Here is the situation,  I am shooting firearms ( a .223 and 7.62 russian)  on my own property (over 120 acres) and mid-way through shooting we (friends and I) decide to take a break.

    During this time a obviously drunk man who approaches us down range ( between us and our targets) and says "that recently people have fired bullets onto his property and he and his family had to take refuge behind a horse trailer." He assumes that is definately us (who shoot on a weekly basis). This man had a good 375 yards to hike to our location (90" degree,= from our general target) and the location of the alleged "bombardment" Of course he was certianly intoxicated and his eloquence was that of a retarded squirell on meth.

     He litteraly crossed  "over the river and through the woods" just to chew me and a couple buds out for shooting.  (he being a man in his 40"s) It is a pretty good hike from our property to his, and it is very doubtful "to me" that a bullet ( 55 gr. .233 ) could make a over 90 degree turn through extremly dense vegitation and land on his property (375 yds. complete 90 degree turn from our target) to the point that he and his family had to take refuge, behind a metal horse trailer from a hail fire of lead" He also admited that it did not happen today. (we typically shoot on Sundays)

     I would never put a innocent person in in danger, I love my nieghbors and do as much as I can to respect thier wants and needs. But this guy was toataly out of line. He ( we will call him Steve, caucasianmale in is early 40"s) admitted (after seeing our target and its backdrop) that we were firing in a safe direction and that no one was in danger from our present firing line. But yet this guy (who is billegerantlly drunk, aggressive and on my property) still insist on being a complete and toattal dick.

    I swallowed my pride (which is a feat, for me) and apologized (for no reason) and explained to him "that I have been firing my rifles, shotguns, and pistols in the same direction for 9 years" (which is  down hill and at minimal 2 miles, through dense foliage from the neareast  downrange house" As rural as our property is, its pretty amazing to see another human being.( out in the middle of nowhere) However this guy approaches us from the same exact location as our "cardboard target." Lucky for him (as thick as the vegitation is) we were not doing a magdump at those point. He litterally came out of nowhere! (Down range, between us and our target.)

  Anyways he admitted to coming on to my proprety "looking for a fight, that someone had be shooting in a direction dangerously close to his house" After he said he was " gonna whip some ass" I still was very polite and benevolent. I didnt want to inflame the situation so I humbly listen to his arguement.  When me and my close friends would shoot on my property we would often hear firearm reports to the east. ( the direction of the drunk squirll on meth) So there was other people in our general location that would also shoot. And I know just from the friearm reports that they also were shooting semi-automatic rifles with a capacity greater than 10 rounds. But it was not us or anyone I know that was shooting towards his home.

 Steve was extremly hostile and condensending, he explained " I am a old mean fart from the great state of Colorado and I will KILL" He was extremly rude even after admitting that we were firing in a safe manner and direction. (keep in mind, he had to go to great lengths to get to our location He had to do more than just cross an open field)

   Here is the Hum-dinger, After I thought I managed to resolve matters and calm him down, he explained he wouldnt hesitate to "Saddle up his horse and grab his magnum" And agian I swallowed my pride and said "I dont blame you for being angry that someone was shooting towards my house, I dont blame you for wanting to shoot back! However I promise you that is not us"and his reply was "look here BOY I dont shoot back, I shoot to kill YOU" Complete with fingure pointing. a clear threat. I deserve a medal for not knocking his teeth in as far as I am concerned.

   A good 15 minutes passes as I kiss the fuckers ass,his 15 year old (or so) son walks up from the same direction Steve had come.

   Both of my friends heard  it ashe walked away bowing his shoulders and acting as if he won some great victory. How he would"KILL YOU," (YOU being me) Personally I hate drama, I try my hardest to aviod bullshit confrontations, but I thought as my father suggested that I should file a report with the police.

So at my fathers great reccomendation I decided to call our county police station, (Fannin, Tx) I told the police officer with great detail how a drunken man had "tresspassed onto my property, hazordously appoarched us from our down range target, then after his 20 minute antagonizing, provoking and out right "shit-talking" he threatened in his exact words to shoot me with a magnum" I also explained to the officer that"I had heard in numerous occassions people shooting to the East of my home, and that while he maybe a victim of a crime, it was not me nor my friends. and Steve's behavior was toatally out of line and boarding a terrorstic threat." The officer who's name will remain unmentioned desrcribed to me that "It was not tresspassing, and it could only be a threat,had he been holding a gun, while making the comments of "Kill You" Then "yes thats a threat"

   I am no law expert but it seemed as though maybe this guy didnt know what he was talking about. I showed the officer the range from which I oftenly shot and he said he was an exmarine and there is very little probablity that a .223 could have made a 90 degree turn off cardboard then traveled through the heavily wooded area that seperated his home and our target. He had technical jargon to support this theory and I appreciated his input. However to me ( and this is just me, appearently) when a guy says "he is gonna shoot you with his magnum" I take that as a threat. Then agian I havent passed the BAR exam, so maybe I have no room to talk.

I know alot of the readers here at ARFCOM are law enforcement, maybe I am in the wrong, maybe I am just venting at this point. But to me I see a very "clear an present danger to this guys comments and actions" I guess I cant even shoot on my own property, maybe its time to join a local gun range. This is a horrible prospect to me, even though I am well with in federal and local requirements, I cant shoot my guns with out freaking out my stupid neighbor. After calling the police I feel that if they aren't going to do anything about it, I probably made matters worse. Whats this jackass gonna do when he discovers I called the police?

Whats your opinions on the matter? I will give any extra information if needed. I feel as though I was wronged, the officer I spoke to said he would make a visit to Steve, but I had no ground to press charges. I am willing to except that maybe I could have done something different, but I cant fathom any of any other action I could have taken considering the circumstances.

whos the victim?

You are the victim.

Next time he does that, talking tough, point the barrel of your AR right between his eyes and see if he still acts tough.

Never bring words to a gunfight.

Drunk, belligerent, trespassing, starting shit with armed people in a rural area = really, really stupid move on his part.

If he's trespassing on your property, can't you just draw down on him?

Your property keep shooting but I would never shoot all my guns empty.

Keep your handgun on your hip at all time from now on, post no trespassing signs.

1. Make sure your property is posted with no tresspassing signs.

2. Make damn sure that your backstop is more than sufficient for the rounds you are firing.

3. Relay any contact you have with this man to your local LE agency.

4. Always walk away from a fight if you have the option.

5. Listen to your logic, not your emotions.



  You can't  take a bullet back once it's fired. If you have to swallow your pride, do it. It's alot easier than enduring a prison sentence.