Picking berries

[volshooter]

Was out this afternoon picking wild raspberries. Had my berry poke hung on my Vaquero handle. My every day rig is a western style. Been picking the same vines for 30 years. Some are on my property, most are along the side of the road to my place.
Heard a vehicle come by and a female voice say "he has a gun". They pulled in 2 doors down. Bout 20 minutes went by and another vehicle came by, my back was to the road. This one stopped. I heard, "hey, what are you doing?". Looked around and it was a LEO. I said " I'm picking berries". Leo said " where do you live and why are you carrying a revolver", to him I replied " right here, for snakes........ and cause I can, is there a problem?" Grinning he said no and drove two doors down. Out of the corner of my eye I watched him talk to the folks that live there. Could not hear what was said, but LEO left.
What is wrong with these folks moving here? Seeing a feller with a firearm is not uncommon. I only talked to these folk once before and had trouble understanding them. They called 911 because my rat terrier got loose. Animal control picked him up. My name, address and phone # was on his collar.
The guy that lives next to them told me last week that he did not own any firearms but kept a baseball bat handy (he is from NY). During that conversation he complained about all the noise caused by my family shooting. He admitted we had the right, but it is the noise that upset the neighbors. We shoot bout 600 yards away from the road and in the opposite direction. Not to mention a ridge between us and the valley.
I am starting to get that feeling that I had in the 80's when all those folk from up north moved here and tried to change here. WE still don't care how you did it up there. GO HOME!

 

[GunnyGene]

Haven't had that particular problem here - yet. Just about all my neighbors that have enough land shoot and hunt their own property or their relatives & friends, so gunfire around here is pretty common. Nobody pays any attention to it. In fact, our one and only LGS has 2 outdoor ranges, a pistol/shotgun range right outside the shop, and a 200yd rifle range on the other side of hiway 45. I see guys out on both of them from the road pretty regular. No fences, or nothin, just backstops.

A couple years ago, my closest neighbor (about 500yds north of me) cut loose with a full auto off his back porch. M-16 I think, at least it sounded familiar. :mrgreen:

 

[southernfarmer1021]

Amen

 

[Kevin]

I agree. If you are shooting 600 yards away in the opposite direction it couldn't be that loud could it? I've got guns but I do also have a baseball bat by my bed. Ya just never know....

 

[graygun]

No baseball bat here but a loaded 9mm in the bedside table. I don't know how many in the neighborhood are armed.

What good is a bat going to do against an armed intruder unless you somehow are very lucky? Even armed you may go down.

 

[Colonialgirl]

The guy next door to me was shooting one his of the Ruger Rifles (forget which now); We talked guns a bit, told him that I've been known to pop a squirrel or two with my SS 22lr. Guy down the road pops off with his shotgun every now and then too, Don't know what at. Somebody else in the neighborhood has something pretty High Caliber, hope he reloads or enjoys spending his money.

 

[Selena]

I feel your pain, at least once a year some clown "retires" here to "get away from the mess in Chicago and invariably starts trying to duplicate the idiocy they have there. I remember one gentleman in particular that call the sheriff when the guys where using the rifle range. (Dad had just gotten Gramps a Garand) The guy claimed we had full auto weapons and it sounded like a war zone. Dad was told the dispatcher told him to call back when they ran out of ammunition.

That reminds me, I need to go check on the blackberries.

 

[contender]

volshooter,,, I feel your pains.
I live over a few ridges from you,,, and we experience a lot of the same attitudes by new residents around here. I have experienced a few run-ins with these types as well. So far,,, none have been successful in convincing the law that any illegal activity was going on. (They seem to think it's illegal to carry, or shoot guns.)
I also open carry some, as well as CCW in public. It depends upon where I'm at. I have had many "comments" made to me, or near me about my guns.
A few examples;
(whispering;) "He's carrying a gun!" (friend,) "Yes,,, they have concealed carry in NC."

