Do you cary a weapon on your tractor?

[Bird]

<font color=blue>Surprisingly, some law enforcement types scored low</font color=blue>

Surprising only to those who've never been in law enforcement./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif At least in the big cities, many new recruits have never owned or shot a gun before joining the police department.

 

[beenthere]

Ranchman
I would certainly agree with what you said, and said very well. Best regards.

 

[Wingnut]

Nope.
Have walked into at least a half dozen bears, as long as I haven't threatened them, they turned and ran (the first time, we both turned and ran).
Have walked into deer, moose, elk, coyotes and foxes ... and even a few wild dogs. Only a rabid one would attack because any sane animal knows well that they need to be afraid of humans. As a group we're every bit as bad as wolverines!
And besides ... if war is declared and we're invaded ... I'll have enough time to get back to the house and arm that personal nuke ... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Leave the temptation at home and you'll likely be a lot safer.

Oh ... and, unlike some who have a lifetime of training on proper storage ... I've had a lifetime of living in the wilderness or very near it. My training tells me that I need to treat every weapon as if it's loaded ... and I've never mastered the art of asking the cause of the need for a weapon to wait a sec while I load. My weapons are all loaded and ready - but I don't have kids to worry about. Oh, amend that ... the bow is strung but the arrows are just sitting there ....

 

[TresCrows]

I love guns and have been around them all my life but I do not think you should get a gun and carry it on your tractor, I do not think you should shoot whatever it was you saw as it is likely harmless, about the only thing in Fla of any size would be either, a panther, a coyote, a boar, a black or brown bear, a large dog, a deer, a child or such. None of them are likely to take on an adult male human on a huge orange tractor--Grizzlys would be an exception but there are not any in Fla. and panthers are a protected species and so unlikely to bother you on a Kubota tractor. See if you can determine what it was, look for tracks and such.
If you want to purchase a gun and learn with proper instruction (a gun friend perhaps) the shooting and hunting sports please do it but don't get one to shoot at unidentified fleeing objects while riding on your tractor. J

 

[TresCrows]

A grizzly bear attacked one of my school professors, he ran and got in his truck while the grizz ate his tent, his freezer chest and sleeping bag. He had a Toyota Hilux (it would not have mattered if it had been a GMC) and it had an aluminum camper shell. The Grizz was thought to be a male, he was large and not at all afraid of Humans. He tore the trucks hood off, he tore the camper shell off and he had the truck over partially on it's side. He bit the tire and flatted it and only after he had his fill of sheetmetal did he lumber nonchalantly of. The trucks door had gashes in it.
I was attacked by a grizz in Houston--yep, I was wandering around a sporting good store when my head suddenely wrenched to a stop. I had walked into the claw of a stuffed Grizz and it had a good hold on my then long hair, gave me quite a fright to turn and see the huge stuffed bear with quite a bit of my skin and hair on it's out extended claws.
I have had several encounters with grizz in real life--trust me--they will eat you as in EAT you up and knock your Kubota for a loop. He did not see a grizz, I know this cuz the grizz would have been coming toward him at 40 MPH, not fleeing. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif .
Oh, if was a gator, don't grab him by the tail cuz that makes them get really mad. J

 

[bgott]

I've never heard a rattler rattle as slow as that wav. Every one I've aggravated, and it's been a few, let loose with a hard buzz. I durn near got struck by the first one,, it took a second to figure out what it was. It didn't sound anything like the sound you hear in the movies, that's for sure!

 

[chim]

I enjoy shooting, am an instructor and a competent pistol shooter. The chances of getting the weapon in play early enough to get any shots on the target are pretty slim. You'd be better off investing in a cab for the tractor if it's the critters that worry you. No harm in being armed if you know what you're doing and it's legal, just don't have false expectations of how things will go. Take some real training. Remember if you screw up with a gun, someone can die, and there's always jail time. Sure would hate to end up as Bubba's new bride..............chim

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Chim,

Thanks for the support. If someone with your skills and experience is willing to admit they're not likely to hit their target in a stressfire situation, I think the odds of me succeeding are almost nil.

 

[RanchMan]

Yea, kindof an interesting buzz, but I've heard them both ways. Guess it just depends on how much you startle them - I'm no herpetologist, just a guess....

 

[chim]

Gary, the big problem is the time factor. I have shot some action matches where you know you are about to have the targets face you. Heck, they even ask if you're ready.

The problem with riding around brush hogging or whatever and coming under a surprise attack of any sort is that you'll run out of time to do all you need to do before the threat is on you. Unless you keep your head spinning around you see only about half of what's around you to start with.

Same deal if you're in a convenience store for a gallon of milk and doo doo happens. You have precious little time to make up your mind what to do (or not do) and a lifetime to live with the results of that decision. Carrying a weapon is serious business. Life isn't a Nintendo game where you can press a reset button and try again.................chim