HAD A GUN PULLED ON ME!!!!

[Carson Coin Master]

i really don't know what topic to put this on but i don't think it matters. yesterday i called in sick and decided to go around and do some research on some spots in the outskirts of town. i stopped by this old ranch house i have been eyeballing for the last couple of weeks and decided to go ask the owner if i could hunt his property. not a good idea. i went up knocked on the door and an older gentleman probably in his late 70's to early 80's opened the door. i politely introduced myself and told him why i was there. i asked if i could metal detect on his property and with a perplexed face didn't know what i was talking about so i figured i would just show him i started to walk back to my car to take out my Garrett to show him and by the time i turned around the old man was standing there pointing what looked like a 308 at me and yelling obscenities at me telling me to get the f+++ off his property. after almost soiling myself i asked him calmly to put the gun down so i could leave then he just started waiving the rifle around and yelling i don't want what you are selling and get off my property!!! i jumped in my car and tore out of there like a bat out of hell and called the police. dispatch asked if i could wait at the end of the road until the sheriff arrived so i could give him my side of the story. the officer went down the road to talk to the old man and was gone for about 20 minutes in the mean time another deputy arrived to get a statement from me. the other sheriff came back and explained to me what happened. apparently this old guy lives by himself and is almost 80 years old very senile and probably off his meds, he thought i was trying to sell him my metal Detector. and he swore to the police he told me to leave before he had pulled his rifle out on me. anyway long story short, scared the sh#t out of me and now has me scared to knock on anyones door anymore. just thought i would share my day with everyone. that will teach me to call in sick from work.

 

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[UnEarthed72]

well i tel you what i have been thinking about it all day and even though it was a bad experience what are the chances of that ever happening again. there are still two other old ranches on that road i want to check out hopefully there not related to the guy. lol

Be carfull maybe it would be safer to write them a letter before knocking on thier door

I was thinking this same thing..maybe print up flyers explaining what your intentions are,a little bit about yourself with your phone # on them,and just place them somewhere around their door where they will see it.maybe you will get some calls without having to knock avoiding that whole situation all together.
glad everything turned out ok..it coulda easily took a turn for the worse

 

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[Ridley]

Believe it or not, this experience will only serve to help you at asking permission.

I had a guy just plain start yelling at me "WE WAN'T TO KEEP THIS PLACE PRIVATE!" I mean this guy went nuts! It was as if he had caught me trespassing instead of (asking for permission).

I felt bad about it for a few hours and then suddenly I realized, I had no fear of knocking anymore. In your case it's even more extreme, but think about it - Now when someone politely denies you permission, it won't bother you at all. You simply move on to the next best property.

Eventually you'll find a really productive spot with cool friendly owners.

Thanks for sharing that experience. HH !


Ridley

 

[JRich98150]

Oopps! Opportunity knocks but you never know who is going to answer. Don't you just love it when a situation goes out of control like that. I suppose we all should be a bit more careful out there. Glad you made it out of there all right.

JRich

 

[CaptainMorgan]

Good thing you didn't have your detector in hand. The old coot may of thought it was a rifle and shot first and asked questions later.

 

[Copperhead]

Must be real fun trick or treating in your neighborhood..

 

[paul1410]

WOW, what a story!

Glad to hear everything turned out OK.

Good luck on the next door, odds are, it can't get much worse.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[ivan salis]

the sign on his door meant what it saids --- basically I'm not a nice polite person to folks that I didn't ask over ---so don't be bothering me by knocking on my door iffin I ain't asked you to come here ---go the hell away --- (and you knocked anyway --- not a good idea )---the sign shoulda been a bigtime tipoff --- glad you wasn't hurt--- there are some folks who are "deadly" serious when it comes to "their" property--- the signs to look for are "posted" and the sign like the one on the door you saw --if you see them --don't bother them -----don't even go up and knock on the door to ask cuz its not going to be nice what you hear and see --- Ivan

 

[Yarrum]

LOL
sorry woulda been scary though, glad you came out on top.

