Dreamer
Regular Member
imported post
A lot of folks in my neighborhood go for walks in the afternoon and early evening. Couples, individuals, even a few families. I've noticed that most of them are usualy carrying sticks, staves or even golf clubs...
I assume this is for dogs, because I live "out in the county", on the rural edge of a very small town, and there ARE a few feral dogs out here in the woods that border our development.
But I always wondered about the effectiveness of a stick against a feral dog. I grew up in rural WV, and we had PACKS of feral dogs there. Once we had a pack that was terrorizing our chickens and turkeys, and they were VERY aggressive and NOT afraid of humans. A large feral dog, if set on attacking a human, would only get pissed off if you wacked him in the head with a 3/4" dowel. Back in the day, on our farm in WV, we used a 30-06 to deal with the dog problem, after asking the Sheriff what he would suggest...
Anyway, I was returning from the grocery store yesterday afternoon, and saw a middle-aged fellow walking down the street with what looked like a 3/4" x 4ft dowel in his hand, so I slowed my car, and rolled down the passenger-side window, and pulled over beside him to ask what teh sticks and golf clubs were all about.
I asked if it was for "four-legged attackers" or for "2-leggeds", and he said it was for wild dogs. Told him that I'd seen some of those dogs (one is a Rottweiller mix, and is BIG), and I thought that a stick like that would probably only piss off a dog like that. I then asked him why he didn't carry a gun if he was really worried about dogs.
I was OCing, but had a jacket on, and had my seatbelt fastened, so he couldn't see it...
He said (with a grin) "well, actually I have a CHP, and I do," and discretely pulled up his sweatshirt to show me a KelTek 9mm in an IWB holster.
I told him (with a grin) that I also had a CHP, and then swept back my jacket to show him my Para. Of course, the FIRST words out of his mouth (much to my chagrin) was "wow is that a Kimber?'... groan... :banghead:
Anyway, I asked him if he knew that OC was legal in NC, and he said he knew, but he didn't do it, because he didn't know how people would take it. I then told him that I OCedd almost all the time (except when it was cold enough to wear a big coat, or it was raining) and I had never had a single issue, with the exception of one store in Greenville.
I told him that I OC at grocery stores, hardware stores, sporting goods stores, some restaurants, etc, and had NEVER had an issue. I told him that I'd even had a few local Deputies comment favorably to me, saying they wished MORE folks would OC, because they believed that it helped "keep the bad guys in check".
He seemed interested, and very intrigued by the information I gave him. I told him about OCDO, and told him that most folks would, judging by his appearance (he was early 50's, with short hair and average build) probably assume he was an off-duty cop, and not even give him a second thought. All in all, I think it was a VERY productive encounter, and we parted ways with a smile and a friendly wave.
I don't know if I converted him to OC, but I think I at least "planted the seed".
Who knows, maybe I won't be the ONLY OCer in Beaufort County after all! :celebrate
Why do I carry? Because it's my calling as a "teacher" to educate people...
A lot of folks in my neighborhood go for walks in the afternoon and early evening. Couples, individuals, even a few families. I've noticed that most of them are usualy carrying sticks, staves or even golf clubs...
I assume this is for dogs, because I live "out in the county", on the rural edge of a very small town, and there ARE a few feral dogs out here in the woods that border our development.
But I always wondered about the effectiveness of a stick against a feral dog. I grew up in rural WV, and we had PACKS of feral dogs there. Once we had a pack that was terrorizing our chickens and turkeys, and they were VERY aggressive and NOT afraid of humans. A large feral dog, if set on attacking a human, would only get pissed off if you wacked him in the head with a 3/4" dowel. Back in the day, on our farm in WV, we used a 30-06 to deal with the dog problem, after asking the Sheriff what he would suggest...
Anyway, I was returning from the grocery store yesterday afternoon, and saw a middle-aged fellow walking down the street with what looked like a 3/4" x 4ft dowel in his hand, so I slowed my car, and rolled down the passenger-side window, and pulled over beside him to ask what teh sticks and golf clubs were all about.
I asked if it was for "four-legged attackers" or for "2-leggeds", and he said it was for wild dogs. Told him that I'd seen some of those dogs (one is a Rottweiller mix, and is BIG), and I thought that a stick like that would probably only piss off a dog like that. I then asked him why he didn't carry a gun if he was really worried about dogs.
I was OCing, but had a jacket on, and had my seatbelt fastened, so he couldn't see it...
He said (with a grin) "well, actually I have a CHP, and I do," and discretely pulled up his sweatshirt to show me a KelTek 9mm in an IWB holster.
I told him (with a grin) that I also had a CHP, and then swept back my jacket to show him my Para. Of course, the FIRST words out of his mouth (much to my chagrin) was "wow is that a Kimber?'... groan... :banghead:
Anyway, I asked him if he knew that OC was legal in NC, and he said he knew, but he didn't do it, because he didn't know how people would take it. I then told him that I OCedd almost all the time (except when it was cold enough to wear a big coat, or it was raining) and I had never had a single issue, with the exception of one store in Greenville.
I told him that I OC at grocery stores, hardware stores, sporting goods stores, some restaurants, etc, and had NEVER had an issue. I told him that I'd even had a few local Deputies comment favorably to me, saying they wished MORE folks would OC, because they believed that it helped "keep the bad guys in check".
He seemed interested, and very intrigued by the information I gave him. I told him about OCDO, and told him that most folks would, judging by his appearance (he was early 50's, with short hair and average build) probably assume he was an off-duty cop, and not even give him a second thought. All in all, I think it was a VERY productive encounter, and we parted ways with a smile and a friendly wave.
I don't know if I converted him to OC, but I think I at least "planted the seed".
Who knows, maybe I won't be the ONLY OCer in Beaufort County after all! :celebrate
Why do I carry? Because it's my calling as a "teacher" to educate people...
