I have had several bad days out hunting over the years. In about 1980, I was part of a drive along the shore of the Miss. river, pushing the heavy forest and brush that grew there, when some jerk began firing at us with a high power rifle from Missouri. His shots were going high, and he was behind my friends as they ran across an open spot, but I could not run, and waited to see if he would run out of ammo. He must have had two 30-round magazines, because he just kept firing, the bullets coming down lower with each new guy who ran across the open space, and his bullets getting closer to the guys. So, I turned my shotgun shooting rifled slugs up at a 45 degree angle, and fired 3 slugs at the place over in Missouri where I felt he had to be. I picked up my empties, reloaded the gun, and limped out across the opening. When I joined the others in the woods on the otherside, one of said "Look". I turned around to see someone running along the skyline in Missouri, through a gap, pumping his arms, without any gun in either hand.
Another time, I was scouting a farm to hunt before the season with a friend who was managing the place for the owner, when he kicked a couple of rabbit hunters off the place for hunting without permission,and in violation of the posted No Hunting signs they parked their truck next to!
Later when we were far back in the woods, 3/4 mile from the car, these two guys came over with a third guy, the first two carrying pump shotguns with the actions closed, their fingers on the triggers, and the guns at low port. The third man was an archer with a broadhead nocked on the bowstring of his compound bow.
My friend talked to them, and listen to their threats to kill him for denying them the right to hunt that property, and I could tell that the two guys had fortified their courage from a bottle between the time they were thrown off, and when this second encounter occurred. It was getting ugly. I had taken a position to their right, and my friend's left, and they apparently didn't see me when they first approached. During the threats and curses, the guy in the middle with the shotgun turned and saw me, He did a double take. I was leaning forward with my meanest Junkyard dog look on my face, and my hand behind my back holding my revolver. I didn't blink when he looked at me. I think that unnerved him. He lowered his voice, stopped swearing, and stopped threatening to kill my friend, so much that his other buddy with the shotgun, standing to his left, look over at him, and saw me two. Another double take. Another man who lowered his voice, and stopped threatening my friend. This so bothered the archer, that he also turned around and saw me, finally, and quickly turned back away from me.
I was still concerned because no one took their finger off those triggers, and the archer didn't take that broadhead arrow of the string. When they calmed down, Don explained who owned the property, ( anti-hunter) who had hired him to take care of the property, and find some way to stop all the damage to the fruit trees the owner had planted. Deer love the sweet bark of fruit trees, and can kill those new trees the first winter, if you don't do something to protect the trees. Don had been given permission to let some of his friend( me included) to hunt deer on the property in hopes of reducing the damage, but even he was not allowed to hunt squirrels, rabbits, and pheasants. The men accepted his statements, and agreed that if he can't hunt rabbits, he has a right to be angry that they thought they could do so. So, they turned away from me, and walked back off the property. I followed them to the corner fence post, and took a stand behind it, putting my off-hand on the top of the post and setting my feet so I could use it as a rest for my revolver, if I had to defend us from either of the hunters shooting at us with their shotguns. About 100 yds away, the archer turned and looked back at us, saw where I was standing, and quickly turned back around. He said something to the two shotgunners, and they all quickened their pace and left. When they were 200 yds away and past where the drop zone of shot would take place, I joined my friend, and we went about our business. I would not have hesitated to shoot all three of them if they raised those shotguns. I was "outgunned", and my friend was unarmed. I really had no choice, if I wanted to live, and see my friend live.
I have been hit by birdshot by other hunters on several occasions, twice by hunters on the other side of a low rise, where we didn't hear their gun shots before the pellets rained down on us. They could not see us, and the shooting was an accident. I did get hit twice in one day at a State run Dove Field, by some idiot shooting at low flying birds. I chose to leave the field rather than go find the SOB and shoot him. When I notified a DOC officer at the gate, he didn't seem to be concerned at all. "What do you expect me to do about it?" was his comment to me. I told him he could at least drive down there and past the hunters, announcing to them all that they should not be shooting at low birds, because their shot was hitting other hunters across the field. I got that 1,000 mile stare from him in response.
If someone threatens you, or shoots at you, Shoot BACK! Don't hesitate. The life you save may be your own. Plan NOW what you will do if such a situation arises. :hmm: :hatsoff: Just as happened with that friend showed up, and the two strangers bent on stealing that deer up and left, criminals are cowards, they don't like witnesses, and they want to know that they have overwhelming power before they attack someone. Don't hesitate to use strong verbal commands to stop people who are trying to flank you. Make them go back together, make them empty those guns, and make them leave, even if you have to take the guns from them. If you have a loaded gun, USE IT to address these predators. That is what they are- by the way they are acting. :hmm: :thumbsup:
