We had a houseful for a delightful Xmas and enjoyed the 72 degree day mostly sitting out on the patio. On Sunday my buddies bride and mine decided to go for a hike. Eight miles north of our community is a new Robson adult community, SaddleBrooke Ranch. There about 75 new homes surrounding the golf course. Now this community will ultimately be over 12,000 homes with additional golf courses planned so naturally they own thousands of acres of high rolling Sonoran desert. The entire project is fenced with 4 strand barb wire with signs every 50 yards stating clearly "No hunting or shooting". A nature trail, inside the fence follows the perimeter of the project for several miles winding through the washes. The land outside of this project is State Trust land where hunting is permitted.

As the girls were walking along the trail they heard the occasional bark of a distant shotgun which is not all that unusual as the dove and quail hunting is pretty good. They were a couple hundred yards past the last house when they heard the roar of a very close shotgun. They were looking around trying to figure where and just how close the shots were originating from when the dirt on the trail a few yards in front of them exploded from another shotgun blast. My bride screamed at the top of her lungs "There are people here". Now these jackwagons had to have seen them and were firing directly into the subdivision, through the posted fence in what I can only guess was their idea of fun. This was not a case of spent pellets dropping out of the sky but a deliberate shot across their path.

They saw a couple of guys off in the brush no more than forty yards away as the they fled the area. By the time they hiked back out to the car the idiots were long gone. I wished they had called 911 but given the lack of response from Pinal county sheriffs the last time we had a gun incident my bride figured "what's the point".

We've talked to other neighbors and they too have reported people hunting/shooting in proximity to homes with virtually no response from the authorities. I guess they figure by the time they get there the miscreants have exfiltrated the area. I wish I had been there as I would have been armed. My response would have been to loudly announce that the sheriff had been called, that I was armed and would return any further fire as we fled. It is hard to imagine anyone being that STUPID and I am just glad that the girls were able to flee uninjured. I'll be taking up this incident with the corporate offices of the developer for all of the good that will do. What in the hell is wrong with some people???

If calling 911 doesn't do any good - Call 1911!

Could be they (?) were just trying to scare your lady folks - Then again they may have just missed.

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In dog years I'm dead.

When seconds count, the police are only minutes away. Well, maybe hours away... or maybe they aren't coming at all.

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A closed mouth gathers no foot

And people wonder why I carry a pistol when I'm out woods bummin!

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

I's illegal in AZ to discharge a firearm while hunting within 1/4 mile of any occupied structure --- which may draw AZ Game & Fish Dept. into the picture as a possibly responding LE agency. But if the SO represents a "thin blue line" you haven't seen thin until you've seen the thin "green" line of game law enforcement...

Yet some folks think 2A is the supreme law of the land ...and all people should be allowed to possess guns. Regardless. Period.

Hmmmmm...

Be safe.

The problem becomes this: Who gets to pick those who get to own 'em? You? Me?

I like Me. You probably like You. We're at an impasse.

Ha, ha! No way do I want to pick them but will always maintain someone should...somehow.

Be safe.

Around here you would probably get quicker results calling the Dept. of Conservation. In fact, that's what local law enforcement might do. Complaining to the state police might get the local's attention too.
Barring any of that, I'd ask people to travel in groups if they are going to walk out there.
You said it was a new and growing development. They might be folks who have shot on this land for years and resent losing the access to the area. Could be guys who bid on the building contract and lost out too. Hopefully, after making some calls to the law, you won't have anymore trouble.