I had a garage sale at my houes this weekend (thurs-fris-sat)

One of the customers was a neighborhood kid.  Thirteen years old.  He saw that I had a few guns for sale and we talked about firearms.  He seemed nice enough and he expressed some interest in a Mossberg 500 I had for sale

I explained to him that he must be 18 to purchase the shotgun and that I would happily sell the gun to his mother or father, but not to him.

To make a long story short, he seemed like a nice kid with an interest in firearms.

I asked him if he had heard some of the shhoting that we had done here on my place (RedGoat's Swamp Shoot) and he said that he had.

He went on to explain that he had been trespassing on the adjacent property (he lives 1/2 mile away from the adjacent land) during one of our last gun parties.

While trespassing (squirrel hunting out of season) he saw myself and some others enter the woods and go to my private range.  

Keep in mind this kid was illegally on my neighbors's property and my range is on the border of my property.

We opened fire at my range and the kid thought we were trying to shoot AT HIM!   Apparently he was downrange, but used a tree for shelter.

He hid behind a tree for 2 hours while we shot.

Now I am left wondering what would have happened if this numbskull, poaching, trespassing, thirteen year old kid had been shot/wounded/killed instead of just having the crap scared out of him....

TheRedGoat

PS>  Gotta run to fish fry right now, will be back later/tomorrow to answer questions

mmmmmmmm fish fry.

Well thankfully this did not happen.

Now is your chance to invite him and his parents out for a shoot.

Well at least you were able to keep him pinned down with 2 hours of "suppressive" fire!!

[beer]

I'm not from Texas, but I'd guess that you'd be screwed no matter what state you're in if the kid had been hit.

I've got to ask why your range is set up in such a manner that any bullets fired downrange would ever leave your property?  That seems pretty irresponsible.

A world of litigation hurt if he had even been nicked probably. Just like if a burglar breaks his leg robbing you, he can sue you civilly for damages...


Scott

Straw purchase....

Scott

Not at all.  It's legal in most states for a parent to give a firearm to his/her child.  Even a handgun.

Hell, in some states, an 18-year-old can get a CCW permit, but can't buy a gun from a FFL (due to federal law).  That doesn't mean the 18-year-old can't buy a handgun privately or be given one by someone else.

Calm down - I think it was a joke.

Achmed,

Thanx for that clarification. I humbly admit my mistake...

:D

Scott

Great point.  I was thinking the same thing earlier, but I did not want to cause flames.

You have several ways of dealing with this.

1) Complain to the kid's parents.
Tell them trespassing is illegal and tell them
to watch their kid more carefully.

2) Go to the local PD or Sheriff's and tell them
what happened and have them deal with it.

3) Mister nice guy's way
Go talk with the kid's parents.  Tell them
what the boy told you.  Tell them you own guns and that you shoot them on your property.
If the kid is seriously interested in firearms, and their parents are okay with it, invite the boy over and let him shoot them.  So he doesn't have to hide in direct line of fire to watch people shoot.  I think 13 years old is too young to be showing interest in guns.  Guns are man's toy.  

13 is too young? That's pretty funny!

I received my 1st rifle when I was 6. Dad took me out and we shot a case of cans filled with "fake snow" out in the field next to the house. What a great birthday that was! I still have that Stevens single shot.

Because of that day and several others I never had a need to sneak in and look at guns around the house. I knew I could shoot thwm whenever I asked, within reason,of course.

At 13 it is too late to introduce them to guns, especially if you have kept them from them, they have probably already had your Glock out and at least thought about taking it out to shoot it without your permission.

Be real!

Everything else aside, I'm willing to bet that in the future this little brat pays real close attention to "No Trespassing" signs.  [:P]

That is one hell of kid. He thought you were shooting at him and he waits patiently without crying, without screaming.  Sounds like a future sniper or Spec Ops guy to me. Calm little tike.

Ben

That reminds me of the time that I was going home after riding my bike and these kids shot me with a pellet rifle.  I learned about cover and concealment REAL FAST.  Back Tracked , crossed the road, got down in the creek and bypassed the Trouble ZONE. hahaha Got home and there was blood running down my leg... Scared the shit out of me.
Got home fell down on the couch and said, "MOM I have been shot"  hahahahaha ROTFLMAO.

Follow up:

According to the kid, his mother or father will return to my house sometime this week to purchase the shotgun.  When they stop by I will explain to them the need to prevent their youngster from trespassing.

As for the rounds leaving the property, that is an evolving issue.  Although the area is densely wooded, and uses a natural hill for a backstop, other steps have already been planned to prevent ANY future rounds from leaving.  

Another part of the kid's story.  

I cautioned the kid about trespassing.  I think he understood the dangers involved.

