I got to use my guns in self defense (well kind of)

[redhawk4]

I was camping last week up in the mountains on some land I own a good way from civilization. We were sitting around the campfire one night and my step daughter and friend got spooked because they were sure they'd seen and heard something in the trees/bushes. I couldn't see anything, but slipped my 44 mag out of the holster and had it in my hand, like a Mexican in a cowboy movie holding one under his poncho, only I was under a blanket since my wife, after kindly packing my clothes for me, had failed to put in any item of warmer clothing  than a tee shirt ( at an elevation of 7800 feet). Anyway nothing seemed to stir, but I still felt a need for caution. My wife announced she was going back to the trailer to set the kids beds up.  I kept a watchful eye on her as she walked back, the dog following her. I could quickly tell from the dogs reaction, all was not well in that direction. I got the children to follow me towards the trailer, so we could all stick together. A survey of the ground beyond the trailer with a flashlight revealed two eyes reflecting back set quite a way apart indicating a good sized animal, but much too close to the ground to be a deer or similar. I told my wife to pass me my 12 gauge out of the trailer while I stood watch with the flashlight and 44 mag while everyone else got to the safety of the trailer. When I got the 12 gauge in my hands, I felt much better about fending off what was now obviously a cougar. It continued to move around just out of sight in cover, so in the end I decided that if we didn't want to have this thing as a regular visitor, it would be good to scare it off. I aimed for the ground some ways out and fired. In the utter silence of the wilderness and in complete darkness the boom and flash was quite impressive. I heard some movement, I'm sure it was the cougar making a dash for it, and fired one more for luck, it was gone.

   

   The young girls were all pretty scared having worked themselves into a frenzy over the whole thing and I wondered how much sleep we were going to get. So I quietly set the 2 guns down on the table, showed them the ammunition and explained it's capabilities against anything on 2 or 4 legs we could possibly encounter and that the 12 gauge slugs I had were capable of killing even a large grizzly bear. I also told them I had 60 rounds of 44 mag and 65 rounds of 12 gauge ammo and there just weren't that many animals out there. I then explained that no animal could instantly get into the trailer, therefore giving me ample time and opportunity to kill it before it could get to any of us - so even in the event of the most unlikely of attacks we were safe.

   

   We said prayers and went to bed, I was expecting to hear gasps and comments on any noises real or imagined that might they thought they could hear, but they were both asleep before I had had time to stop thinking about how wonderful the 2nd Amendment is in giving us both the feeling and reality of being able to be safe and protect our loved ones and also the calming influence of a sincere prayer.

[tranquilo]

Congrats on being prepared!

[redhawk4]

I'm glad we forgot my jacket, but remembered the guns, not the other way around.

   

   Thinking about it, I still had my Guardian 380 as back up as well in case things got really ugly

[louiethelump]

What???  You did not want to deal with whatever was out there with a brain shot from a 22 magnum mini??

   

   (humorous reference to the discussion about dealing with an even more dangerous animal in a McDonalds)

   

   Good Job

   

   Louie

[bud]

The kids will remember it for the rest of their lives.

   They were scared, but excited at the same time.

   They will tell their kids about the time they went camping, and what happened on the trip.

   

[22man]

God, Family, USConstitution, and a 12guage....

   Good things to have while camping,,,,,,and everyday.

   Nice story

[Dinadan]

Redhawk4 - I have never needed to use a gun to fend off a wild animal, but  

   back when I used to camp a lot I usually had one with me, a .22 revolver. No cougars  

   here, bears and even alligators were much more rare thirty years ago. Still, I had a couple  

   of times where things that went bump in the night made me glad to have a weapon, even  

   though they turned out to be harmless.

[swolf]

I spent a couple years in South Africa back in the 90's working with a youth program.  We camped in game reserves where big cats and such abounded.  The S.A. govt. issued me (a non-national) a concealed weapons permit to protect against critters.  I never had to fire, but pushed into the darkness with my Maglite and a .357 a few times to drive off predators.

[redhawk4]

The great thing about animals is they can't call the police and report you for brandishing a weapon or firing a warning shot

   

   Thanks for all the positive comments, it is an experience we will all remember and will hopefully help all of us to continue to take sensible steps to be safe on all future outings. It's also a testimony as to why we need to always carry, I can't even begin to count how many times I've been there and lugged my 44 mag round for days without needing it, fortunately I've always strongly felt the need that I might, so have never left home without it.

   

   Louie,  I know you were joking about using the 22, but while I was more than prepared to shoot and kill the camp intruder I can honestly say I had no desire to do so. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to venture out in the dark with a 22 mini to look for a head shot - it's amazing based on my two experiences when I've thought I would have to use a gun for real, how suddenly the gun and caliber seem to shrink in your hand and you are truly focused on how carefully you will need to take your shot in such circumstances. Both times I've felt much better when I was holding my 12 gauge having used a handgun to cover things until I could get to it.

   

   Swolf, I don't know that I'd want to go up against  African Wildlife with a Maglite and a 357, but I guess it can work if scaring something off is your priority.

