So, yeah. Been open carrying for about five months, had absolutely nothing but 100% positive experiences. People either make no deal about it whatsoever or are curious. But a negative incident was bound to happen sooner or later.
I was out running on public DNR land with my dog. Some guy - never seen him before in my life - comes on, and starts screaming at me about the dog. I guess you aren't supposed to have pets there? And I mean actually screaming at me, he didn't even start with niceties. My dog barked at him, of course - he doesn't much like it when other people are acting aggressively toward me. Most dogs don't.
I just ignore the guy and keep running, I don't really much care to get in an altercation. My first instinct has been and always will be to disengage and avoid conflict. I find it makes life much easier. Carrying a weapon doesn't change that, if anything, it makes me even more likely to try to avoid conflict. I want to avoid situations even more than usual, that risk putting me in a position where I may have to use it for self-defense. Anyway, moving on...
Since I was on my last lap anyway I just exited the trail (I was only about 200 feet away from the exit by that point) and walked around the paved parking area for my cooldown phase (bad idea to go to a complete stop after running). Normally I walk the trail one more time for my cooldown phase but I didn't want to encounter that guy again. I did check the sign on my way out - and sure enough, no pets. I usually see other people walking their dogs so that was a bit surprising to me.
I figure by the time this guy gets to the end and walks back I'll be done and gone and I'll just chalk it up to a crazy person being crazy. Well instead of doing that he just follows me out and starts screaming at me and telling me to keep the dog away (which he was, at this point...he was in the parking area). I'm a little wary at this point but he doesn't really seem to be a danger, just nuts. Not dangerous nuts, just a...****-stirrer, I guess is the proper term. Starts saying he's going to call the DNR on me - I'm thinking okay? Go right ahead, not doing anything wrong...
Keeps yelling, I tell him to mind his own business and leave me alone, tell him to just keep walking, etc. After that he starts making threats at me - "better be glad you have that dog with you" and "why don't you put that dog and your gun in the truck and then come finish this" among other "wannabe tough guy" threats.
He starts walking toward me, when I'm like...more than 50 feet away or something, starts screaming to keep my dog away from him and jumps up on a fence.
I just rolled my eyes, told him to go on his way, and kept walking. He goes and sits in his truck, I finish my laps and get in the truck and leave. He gets out of his truck and walks toward mine as I'm driving off...and I'm thinking, uh, uh-oh, is he going to start a problem here?
I go home and talk to my dad (reserve officer), called up the county sheriff's department to report the incident. The guy also followed me home and at this point I really was starting to get a bit nervous about what level of crazy he was. My dad walks up toward the road to talk to him and see what the hell was going on, he just speeds up and runs off.
Pretty quick two county deputies pull into my driveway. I get the dog in my truck and go shake hands, talk to them, let them know what happened, give them my license & permit. Apparently this guy had called in and told them I was walking around in tight circles and waving my gun in the air (it was on my hip in my holster where it always is, and *hopefully* always will be - if I draw it's because I have reason to believe I need to use it in self-defense - I don't *want* to ever have to use it though...which is part of the reason I open carry).
They were polite and courteous, as was I, no real complaints. Well, one, I guess, but it's not something I really want to make a deal out of, needless to say it's something that has been covered dozens of times on this forum even just since I joined.
DNR officer showed up, basically just said - can't have the dog there, I said, okay, I understand that, no problem (I see other dogs there all the time, it's a popular dog-walking spot, so I assumed it was allowed). Everyone shook hands and left.
I don't know what kind of crazy this guy is so needless to say I will be having a lot of extra hyper-vigilant SA these next few weeks.
And I have no plans to quit open carrying, either. One idiot in five months versus the hundreds of positive and/or indifferent reactions is not enough to change my mind. And oddly enough it was more about the dog than the gun, anyway. See the Argument for Open Carry thread here on INGO =/. I think that makes a pretty good case or at least it does to me.
I was out running on public DNR land with my dog. Some guy - never seen him before in my life - comes on, and starts screaming at me about the dog. I guess you aren't supposed to have pets there? And I mean actually screaming at me, he didn't even start with niceties. My dog barked at him, of course - he doesn't much like it when other people are acting aggressively toward me. Most dogs don't.
I just ignore the guy and keep running, I don't really much care to get in an altercation. My first instinct has been and always will be to disengage and avoid conflict. I find it makes life much easier. Carrying a weapon doesn't change that, if anything, it makes me even more likely to try to avoid conflict. I want to avoid situations even more than usual, that risk putting me in a position where I may have to use it for self-defense. Anyway, moving on...
Since I was on my last lap anyway I just exited the trail (I was only about 200 feet away from the exit by that point) and walked around the paved parking area for my cooldown phase (bad idea to go to a complete stop after running). Normally I walk the trail one more time for my cooldown phase but I didn't want to encounter that guy again. I did check the sign on my way out - and sure enough, no pets. I usually see other people walking their dogs so that was a bit surprising to me.
I figure by the time this guy gets to the end and walks back I'll be done and gone and I'll just chalk it up to a crazy person being crazy. Well instead of doing that he just follows me out and starts screaming at me and telling me to keep the dog away (which he was, at this point...he was in the parking area). I'm a little wary at this point but he doesn't really seem to be a danger, just nuts. Not dangerous nuts, just a...****-stirrer, I guess is the proper term. Starts saying he's going to call the DNR on me - I'm thinking okay? Go right ahead, not doing anything wrong...
Keeps yelling, I tell him to mind his own business and leave me alone, tell him to just keep walking, etc. After that he starts making threats at me - "better be glad you have that dog with you" and "why don't you put that dog and your gun in the truck and then come finish this" among other "wannabe tough guy" threats.
He starts walking toward me, when I'm like...more than 50 feet away or something, starts screaming to keep my dog away from him and jumps up on a fence.
I just rolled my eyes, told him to go on his way, and kept walking. He goes and sits in his truck, I finish my laps and get in the truck and leave. He gets out of his truck and walks toward mine as I'm driving off...and I'm thinking, uh, uh-oh, is he going to start a problem here?
I go home and talk to my dad (reserve officer), called up the county sheriff's department to report the incident. The guy also followed me home and at this point I really was starting to get a bit nervous about what level of crazy he was. My dad walks up toward the road to talk to him and see what the hell was going on, he just speeds up and runs off.
Pretty quick two county deputies pull into my driveway. I get the dog in my truck and go shake hands, talk to them, let them know what happened, give them my license & permit. Apparently this guy had called in and told them I was walking around in tight circles and waving my gun in the air (it was on my hip in my holster where it always is, and *hopefully* always will be - if I draw it's because I have reason to believe I need to use it in self-defense - I don't *want* to ever have to use it though...which is part of the reason I open carry).
They were polite and courteous, as was I, no real complaints. Well, one, I guess, but it's not something I really want to make a deal out of, needless to say it's something that has been covered dozens of times on this forum even just since I joined.
DNR officer showed up, basically just said - can't have the dog there, I said, okay, I understand that, no problem (I see other dogs there all the time, it's a popular dog-walking spot, so I assumed it was allowed). Everyone shook hands and left.
I don't know what kind of crazy this guy is so needless to say I will be having a lot of extra hyper-vigilant SA these next few weeks.
And I have no plans to quit open carrying, either. One idiot in five months versus the hundreds of positive and/or indifferent reactions is not enough to change my mind. And oddly enough it was more about the dog than the gun, anyway. See the Argument for Open Carry thread here on INGO =/. I think that makes a pretty good case or at least it does to me.
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