Neighbors

**Matt88s** · 12th August 2007, 03:17 PM

I was working outside tonight, prepping my blazer to paint it, when the dogs started barking at something along the front edge of the property. I recently finished up totally encompassing my property with a new fence and I knew the dogs couldn’t get out and whatever they were barking at couldn’t get in so I didn’t pay much attention. However while I was waiting for some body filler to set up I took a peek around the house to see what it was, it looked like some people congregating at the corner of my property so I decided it warranted investigation and went inside and returned with my rifle and spotlight and went investigating. It turned out the “people” were instead a pair of horses, beautiful dusty gray colored horses.

Right about then a truck went roaring past so I decided something needed to be done before someone driving down the road in the dark hit one of them and someone was hurt. So I went to trade the rifle for a bucket of feed and on my way back one of my neighbors came pulling up, rolled down their window, and in their characteristic drugged slur said something to the effect of if I was missing any horses. I said no, mine aren’t loose, but there are a pair out here somewhere (meaning be careful and try not to run them down). They said yep, they are right up there, and proceeded to run them down the road with their truck, honking, etc. ???

There was no call for that, it was just a pair of horses.

I couldn't tell if they were just drugged out of their mind and being crazy or if they were trying to drive them away from their property or what they heck they were doing but down the road and out of sight they went, in great danger of running the horses down it appeared, I know they were in bad shape as their speech had been badly slurred, I was afraid if they weren't intentionally trying to run them down that they would unintentionally run them down.

All this when I was right about to catch them and put them in with mine for the night, (the horses not the neighbors).

I had an idea of who they belonged to.

My neighbors have been hard to get along with since the day they moved in next to us but things like this really take the cake.

Frost was right, good fences make good neighbors. That only goes so far though, it would still be best if you could pick who your neighbors were.

Lesson learned though, next time buy more land, much more land, a few acres isn't enough, you need about a mile between you and your nearest neighbor....

**ozwinner** · 12th August 2007, 04:12 PM

I like the bit where you get the rifle before you get anything else.

Al

**Matt88s** · 12th August 2007, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by ozwinner

I like the bit where you get the rifle before you get anything else.

Al

lol, its pretty wild out here sometimes. Coyotes, feral dogs, mountain lions, etc. I'd walked out a couple weeks ago and ran into a rather big black dog, gave me a bit of a fright.

A few days ago the dogs had been barking and I lit up the front with the spotlight and saw what appeared to be a loose cow, its eyes were almost even with the top rail on the gate, I couldn't see from the house though so I walked out to make sure it was a cow before calling its suspected owner. However half way out across the yard the "cow" turned into a cow sized wolf/shepard dog/creature that decided it was interested in meeting me, I didn't feel the same way.

So yes, I'm rather attached to my rifle.

**Greg Q** · 12th August 2007, 04:36 PM

That's S.O.P, Al. An unarmed homeowner inspecting his perimeter after dark would be more of a surprise, and a Darwin award bid. I preferred a 12ga pump gun with 00, but to each his own.

I'm glad to have all of that behind me now, living here.

Greg

**ozwinner** · 12th August 2007, 04:41 PM

Thank god we only have drop bears here, if you dont walk under a tree they cant get you.

Al

**Matt88s** · 12th August 2007, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by gregoryq

That's S.O.P, Al. An unarmed homeowner inspecting his perimeter after dark would be more of a surprise, and a Darwin award bid. I preferred a 12ga pump gun with 00, but to each his own.

I'm glad to have all of that behind me now, living here.

Greg

Actually a Remington 870 in 12ga with 00 is my usual prowler gun. For some reason I've been using the rifle lately though, its a Marlin 336 in 30/30, it just feels so lovely, the heft and all, I love the way it handles. Just racking the 12ga can put ice in a person's spine if they are somewhere they aren't supposed to be though.

Plus at night if you have an encounter its hard to hit the target in the dark and the 12ga evens that up a bit plus if you do hit whatever it might be its probably not getting up, or at least getting up and continuing the fight.

**Priemsy** · 12th August 2007, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by ozwinner

Thank god we only have drop bears here, if you dont walk under a tree they cant get you.

Al

I don't know about that. Try owning a mixed business in Essendon, the pump action was the last line of defence, after a night stick and a German shepard.

Paul

**Greg Q** · 12th August 2007, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Matt88s

Actually a Remington 870 in 12ga with 00 is my usual prowler gun. Just racking the 12ga can put ice in a person's spine if they are somewhere they aren't supposed to be though.

Plus at night if you have an encounter its hard to hit the target in the dark and the 12ga evens that up a bit plus if you do hit whatever it might be its probably not getting up, or at least getting up and continuing the fight.

That slide action sound does have some remarkable laxative effects all right. When I was a cop the local authorities decided that it would be OK in car chases to use the S & W riot gun on the back window of the fleeing vehicle. They were thinking birdshot, but we were loaded alternating slug/00. It didn't take much of a demonstration at the auto wreckers to illustrate they needed to rethink their estimates of the "perp friendliness" aspects of the 12 ga. magnum 00. (From about 30 ft back it removed the back window, windscreen and everything sticking up in between-a real attention getter)

**Rossluck** · 12th August 2007, 08:29 PM

Why do I feel like I'm reading a Zane Grey novel?

**Christopha** · 12th August 2007, 10:11 PM

I guess it show that our pet Yanks are no more civilised than the rest of the buggers!

I guess it also shows just how lucky we Aussies are!!!!

**craigb** · 12th August 2007, 11:14 PM

Yep, whenever I hear a noise outside the first thing I think to myself is "bugger me a noise outside, better get me rifle".

**Stuart** · 12th August 2007, 11:16 PM

Yep, whenever I hear a noise outside the first thing I think to myself is "bugger me a noise outside, wish I had a rifle".

**bsrlee** · 12th August 2007, 11:51 PM

Used to have several rifles, shottie etc.

Swords and axes don't need reloading.

**Matt88s** · 13th August 2007, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by bsrlee

Used to have several rifles, shottie etc.

Swords and axes don't need reloading.

Well occasionally you have to reload the user but thats all.

I thought they had taken 99% of your guns away, did I miss something or do you chaps still carry your pieces?

I rarely actually use mine but its a comfort when you need it, like when someone is breaking into your house, you can rack your shottie and say, Wot the bloody 'ell do ya think ya doing ya blooming onion? Feck off, this house is taken. I've found that works quite well.

**Barry Hicks** · 13th August 2007, 06:58 AM

G'day Matt. I would get rid of that pea shooter .30-30 and get me something with a little stopping power like a .444 Marlin.
Down here in Oz we rarely shoot neighbours or their dogs with .30 cal pip- squeaks.

Thread: Neighbors

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Neighbors

Neighbours

Similar Threads

I hate neighbors!

hand plane brass "screw" needed

Noise complaints from Neighbors

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions