I think all things considered the actions taken here are reasonable.
However, this situation is also why I carry around the house. All--the--time.
I think all things considered the actions taken here are reasonable.
However, this situation is also why I carry around the house. All--the--time.
Based on where I am there is absolutely no legitimate reason to be in my low-fenced backyard sourrounded by woods that I own so I would be on serious alert.
I’m basically always armed with a pistol, usually on me or nearby worst case. 500 lumen utility / ,ulti-use and 1000 lumen dedicated-use flashlights are on me.
Grabbing a long gun if one is handy might not be a bad idea but I’m not breaking visual contact to go to the safe to get one though.
Tell 80 lb dog someone is outside. He likes people - except when they are on the other side of a door to the house. Watch dog go apeshit at the door. You have to be pretty disturbed to want to try to come through a door with him on the other side.
Call PoPo. Maintain visual contact if possible.
Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Doodie Project?
At this point, I have no idea if the trespasser has ill intentions or not. (Did your trespasser have ill intentions?) But I'm not going to give him a chance to take the initiative and limit the trespasser's options- leave immediately or deal with the police when they arrive. (Given the chance, I will observe and assess before taking action.)Originally Posted by RyanM
We wish to thank the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, without whose assistance this program would not have been possible.
This actually happened to me a few weeks ago.
Just after midnight my phone pings so I look and my camera has a guy sneaking around my back yard. I reached over to where my keys were and set off the car alarm using the key fob and he took off running.
Easy..
Yell back into the house " Hey Zed, Spider just caught a fly!"
..as you rack a shotgun.
Not trying to troll you, nor am I trying to take the thread off on a tangent. I choose to believe you when you say that you have never woken up in the middle of the night and went to the fridge to get a glass of milk without strapping on your blaster (or carrying it down the stairs at temple index).
But, am I in the minority here because I will admit that I have stepped foot out of my house unarmed? Are most of us here that vigilant and that dedicated to 24/7 carry?
Maybe the adage I read on a previous thread applies - "Anyone that carries more than me is a paranoid nut, and anyone that carries less than I do doesn't care about his family's safety." (paraphrased)
In the spirit of "give a man a fish versus teach a man to fish", let me simply offer the following:
Get intimately familiar with your state laws on self-defense as they relate to the five (5) elements of SD; Innocence, Avoidance, Imminence, Reasonableness & Proportionality. Do some research into how the CJ system in your locale reacts to incidents of self-defense.
When you know what's lawful, and you possess the right skills, the ability to properly interpret any given situation will work hand-in-hand to predictably yield a positive outcome.
The path of least resistance will seldom get you where you need to be.
Over thirty years ago I was still living with my parents and one night about 9:00 my mother told me that a guy was looking into our kitchen window. My father was not home. I looked out another window and sure enough there was a guy with his face pressed against the kitchen window. I grabbed my new to me but used Stevens 311 double barrel with 18” barrels and went out the front door. I approached the guy and asked what his problem was. Turns out he was drunk. He said he met a girl at bar and went parking with her. She kicked him out and he was lost. I had my shotgun behind my leg. I used the shotgun to point him in the right direction. he did a wily coyote impression and ran off. In retrospect I made a lot of mistakes and I appreciate physical security even more today. Fences, lights and dogs are invaluable
If I could avoid the person, then I'd do exactly what you did: go inside, call the police, and let LE sort it. I wouldn't initiate an interaction if other options are viable.
If I happened to literally run into someone: a white light and a simple, non-threatening, "Can I help you?" It could be local kids playing laser tag in the woods for all you know. I cut through people's backyards every now and again when I was a kid and lived out in the boonies. Not the brightest idea, but kids aren't that bright.
"Sapiens dicit: 'Ignoscere divinum est, sed noli pretium plenum pro pizza sero allata solvere.'" - Michelangelo
Nobody's perfect but I really do go by the rule "If I'm wearing clothes I'm carrying a gun." I don't really see a Glock 26 being all that much to carry.
As for going outside I had two guys try to rob me one night while I was putting my stuff in my car. I was able to stop them because I was armed. I didn't really ever go outside unarmed before that happened and I certainly haven't gone out the front door unarmed since it happened.
Last edited by Cypher; 04-01-2019 at 01:37 PM.
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