friends who went fishing in Florida the other day I will NEVER go into the back country, hiking, camping, fishing, grocery store or anywhere else unarmed ever again. I at least want a fighting chance should something happen. Stay alert, stay vigilant, keep your head on a swivel. If something doesn't look or feel right to you, get the hell out. If you don't know the story just google
3 Fisherman killed in Florida.

Unbelievable that something like that happened in a place like Frostproof. It’s a tiny little place where everybody knows everybody generally. It is in Polk County, where Grady Judd is the Sheriff. He is a no nonsense lawman who will get to the bottom of it. Google Sheriff Judd’s name and read about some of his exploits. If ever there was a modern day Buford Pusser, he is it.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

You are lucky you can do that. In moonbat MA, you could end up being charged with a hunting regs violation if caught walking in the woods with a handgun (unless you had a hunting license that allowed it and were within the hunting season of whatever you were supposedly hunting).

++++++++++

Note: Someone correct me if I am wrong about that. My moonbat friend and I argue it back and forth all the time. He claims it's legal, I say not.

Everythings good, till ya hear the banjo.

I've heard this mentioned on the radio, but lack details. I don't know if there's any indication that any of the 3 were armed, or offered any kind of resistance. Maybe an ambush attack. I don't know. Just speculating.

The thing is, an attack can happen whether you're alone in the woods or in the big city.

I enjoy being alone in the woods. When I can get back to hiking, I'll continue to do so. I won't let this stop me. But even though I hike on marked trails in state parks, I'm legally armed and do my best to pay attention to what, and who, is around me, and make sure my phone can get a signal. And a trauma kit is part of my EDC gear.

Just my opinion.

I'm going to bet they walked up on a Meth lab or a Still.

That said why would you go anywhere unarmed (assuming it's legal of course)?

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Retired Career Security Guard

There is more to the story.....not just a random act of violence. More like a bad blood type of thing over......wait for it.......a woman. So unless you are messing with some other dude’s woman a walk in the woods without a gun should generally be safe.....now the friends of the guy targeted that’s another story....wrong place at the wrong time.......watch the company you keep. I am not minimizing the fact that three people were murdered, but just that circumstances need to be taken into consideration before drawing a universal conclusion about going into the back country unarmed.....I would not do it but you can’t generalize.

I don't think any real details or motive has been released. There is a lot of speculation going on.

One of the deceased apparently was able to say something to his father before expiring.

I'm sure the police will get to the bottom of it eventually. Eventually, actual details will be released.

The advice to carry while hiking or recreating in a secluded area is good though, providing it is lawful to do so.

FWIW, Florida specifically allows open carry without a license while "camping and fishing".

Sounds like a good law to me.

I agree that more details will come out. Has to be more to this story. That said, I hope they get the guy(s) that is this very soon.

And they did...

Three arrested in connection with triple murder of Florida fishing buddies | Fox News

From what I read in the story, the 25 yo "ringleader" has had over 230 felony charges placed against him since he was 12.

As I remember the story, the first friend was ambushed and being slaughtered when the other two friends pulled up and were put under fire when they were ambushed.

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Judge control not gun control!

Hard to even comprehend that many felonies in such a short time. Must be quite a guy.

Haven't wondered around in Penn's Woods without a firearm since I was about 12.

First gun was a .22 Stevens Favorite...........today a 3" .357 and maybe a Ruger 77/357 or a Ruger Ranch in 5.56........and a good knife!!!!!!!!

Why, yes. Yes I can

Unless I'm going somewhere where I'm prohibited from having a gun in my vehicle I do not walk out my front door unarmed period.

Is that universal enough for you?

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Retired Career Security Guard

In Oregon you can conceal carry legally with no permit if you are going to or coming from fishing, hunting, or a gun club. So technically if you have a beater fishing rod in the car, you are good to go.
A couple years back they figured out and actually changed the law on restricting carrying a handgun during bow season. This used to be not legal. The old guilty before the crime---shooing game with a firearm during bow season just because you had the means riding in a holster. Then someone figured out it was a rights violation to restrict you from carrying a handgun when in the woods even if it was bow season.
They do still have restrictions on carrying a center-fire rifle during elk season, unless you have the proper elk tag for the season that is open. Pretty much a cluster because bear and elk seasons overlap. This means no bear hunting with a center-fire unless you also have the proper elk tag. Once again the guilty before the crime deal. Just because you have a center-fire rifle and are in pursuit of bear, does not mean you are going to poach an elk. Someday maybe the F&G people will finger out just how stupid some of their regulations are.

