Interesting encounter at the DNR shooting range

[ChalupaCabras]

This is a re-post from my thread on The High Road.

To make a long story short, I went to the Kingsburry Fish and Wildlife Area 's DNR operated shooting range on Sunday.

I open carry a lot of the time, and I was doing so that day as well. I have a valid Indiana unlimited permit. I was sighting in my rifle when i felt a tug on my belt. I spun around to find that the range officer had snuck up behind me on a hot firing line and snatched the loaded pistol from my hoster without ever making his presence known or attempting to gain my attention in any way. He just waltzed up from my 5 O'clock and grabbed it without asking.

I know how I SHOULD have reacted: I have been through a few formal carry oriented classes before, so I have been told and shown what to do when someone makes a grab for your gun, but at this moment my focus was on my front sight post and not the people around me. I had a loaded AR-15 in my hands when he did this. Needless to say, this stunt could have gotten the man a free dirt nap. Thankfully we are both still alive and well. I knew imediatley what ahppened, and I was so shocked that it had happened, that I froze up.

The range officer then proceeded to stare down at me. He was standing so close, that I didn't have enough room to stand up from the bench I was shooting at. He told me that you cant carry a gun on the line for "safety reasons". I tried to explain to him that I have a pistol permit, but he told me that it was "state law that you can't carry on DNR property", and that he needs to be in controll of all firearms so that he can be sure its safe when calling a cease fire.

If that policy is true, I don't have any problem following it. Their range, their rules. BUT the actions of this range officer were, in my view, extreemly unsafe and uncalled for. I am in the process of filing a formal complaint against the man, and have contacted Major hunter of the DNR conservation officers to try and get things moving.

What do YOU think about the situation?

 

[Scutter01]

How are you supposed to shoot if you can't have a pistol on a hot range?

 

[ChalupaCabras]

You have to have all of your guns on the bench, because your not to be trusted with a gun on your person: its "unsafe".

 

[repair]

This is a re-post from my thread on The High Road.

To make a long story short, I went to the Kingsburry Fish and Wildlife Area 's DNR operated shooting range on Sunday.

I open carry a lot of the time, and I was doing so that day as well. I have a valid Indiana unlimited permit. I was sighting in my rifle when i felt a tug on my belt. I spun around to find that the range officer had snuck up behind me on a hot firing line and snatched the loaded pistol from my hoster without ever making his presence known or attempting to gain my attention in any way. He just waltzed up from my 5 O'clock and grabbed it without asking.

I know how I SHOULD have reacted: I have been through a few formal carry oriented classes before, so I have been told and shown what to do when someone makes a grab for your gun, but at this moment my focus was on my front sight post and not the people around me. I had a loaded AR-15 in my hands when he did this. Needless to say, this stunt could have gotten the man a free dirt nap. Thankfully we are both still alive and well. I knew imediatley what ahppened, and I was so shocked that it had happened, that I froze up.

The range officer then proceeded to stare down at me. He was standing so close, that I didn't have enough room to stand up from the bench I was shooting at. He told me that you cant carry a gun on the line for "safety reasons". I tried to explain to him that I have a pistol permit, but he told me that it was "state law that you can't carry on DNR property", and that he needs to be in controll of all firearms so that he can be sure its safe when calling a cease fire.

If that policy is true, I don't have any problem following it. Their range, their rules. BUT the actions of this range officer were, in my view, extreemly unsafe and uncalled for. I am in the process of filing a formal complaint against the man, and have contacted Major hunter of the DNR conservation officers to try and get things moving.

What do YOU think about the situation?

Good for you, they will invertigate it!

 

[bigg cheese]

Ummm.. wow. Either he's got quite a grip, or your holster sucks.

Last week, I was with the wife, doing some work at my parents house, and my mom tried to be funny (not being sneaky mind you).

She was trying to tease me about "safety" around my sister's kids, and said, "well what would you do if someone grabbed your gun like...this!" trying to pull it from the holster for a good ten seconds before finally giving up . my hip holster's a cheapie 25 dollar one too..

 

[Slab]

damn man. dirt nap for someone.

im glad to hear things turned out safe, even though im sure you wont go back there.

 

[Dogman]

I think the range officer is an idiot and is very lucky that he didn't grab someone's gun that would have put him in the hospital or worse. He obviously needs retraining on how to be a range officer and how to deal with people. Do follow through with your complain otherwise he'll just continue being a dumbass and he'll end up getting someone hurt.
for keeping your cool.

 

[Rotor Talker]

What a stupid power freak RSO, sounds like a role model Range Nazi.

Keep that on the list of places to avoid, near the top.

I just hate that my taxes supports stupid people like that guy, if it really is a rule, ever hear of being professional, what a disgrace.