When I was carrying a 45, tucked into my belt, with the grip exposed; "Hey buddy,,, excuse me,, your gun isn't concealed!" My reply; "No,,, because NC allows open carry as well as CCW!"

"He's carrying a gun,,, he must be a cop!"

"Call a cop,,, that guy is carrying a gun! He's gonna shoot us all!" (When the LEO arrived,,, he spoke with that female with her head in her posterior where everything is like Disney) & she grabbed him by the shirt sleeve, & pointed me out. She said: "See there he is,,, arrest him!" Unfortunately for her, the LEO actually knew me,,, and he told the lady to release his shirt. She didn't & "demanded" he arrest me. He politely told her to release him or she would be arrested for assaulting a police officer. She let go, but got more vocal. He told her to calm down & he was trying to explain to her what I was doing was perfectly legal. She didn't want to hear it. I heard her say; "Why kind of place do you have here where you threaten law abiding citizens & let crazy people walk around with guns?" He politely TRIED to explain that I too was a law abiding citizen ENJOYING my LEGAL rights of carrying a gun. She kept trying to tell him; "Where I'm from it's illegal for people to own guns & carry them like that!" As calmly as he could,,, he told her that she was in NC NOW & it was LEGAL. (God Bless him for his patience with her.) She ranted & raved a bit more before stomping off. He came over to me said "Hi" & thanked me for not
coming over & engaging in the conversation. (He knows me quite well.) He had a few choice feelings about her & her attitude.
He came real close to arresting her for assault on a LEO,,, but he knew it's get reduced or thrown out.

One recent trip to Cracker Barrel,,, Miss Penny & I were enjoying lunch. I was wearing a T-shirt that has a strong conservative christian message on it. As we were leaving,,, a trio of ladies were headed out as well. As I held the door for them, one lady stopped & said; "I like your shirt,, and that too" as she patted her hip in the same place as my gun was. I thanked her & told her; "It's like my britches; If one is on, so is the other!" She just cackled!

And lastly just for laughs, a comment by a lady where I did a squirrel removal job. She owned a log cabin, in the woods, and she put out 50 lbs of corn & 50 lbs of dog food weekly as well as daily filling of a large bird feeder. All this to feed the animals. Her land was bare dirt from the animals searching for food every day. Her comment; "I wouldn't have bought a house in the woods if I knew these animals would move into the house with me!" When I tried to explain that SHE was the reason they moved in, by all her feeding,,, she still refused to stop feeding them!

Some people live in such a fantasy world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!

 

[Cooperhawk]

We do have some similar problems here in the back woods of Minnesooooota, but since most of the neighbors shoot, and the ones that do not have grown used to it, our problem is folks that move here from the city and do not like the sound of diesel trucks idling in the fields, air tools being used on machinery, the odor of manure, (I kinda don't enjoy that either), and in general whatever happens in farm country.

They also attend Town Board meetings and video tape them. They do their best to intimidate board members and force through ordinances that are fashioned after their big city ones.

I think they should just move back to where they were comfortable and leave us alone. I also accuse the men on the board of letting these women collect their testicles and keep them in their purses. :shock:

 

[graygun]

Cities make me sick in some ways. Even here,the four large urban areas (and environs) do not repesent the state in general. I've already seen some Hildebeast 2016 stickers.

 

[DGW1949]

I'm feeling you guys.
Texas has a lot of transplants Herself, and more are arriving daily.
Just yesterday I was reading a piece in the Houston Chronicle about the Democratic candidate for Governor. It seems that her goal is to reach all the women and hispanics with the battle cry of "Texas needs change".

Lord help us.

DGW

 

[graygun]

I'm feeling you guys.
Texas has a lot of transplants Herself, and more are arriving daily.
Just yesterday I was reading a piece in the Houston Chronicle about the Democratic candidate for Governor. It seems that her goal is to reach all the women and hispanics with the battle cry of "Texas needs change".

Lord help us.

DGW

We need change from the change. I think that creature is actually a native of this state.

