Farmers, guns, and the "old days"

[GableBabble]

We have guns here at the house mostly b/c Hubbie and my son hunt. Hubbie normally leaves the smaller one here for me and takes his 300 out with him. Pop used to say, "Don't aim a gun at anything your not going to shoot. Don't shoot anything that is not messing with you or yours, or that you will not eat." While I am not a huge fan of guns, I'd much rather have a dog for protection, I do know how to use one and will protect my animals.
As far as human predators.... a week or so before x-mas, the year before last, I was talking to my husband on the phone while ambling around the house. I walked into my bedroom to find a man plastered up against my window trying to open it. When I screamed he ran off and jumped into a truck with two other guys. The cop told my husband that had they entered the house..."one in the head and two in the chest". I am honestly not sure I would have been able to shoot another human being. Besides that, I doubt I could have gotten the rifle out of the closet in time. It is always behind my many boxes of shoes and not loaded b/c of the kids.

 

[Ole rooster]

We have guns here at the house mostly b/c Hubbie and my son hunt. Hubbie normally leaves the smaller one here for me and takes his 300 out with him. Pop used to say, "Don't aim a gun at anything your not going to shoot. Don't shoot anything that is not messing with you or yours, or that you will not eat." While I am not a huge fan of guns, I'd much rather have a dog for protection, I do know how to use one and will protect my animals.
As far as human predators.... a week or so before x-mas, the year before last, I was talking to my husband on the phone while ambling around the house. I walked into my bedroom to find a man plastered up against my window trying to open it. When I screamed he ran off and jumped into a truck with two other guys. The cop told my husband that had they entered the house..."one in the head and two in the chest". I am honestly not sure I would have been able to shoot another human being. Besides that, I doubt I could have gotten the rifle out of the closet in time. It is always behind my many boxes of shoes and not loaded b/c of the kids.

That sounds like the rifle is useless in an emergency. You're better off with a broom stick.

 

[GableBabble]

lol Your prolly right. I do have a metal bat behind the door just in case. I'd prefer that to the broom.

 

[Ole rooster]

One thing for sure, you make good contact with the metal bat and the ringing will let you know.

You hit a home run and it'll sound like it.

 

[JenellYB]

This is something that bothers me about the quick to shoot mentality, that unlike you say here, and asIwould feel, I'mnot sure I could shoot another human if it were not to a point of immediate violent danger...the guys at your window ran away...some insist that was enough to shoot 'em dead
A big part of my problem with that....I've know some very good people that got off into stupid mistakes when younger, but that grew up and straightened out. Inlcuding somethat had done things like breaking/entering and burglaries....what if the one I shot was young and stupid and I took away the chance for that person to grow up and become a decent person? and what if that young and stupid one that just needed to grwo up were someone I or others I care about, loved?

As far as human predators.... a week or so before x-mas, the year before last, I was talking to my husband on the phone while ambling around the house. I walked into my bedroom to find a man plastered up against my window trying to open it. When I screamed he ran off and jumped into a truck with two other guys. The cop told my husband that had they entered the house..."one in the head and two in the chest". I am honestly not sure I would have been able to shoot another human being. Besides that, I doubt I could have gotten the rifle out of the closet in time. It is always behind my many boxes of shoes and not loaded b/c of the kids.

 

[GableBabble]

There are always tons of "what if's". The guys that tried to rob us got caught much later. They had been in a string of home invasion/rape/robberies. Thing is, I would never take the chance when my kids are present. Children do stupid things, teens do stupid things, adults do stupid things. If you take the chance of being shot, then you know what your in for. I did stupid crap as a teen, but never to the point of anything like that. I guess it goes back to how people are raised.....


**Edited to add: I live out in the middle of no where. So no one has any reason to just be crossing our yard or anything. No people living within yelling distance either.

 

[The Lazy L]

This is something that bothers me ..what if the one I shot was young and stupid and I took away the chance for that person to grow up and become a decent person? ...

"become a decent person"...or rape my daughter...or kill the store clerk for $1.98...or burn down the neighborhood with a meth lab...or...or...or...

If you break into my house, threatening my family or me, you will not walk out. I'm sorry they chose to do that, I'm sorry they are dead but if they didn't like the consequences of their "profession" they should have chose a different line of "work".

 

[JenellYB]

My observation was of someone standing outside a window trying to get it open, to break into a house, that ran when he realized someone was there. Where do you get that observation had anything to do with someone that has committed or is comitting rape or murder??????? What I said did not even HINT at such an idea!

"become a decent person"...or rape my daughter...or kill the store clerk for $1.98...or burn down the neighborhood with a meth lab...or...or...or...

If you break into my house, threatening my family or me, you will not walk out. I'm sorry they chose to do that, I'm sorry they are dead but if they didn't like the consequences of their "profession" they should have chose a different line of "work".

 

[bj taylor]

my husband & i are well armed, we both have had our conceal & carry license for many years. we haven't shot anyone or "murdered" anyone while they were running from our home. if someone is plastered against my bedroom window trying to open it, i'm going to assume the worst and i'm going for the closest gun. victims are rarely given the opportunity to ask whether the intruder is just after the tv or after a life.
i'm grateful for the Texas castle doctrine. i am not aware of a barage of people shooting others in the back as they ran from the house. i'm more afraid of two legged predators than four legged ones.

 

[Mike Winters]

well if your in the middle of the boondocks and someone trys to brake in your house their probably not there to ask for help or to say hello. Your in Texas you have almost every law in your favor to kill anyone that damages or steals your property and be seen as a good deed. its not like your going to damage the human population by take out a few bad eggs.