As some know, we had an Upstate Bowfishing Club tournament on Lake Murray, SC this last Saturday night. My team and I had only been on the lake one time before, and that was quite some time ago. We didn't scout any, just showed up to have a good time as it was about 2 hours away from where we live. After blast off, we randomly picked a main lake cove to start out in. As we fished the left side bank going towards the back, we came across a house having a huge party. We swung out wide so as not to disturb anyone, but a few people came out on the dock to see what we were doing. It was a party, so there was a lot of loud talking and shouting, but nothing that we saw was aimed at us. With the kicker wide open, we quickly passed that house and fished the back. When we started coming out on the right side bank, we heard loud voices again, but passed it off as the party. We kept coming to the main lake point and followed it on around. As soon as we made the turn, BOOM!! No warning or anything. We look to the bank, and there is a guy hiding in the bushes with a shotgun pointed at us. The guy is about 30 yards away and the wad lands right at the boat. Before we can even process whats going on, he racks another and shoots again. My two teammates jump in the floor of the boat as I throttle to turn away. He waves the gun in the air and screams, and then unleashes two more rounds. All four shots were when we were between 30 and 50 yards. I grabbed my pistol but didn't shoot. His backstop was open water, mine were million dollar homes. Once we got to a point where we felt safe, I dialed 911 while my friend used Google maps streetview to get an address of the guys house. We met an officer at the ramp where we put in at to file the report. They sent a different cop by water that night to the house, but the shooter wouldn't come to the door. We still wanted to press charges so they turned the case over to investigators. The detective called me today after she went to the guy's house. Turns out that he admitted to doing it because he was tired of having lights shined in his house over the last several weekends. He said he was sorry, and that nothing like this would happen again. When the detective told him that we could have shot and killed him and it would have been self defense, his reply was "Well I've been shot at by boats before". I took that as he has been harassing other boats in the past, and he has not learned his lesson. That's why we are continuing to press charges and they are going with "Pointing and presenting a firearm" which has a max sentence of five years in jail. We are going later this week to pick him out of a lineup (which I don't know why we have to do that after he admitted to it) and to sit down with a judge. I'll keep this thread updated in case anyone finds themselves in a similar situation.
scoutlover
Update on getting shot at...
You should have blown daylight through him.I pussed out on a situation similar.Couple jack asses tried running me off the road multiple times so I pulled over.The ran like scared rabbits so I ran them down.The driver pulled a rifle and I told him I would shove it up his ass.He tried to kill me about 3 different shots before I got the gun out of his hands.I should have killed him right then but I slung the gun over a fence and out into a field and we hooked it.The passenger went and got the gun.I told him to go ahead if he had the balls.He worked me over with the gun tearing all the wood off of it in the process.They lit out and rolled the truck about 20 miles down the road, slinging them both out.The truck rolled on top of the one that shot at me and ground him into the pavement.Karma is a biotch I reckon.:laugh:
Killing someone is not an easy thing and something a guy has to live with. That said, sometimes it is the best thng to do. Years ago, someone kept breaking into my house. Never stole much just went through my wifes stuff. poured he makeup out and crap like that. we had the law out four or five times. One night i was watching tv when i heard a gunshot. i ran out side and my neighbors teen age daughter was sitting in the truck with her boyfriend when a guy sneaked up to my bedroom window and started taking the screen off. It was dove season and he let the guy have it with a load of 8s at about 40yds. thsi stopped it for several months.
One night about 3am, i heard the dog barking so i sneaked to the window and saw a guy on my porch. I eased the door opoen and he heard it and took off running. I chased him down with the truck and held him at gunpoint. He was crazy as a loon. Black guy about 40 years old that had his brain fried. I accused him of being the one breaking in my house. Said he was wanting to sell me some firewood. I explained to him that if I ever saw him on my property again, I would presume he was there to do harm and kill him on sight.
I never had another problem but about a year later he broke into a ladys house a few miles from me. Raped her and chopped her up horrible with a machete. She somehow managed to get outside and her 81yr old mother heard the screaming, called 911 and grabbed her glock 9mm. She emptied the mag at the guy and he jumped into the daughters car and took off. Mom ran back into the house and reloaded, jumped in her car and gave chase. he made it about a mile before he passed out and veered off the road. When the popo got there she was standing by hois car with the gun still pointed at him.
He was hit 7 times. 5 of which were mortal! He had an entry hole over his left ear and an exit through his right temple. Noone knows how he drove a mile with that wound LOL!
I can tell you ,I took it hard when i heard it. I knew that dude was dangerous. That beautiful lady wouldnt have had to go through that if I had done what i should have done i guess.
One night about 3am, i heard the dog barking so i sneaked to the window and saw a guy on my porch. I eased the door opoen and he heard it and took off running. I chased him down with the truck and held him at gunpoint. He was crazy as a loon. Black guy about 40 years old that had his brain fried. I accused him of being the one breaking in my house. Said he was wanting to sell me some firewood. I explained to him that if I ever saw him on my property again, I would presume he was there to do harm and kill him on sight.
I never had another problem but about a year later he broke into a ladys house a few miles from me. Raped her and chopped her up horrible with a machete. She somehow managed to get outside and her 81yr old mother heard the screaming, called 911 and grabbed her glock 9mm. She emptied the mag at the guy and he jumped into the daughters car and took off. Mom ran back into the house and reloaded, jumped in her car and gave chase. he made it about a mile before he passed out and veered off the road. When the popo got there she was standing by hois car with the gun still pointed at him.
He was hit 7 times. 5 of which were mortal! He had an entry hole over his left ear and an exit through his right temple. Noone knows how he drove a mile with that wound LOL!
