The voice of reason and common sense, thank you.
Still trying to figure out how people are going to "shoot back" at somebody with a spotting scope and stock? Is there a 10megawatt laser firing through that scope? Sure as heck ain't no bullets coming your way. What you're really saying is that there are tens of thousands of hunters who will blow you away if you point a rifle in their direction?
No. 100% no. Anybody who has ever hunted public land in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska or any other state knows better than that. Stupid crap happens all the time every year, and the wisdom and restraint of the average hunter is what keeps us all safe.
What if they are pointing a spotting scope at you from a prone position? Can you really tell the difference from hundreds of yards away that it's mounted on a stand versus a rifle? What about a scope mounted on a monopod or sticks - fairly common, and from head on would look VERY similar to a rifle sitting on a monopod.
I've been hunting for 35 years and have had several dozen hunters THAT I KNOW OF scope me. Probably hundreds more that I never knew about. I've had rifles fired in my direction. I've had to take cover. I've had to retreat. I've walked away from hunting parties because one or more people were dangerous enough that I wouldn't hunt near them. I've been peppered with shotgun pellets from a distance multiple times, even by idiots who could see me downrange.
But never, ever, have I been tempted to fire first - much less fire in response to a perceived threat. And I never will unless I know for 100% that somebody is intentionally trying to kill ME - not just firing at me because they think I'm a deer or coyote.
I might end up dead or wounded for my inaction, but I sure as heck ain't going to be responsible for putting some teenager or newborn baby's father into a grave because I'm too paranoid or jack full of myself to take cover and evaluate a situation or to retreat.
No, shooting at something you BELIEVE to be a rifle that's pointed at you is NOT self defense. It's attempted murder, or murder if you connect.
No...no reason or common sense TLEE. I thought as a former LEO you would understand better.
Using his own arugment he said it's hard to tell what is pointed at him. My point exactly! It's hard to tell the spotting scope mounted on a rifle stock with a subject holding as if it were a rifle -- it is not a real gun.
Consiquently.... when something that looks like a real gun is pointed at another human -- you encourage them to defend themselves. Follow? So... back to the origonal assertion....If someone felt in fear for their life, you might get shot pointing that rig at someone. Follow? Not a good idea to point something that looks like a rifle at someone. A warden already thought it was a gun.
Sometime retreat is not possible and in certain areas of this country such as AZ, you can't trust anyone behind what you see is a rifle. I'd rather be judged by 12 than be dead or crippled for the rest of my life.