 

[gramps]

I have been black berry picking for 2 weeks now. On my property or on the road just off my property I open carry. If I go down the road I conceal. I have a range on my property. My neighbors 20 yo son has a band? He makes a lot of noise, screechings, etc. it bothers me in evening when I am out enjoying the animal life/calls. I keep my mouth shut. When it is too much I go inside and turn on the radio. Watch out for ticks. I have had 3 attach, picked maybe 20+ off looking for a home! I had a patient recently who had removed a tick from the top of his foot. Clinically looked like a brown recluse bite with necrotic tissue, abscess formation with tunneling. He was positive for Lyme disease, and Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever-disease! Kept getting worse despite massive amounts of appropriate antibiotics. He was shipped to a teaching hospital. Ya'll be safe out there!
gramps

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

We do have some similar problems here in the back woods of Minnesooooota, but since most of the neighbors shoot, and the ones that do not have grown used to it, our problem is folks that move here from the city and do not like the sound of diesel trucks idling in the fields, air tools being used on machinery, the odor of manure, (I kinda don't enjoy that either), and in general whatever happens in farm country.

They also attend Town Board meetings and video tape them. They do their best to intimidate board members and force through ordinances that are fashioned after their big city ones.

I think they should just move back to where they were comfortable and leave us alone. I also accuse the men on the board of letting these women collect their testicles and keep them in their purses. :shock:

That sounds an awful lot like Aitkin county.....

 

[Cooperhawk]

Dakota County. Pretty similar.

 

[volshooter]

Only one tick so far, no chiggers. I keep sprayed round the boots/pants area. We too have an open carry permit system. I only open carry on private property just to avoid causing a ruckus for non natives, as well I do not want to advertise.
Our shooting area is backed by a small mountain. The Yankees claim the sound comes down the hollers. These are the same folk who mow their yards at 0600. Lord knows I have tried to like them but I am not changing to suit them. My side of the road is full of ridges and old growth woods. Their side is flat.
If I ever move Texas will be my first choice. Our states have a history and it is said like minded. Yall think a berry picking, gun toting simple feller like me would fit in an area away from any city but still in Texas? Looking for low humidity.

 

[gramps]

Volshooter you would fit fight in in the "Hill Country" In fact you would swear you were still in Tn! :)
gramps

 

[contender]

Gramps,,, he might feel as if he's in Tn,,,, if he's judging the folks & attitudes,, but in Tn,,, there is more greenery, water & such! :D

 

[graygun]

The liberals are far more active in politics than conservatives;we should not let them force their values on us. Also,everything should be put to the vote. Judges may overturn some things but we must stick with our beliefs and causes.

I haven't been picking any berries but am buying a lot of them lately.

 

[gramps]

Contender, you haven't been to the Hill Country have you? Down in Del Rio we were having a drought, and Amistad Lake was drying up. 100 miles North it was lush!
gramps

 

[Galaxiedan]

The liberals are far more active in politics than conservatives;we should not let them force their values on us.

Amen.
Its not just shooting and guns either. I grew up in a small town in Indiana that had a dragstrip since the 50s maybe. When it was built umm sure it was in the middle of nowhere but homes got built around it and in the mid 90s it was finally shut down by a new housing subdivision with new transplants that didn't like the noise! The small minority that raced there weren't as vocal as the opposition.

 

[contender]

Gramps,,, yep,, I've been almost all of Texas at one time or another. Yes,,,it can be "lush" by Tx standards,,, but not the same as Tenn! Still I enjoy a lot of Tx as well as Tn. Both are pretty good places to live!

 

[volshooter]

Used to fight chickens in Del Rio, (New Port). (If you been there a while you know what I mean) Yep I live in TN. right close to 407 exit off of I-40. You know the one, exit to Bass Pro, Smokey Mtn. knife works, Dollywood and the Smokey mountains. Tourist central.
Just getting crowded and I hate the humidity, sweat like a hog.