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"Tastes just like chicken"

Excuse me, but WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS GUY DOING OUTSIDE A JAIL CELL?!?

230 felonies? According to the article at least two of them had to included violence. But that was pretty much a given. Anyone committing that many felonies doesn't murder someone as their first act of violence. They have been violent before.

This is why 3 strikes laws need to be passed nation wide. 3 violent felonies and you never see the outside of a jail again as long as you live. Hopefully, in the case of this scum, that won't be very long.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Frostproof is a pleasant one stoplight town. Orange groves and swampland all over the place. I've eaten at the very McDonalds mentioned in the news story. Not the sort of place to expect violence. Story makes the point to always be aware of your surroundings and be prepared for the worst.

Dueling Banjo's still raises the hair on the back of my neck...and that was from 1972 ...
Yeah ... when you hear that banjo music ...Get Ready !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

As read the arrest story, the 3 perps followed the first guy from a store where he talked about going fishing in the deserted location. The Police found a bag from the store in the victim's truck, went and got the security cam footage.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

I've heard so many horror stories of folks getting murdered (or worse) in the woods, that the wild animals folks generally pack a gun for would be the least of my worries.

The fact of the matter is that the woods are the perfect place for the criminally insane because obviously they're secluded, the natural beauty of the forest attracts people, and the deceptive calm of the forest often results in folks dropping their guard, so homicidal maniacs can just hide out in the woods spying on the paths, trails and frequently used cites where folks like to setup camp then ambush/terrorize them with impunity.
People rarely talk about this sort of thing on gun forums, but I'm sure that just about every place in the country has some cautionary tale of campers in the woods getting terrorized by some psychopath. It's not just the stuff of Horror Films and Urban Legends, it happens in real life, but folks don't like to talk about it because nothing quite kills the mood of going on a camping trip in the great outdoors like that local story about campers who got murdered or how buried remains were found somewhere in the woods complete with the murder weapon.

That's one of many reasons why I don't like Bear Spray either, not all predators in the woods are of the four-legged variety, and I want something that will work at longer distances against predators who may be intelligent enough to dodge or cover/protect their eyes.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I always carry a handgun when I am in the woods, hiking, hunting or just nature walking. It has never been for bears or other predators, it is for the two legged humanoid predators.

...on fox13news.com. Cannot link it herein but it is well worth 35 minutes of your time.

Be safe...be well.

Disturbing story but cautionary too.

‘Evil in the flesh’: 3 arrested in Polk County massacre of 3 fishing buddies - Orlando Sentinel

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

It's a very disturbing story, I agree. One of the risks in this world is running into crazy killers, in bars, in the grocery store, or in the woods. Going alone into the woods is bad enough (I've done it but very heavily armed) but absent a weapon you need to rethink your plan.

If it's not legal to be in the woods or anywhere else unarmed you need to be very careful about your plan. Sadly, if you like to travel, you can find yourself in many places unarmed due to a host of restrictions. So the next thing to think about is - why are you alone?

Again, I have done it. But very heavily armed. And PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING!

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Come and take it!!

They got the bad guys, and girl. There's a vid on You Tube where the Sheriff supplies all the gory details regarding this crime and why it went down like it did.

Sounds like we have found the poster child for "Reprobate".

There probably won't be too many folks crying when they finally put him down.

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Only a cold warrior

The Appalachian Trail is infamous for these kind of attacks on long distance hikers......................

The smallest gun I carry is a 3" 60-10 w/ a couple of speedloaders.......

At our cabin in the Laurel Highlands of Pa. in the 1960s-80s you never ran into anyone on the mountain....... with everyone having a ATV these days its rare to be on the mountain and not run into someone..... or a group of 10 or more..............

..it is actually very, very safe. Among the millions who hike it, there have been only twelve (12) murders in more than eighty (80) years.

Of course it would be better if there were none, but that’s an ‘impossible’ goal...sadly.

Be safe...be well.

According to Google: "The Trek" search 11 murders since 1974 and a rape (reported?)about every 3 years.... 50% of solo hikers reported a "unsafe experience".

They all knew the killers, all 6 had arrest records and dope issues.... low life YT's. My Grand Ma would say in Broken English " You sleep with the Dogs you get the Fleas".

a person walks past 16 killers in their lifetime. Google it, it's true.

I don't go int the woods without a gun either. Unless I am hunting I don't carry a rifle, only a concealed handgun. I don't want to let anyone know there is a gun on me. It is not the good guys that I don't want to see the gun.

I liked Sheriff Judd's statement of the killers 3 brain cells.

Been a long time since I have been around that area. No way I would be out in the woods there even armed!!. About all I can say here.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Here's his news conference on the arrests.

Biggest problem is letting these rats out among decent folk because it’s too costly to warehouse them. Any person with over 200 felonies stretching back to pre puberty needs a .22 behind the ear and a hole just big enough to control the stink. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

I hardly ever go out out of the house without a gun on me, even have one on me or close by at all times while in the house. Just a week or so before this tragedy occurred there was the killing of the Doctor while out jeeping with his 17yr old son in CA. They were out with their new jeep for a ride and stopped to ask this guy for directions. Guy shoots the dad who tried to drive off and died. Son jumps out of the jeep and runs into the woods where he hides for hours trying to get cell service to get help. Police found him and arrested the perp who i think has shot two others beforehand.

The last time I was in the woods was some 10 years or so near the Youghiogheny River. I recall that somewhere off the trail was the remains of some sort of concrete structure, it was eerily silent in the area which gave me a bad feeling, so I ended up cutting my walk short and turning back.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I have a case strapped to the roll cage of the RZR so if I have a rifle it's out of sight..... it also has water purification and other handy trail stuff.

Evening walks may include some groundhog or Coyote hunting which in Pa. is pretty much 24/7/365 so a rifle is handy ........ when I do have a rifle I tend to take the 3" 60-10 (think micro 686) concealed.

Three handy trail/utility guns....

Ruger 77/357 18" .357 5 rd mag ....... 5.5lbs
Ruger Ranch 18" .22 mag with a 9rd rotary mag..... 5lb.
Ruger American Ranch 16" takes AR Mags.......10 rd standard....6lb.... but I tend to carry with a 5rd mag. with an extra or two 10round in the RZR.

Yep always bring a gun to the woods. Always.

Cooper opined a long time ago that one cannot make an appointment for an emergency. I am so rarely outside of my house without at least one gun I could not begin to tell you when I last did so. There are bad people everywhere, in every potential setting, and in every combination of pigment, plumbing, or preference, and one must always maintain situational awareness in order to detect and evade those bad folks.

230 felonies presents a problem or two. The first is, how did he get tied to so many without real consequences? Were the investigations substandard? Did the prosecutors do some stupid stuff? I find it hard to believe that someone can have that kind of indications of being a bad actor without being in custody for very long time.

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NHI, 10-8.

There has got to be one Hell of a story behind that number of felonies and the perp still walking the streets... or does he just happen to have the world's greatest defense attorney?

Attached Images

Better call Saul.jpg (9.7 KB, 39 views)

You might be talking about “Dead Man’s Hollow” between McKeesport and Boston Pa.
Dead Man's Hollow - Wikipedia

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

...not just for the 230 felony charges, but how can someone serve two (2!) jail sentences (given the 230) by the age of 26?

Multiple failures by Florida judges (prosecutors?)... dunno?

But do know this. I would right now suit up and go to work for Sheriff Grady Judd.

Be safe...be well.

Is there anybody here who thinks there is anything to the reported story that someone had "stolen an engine" from the shooter? I don't believe it at all, I think it was a bogus claim to distract / justify an outright robbery. Or maybe he planning all along to murder them. While the victims were trying to reason with a homicidal maniac as if he were a rational person... he closed the distance. I don't even believe it was a case of mistaken identity.
Was the money to pay for the fast food binge stolen from the victims?

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

I agree, but aren't we doing this already

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Jorge

Here is Sheriff Judd explaining another officer shooting.

"Polk County Florida Sheriff - "You kill a policeman it means no arrest...no Miranda rights...no negotiations...nothing but as many bullets as we can shoot into you...PERIOD."
An illegal alien, in Polk County, Florida , who got pulled over in a routine traffic stop, ended up "executing" the deputy who stopped him. The deputy was shot eight times, including once behind his right ear at close range. Another deputy was wounded and a police dog killed. A state-wide manhunt ensued.

The murderer was found hiding in a wooded area. As soon as he took a shot at the SWAT team, officers opened fire on him. They hit the guy 68 times.

Naturally, the liberal media went nuts and asked why they had to shoot the poor, undocumented immigrant 68 times.

Sheriff Grady Judd told the Orlando Sentinel: "Because that's all the ammunition we had." Now, is that just about the all-time greatest answer or what!

The Coroner also reported that the illegal alien died of natural causes. When asked by a reporter how that could be, since there were 68 bullet wounds in his body, he simply replied: (BEST QUOTE ever) ...."When you are shot 68 times you are naturally gonna die."

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triggers dog-pile egomaniacs