JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
42,297
Reactions
109,723
Living out in the boonies I don't usually see light in my trees at 430 AM, but I did this morning.

I got up to get something and I was walking back to my bedroom when I looked out of my living room, which has multiple large windows, across the large deck and noticed light on the trees. I did a double take to make sure it wasn't the moon, but it was only a certain area and it was not moonlight.

At that time, I figured the only way that light could be cast that way would be from my backyard or the woods behind my house, which has no lights (I intend to put one up on the house). So I figured someone was back there that should not be - no way to get there without trespassing and there are several hundred yards of my property/woods that a person would need to cross to get there.

So I got dressed, put on shoes, put on a bill cap and clipped my light to it, got the shotgun and racked a shell into the chamber, turn on the outside light by the door and stepped out. By that time the light had gone.

Turned out it was my neighbor at the upper end of my property leaving for work. He had parked his car just right such that the headlights shown thru my thinned woods (I cleared a lot of brush this last year) and it was shining over the top of my house (his driveway is about 50' higher than my house) and onto the trees on the other side of my house.

Looking back on it, yeah, that would do it.

I did clear my backyard just to make sure.

Got back inside and went to clear the shotgun and noticed the safety was still on- I leave it that way even though there is nothing in the chamber when inside the house. I need to remember that and train with it more; if I had to pull the trigger I might not have figured out the safety was on until too late.

I also need to get more lights up outside.
 
Glad it ended up just being your neighbor Heretic. Thanks for pointing out that we need to train with everything not just our daily carry!

Or respond to our bumps in the night(early morning) with our most trained weapon possible. Within reason of course.

I enjoyed the story a lot, I can imagine putting on my ball cap, gearing up, thinking the entire time what kind of drunk, dumb kid its gonna be this time.

Glad it turned out well.
 
Yesterday morning after it got light I looked up at the neighbor's shop and I could see where there were a few lines thru the trees where it was a straight unobstructed line to my house from his driveway. He is uphill from me, so car headlights would shine into my trees well over the house.

What spooked me was that it was so early, the light illuminated a good section of the trees, the light wasn't moving and it appeared like it was coming from my backyard instead of my neighbor's house. I have seen headlights in the trees before as cars come down the private road, but not like that - usually a flash of light.

Back when the loggers were here, they would be out there logging before 6 AM, moving equipment around, falling trees, and I barely noticed except for the lights. My house is well insulated and delivery trucks often drive right up to my door and I do not hear them. I need to put up the driveway sensor.
 
Or get a Dog , I would recommend German Shepherd Dog or Rottwiler, Dobermann,Boxer,all dogs Hear way better than us plus you'll have a companion to do things with that gets you . lay down his life for you all for a bowl of kibble
 
Or get a Dog , I would recommend German Shepherd Dog or Rottwiler, Dobermann,Boxer,all dogs Hear way better than us plus you'll have a companion to do things with that gets you . lay down his life for you all for a bowl of kibble

I will get a dog when I retire and I can spend time with it. As it is, I am away from home 10+ hours every weekday. Not fair to the dog.
 
I am going to get a dog soon. Either this spring or next at the latest. I need to fence my property so that she can run and play like a dog should be able to do. I also want to make sure that I have the time to train it, when it hits six months old.

I'm leaning towards either a shepard or a lab. My concern with shepards are they have a tendency to have hip problems. :(
 
Another reason why I don't hear noises outside is because I am half deaf.

Which just occurred to me while thinking about this.

I should wear my hearing protection with microphones when going outside to understand what is out there; I can turn them up such that I can then hear anything creeping up on me - otherwise it is just silence.

I always say it is very quiet up here, and it is, but much of that is because I can't hear hardly anything that is low level.
 
Another reason why I don't hear noises outside is because I am half deaf.

Which just occurred to me while thinking about this.

I should wear my hearing protection with microphones when going outside to understand what is out there; I can turn them up such that I can then hear anything creeping up on me - otherwise it is just silence.

I always say it is very quiet up here, and it is, but much of that is because I can't hear hardly anything that is low level.

That is actually a great idea!!
 
I am going to get a dog soon. Either this spring or next at the latest. I need to fence my property so that she can run and play like
a dog should be able to do. I also want to make sure that I have the time to train it, when it hits six months old.

I'm leaning towards either a shepard or a lab. My concern with shepards are they have a tendency to have hip problems. :(

Get a mutt mix that is predomedently GS and that gives you a good chance of avoiding pure breed issues.


The only dog I lost early was a pure bred (unpapered) and it was too cancer.

All the rest of my dodge have had something else mixed in and lived long lives.

My Lhasa is almost 14 and going strong - except for old man mentality lol.

I hope he hangs in there a few more years cuz I'm in the same boat as the OP, dogs at home alone for 8 hours vs he used to go everywhere with me including work.

As it sits now I won't be able to get another dog until my kid and wife are out of college and making enough that I can get a job where I'm able to take a puppy with me.
 
Sorry, back in topic...

I leave all of my guns with the safety off with the exception of my 1911 which is in a quick access safe and I don't feel comfortable leaving it cocked so it is chambered and cocked a quarter click.

I figure if I want the safety on it's easier to remember all of my guns are hot and not end up with the problem the OP ran into.
 
Last Edited:

Upcoming Events

Oregon Arms Collectors March Gun Show
Portland, OR
Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

Back Top