Puzzled Ranger

[Pete Gaimari]

I got my Springfield Hawken yesterday, and I thought i'd shoot it today. I also got a new dog Sunday, and I took him with me to see how he's react to a gun shot. he did great and actually charged the target after the shot.

Anyway, after I was done shooting I thought i'd take the dog for a walk. I forgot to say I wasn't at a range, but up in the mountains. I can't lock my Jeep (soft top), so I took the gun with me.

Wouldn't you know it. Out of nowhere here comes a Ranger. He didn't look that friendly. He walks up and says.."What are you hunting?" I thought for a second. I said to myself that he's not going to believe i'm just taking my dog for a walk with a gun in my hand. Even if it is unloaded.

So, I said "Squirrels". He said "Squirrels!" I said "Yeah Squirrels." He looked at the gun, and said "What caliber is that?" I said .50. He says ".50 for squirrels?" I said "Yeah, I nick them in the head". He said "Let me see your licence?" Luckily I had a small game licence.

He looked it over, and then turned away mumbling "Squirrels...I never heard of hunting squirrels with a .50 cal.... WTH...squirrels....


I cracked up.

 

[Flint311]

More believable than "ghosts" :idunno: . Around here you can't hunt deer with a rifle, but you can hunt squirrels with a .30-06 if you want :shocked2: Good answer!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I also got a new dog Sunday, and I took him with me to see how he's react to a gun shot.

Well, how's he take to being shot?

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I probably could have worded that better. :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

Keep em guessing! It's good for them.

 

[bobman]

what you hunting?..... coyotes

almost no state has a problem with that and most states coyotes are legal year round



I dont shoot coyotes but its a good answer

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I do hunt coyotes, but the area I was in don't have many of them. Actually, i've never seen any there.

They like rabbits, and I was at 11,000ft.

I didn't have any calls with me either.

I knew I was in squirrel season, and that popped in my mind.

It was funnier than my story. The ranger was really flustered, but couldn't do anything. I'm sure he thought I was hunting deer.

 

[rawhide]

lord that's funny :rotf:

 

[longcruise]

You were out there in the middle of a rifle elk season. :shocked2:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

How would it be different if I was hunting Elk? :wink:

I'm always out there fly fishing too. I guess I have too much faith in my fellow hunters. I've always found it hard to believe that someone could mistake a human for an Elk.

Then again we get a lot of out of state flat landers here who probably never saw an Elk. :hmm:

 

[longcruise]

Was not making a safety reference, but rather a reference to why the "ranger" might have been curious as to your activities. Was the "ranger" a DOW officer or forest ranger?

 

[Pete Gaimari]

DOW...They always check you out. I get asked for my fishing licence too.

I'm sure he just wanted to make sure I was legal.

Hunting for big game with a dog would have been a no no. Maybe that's what was on his mind.

 

[jrmflintlock]

I know a bunch of Conservation officers and as much as I wish that you could have been totally honest, you probably did the right thing. Cause in reality you were not doing anything wrong. It is perfectly legal to walk around the woods with a rifle and a dog. Not everyone with a gun and a dog is hunting. I know a lot of guys who are just shooters and have no desire to hunt. To each their own.

 

[KyFlintlock]

LOL, too bad if he didn't like it.