SO....I'm in the garden yesterday, starting to pull weeds when all of a sudden...
...a gunshot so loud and so close, I literally fell to the ground and ducked for cover. My heart was racing. After I realized I wasn't actually shot, I got up and walked to the back fence, out in the open, to see what was going on. Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. Really, I should know better, I DO watch "The Walking Dead" after all, LOL.
I'm standing there looking around and...
I'm standing there looking around and...
...a second one echoed and it sounded like it struck somewhere near a cluster of trees on our property (could have been birds flying off too). For a few brief moments, I thought someone was aiming for me. I walked ran back to the house and onto the porch to change my call 2nd Family and ask if they knew what was going on. "J" said that it sounded like the neighbor must have gotten a new big gun. It scared their animals who ran under the house and even their hens went back to the coop. It happened about ten more times...we're pretty sure it was hunting. Dangerous because we had no way to know which direction it was coming from and no way to know where the bullets would end up. It could be 10 acres away but bullets can travel more than a mile (and these were so loud they had to be very close). They weren't on our property of course, but still seemed to be nearby.
Now don't get me wrong, not anti-gun at all. While we don't personally hunt, we still have two rifles and a pistol for protection/defense. Still, it was pretty scary. After about an hour of staying inside the house and doing projects there, it finally stopped and I cautiously went back outside to continue weeding.
Definitely a little bit of excitement for the day. Anyone else have anything like this happen if they live in a rural area? Should I have just stayed out there and kept gardening? Maybe I'll buy some fluorescent T-shirts to garden in, ha.
No you should not have stayed outside weeding! Had this happen to me once while picking berries in a friend's pasture---certainly very scary. Someone needs to talk to the neighbor about cannon safety. I'm certainly not anti-gun either, but folks have to practice safety and common sense. If they can't do it on their own, they need instruction (from authorities if necessary).
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely scary. We will take that into account. Common sense is something not everyone has huh? Ha. Thanks!!
Deleteis it a legal hunting area? that sure sounds dangerous. maybe speak to the local police?
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Texas is a bit hunting state and it's legal in many places and on your own land it's always legal. Now recklessly using a gun, I'm sure that's definitely not aloud. We may just give them a call.
DeleteThis scares the proverbial out of me...we live in a rural area and so have hunters up here. Most don't hunt here as they know that people actually live in the area.There are idiots who couldn't care less as long as they can spend the weekend drinking beer and killing things....they are the ones we are afraid of.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I kind of wonder if maybe some of the trees made him think there was nothing around? Or heck, he could have been 10 acres away and can't even see us. One thing for sure, alcohol and guns DEFINITELY don't mix do they? Be safe!!
DeleteOh thats scary! One of the first rules of shooting is knowing your target and what is BEYOND it! Glad y'all are alright.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Yep, I would hope they were kind of clueless instead of not really caring around what lies beyond their shooting area.
DeleteNow that's just realllllllllllllllly irresponsible! Good grief. I agree with Linda's statements.
ReplyDeleteI know! Dang scary for sure. :-O
DeleteSomeone needs to talk to that neighbor. If they don't have permission from you they are trespassing on your property.
ReplyDeleteWell they weren't ON our property just somewhere nearby. But I think we'll talk to them soon, nicely of course.
DeleteHere, the county officials give you grief over building codes/ordinance, however, I can take a shotgun out and blast holes in the mountains, while the sheriff drives by without any issue. :) It is a strange dynamic.
ReplyDeleteThat's about the way it is here too. It is a strange dichotomy isn't it?
Delete[This is an extremely edited version of what I really want to say and you KNOW how I say it!] Holy Cow! Someone needs to talk to the local Sheriff and ask him to intervene. Having the bullet strike "somewhere near a cluster of trees on our property" isn't careless; it's criminal. Please report it! You don't need that bullet coming any closer to you than it already did. That is no longer a wilderness that you live in; it may be rural but it's well populated by people. What if it had been anywhere near you or 2nd man or 2nd family? Please get this nipped in the bud as quickly as you can. You all want peace out there; not a firing range. <3
ReplyDeleteLOL. Thank you for that. I believe that "R" will be taking care of some of that. We'll definitely be careful and if necessary we'll pay a visit, nicely of course to the neighbors, ha.
DeleteI would definitely stop weeding and go inside for awhile until it stopped. You can't take any chances! And actually, your neighbor should not be taking those type of chances either.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely some good advice there. Thank you! I did feel like going inside was the best measure. And yes, neighbor was taking some big chances, unknowingly but still taking them. Thanks for commenting!!
Delete1st Man,
ReplyDeleteThis has happened at my mom's place. A neighbor was chasing off coyotes, and the bullet ricocheted off of a fence at came right at my sister. They talked to the neighbor, this won't happen again.
Obviously, this neighbor doesn't understand that bullets will go through an animal, or woods and continue on to something else until there's something that stops it.
I think you and 2nd Man need to go over to your neighbors and talk with them.
Yikes! That's scary. I was kind of afraid of just not knowing where it could go and yep, a ricochet could end up anywhere. I think the general consensus will be to go pay a visit. Thank you!
DeleteI hear ya!
DeleteOMG - how scary! I too would have hit the deck and then run low like a jackrabbit for cover! This shooter was definitely irresponsible!!!
ReplyDeleteOne of the first things my Daddy told me when he was teaching me to shoot was to always be aware of your surroundings and the other people and animals in that area; a bullet can travel a long distance.
Soooo glad that you are alright!! This needs to be reported to the sheriff so he can remind this shooter to use his gun responsibly.
