33. That Didn’t Go Well
I was out walking around the bush hunting for upland birds. I was walking through a bit of a valley as a shortcut when I came across a guy standing on the trail with an AR-15 at the ready position. Instantly, all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I instinctively knew this wasn’t a place I wanted to be, but I tried my best to stay calm. It did not go well.
“Hey, just out bird hunting, how are you doing?” “Fine…long pause…I’m hunting deer.” Deer season wasn’t open, AR-15s are not legal for deer, and he wasn’t dressed for deer hunting. As a matter of fact, he looked homeless, hadn’t changed his clothes or bathed or shaved in several days obviously, and looked emaciated. He was utterly terrifying.
“Do you know the best way for me to go to find some birds?” “Well…I imagine you might find some back the way you came.” His voice got noticeably sharper with the “back the way you came,” and I obviously took the hint. I don’t know if there was a drug lab or what just down the trail, but I was certainly happy to leave. I reported the incident to the sheriff the next day, but I don’t know that anything ever came of it.