I strongly cautioned him about trespassing on the property that joins the back of mine.  The man that owns it, as well as his recently deceased father, are known in the area for their eccentricities.  Namely, a propensity for using gunfire to discourage trespassing.  

The man that owned my home prior to me was a First Cav member.  He also loved to coon hunt on the property behind mine.  One night he found himself in a gun battle with the eccentric property owner's father.  Apparently both were quite serious in their attempts to shoot each other.

When I relayed this story to the kid, he explained to me that his friend and himself had been on that man's property, snooping around his house, and that his friend had been shot in the leg by a .22 fired by the property owner.

Now, thirteen year old boys have a habit of stretching the truth, so I take his tale with a grain of salt.  

However, a poaching, trespassing 13 year old with an interest in firearms living just down the road make me cautious.  

TheRedGoat

Ah, come on guys. Thirteen, hunting/poaching, trespassing! Geez, sounds like the good ol' days to me. Remember way back when?

Look the kid told you about it straight up. Don't bust his chops (tell his parents) unless he messes up again. Make sure he understands what he did was wrong (he already knows). You have a great chance to build a good rapport and properly teach responsible gun ownership to the next generation.

Just my .02 FRN!

13's not too old to have guns.  

I gave my son a Remington M-7 in 7mm-08 when he was 1 year old.  Of course, I've been "breaking it in" during deer season for the last 6 years, but there's no question who's gun it is.  And he's already expropriated my Ruger 10-22 by making sly little statements about "his" 10-22 and that he has "2" guns etc.  The little rascal!!  He's 7 now, almost 8 and when he turns 10-11 or so, I'll download some 7mm-08 and take him deer hunting.  Of course, I will have to buy another gun for myself to replace his gun, oh the misery!

My 12 daughter shoots my CLE/BM Coyote Rifle almost as good as I do.  Life is tough.

Regards,

Merlin

Forget the kid , I WANT TO GO BOAR HUNTING.[:d]

First I'm glad nothing happen to the young lad.

second, can you imagine the feeding frenzy the liberals gun haters would have had on this.

Take the kid and his father to your "private range" but only for the sale of the gun.  There after explain to him that he will need to find another place to go poach and trespass!  The kid's a kid, but make sure dad locks that gun up with a cable lock!

PS. I owned firearms since I was 8, so needless to say, I had a huge interest in them, which is why at 24, my collection makes some older men cry.  Nothing is wrong with a 13 year old having interest!  Shit, I was trespassing at that age too, its all about stalking around finding adventure where it may be found!

keep a saturday night special handy, kill the invader, plant the gun on him, claim you feared for your life. (for effect shoot from near his hand to the wall around where you were so you have a bullet hole near by as "proof of intent")
he can't sue you anymore. yes this is illegal, best not really do it, just a random thought.

Disclaimer : If you do do it, I don't know you, you don't know me. the squirrel told you to do it (insanity plea).

Then drop me an email and let's get it set up before it gets so dang hot this summer.

TheRedGoat

Who didn't trespass when they were 13?  I wandered all over the valley I grew up in.  Also, I think the word poaching is a bit harsh though accurate.  Blasting a few rodents is definitely very different then jacking deer.  I don't think there is such a thing as too late to get into firearms.  I didn't buy my first gun until I was 21.  Don't know why I waited so long because I've had a nice collection of air rifles and pistols since I was 10.

You should invite the boy to shoot with you if it is cool with his parents.  Heck, invite them too.  He can have fun and learn safety at the same time.  Also, it is good that you are going to enhance your backstop.  What ifs are scary...

I really don't care that the kid trespassed on the adjacent property.  I am certain (fairly certain) he had an opportunity to reassess his objective.  I am not sure that his trespassing days are over, but I hope that he is not planning to repeat the experience.

I agree with what you are saying, and I have considered inviting the boy over to shoot, along with his parents.  However, after many years of teaching public school, I have a pretty good eye for spotting bad apples.

Bad apples, always, always, always come from rotten trees.  This kid is not being supervised properly.  I do not want to be a surrogate parent.  I also do not care to be alone in the woods with a 13 year old kid.

Cardinal rule for teachers:  Never be alone with any minor.  

Call me paranoid, but I see no need show this kid, or his parents, my gun collection, party barn, lawn mowers, chain saws, antique trucks, etc.

I will be neighborly and cordial, but since his mom/dad has not shown up to purchase the gun, I am certain the kid is not coming back any time soon.

There's a "season" now on squirrels in Texas? I was always taught not to hunt them in months that didn't have an "R" in it. Doesn't really sound like "poaching" to me. Whne I was a kid we used to always "tresspass" all over the county, of course we knew who did and did not mind if we were hunting on thier property and always respected that.

The kid was obviously B.S.ing