You know, my Dad took me out a couple of times too and said the same thing, make sure you know what's on the other side of the direction you are firing. You know something else this made us realize is that we didn't have a contact number for the sheriff out there. Now we have it programmed in both cell phones. Thanks!!
DeleteALL of my neighbors shoot, every kind of gun you can imagine, frequently. They are hunters, but what they are doing here is just target practice. There is so much shooting goes on in our area, that the horses no longer even raise their heads when someone is blasting away. They are safe shooters, so we don't worry, we just joined them! We made a big wall of earth, and set up some targets, now we practice (though none of my family hunts), and make big noise right along with them, lol.
ReplyDeleteSafe shooters, I like that idea. You know, that might be a great idea at some point, a joint practice area. That makes is a joint venture and keeps them up to date on us and us on them, ha. Thanks!!
DeleteAlso, make sure it WAS your neighbors. Sometimes yahoos will just come out and find a patch of woods to try to hunt in, that's why you may see "Posted No Hunting" signs around. And if the wooded property joins other wooded properties, someone not familiar may have wandered a bit too far from where they were supposed to be. It may have been their friends out to shoot a couple of squirrels, or a half drunk bunch of trespassers, but you should speak to them in any case, I wouldn't want to be ducking bullets in my garden.
DeleteYou know, of all this talk about tit, I never thought about that. We definitely need to know for sure before we say anything. The property behind us is 300 acres, all owned by one family (and mostly just cattle). So anyone could have been on that property illegally, and then next to us is another 20 acres and adjacent to that is about 15 acres. Wise advice! Thanks!
DeleteThat's pretty scary and doesn't sound too safe either! I live in rural Nova Scotia where I hear gunshots fairly frequently - sometimes very close. If I hear gunshots near or on my property, I take a drive up the road to see where they're coming from as I just have one close neighbor and he doesn't hunt, so it's always someone parking and going into the woods. I've had a cat shot during duck hunting season and my horses sometimes hang out in the woods, so I won't take any chances.
ReplyDeleteI guess you're in a bit of a difficult situation - no one wants to be at odds with their neighbors (especially one with a large gun, haha) - but of course you shouldn't have to worry about getting shot while gardening! I hope you're able to resolve the situation.
LOL, you totally hit the nail on the head, we are treading delicately at first, since the neighbor does have a large gun, ha.
DeleteSo sorry about your kitty. :-(
Thank you! The kitty did survive with a broken hip and tail, but made a full recovery and lived to be 21!
DeleteI am definitely not anti-gun. I am against thoughtless shooting and putting innocent people in danger. Bullets can go through walls, especially big gun bullets! I think you should have a talk with those shooters asap because you could have been in those trees where the bullets went.
ReplyDeleteYou might point out that you would never shoot like he or she did. That way, you have informed them you have guns, too. That might give them something to think about. You don't have to point out you don't hunt or that the guns are not at this property. He never knows what you might do and I would keep it that way. Get that fluorescent tshirt for gardening.
anti thoughtless shooting, great description. I am actually going to get some fluorescent tshirts, definitely better than earth tones, and DEFINITELY no camouflage print. And I like the way you suggested approaching them. Thanks!
DeleteWe're big on guns and such in our neck of the woods, but we are also extremely mindful of where we're shooting. Lots of cattle and other livestock around.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly need to get a safety vest!
And perhaps give the neighbors a call to let them know when you'll be in for the weekend?
A phone call is not a bad idea either. Miight even be an easier way to approach it at first. Something like "hey I know you were shooting last weekend and I wasn't sure where you were and we were out in the garden so I just wanted to let you know we'd be there this weekend at such and such time". Good idea! Thank you!
DeleteWe have a neighbour who recently bought a new gun, I call it his cannon because that is what it sounds like. We also have strangers turning up in the middle of the night to go spot lighting. Apart from the trespassing, it is also illegal here to shoot the native wildlife. It is just plan rude and inconsiderate at any time of the day let alone at 2 am and right on the boundary fence then next morning you're faced with dead animals everywhere. My husband thinks I'm nuts but I chase them away every time.I don't like guns at all but realise there is definitely a place for them and am also a strong believer in approaching the neighbours for a friendly airing of ones concerns when issues arise. There are laws here that state a firearm can't be discharged within a certain distance from a residence/people. Do you have those laws? At any rate, the neighbour may not have been aware and if he has a large property perhaps you could request that they leave the pocket near you alone or at the very least, let you know when they are there. If you haven't met the neighbour before, it makes it a bit tricky to be introduced over such an issue. Maybe take a nice home baked cake to soften your approach. And at all times remember.....they have a gun and they use it!!!! LOL....not that it's really a laughing matter.
ReplyDeleteKnow your neighbors.
ReplyDeleteWe have 180 acres and our neighbors surrounding us all own about 10 - 20 acres a piece. We all hunt and we all do target practice. It's nothing to hear gunshots during the day. We often have friends over for target practice or skeet shooting. However we are very careful about where we shoot and we are very strict about anyone on our property practicing gun safety. We have cattle and children and we would like to keep safe. I would talk to your neighbors and express to them that it caught you off guard and that you just want to calm your nerves by knowing they are shooting safely, like at targets and not random bullets flying. Approach them nicely and you should have no problems. And you will know next time you hear gunfire that you are safe on your own property. I do sometimes feel sorry for our neighbors during dove season. We host a dove hunt opening weekend and it sounds like a war zone out here for three days. The game warden always pays us a friendly visit, everyone shoots safely and we all (kids included) have an extremely fun time.
ReplyDeleteTiffany