[smed1869]

I was doing some remodeling in an upstairs bathroom this w/e when my wife and I had this exchange:

HER: "There are two guys walking down the street with guns!!!"

I look out the window and see two young guys (20's?) in full camo, each carrying what look to be .22 rifles, looking up at the trees, minding their own, walking down the street.

ME: "So?"

HER: "Well are you just allowed to do that?"

ME: "Uh, yeah. They're obviously hunting squirrels. What's the problem?" [our neighborhood borders on some rural farmlands/woods that are common hunting ground.]

HER: "I just don't like guys with guns walking around the neighborhood."

ME: "Well I find it comforting! 1 - They are young and we need more young people interested in hunting/shooting sports, 2- I much rather have armed good guys walking around the neighborhood rather than bad guys! Wouldn't you?"

[silence]

HER: "I guess so."

A few hours later the same day, my wife has a stranger from Craigslist come to the house to buy a toy table/chair set we were selling. I was on the recipricating saw for hours working on the bathroom, never heard the lady come, never heard her go. I was not expecting any visitors, else I would have been more situationally aware. Thanks for the head's up that CL strangers were coming to our house!

Drives me a little nuts that my wife was freaking about hunters walking down the street, but in the same day lets strangers INTO our house without even telling me. Those people could have kidnapped her and my two young kids (or worse), and I'd never know until I came down the stairs. She's not anti-gun or anything, in fact would like to take her CCW class. But I think we need to get on the same page regarding home defense.

Just had to get that out...

 

[Rivers]

I assume that you have discussed this with her. Some things need to be said out loud where they might make a difference.

 

[rottkeeper]

Sounds like she may need you to talk over SA and become more security conscious. The best part is, as you say, she is not anti gun to start with.

Start with a discussion about home security and work your way to daily work, shopping or where ever situational awareness. Family trips to the range are a great way to teach safety and enjoy quality time with each other also.

Good Luck, rk

 

[oldogy]

Sounds like her SA needs work. Maybe she will read comments on here when the thread matures with some positive comments about SA.
I have preached SA to my DW and kid all my life to where the DW agreed last year to get her HCP. She has, IMO, been a good student. My son has his permit as well. I think the abduction in Knoxville a few years back where the two college kids were abducted, raped, murdered in a very heinous unprovoked crime is what made the decision for her.
So far as the the guys with guns walking down the street,..........you said it well.
Good luck! Some folks are a little slower to learn than others. Let us hope your wife is a quick learn.:wink:
oldogy

 

[Janq]

Most states specifically prohibit per game laws any active hunting as within X hundred ft. of a public through way.

Further most every state I'm familiar with prohibit hunting as within X hundred feet of an inhabited structure as without approval before hand by the owner/inhabitant. Structure not exclusively having to be a place of residence either.

As well there are laws against firing a projectile upon, onto or across that of a public through way. Through way being not just paved road but dirt, sidewalks and even in some cases public access easement land too.

Also you don't need camo anything to hunt squirrel.
I used to take squirrel toward pest control on my own property wearing street clothes and using one of my tournament grade (extremely accurate and consistent...nearly $2K MSRP when new) paintball markers as set to 350 FPS at the muzzle. Quite functional for one shot kills to the upper spine/shoulder & neck area.
Lawful and humane.

Honestly if I'd have seen same I too like your wife would have been what the heck do they think they are doing?!
Even if they truly were hunting that is not the way to go about it never mind the way to represent hunters, gun owner nor teen/child gun possessing hunters (!).

As to Craigslist sales...Like you my wife used to do same until I told her to stop giving out our address, phone number and household schedule to complete and utter strangers (!).

- Janq

 

[bladenbullet]

ive got to admit that i was a little taken aback by your calm demeanor with kids walking down the street in camo with rifles...unless you live on a ruraldirt road everywhere ive lived thats not what i would call commonplace but youre the one who lives there and you wuld have a better idea than i would...

the more relevant point though seems to be your wife being so worried about kids with guns but allowing people to come into your home without informing you...

i'm not overly protective about people coming to my home to purchase something but they get my cell # in an ad and i will usually meet them outside or in the garage armed and my wife aware and instructed to dial 911 if necessary...too many nuts out there...i will normally meet people at their home if its convenient for me (on my route to work, etc) to avoid brining them to my neighborhood...my brother was robbed at gunpoint selling stereo equipment once and it left a sour taste in my mouth...interestingly all tey took was the equipment...

