me but continued on, past the barn. They went all the way to the end of the plowed field on the east edge of our property (maybe another 250 yards past the barn), killed the engine and shut off the lights. Hmmmmm. Hopped in my truck and headed out to see WTF. They had just turned the corner at the end of the field before they stopped, so I stopped with my high beams on the side of their car maybe 20-30 yards away. They just sat there 3-5 minutes. Every once in a while the driver would look my direction. I got kinda bored with the game, honked my horn. The driver gets out and walks around to the far side of the car, then a passenger gets out. Then another guy gets outta the back seat. Ok, only three of'em, I got 8 shots on tap. **Mental note to self: "Front sight, PREEEEESSSS. Target aquesition on recoil, PREEESSSS."** They started toward my truck, I unholstered my weapon. As they approached, I opened the door and stood behind it, watching everyone's hands. They stopped 4-5 feet in front of my truck. I asked if they'd gotten stuck, they said "no". I asked what the hell they were doing back here, one took a step toward me & mumbled something, one started toward the passenger side of my truck. I took a two-handed grip on my weapon and said "That's far enough pal", as he got even with the front passenger quarterpanel. The one closest to me stopped, the other one kept walking, towards the darkness. (Right about now is when the sheriff says "Oh man, they were up to no good".) I leveled a bead on his chest and said "STOP!", finger on trigger. Either the idiot didn't know what STOP! meant, or they had a plan. I had a plan too. I took up trigger slack as one of the other guys said something to the one that was about to die, and he did indeed stop. I felt the hammer settle as I released pressure from the trigger. (I told the sherrif that they would have surrounded me if I hadn't stuck my gun in their face. He said "You got THAT right, LOL") They regrouped in front of the truck, but really didn't seem intimidated. (This is when it gets scarey. These idiots are staring straight down a big bore barrel, and it doesn't phase them.) I told them that they were trespassing, and needed to be on their way before the sheriff got here. (Little did I know at that time, the street just west of my house was crawling with units.) They looked each other over, him-hawed a little, and said, "Ok, we'll go". I remained at the ready until their vehicle was on it's way. It went towards my neighbor's house. I went inside and gave Tony a call. He asked if I knew what was going on out front. Me:"Out FRONT?? I just about had to shoot a couple of idiots out BACK a few minutes ago. They left headed towards YOUR house." Tony:"Geeze, why do you always run'em toward MY house, LOL.". Anyways, he told me about the roadblock. He'd gone out to see WTF, but didn't know/find out anything. I told him about the gunshots earlier, he hadn't heard them. Ok, I decided to go out & tell the sherrif what just happened out back. About halfway through telling him my story, he called for another unit to come over, and asked if I still had my weapon. "Sure" He said he didn't blame me, but asked me to expose it because they were sending a new guy out to handle the orchard call. (Rookies ALWAYS get the "orchard calls", lol) Sherrif: "Oh, a Sig. We gotta carry THESE crappy things." Anyways, we all took about a mile long hike all the way out to the canal south of here. They'd made a clean getaway
Had an interesting chat with the guys on the way there & back. Lotta stuff goes on out here I didn't have a clue about.
After reflecting on the incident (and decribing it to mom), I realized that it all came down to training. Aside from the initial contemplation of ammo supply (and kicking myself for not having picked up the double mag pouch that was laying next to my gun), it was 100% auto-pilot. The color codes flashed just like clockwork. Ok, being alone out there, I was at LEAST bright yellow/tinge of orange as they approached. That clicked to orange as they closed the gap from 12' to 5' (maybe a tad late for that change, but I WAS behind cover). When the guy closest to me took another step, I was teetering on red, but not quite yet. One more step after I told him "that's far enough" would have brought the sights to bear on him, as he would have been in range to kick my door then. I already knew that I'd be taking a step back if he continued. What flashed the condition to bright red was the other guy headed for darkeness and my flank. No conscious thought at all, STOP!! Front sight-prreeessss. I was quite amazed that not only did my non-firing eye close, but I was indeed focused ON the front sight. I had to consciously force my nondominant eye open, as it had cut off my periphrial of the guy closest to me. They were close enough that I didn't have a problem watching BOTH sets of hands. There's been a lot discussed here about "fight or flight", adrenalyn, and freezing up. I didn't feel the adrenalyn until they were back in their car, but it was indeed present the whole time. I can say with absolute certainty they would have had me if not for the dozen or more courses I've attended. (Thanx Dr. Piazza, from my wife, our 5 y/o daughter, and my mother.)
Now then. The sherrifs officers all said that I did everything right, they had no problem with any of my actions. Well, except the one little detail that they would have liked to have handled it themselves. Yeah, me too. Obviously the guys had some reason that they didn't wanna go through the roadblock, surely someone would have went to jail. As it is, nobody will ever know.
Newsflash: Man shot 3 times, dies in hospital last night. Happened in the little $hithole three miles up the road from here. That's why they were so concerned about the shots out here.
The few times that I've had to check on a suspicious vehicle, it's turned out to be a couple just trying to find some privacy. Never know what kinda people you'll run into in a dark orchard at night though.....
------------------
The Bible is my lawbook. I turn the other cheek when applicable, and spend the rest of my days resisting evil at every front, until I have breathed my last breath.
Nothin like a little late night adrenalyn.....
Bout 9:30pm, 10 or 12 shots rang out just a couple hundred yards west. (Fast semiauto rifle, not a .223) I went straight out the front door, not a sound or sight, just a vehicle close to a mile off, traveling away. Oh well, not a rare occurance out here.
