Good guys and bad guys this week!

[Archie]

Good guys:
I have been PM-ing back-and-forth with Bisch, a TradGang regular, and we worked out a deal for some arrows/shafts that I needed that he didn't.  There are a lot of great people here on TG, and he is one of them.  Thanks, Bisch!

Bad guys:
Late afternoon last Friday, I was out shooting my bow in my large, secluded backyard.  As I was about to draw for a shot, I saw a guy walking toward me from the direction of someone else's backyard, walking with a fast and determined stride.  I figured it was a neighbor I'd never met, who was mad because I was shooting a bow.  He came closer up to me and started mumbling, "The cops are after me, man..."  I could tell right away that he was on drugs or something.  He never stopped walking, and came up closer, reached out for my bow and said, "Gimme that, gimme that."  By now I was back-peddling and getting really nervous.  I had a bow quiver full of sharp broadheads and knew that if we got into a scuffle, he might pull one out, and the situation could escalate quickly.  I shouted at him and he turned and left pretty quick.  He had backed me up about 15 yards, and it was clear that he was not all there.  I called the sheriff and they came and found him a few houses over from mine, and they took it from there.  For a few seconds there I was wondering if I was going to have to try to shoot him in self-defense, as my 6-year old daughter was out there too. I'm glad it didn't go that way, though.  Strange.  It really bothered me that he came and tried to get my bow away from me.  Just some nut who showed up in the neighborhood.

[pdk25]

Were you shooting a Black Widow?  That has been known to happen, lol.  Just kidding.  You are one of the good guys on here, too.  Sorry for your scary experience.

[manitou1]

Whew... if some fella tried to take my bow and got within my "bubble" in a threatening matter like that I fear I would end up in court.  You have good restraint, my friend.

[Dendy Cromer]

i've been treated very well by everybody on here save for one- and he's history- good riddance. No room in trad archery for that type of nonsense.
 As for your episode- good job keeping your head- there is a buzzer that we all have that goes off when enough is enough. heed the buzzer, and protect your own.

[Mike Vines]

I'll 2nd Bisch being a stand up guy, and the other dude must have been watching an old episode of The Dukes of Hazzard.

[DWT]

I hate to be pessimistic but as Our population increases and the pressures of society create more of these nut jobs its everyones responsibility to be prepared to defend themselves at all times. Im glad it didnt escalate any further for you or your daughter. And there is definately a high percentage of good folks on this site and in the traditional community in general.

[Archie]

The weird incident happened so fast I hardly had time to think, especially since I thought it was starting out as a potentially legitimate complaint from a neighbor.  I am quick to apologize about things like that, since I don't want to endanger my freedom to shoot my bow in my yard.  Had it not started out like that, I would never have let him come 50 yards onto my property the way he did, without being prepared for the worst.  

I agree that there appear to be more and more nut jobs out there these days.  And here in IL, we're the only state with no concealed carry...

[rmorris]

Roman, sorry I scared you like that, it was one of those days... All joking aside, you sound very level headed and you did a good job keeping the situation under control. There is a time to react and a time to defend and thankfully your smart wits allowed you to keep the situation under control so your daughter did not have to witness anything that would scar her innocent mind. Thank you for your story and it will help me to remain aware no matter how safe of a location I think I am in.

Good gosh, Roman! I'm sure glad you did not have to waste one of those brand new shafts on that guy!

I'm really glad that did not go bad for you.

It was a pleasure to deal with you and I hope those arrows last a long time for you.

Bisch

[huntmaster80]

Wow im glad the situation didnt get any worse that it did.  Great job handling the problem and not escalating it.

[TommyBoy]

Should've shot him ...

[RC]

I would have probably let him have the bow...one lick at the time.RC

[Rob W.]

In fight or flight situations I don't think my flight response got wired up right.    


I'm glad things didn't get worse. Some days I want to move to the middle of nowwhere with my family and leave society behind. Most days that is.


Rob

[bornagainbowhunter]

Originally posted by RC:
I would have probably let him have the bow...one lick at the time.RC

My thoughts exactly, must be the redneck in me.
I am very easy to get along with, but not when the situation involves my family.

I find shooting to be relaxing, when I am shooting well anyway, but that situation seems anything but relaxing.

God Bless,
Nathan

[lpcjon2]

In jersey I would have gotten busted digging the hole after the encounter. You have to protect you and your daughter first and foremost!The loonies are amongst us every time you leave the house, you always have to have be aware and keep the mental upper hand.
  I hope the event didnt cause your little girl any subconscious trauma. Did you talk to her and explain these things happen when ill people dont take care of themselves.

[wollelybugger]

You did the right thing, you really don't want to get into a fight with someone whos on drugs. I worked in a prison and inmates who are high on something dont feel any pain and are hard to control. I had one inmate twist off his handcuffs, now that will give you a religious moment.lol Chances are if you would of started something you would of had to really hurt him or even kill him. Alls well that ends well. Glad you are alright.

[Cochise]

note to self..buy a tweeker tag..

[Archie]

Things happened pretty fast.  I'm pretty non-confrontational by nature, and by the time I realized what the situation really was, it was almost over.  I sure didn't want to get into a fisticuffs match, not with a nut case with who-knows-what kind of issues.  I remember thinking, "Can I get an arrow out of my bowquiver and on the string before he grabs ahold of it?"

If you could see my nice, serene, secluded back yard, and excellent, established, suburban family neighborhood, you'd understand why this was all such a surprise.

EDIT:  Here is a YouTube video I posted last year, that shows my yard.  The incident happened about 20 yards this side of where the target is.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzzTglbteLU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Jon Stewart]

I would rather be judged by 12 than buried by 6.

There are some real nut cases out there.  I was a cop in the ghetto for 25 years and survived by acting just a little bit crazier than the bad guy.

Glad things worked out for you though BUT, you just never know.

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Archie,

You handled it perfectly, if you would have shot him some reporter would have made a big deal about it and some actavist would have tried to get rid of bowhunting.

You handled it perfectly.