 

[dukalmighty]

It's been almost 40 years ago,but I use to walk thru the middle of town with guns on the way to hunt and nobody even took a second look,but that's long before street gangs and random shootings

 

[9MMare]

Just because they were walking down the street doesnt mean they intend to hunt or fire from there. They may just be going from point A to point B. The OP mentioned that there were appropriate fields around.

The full camo seems a bit much for squirrels, but unless I see other indicators, I usually chalk that up to young male testoterone and 'being cool.'

 

[Janq]

It's been almost 40 years ago...

Duk,

All things being relative time progresses in dog years.
40 years ago might as well have been back in the 19th century.

Twenty years ago I used to use short hand to which I'd taken classes during jr. high to learn. I'd typed up school/college papers using a Smith Corona typewriter with built in correction tape.
My mom then insisted I learn both as it would be an absolute necessity to survive in thee world to get a better than base paying job. To this day I use the typing skills regularly. I haven't written anything in short hand since the early 90s...Never mind actually written anything of length out by hand at all since the advent of the 'portable computer' later referred to as 'personal computer'.

Today twenty years later as president of a regional historical society and history museum guess what we have among our collection of 'artifacts'...And is commonly questioned by modern K-12 and even college student visitors as "What's that?", "What did it do?" or "How did that work?".

Ways of the past lose modern time relevance by the day, in dog years. :|

- Janq still listens to music on tape in a 'vintage' circa '93 automobile

 

[UpOn2Wheels]

And herein lies the difference between safety and the illusion of safety...

 

[rottkeeper]

It's been almost 40 years ago,but I use to walk thru the middle of town with guns on the way to hunt and nobody even took a second look,but that's long before street gangs and random shootings

Yup, my buddy and I would hunt after school every day and walking down the road with an UNLOADED gun was common place. Kids that don't have hunting grounds in their back yards may need to use public roads to get to their hunting grounds.

That is not to say keeping a watchful eye out would not be prudent.

 

[skot]

I live in a pretty average middle class suburban neighborhood. On Saturday I was walking from my house to the car with an AK slung over my shoulder, ammo can in one hand and backpack in the other. This lady drove by just looking at me.

When we got in the car my wife and I were wondering if she was thinking "OMG look at that guy with a gun!" :gah: or "Hey, that one's just like my husband's". :wave:

This thread reminded me of that.

 

[RETSUPT99]

- Janq still listens to music on tape in a 'vintage' circa '93 automobile

Janq,

Is that your old high school typewriter?

ret

 

[Janq]

Janq,

Is that your old high school typewriter?

No, that is a stock image of an old timey pre-war vintage Corona as before they became Smith-Corona which is similar to the one we currently have on display among an exhibit.
The one I used to use was early 80s vintage and owned by my mother. It is likely in her basement among who knows what junk from a lifetime ago.

- Janq

 

[OldVet]

Just because they were walking down the street doesnt mean they intend to hunt or fire from there. They may just be going from point A to point B. The OP mentioned that there were appropriate fields around.

The full camo seems a bit much for squirrels, but unless I see other indicators, I usually chalk that up to young male testoterone and 'being cool.'

It's not at all uncommon to hunt squirrels in camo dress. They have sharp vision. Used to wear it all the time, as most hunters do these days. It's pretty much all there is for hunting clothing in today's market.

 

[PastorPack]

mmmm squirrel!

 

[DaveH]

Here in VA, it is legal to walk down the street with a loaded firearm -- albeit it carry one in a vehicle for the purpose of hunting is restricted in some but not all jurisdictions.

 

[varob]

Just because they were walking down the street doesnt mean they intend to hunt or fire from there. They may just be going from point A to point B. The OP mentioned that there were appropriate fields around.

The full camo seems a bit much for squirrels, but unless I see other indicators, I usually chalk that up to young male testoterone and 'being cool.'

+1

As a teen we would use all of our money we saved from our part time jobs to go out and buy all camo clothing, just to put a big bright hunter orange vest on.

As a young teen, the idea of being a hunter may have had more of an impact than hunting itself.

 

[Stevew]

See folks walking on the road everyday with guns here. Sometimes it is like 13 year old kids with high powered center fire rifles. It doesn't make me nervous, but it does make me hope a deer doesn't dart across the road right after I drive pass.

 

[oldogy]

ME: "Uh, yeah. They're obviously hunting squirrels. What's the problem?" [our neighborhood borders on some rural farmlands/woods that are common hunting ground.]
=====+===================
IMO, this is the key to the whole event. On their way to hunt. Yeah if they were brandishing their firearms, acting irresponsibly, that would have been a concern and a whole different reaction.
oldogy