Bill and Juanita, owners of Allenspark Lodge B&B, are living their dream...

running a successful business and riding as often as possible.



Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Just a Shot In the Dark

We've had a little excitement up here for the last few days.  Yesterday, the local S.W.A.T. team and sheriffs department were searching the nearby national forest for an "armed and dangerous" drug dealer that had run away from his clandestine "plantation" up in the forest.  Okay, it's like 10 miles from us across very rugged terrain, but that's right next door for these parts.  I got a call from a radio station in Denver looking for leads, but I only knew what my mother-in-law had told me from what she saw on TV.  Not much help to them.

Last night about 10:30 we heard a shot.  It sounded like it was from across the street at the livery.  Juanita said "That sounded like a 30-06!" and she called the stables while I went up to get my 12 gauge.  I got back downstairs and she told me that the gal that answered at the livery had been asleep, and hadn't heard anything.  I went out, bang stick in hand to see if our horses were okay.  Another neighbor was already cruising the area looking for what had happened.  Horses were alert, but fine.  Went home and called the non-emergency number for the sherrif's dept. just to let them know.

Ten minutes or so later, a sherrif's department cruiser pulled into the livery and went down the hill.  After a moment, another shot rang out.  DAMN.  I went out and down the hill (no shotgun this time, but wearing a lopsided heavy coat) flashlight blazing, to see what was up.

The deputy was talking to Compass, the gal that runs the livery this year.  Turns out a bear was digging through her dumpster and she had fired a round into the ground near it to run it off (a 30-06... lucky guess Juanita?).  The bear came back just as the deputy pulled up, so he unloaded a 12 gauge "bean bag" into it's ribs. This time it didn't come back.

That is about an ounce and a half of bird shot in a bag, that gets fired out of a shotgun.  Ouch.


We all cussed and discussed the local bears and talked of  the measures to keep them out of town like bear-canisters  .  We talked about previous attacks at the livery.  We tied the dumpster shut with one of my come-alongs, set a cinder block on it to act as a noise maker, and went back to bed.


Compass was kind of bent herself, at what the bear did to the lid.

Drug dealers take note- we only scared the bear off, cause we LIKE bears...

Bill

13 comments:

  1. But we wanted the bear to visit during HCR! Who's in charge of scheduling bear appearances? 'Cause they're fired!

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  2. Umm Bill... don't listen to GunDiva. I was having some serious bladder issues as we walked to the lodge in the dark after the flat tire... with visions of bears dancing in my head!

    I wouldn't have minded seeing one in Estes, while we were all safely ensconced in the soon-to-be-flat van.

    If we're scheduling these sightings, then I want a beanbag gun :)

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  3. I really like the lopsided coat part. Too funny.

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  4. GunDiva- This was the first bear we have had up here this year! I bet Compass starts locking down her dumpster now...

    Rachel- I usually tell people if they see a lion or bear up here, pick up a BIG rock. Then you should drop it on the foot of the person nearest you. You don't need to outrun the bear, just the person NEXT to you.

    Tj and Mark- It seemed that running up to a cop in the dead of night brandishing a shotgun might not be... well... wise.

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  5. Guess I shouldn't be afraid anymore... I forgot, I KNOW KARATE!

    Rocks? Dang Bill... you are seriously just Mr. Daddy in disguise!

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  6. I loved the lopsided coat comment.

    The rock idea has just a touch of genius to it...LOL

    I personally have never had to worry about rocks, cause I haven't met a bear yet that can run faster on slick sh@t than I can on dry ground....

    just saying....

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  7. Mr Daddy- Can't....type...must...get...air...

    LMAO! Dry ground vs.slick!

    Bill

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  8. All you need is a screaming pregnant woman throwing rocks and the bears stay away. Where is a beagle when you need one.

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  9. That is exactly what my husband says. I do not have to run fast. I just have to run faster than the guy next to me (as he baits him with a Snickers bar...)

    Glad it was just the bear Bill, and not someone mucking with the horses!

    Sooo... ya take care of that funny tilt in your coat yet? ;) Sounds like we need to get you a good holster!

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  10. OH.MY.LORD... my husband did *not* just say that (head palm).

    Thanks honey, for proving once again that you and Bill would get along like well, butter and syrup and honey and peanutbutter.


    Did anyone else recall my intended method of bear defense? Heck, I'll just stay on Baggins and let him take care of Mr. Bear with one violent head toss ;)

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  11. Andrea- I had forgotten about that! I'm sure there are many fathers-to-be that can relate to the terror that poor bear must have felt.

    Mrs. Mom- I have a couple CCW "harnesses", but when time is of the essence... I just don't see how you gals do the double-barreled-slingshot thing so easily. Maybe I'll just carry a big rock in the off side pocket, and I'll be ready for anything.

    Rachel- I must meet this man.

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  12. You just don't watch enough 'Gansta' flicks. The pistol, usually a "G Lock Fowty", gets stuffed into the waistband of your pants. In the front when you need to intimidate and in the back when you're going covert-like. Cops NEVER notice that! Jeez, ya'll out there in the sticks need some big-city firearm training or somethin'.

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  13. Love those less lethal rounds. They are good for lots of things. How exciting! I love bears. Just not in my garbage. LOL. Glad it wasn't the drug dealer. Course you would have had more fun and more rounds. Afterall, you don't want to hurt the bear, just scare him away. The drug dealer on the other hand...

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