[louiethelump]

Red:

   

   When you know I am kidding there is no need to justify your position.  I WAS KIDDING; ref the McDonalds thread...............

   

   I am with you on the bigger gun.  There have been a couple of times when I had wished I had a shotgun with me.

   

   I also agree with you on not wanting to kill anything.  I am the same way, and felt horrible a week or so ago when I had to kill a Coral snake in the yard.  It was a beautiful snake, and before I did it I ran into the house and looked it up on the internet to make SURE it WAS a coral snake.  But, with the 5 year old granddaughter living with us, and her fascination with any animal of any type, the risk was just too much to take.

[22man]

the corals are out

   red touching yellow kill a fellow

   red touching black friend of jack

   

   

[louiethelump]

The one I had was much brighter and more colorful that that one.  I guess they vary.

   

   I shoveled mine and then tossed him over the fence into the forest for whoever wanted to eat what was left to have.

[22man]

that one was a youngin

   I think they probably get brighter with age

   the underside was much brighter though,,,,,

   It never occurred to me to use my .22 BW on it.  

   I didn't want to kill it either, it wasn't aggressive. But the Dog almost stepped on it. He never even saw it.  

   I shoveled it too and buried the head deep enough to be safe. It went quick,,,,,which is always my goal when dispatching creatures.

[ArmedPatriot]

Wow...a cougar. That freaks me out man.

   

   About the worst I have had in the woods was a big ••• racoon that I managed to piss off.  

   He started running at me and I fired off a few shots and managed to get him in the spine and paralyze his back legs.

   Took a few shots because he was on the run and all I had was a  22lr semi auto rifle (old Marlin).

   

   Racoons I can handle. I dont want anything to do with a cougar.

[RogueTS1]

Want interesting? Get a pack of wild dogs that are not afraid of man, like coyotes are, in the middle of a night walk on the property while looking for missing calves. As long as you have your carbine it is interesting. Less than the carbine and it can make you a little jumpy to hear them stalking you in the woods and whining away but you cannot see them.

[swolf]

"Swolf, I don't know that I'd want to go up against African Wildlife with a Maglite and a 357, but I guess it can work if scaring something off is your priority."

   

   Redhawk4: The game rangers I worked with carried .357 mag revolvers with med. length barrels.  Cats have relatively thin skins, so it is effective for daily carry and close encounters.  At that time, the govt. required one to fire a warning shot when faced with human attackers, so most I knew carred snakeshot as a first round always, which is also effective for the cobra or mamba one was most likely to meet camping.

[redhawk4]

Snakes really give me the creeps, but I do not have the desire to just kill them. If I feel the life of a loved one or my dog is at stake then sorry Mr Snake you are much lower on the totem pole - otherwise live and let live.

   

   Wild dogs - a pack of any of the canine family that might have you on the menu, could be one of the most formidable dangers to come up against even when well armed, particularly if in the open and so you are vulnerable to attack from 360 degrees. A 12 gauge pump with a 100 round mag of buckshot would seem in order. I think if you know the danger exists shooting at first sight of any of the animals hoping to dissuade the rest might be the ticket.

     

   Swolf, the Black Mamba is the snake I most fear, having seen a TV documentary where it explained how they are the only snake that will actually come after you as opposed to most snakes who are trying to get way and only bite when cornered etc. I believe they said a large Mamba could move with great speed as well up to 15 mph and sustain about 10 mph for long distances, so no just strolling away with one of those on your tail. I can see a 357 mag working on a reasonable sized cat, I just don't have the greatest confidence in trying to use a handgun against a quickly moving animal that I'd like to shoot long before it gets too close and personal.

[Dinadan]

I think it is kind of funny that the Black Mamba is so called because of the color of

   the inside of it's mouth - like our Cottonmouth. With the Cottonmouth there is usually no  

   problem getting them to open up for ID purposes, since they tend to have a bad attitude.

   I do not normally kill snakes, but I have killed quite a few that were venomous and in  

   our work area. Never used a gun, a machete or stick is really ample for most North  

   American snakes. I did have a coworker hand me a 4' bushaxe for a six foot rattler.

[uncle_harley]

Want interesting? Get a pack of wild dogs that are not afraid of man, like coyotes are, in the middle of a night walk on the property while looking for missing calves. As long as you have your carbine it is interesting. Less than the carbine and it can make you a little jumpy to hear them stalking you in the woods and whining away but you cannot see them

   

   

   This aint no kidding,  came home from church one morning when it was raining and a black lab from the local wild pack of dumped off dogs  was on my porch to get out of the rain, and would not let us out of the van,  he was growling and snapping and I wasn't getting anywhere near him..... good thing I am always prepared too.

[Dinadan]

I do not know how accurate this is, but I have read that in the USA dogs kill about  

   25 people per year, while cougars, bears, and alligators average one person for each  

   species. A large, unknown, threatening dog is not something to take lightly, I guess.

[redhawk4]

Sounds like if liberals get hold of this information guns & dogs could be banned and we will all end up keeping bears, cougars and alligators

   

   "The right to keep and arm bears" the 2nd amendment doesn't specifically mention cougars or alligators though.