Shots fired, what would you have done?

[Capt Steve]

We were in a very isolated campground, no one else there, 5 miles down a dirt road up in the Aspens and pines right on the Idaho/Wyoming border. Gorgeous doesn't do the place justice. We were settled in, with a nice fire just before sunset when I heard two gunshots 30 seconds apart. Sounded like a large rifle probably 500 yards off.

Five minutes later the two shots, again 30 seconds apart repeated but this time they were closer. This pattern continued through shots 5,6,7 and 8 each pair coming closer until 7 and 8 sounded like they were inside of 250 yards. At this point it was nearly dark and I figured no one would be target shooting. The pattern did not seem to what a hunter would do and clearly whoever it was had (hopefully), no idea we were there.

As is my habit in isolated campgrounds I was wearing my MP9c and at this point I had had enough. I fired two rounds 5 seconds apart, into the creek bank just outside of our site. The silence that followed was deafening.

About 15 minutes later an old car with one guy in it slowly cruised through the campground loop giving me a serious eyeball which I was happy to return along with a semi friendly wave. We never heard another shot or saw the guy again and a coming storm chased us out the next morn ing. we clocked the distance to the nearest farmhouse at 4.5 miles going out.

I guess I could have just honked the horn or hollered to let him know we were there but a couple of rounds seemed the best way to demonstrate not only that we were there but armed as well. It turned out fine but i'm curious, what would you guys have done?

Here is a shot of our campsite:



This is a shot of the road in, the site was another 4 miles up this road:

 

[JPriest]

I would have done just what you did.

 

[ibewbull]

Well I do not think I would have dropped the hammer.

I think I would have went for a walk to investigate. Without advertising my presence. Maybe drove instead of walking.

The MP 9c would be comforting but going to such an isolated place would make me think bigger. Like an 870 or Winchester Defender. I like having all the bases covered and a 12 gauge seems to fit the plan.

I once had a problem with a possible drug crazed camper running through our site. He ran down a hill to where the boats were and I yelled what the F is going on. He started swearing a blue streak and saying he was going to kick my a*s. I grabbed a fire poker which was an old ax handle and my only gun. A 25 Bauer in my shirt pocket and he approached. He never slowed down and as i put the ax handle up it hit him in the chest a bit hard. He ranted on until I just told him to get the hell out of here. I have no clue as to what was up at all.
After things calmed down I went to check the .25 and it was so full of sand and such it would not have functioned more than 1 round. It took soaking and a lot of monkey business to get the round out of the chamber. I sold the stainless 25 and went to a revolver.
The 25 and 380 is a "cute back up but not for me any more.
Not while i have a 640 or 642 and better yet a 686 handy.
I am curious to see what else is posted here.

 

[Qball]

Maybe his friend was lost in the forest, and he was just guiding him home?

I'm glad you'r ok.

 

[moosedog]

I think you handled it quite well.
A car horn or a gun shot, either one.

 

[redlevel]

I would not have fired my weapon.

 

[sophie]

I would have done just what you did also especially if the shots were sounding like they were getting closer to you.

You just can't beat a campfire outside in the mountains.

 

[Bill Bates]

Looks like a nice area to hunt grouse.

A smile and a wave seemed like the right and best response.

 

[gdnagle]

Car horn or whistle would have been better for me. I don't think I'd want to announce that I had a firearm as I didn't know what was going on with the feller. At worst the guy had a rifle and I had a handgun doesn't seem to be a fair match to me as he could reach out and touch someone with it if that was his intention. If the person had evil intentions and didn't know I was armed they would probably just come into camp which could be a different story then as they would be in handgun range. No one else around I'd want them to know I was there but keeping that I was armed to myself. Everyone knows or should know 3 shots fired in rapid secession is the proper form of distress.

Besides if he was signaling someone or something it would possibly confuse whoever or whatever they were trying to signal.

 

[arjay]

Maybe you were too close to his pot farm or still ;-)
I would have,and have done,the same as you.

 

[Capt Steve]

"Everyone knows or should know 3 shots fired in rapid secession is the proper form of distress."



That is precisely why I fired twice, not three times.

 

[PA Guns & Ammo]

Probably drug dealers. Did you get a license plate number by any chance?

James

 

[walkin jack]

I'd have done the same dern thang if it'd been me. Some might think a horn honk is an adequate response to numerous rifle shots but I believe your response was reasonable and acceptable. I might not have waited as long as you did but I would have responded with shots of my own.

 

[Arik]

Letting someone know you are armwd is not always a deterrent.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[dcxplant]

Letting someone know you are armwd is not always a deterrent.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

No kidding. Here an example. A man open carrying was robbed at gunpoint of his open carry pistol!

The open carry man was known to open carry daily, and it caught up to him.

Man Legally Carrying Gun Robbed at Gunpoint - TODAY'S TMJ4

I would have honked or made some other noise. I don't like people knowing I'm armed.

I woud not have gone walking around looking for the guy either!! Holly cow that is asking for some serious trouble, either evil or accidental.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

IMO the OP did the right thing. The results seem to support that. I'm not sure that I would have been smart enough to handle it that way, but I might have. 250 yd, if it was that, was a good distance at which to make noise. A little far for the perp to see his possible target. I think that I might have surreptitiously moved myself and my wife into the trees away from the campsite.

I like the friendly wave. I probably would have been smart enough to do that. I like the two shots - makes it fairly clear that it was a response. Like the 5-second interval - makes it easier to believe that you had a rifle.

JMO.

 

[Mcwsky09]

backup?

No kidding. Here an example. A man open carrying was robbed at gunpoint of his open carry pistol!

The open carry man was known to open carry daily, and it caught up to him.

Man Legally Carrying Gun Robbed at Gunpoint - TODAY'S TMJ4

I would have honked or made some other noise. I don't like people knowing I'm armed.

I woud not have gone walking around looking for the guy either!! Holly cow that is asking for some serious trouble, either evil or accidental.

Sounds like that guy should have had a backup. or carry a fake or replica or disabled gun open and the real deal concealed.
would be pretty funny to see the criminal try to use a stolen gun only to have it blow up in his face.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I reckon I would have kept my carry gun holstered.

 

[arjay]

I suspect he had no clue that you were there.And you let him know ;-)

 

[Smoke]

Maybe I was in the Army too long but it seems to me I’d be better off pulling back into the trees and doing some observation before letting the whole world know where I was.