Later, cars started slowing down as they passed, guess it didn't soak in. I later discovered a roadblock out front, after.....
A car pulls up our driveway, stops under the streetlight for a minute or two. I started out to see who the hell it was at 10pm, they didn't see me but continued on, past the barn. They went all the way to the end of the plowed field on the east edge of our property (maybe another 250 yards past the barn), killed the engine and shut off the lights. Hmmmmm. Hopped in my truck and headed out to see WTF. They had just turned the corner at the end of the field before they stopped, so I stopped with my high beams on the side of their car maybe 20-30 yards away. They just sat there 3-5 minutes. Every once in a while the driver would look my direction. I got kinda bored with the game, honked my horn. The driver gets out and walks around to the far side of the car, then a passenger gets out. Then another guy gets outta the back seat. Ok, only three of'em, I got 8 shots on tap. **Mental note to self: "Front sight, PREEEEESSSS. Target aquesition on recoil, PREEESSSS."** They started toward my truck, I unholstered my weapon. As they approached, I opened the door and stood behind it, watching everyone's hands. They stopped 4-5 feet in front of my truck. I asked if they'd gotten stuck, they said "no". I asked what the hell they were doing back here, one took a step toward me & mumbled something, one started toward the passenger side of my truck. I took a two-handed grip on my weapon and said "That's far enough pal", as he got even with the front passenger quarterpanel. The one closest to me stopped, the other one kept walking, towards the darkness. (Right about now is when the sheriff says "Oh man, they were up to no good".) I leveled a bead on his chest and said "STOP!", finger on trigger. Either the idiot didn't know what STOP! meant, or they had a plan. I had a plan too. I took up trigger slack as one of the other guys said something to the one that was about to die, and he did indeed stop. I felt the hammer settle as I released pressure from the trigger. (I told the sherrif that they would have surrounded me if I hadn't stuck my gun in their face. He said "You got THAT right, LOL") They regrouped in front of the truck, but really didn't seem intimidated. (This is when it gets scarey. These idiots are staring straight down a big bore barrel, and it doesn't phase them.) I told them that they were trespassing, and needed to be on their way before the sheriff got here. (Little did I know at that time, the street just west of my house was crawling with units.) They looked each other over, him-hawed a little, and said, "Ok, we'll go". I remained at the ready until their vehicle was on it's way. It went towards my neighbor's house. I went inside and gave Tony a call. He asked if I knew what was going on out front. Me:"Out FRONT?? I just about had to shoot a couple of idiots out BACK a few minutes ago. They left headed towards YOUR house." Tony:"Geeze, why do you always run'em toward MY house, LOL.". Anyways, he told me about the roadblock. He'd gone out to see WTF, but didn't know/find out anything. I told him about the gunshots earlier, he hadn't heard them. Ok, I decided to go out & tell the sherrif what just happened out back. About halfway through telling him my story, he called for another unit to come over, and asked if I still had my weapon. "Sure" He said he didn't blame me, but asked me to expose it because they were sending a new guy out to handle the orchard call. (Rookies ALWAYS get the "orchard calls", lol) Sherrif: "Oh, a Sig. We gotta carry THESE crappy things." Anyways, we all took about a mile long hike all the way out to the canal south of here. They'd made a clean getaway
Had an interesting chat with the guys on the way there & back. Lotta stuff goes on out here I didn't have a clue about.After reflecting on the incident (and decribing it to mom), I realized that it all came down to training. Aside from the initial contemplation of ammo supply (and kicking myself for not having picked up the double mag pouch that was laying next to my gun), it was 100% auto-pilot. The color codes flashed just like clockwork. Ok, being alone out there, I was at LEAST bright yellow/tinge of orange as they approached. That clicked to orange as they closed the gap from 12' to 5' (maybe a tad late for that change, but I WAS behind cover). When the guy closest to me took another step, I was teetering on red, but not quite yet. One more step after I told him "that's far enough" would have brought the sights to bear on him, as he would have been in range to kick my door then. I already knew that I'd be taking a step back if he continued. What flashed the condition to bright red was the other guy headed for darkeness and my flank. No conscious thought at all, STOP!! Front sight-prreeessss. I was quite amazed that not only did my non-firing eye close, but I was indeed focused ON the front sight. I had to consciously force my nondominant eye open, as it had cut off my periphrial of the guy closest to me. They were close enough that I didn't have a problem watching BOTH sets of hands. There's been a lot discussed here about "fight or flight", adrenalyn, and freezing up. I didn't feel the adrenalyn until they were back in their car, but it was indeed present the whole time. I can say with absolute certainty they would have had me if not for the dozen or more courses I've attended. (Thanx Dr. Piazza, from my wife, our 5 y/o daughter, and my mother.)
Now then. The sherrifs officers all said that I did everything right, they had no problem with any of my actions. Well, except the one little detail that they would have liked to have handled it themselves. Yeah, me too. Obviously the guys had some reason that they didn't wanna go through the roadblock, surely someone would have went to jail. As it is, nobody will ever know.
Newsflash: Man shot 3 times, dies in hospital last night. Happened in the little $hithole three miles up the road from here. That's why they were so concerned about the shots out here.
The few times that I've had to check on a suspicious vehicle, it's turned out to be a couple just trying to find some privacy. Never know what kinda people you'll run into in a dark orchard at night though.....
------------------
The Bible is my lawbook. I turn the other cheek when applicable, and spend the rest of my days resisting evil at every front, until I have breathed my last breath.
, maybe you should get a couple tattoos and piercings to rectify that.