Shooting alone in the desert, woods, wherever.

Worth remembering.

And for those who recall the 1986 incident in Dade County where eight FBI agents engaged two serial bank robbers, it's worth noting that Matix and Platt procured several of their firearms by ambushing -- and killing --guys who were out shooting on public lands, an abandoned rock quarry and in the Everglades.

What about hunting alone? I would think all the same precautions apply. I hunt alone, on my own land which doesnt protect me any better than public land. However, there is a small amoiunt of civilization around so that may be a deterrent.

Are you talking waaayyy out in the desert or woods? Because I wouldnt feel any more or less safe where I am at or way back in some public land. I like to hunt, I take as many precautions as I can without it impacting my experience.

I don’t enjoying shooting by myself. Not because I’m scared. I’m just a social person. I will run out to verify zero on a rifle if I have to. But that’s about it. I prefer to share the joy of firearms and outdoor sports like hunting and fishing.

Edit to add: I’d have to drive about 9 hours to reach a desert. So that’s not something I have to contend with.

I used to hunt alone, but I think that's different -- unless one's in a tree-stand or a blind, one is normally moving about and constantly scanning.

Platt and Matix would sneak up behind guys who were in the act of shooting -- most shooters tend to be target-focused and not always paying attention to what's going on behind them (unless one is shooting in a crowded area, like some of our recreational shooting areas get up here -- dangerous in themselves due to all the stupid people).

I understand that such things have happened , but so have a lot of carjackings, carjackings probably being more common.

Bringing the subject up as you did will probably cause me to heighten my awareness, should also do so when driving , but it won’t prevent me from solo shooting.

Old Dog said:

Platt and Matix would sneak up behind guys who were in the act of shooting -- most shooters tend to be target-focused and not always paying attention to what's going on behind them

Click to expand...

You have just made a good case for electronic headsets. Situational awareness is the primary reason I made that upgrade a while back.

I used to shoot along frequently, as did many of my friends. none do anymore because the voters of Seattle decided to push criminals into stealing guns in this exact way. Its certainly a risk, just make sure you have a second loaded pistol on you, and a loaded rifle nearby if you have to do it. Overall, the public shooting areas are too crowded for any but methiest methheads to try, and the isolated spots are too remote for most of that type of criminal to stalk, so single person shooting is common still in the big public areas. A much bigger worry is people following young "tactical" people that typically have a lot of modern firearms and no security from our local pay-in gun range

I shoot on private land that's been in my family for years. There are adjoining properties but no houses within 1/4 mile or so from the boundaries. Anytime I'm shooting, no matter what I'm shooting, no loaded guns or loaded mags are left on the bench while checking targets or whatever. There is also a loaded carry gun. If I'm shooting my EDC and it's airing out, I have a different loaded carry gun on me. But it's always on me.

When I was a teen, we had a murder on-the-run approach some older young adults shooting at a popular local NF "range" and pretend to be LE. He "confiscated" their weapons and opened fire on them, killing two.

https://apnews.com/article/2e913db0221e010d7b2521fd41361319

The older brother of my fellow high school drum line member had been asked to join the group to go out shooting that day, but couldn't make it. Little twists of fate...

This is why I ALWAYS have a loaded weapon on me when shooting- outdoors, indoors, public access, private access, it doesn't matter. If a range is "uppity" about loaded weapons, the loaded duty gun just stays concealed and doesn't get shot that trip. Sorry if that offends any Range Officer types, but my safety overrides your policies, and I never seen a range that provides armed escort to and from your vehicle.

I target shoot in the desert. I’ll see you coming miles away. Seriously. There’s no way you can hide the dust plume. When I’m out there shooting is the absolute worst time to try and ambush me.

Frulk said:

I target shoot in the desert. I’ll see you coming miles away. Seriously. There’s no way you can hide the dust plume. When I’m out there shooting is the absolute worst time to try and ambush me.

Click to expand...

Someone could already be near by watching. I mean its probably one in a million. But possible. Just throwing it out here.

I woods shoot on private land. I'll see or hear you with my electronic earmuffs & always have a loaded firearm on me ; )
Y/D

I like to visit my private range on solo ventures; I can concentrate much better without distractions and as an added bonus, it is peaceful. I also enjoy hunting alone, that peacefulness is a mandate - a big reason why I go hunting - to experience the sounds of the weather, flora and fauna - I can chit-chat any time.
If there is danger about, good luck to them - we will just see what happens when that danger shows itself and that’s that.

This happened to a friend. He parked his car in public parking near public hunting and it was burglarized while he was hunting. They stole all of his hunting and shooting gear, which was substantial. As a result, I quit hunting on public land and worked harder to get permission on private land. Now I never hunt public, but if I do in the future, I'll never take the 2-3 extra guns that I usually carry in my vehicle. I hunt mostly alone and am usually a minimum of a half mile from public roads. Thanks for posting this; it pays to be careful............and a little paranoid.

Down here in my corner of sunny southern Arizona we have a "shooting place' three miles up the road from my house.
We have a pretty steady bunch of us who shoot there regularly. Never had a problem in all the years I have lived here.

I used to shoot on State Land all the time. Used to carry my etc and a loaded rifle when I Westbrook check or change targets.

I belong to a private gun club located in a somewhat remote area, at least by my standards. There are almost always other members there on the weekends, but there have been a number of times I was there alone late in the day during the week. While it has an electronic gate for which you need a key card, nothing stops someone from walking around the gate. Being there alone is uncomfortable. I don't let it stop me from going during times I'm likely to be alone, but while I always pay attention to my surroundings I am extra vigilant when there alone.

I'm kind of a loner and used to hunt or shoot alone. I also used to frequent lonely isolated places. I liked to ride around to the local shooting spots and pick up brass. Bridges on lonely county roads, dead end timber company roads, gravel pits, BLM ranges ect. You can bet that I was armed and my radar was not in stand-by. The scenario posted about above is pretty common at our BLM ranges, often located in very remote areas.

When I'm was shooting I used electronic muffs and I was on high alert. When I went down range I carried the bolt or bolts with me. And I was armed. And I can hit a person at 100 yards with my carry pistol! Don't want to but I can!

But as I have aged I finally realized that I was not bullet proof. I no longer hunt alone and all of us guys at camp are pretty good to let each other know where we are going. I'm also retired now and have a retired buddy thats always up for a range day or a scavenging trip anytime so I'm not alone doing those things anymore. And he doesn't reload so I get all of the brass!

The only time I ever had to pull my carry pistol was on the end of one of those lonely timber company roads. Talk about a downer, when its all over and your body dumps that adrenaline.

lightman said:

The only time I ever had to pull my carry pistol was on the end of one of those lonely timber company roads. Talk about a downer, when its all over and your body dumps that adrenaline.

Click to expand...

Do tell!

I hunt a decent amount on public land, however the part I hunt is accessible only through adjoining private land with the nearest public access being miles and miles away. In 15 years I’ve never come across another human being where I’ve gone.

Range is different. I stay on private land for that.

So much of my personal and professional time is spent around people. My preference for hunting is to be alone. Range time is half alone and half with buddies.

The "American Sniper", accompanied by a friend, was shot in the back at a public range by a psychopath. There's just no accounting for nut cases or evil people from taking you out no matter where you're shooting or who you're with other than eternal vigilance. Too bad but that's the current state of affairs in the psychotic world we live in. "Condition yellow" always as a presence of mind.