 

[TORPEDOX]

the sign on his door meant what it saids --- basically I'm not a nice polite person to folks that I didn't ask over ---so don't be bothering me by knocking on my door iffin I ain't asked you to come here ---go the hell away --- (and you knocked anyway --- not a good idea )---the sign shoulda been a bigtime tipoff --- glad you wasn't hurt--- there are some folks who are "deadly" serious when it comes to "their" property--- the signs to look for are "posted" and the sign like the one on the door you saw --if you see them --don't bother them don't even go up to ask cuz its not going to be nice what you hear and see --- Ivan

I agree,, if I see a sign I don't even bother.

 

[rockyredbaron]

Be very very careful Joe.....all the previous posts are true...very true...that's happened to me once too...not a fun experience. Better stick to the parks, and swimming beaches !!! LOL oh and don't forget the volleyball courts too.. I'll be in touch soon about the trip out there. Do some research online ..find as many public outdoor sand volleyball courts...besides the playgrounds, I've had my best luck in the volleyball courts.

HH to all

Rick

 

[AmadorAl]

Just what does everyone think "No Solicitors" or No Soliciting" means? Some people just want to be left alone.

 

[piggman1]

Another reason you have to be carefull out in the country knocking on doors, especially if it is posted or off the beaten path, is a lot of these places are now being used for drug manufacturing. It can turn deadly real quick depending on who you encounter and when. I grew up with "cedar choppers" as they are called here in the hill country, and it was not uncommon to meet anyone who came on your property that you didn't know, with a gun, and a warning to turn around. Most of that has changed now, but it is still not uncommon.

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Wow, what a bad experience! HH, Mike

 

[melnatcat]

OMG! You got lucky!...that he wasn't senile enough to pull the trigger! Hey, you could be metal detecting your butt right about now! That would be some hunt, eh? Melnatcat

 

[treasureguy]

Hello, yes nowdays alot of people taking medication, just as bad as crack or any other drug especially when them oltimers get to mixing a little boose with it, , not as easy to knock on peoples doors or safe as many think, i live in a small town and just went to ask permission to hunt the county fairgrounds, lady said no, actually i need you to leave now, i was nice she just could not take the time to say anything nice, and i was not on someones yard or something, people are very protective nowdays and really if you think about it. i don't blame them , because the same goes with crazy people coming up to there house, you never know when a stranger could jump in the door and rob you etc, --i will tell you guys something, my friend went up to a door one time, and a guy shot 3 or 4 time through the door at him, the guy was wacked out, he never answered the door or anything, just bam bam bam shooting threw the door, and this is in a small town, the prisons are full around here and i am sure where your at also, you know most of them people are not in there for jaywalking, there is alot of crazy people out there, ---piggman you know this, very sad to hear about your loss down in texas, i hope they caught that guy,------but there is hope for gaining permission, mail the place you wish to datect and ask them for permission, give them your phone number they can call you if they don't mind, safest way i know, good luck to you

 

[Carson Coin Master]

Wow, what an experience! Maybe instead of him hearing "metal detect", he thought you called him a "mental defect"? You better stick to the casinos in Reno for coins. Oh wait, forget that. They just spit out only the paper tickets now.
Any places to detect up there in Virgina City? That is a neat little town.
Glad you survived o.k.
-MM-

havent gotten up to VC yet i was supposed to go today but right around 8:00 a.m. it started pouring rain so i figured i would wait, wel it rained all day so i was stuck home all day.

 

[Carson Coin Master]

Just what does everyone think "No Solicitors" or No Soliciting" means? Some people just want to be left alone.


well the whole no soliciting thing is a grey area. usually it means they dont want religious groups or salespeople coming to there house. i was neither so if they want to be left alone they should have a sign that says "everyone leave me alone"

 

[DJ_Quinn]

"Solicitors will be shot"
Seriously, senility and guns don't mix well together.

 

[kiddrock33]

maybe they should remove weapons from the very senile man.

 

[artemis moon]

That's a very frightening experience. I like think that he was just protecting himself and wouldn't have actually shot you, but you never know. A few months ago, I knocked on the door of a home that I'd been interested in MDing. It was a warm day, and the window next to the door was open. A large dog lunged at the screen and popped it out of the frame before the owner restrained it. I left telling the owner that I'd come at a bad time. I haven't the nerve to go back again. Be careful out there!!