Unusual scenario, what would you do?

[10-Ring]

This happened to me years ago, and to this day I'm not sure what the best way to handle the situation would have been short of hastily breaking camp, or just leaving our stuff there and getting out as quickly as possible.  Anyway here's what happened. 

 

I'm in college, two buddies and myself decide we are going to camp out down by the river.  We've done this before and never had any bad run ins.  The locals are known to be unhospitable but non aggressive, meaning they won't bother you but they won't give you help if you need it either.  Setting is Jackson County, Tennessee.  Location we are camping at is a wooded area a quarter mile from the paved road.  We have our camp set up and are cooking wild boar over an open flame, it is sometime shortly after dark.  As we are having a good ole time headlights pull up on the opposite side of the river.  We really don't think much about it until they start firing a handgun in our direction, we could hear the bullets impacting around us. Quickly we are dashing for cover and I retrieve my handgun from the truck.  Keep in mind it's dark so I can not see the shooter.  I don't have a flashlight bright enough to cover the distance and I'm not sure that it would be wise to give my exact location away with a flashlight anyhow.  I consider firing warning shots, but I've always said warning shots are stupid so I don't.  I reevaluate, I consider that if they know that we have a gun they are going to go find someone else to mess with, then I consider that they may have guns and if they cross the river they will have the advantage on us because they know our exact location.  I finally decide to not fire any warning shots. 

 

The subjects leave.  We are relieved.  About 10 minutes later we see headlights coming down the dirt road that leads to our camp.  It takes about 10 minutes to get to where these guys were on the other side of the river to our camp by road.  At this point I have my handgun on me.  Before the car gets there we run for the trees.  We are 10 yards from the fire and it is 10 yards to my truck past that.  We stay tucked down for about 30 minutes.  The car is just short of our campsite and has just been sitting there, apparently no one has gotten out.  We are not sure if they are watching us or what.  After about 30 minutes the 3 of us quietly make our way to my truck, quickly get in and drive up to the paved road.  As we pass the car there are two males "asleep" in the front seat.  I think this is very strange.  We turn around and go back to camp, as we come upon the car from the rear the tail lights look very much like the tail lights from the car across the river.  We sit around the fire.  We figure that the guys are close enough that if they get out of the car we will hear the doors open anyway.  About 1 a.m. I look at my buddies and tell them that we can stay if they want but I'm not going to get any sleep, they agreed.  We broke camp and headed back to town. 

 

Years later I'm not sure the best thing that I could do.  I think we handled it relatively well.  My guess is that it was local people trying to get a laugh out of scaring us.  I think about this a lot when anytime I'm camping by a river. 

[peejman]

A strange situation indeed.  I think you did the best you could.   Shooting back probably would have escalated the situation.  They likely had access to more firepower than you.  Bugging out seems like the best choice. 

[leftyk82]

sounds like the 'avoidance' and 'not firing any shots' was a good play.  you had very little information to work with and, if they were locals, they would probably have more advantages than you if they intended harm.

 

i say, way to keep your cool. 

[Clod Stomper]

What I would have done differently is to get the tag number from the vehicle and call the popo.

Otherwise, taking cover and not firing warning shots were good ideas.

I probably wouldn't have been there when they came around to the other side of the river either. If someone shoots at me, I'm calling the cops ASAP. Whether I have an opportunity to shoot back or not.

[10-Ring]

Good idea calling the cops but we were in a dead zone miles from service.  Looking back now getting the tag number and making a call when we got back to town would have been a good idea.

[Wyldk2]

You say they were asleep in their vehicle? Take the valve cores out of each tire and toss them. 4 flat tires and they aren't going anywhere. Then get tag number, call police and file complaint. Tell police where to find vehicle and bug out.

 

I personally wouldnever mess with someone's vehicle. But if it means slowing the suspect down without really doing any damage to their personal property, then so be it.

[Joe357]

What I would have done is get into your car, drive to where your phone worked, called leo, told them what had happen,where you were and asked for assistant. I wouldn't have gone back without the police with me.

[Grunt67]

 Jackson Co. is a different place. I've deer hunted there & fished there. Folks are clanish & don't care much for outsiders.

 Had a similar situation up there deer hunting years ago. Me & a bud had killed a deer, & had to wait for one of us to

 go back & get the vehicle & come back around thru Whitleyville to get to the deer. During that time, a few locals had

 gathered around, not saying much, just creating a tense situation. We managed to get the deer loaded & left. For a

 while it looked like it could get ugly.

[bersaguy]

sounds like they may have been drunk locals if they we asleep in the car. Sounds more like maybe passed out. I guess you may have handled it the best way you dd but I wold have made sure the authorities were notified if not that night the next morning and I would have gotten the plate number of the car if you were really sure it was the same car. By them just firing in ya'lls direction they could have shot and killed one or more of you guys. Guys like that need to be dealt with before they do kill someone........jmho

[oldogy]

Everyone lived, no one hurt. Ya did good.