You might consider filing a complaint with the DNR about it,chances are won't do any good,especially if he's some political hack, but if they get enough, they might get rid of him.

Or promote him into management, LOL

 

[tomc]

Very unprofessional behaviour for the RO. I'd say you did a good call on lodging a complaint, and it's a good thing you kept your cool.

 

[AFA1CY]

Everybody id overlooking the obvious...

I tried to explain to him that I have a pistol permit, but he told me that it was "state law that you can't carry on DNR property",

Chapter and verse please.

Hello, hello, crickets.......

 

[Sajer]

I shoot there allot and i have seen him, one of the guys, come up and tap peoples pistols while in the holster, but never grab one out. He came up to me one day and just pointed and explained the rule and I said that was fine but could I practise my draw when on the line. He said yes as long as I put the pistol on the bench when a cease fire was called.

It's a decent place most of the time, but there are somoe real yahoos that shoot there and the one range guy is a little overzealous.

 

[Lucas156]

If he did that to me and I didn't know who it was he would have got buttstroked. Anyone attempting to pull your gun out of your holster especially while you are holding a "hot" weapon is putting your life and their life in danger. You just don't do that.

 

[jennybird]

Everybody id overlooking the obvious...



Chapter and verse please.

Hello, hello, crickets.......

THANK YOU! That's the same thing I'm wanting to know! Anyone?

 

[dross]

Ummm.. wow. Either he's got quite a grip, or your holster sucks.

Last week, I was with the wife, doing some work at my parents house, and my mom tried to be funny (not being sneaky mind you).

She was trying to tease me about "safety" around my sister's kids, and said, "well what would you do if someone grabbed your gun like...this!" trying to pull it from the holster for a good ten seconds before finally giving up . my hip holster's a cheapie 25 dollar one too..

I'm assuming that if it were your mother-in-law instead of your mother, you would have felt justified in using deadly force.

 

[Bushido Devil Dog]

If he did that to me and I didn't know who it was he would have got buttstroked. Anyone attempting to pull your gun out of your holster especially while you are holding a "hot" weapon is putting your life and their life in danger. You just don't do that.

That's a real good way to get and lose a few teeth....

 

[Soundslikejosh]

Was the RO an older gentleman? I've always seen the same guy, he's retired and he has always been very nice. I sure think hope it wasn't him because this is unacceptable, and I don't want to have to change my opinion of the older fella.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

There are a couple of older gentleman that staff the range. I didn't catch his name, so i dont know which one it was.

 

[Soundslikejosh]

But it wasn't a young guy?

 

[cce1302]

When a few of us met up there a couple weeks ago, the only gun that I brought to shoot was my carry gun. When the range was cold, and after I was finished firing, I kept it loaded, with one in the pipe, and in my holster under my coat. I guess the range officer didn't see me. I was incognito that day.

 

[rhino]

. . . he told me that it was "state law that you can't carry on DNR property", and that he needs to be in controll of all firearms so that he can be sure its safe when calling a cease fire.

In no particular order:

• There is and never was any such state law. He's either lying, stupid, or both.
• Even though there were DNR administrative regulations in the past that restricted carrying firearms in certain situations and on certain DNR properties (ranges were not among them for obvious reasons), those rules were eliminated a couple of years ago thanks to former DNR Director Kyle Hupfer.
• What that guy did was so incredibly stupid that you can't even call it foolish. He not only did something incredibly unsafe (for both of you), at the very least he committed both assault and criminal conversion(I'm not a lawyer). I would seek to press charges.
• He had no right and no authority whatsover to touch you in any way, much less pull a loaded gun from your holster.
• Even if you don't try to file a criminal complaint against this idiot, you need to file a complain with DNR. That kind of stupidity can't continue.
• We rarely see such a combination of aggressive stupidity, ignorance, and being a total douche bag in one person.

In the big picture, I hope you (and the rest of us) take this as a lesson about situational awareness. Too many of us think we're safe on a shooting range because we assume everyone there is a good guy and will act accordingly. That's not true. You will encounter people who will steal what you have if they can. You will ecounter people who will harm you if they can. Clearly you will also encounter idiots like the guy in question.

I understand that shooting requires some level of concentration, but you can't allow yourself to become so absorbed in it that someone can approach you from behind without you being aware. If you are aware that someone is behind you, you can't assume they are benign. You have to stop what you're doing and give them enough attention to verify if they are a threat to you or not. I'm not saying wheel around and point your rifle at them, but make the rifle safe and at least turn your head to let them know you are aware of their presence.

When I'm at the range, I prefer to be alone. If I have to share the range with someone else I don't know, I'm not going to be alone (bring a buddy). If someone enters the range while I'm there, they get my full attention until I know they are not a threat to me.