I can tell you ,I took it hard when i heard it. I knew that dude was dangerous. That beautiful lady wouldnt have had to go through that if I had done what i should have done i guess.
I've always played out all these scenarios in my head that if "this" happened, then I would shoot to kill. The problem is that all my scenarios in my head were cut and dry self defense. Scenarios like I'm pumping gas and someone tries to rob me. Or I'm asleep and someone knocks out a window and comes in the house. You know, all the basic self defense scenes you see played out on tv. The problem I have is this is the second time I've been in a situation where lead was flying, and it didn't seem as cut and dry to me. The first time was when I was on the way a bass fishing tournament and we stopped at a Hardee's for a biscuit. The local "club" left out and some real winners had a shootout in the parking lot while my partner and I were walking to the door. Same situation. I didn't know if I was in the right since I didn't know who was shooting and who they were aiming at. We took cover until it was over. The fact that I hesitated and had to think, "Can I legally do this?" bothers me, but at the same time maybe that has kept me outta jail.
I don't claim to be a hard azz at all but feel that I would have no problem taking someone life if it meant saving mine or others. Kind of like when you see snipers interviewed and they're asked if they ever have nightmares about the people they killed. They all respond the same, and say "no, only about the ones I missed, because god knows what else they did after I didn't put them down"
Steve that's a crappy situation man! Definitely can't beat yourself up on it but I would feel the exact same way!
Steve that's a crappy situation man! Definitely can't beat yourself up on it but I would feel the exact same way!
I have read all the posts and can say that this situation is really f---ed up. I can honestly say that I haven't had any problems with people other than asking questions, but think that I may start to bring the gun with me for that "what if" factor. Glad to hear that no one was hurt in your boat and glad you refrained from killing the dumb azz. The money and time to clear your name would probably be more than it would be worth for that guy.
Just a note....I have been in several situations where I was being shot at and will tell you in the "moment",(at least with me)something kept me from pulling the trigger(I was too was armed in every situation)One time I actually beared down and had the cross hairs right between the guys eyes....and was ice cold calm.I couldnt pull.Now if I had been hit...different story,and I know the next one could have been the one,but I am glad I never did.Killing a human is something you live with forever and even talking to combat veterans,it haunts you forever.I am dealing with a cousin right now that served four tours in the East,as a Sniper and is F'ed up mentally,because of what he did.This is the "bloodiest",kid I ever knew too
You did the right thing by not shooting back. It's easy to say "I woulda shot his azz" but is it really worth dealing with killing somebody who didn't even intend on shooting you?! Obviously the guy was shooting in the air and not at your boat. I can tell you from experience that it ain't worth the trouble OR the money to try and clear your name. I was in a clear cut (to me) self defense altercation and turned out somehow I was in the wrong just because I was drunk and outnumbered. The charges didn't even make any sense but it was my word against 7 and I'm the only one who pulled a gun. If I had it to do all over I woulda taken my azz beating and spent my $6000 on something else.
Well you never pull a gun unless your gonna shoot and you never shoot unless you aim to kill.
it is always better to leave in all situations and let law enforcement handle it unless you just absolutely have to return fire, but I can tell ya the last place you want to be in a gun fight is sitting in a very noticeable and visible boat in open water with someone hidden and secure on the shoreline shooting at you and especially if they have access to multiple weapons as in a rifle, etc. Picking somebody off out in an open boat on the water would be extremely easy for anybody with any reasonable ability with a rifle.
Let us know how it turns out for ya.
Let us know how it turns out for ya.
maybe you should have the shoot on a weeknight????? and then they might think the weekends arent so bad after all
Everyone to their own opinion, but I do keep a gun in my boat and lots of ammo. Those azzholes that do this kind of crap dont own the water and we as bowfishers are oing what we love and perfectly legal to do so. If they dont want to put up with what happens on water, then dont live on water. I used to bass fish a lot and hate it when those kids on jet ski or pwc keep buzzing all around you thinking they are cool and about to rock you out of your boat but I never tryedto bother them in any way because they have a right to the water just like me. I can tell you for a fact that I would have had a lot of 40 caliber lead flying his way.
something i do is when im on the boat i always have a gun and a video camera on and recording at all times
Yall,must have different laws!!You can get a DUI here if you are sitting/sleeping in the drivers seat,with the keys in the ignition
The best solution for all people typically is to institute Red Zone areas on populated lakes for tournaments, has definitely helped us on Guntersville and has led to the full support from the Marine Police and local law enforcement as well as the main city council for the area. They all support us and what we do and appreciate the efforts we have taken to try and alleviate problems on the lake with the local residents.
Well here is the final update. Last Friday we went back to Lexington county to do the line up and do our written statements. They seperated us and we each looked at a sheet that had six driver license pictures on it. After staring for a while, I honestly couldn't pick the guy out. My partners immediately picked out the same guy, but it turned out to be the wrong guy. The detective told us it wasn't a big deal that we missed it and it wouldn't change anything. She went on to tell us that our shooter was a 63 year old retired police officer. She said he was old school and didnt know that you couldn't fire warning shots. She also told of recent break ins around the lake and that had the residents on edge. We informed her we still wanted to press charges. She called me today and said the judge denied the arrest warrant and our case was dismissed. Imagine that. As soon as we heard it was an ex cop we knew it would be thrown out but it still stung to hear it. She said the only thing that could change it was if we presented something major like a video of the incident. I don't know if missing the line up is what hurt us, but I can say I will be a much better eye witness in the future!!
That is totally understandable. Most theives try to sneek up on an unsuspecting house with a generator running and 250,000 lumens of light going.:td::td:
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