At the local range/club where I shoot, I took a class to beocome an R.O. With this position, you get the benefit of coming to the range after hours to shoot. It was saturday evening..around 8:45PM. I'm bored... It's dark...a little windy...and again..it's dark!!! I get to the range...try out my electronic key for the first time..it works (OH Joy!)...go to the gate of the public range. Not a soul is there...again..it's reeeaaalll dark and wind is really kicking! I unlock the gate..and get the lights on for the 25 yard line..and proceed to get the guns out of the truck. I put the electronic muffs on...and now I start getting a little spooked. All the stories I hear of the homeless sneaking on to the property and finding places to sleep and congregate after closing and the critters that pop out at night, kind of got to me a little.
Now...I've got the gun in my hand. Shouldn't be that nervous...right? GEEZZ!! With these E-muffs...amplifying EVERYTHING...I'm hearing creaking gates, swinging signs, howling animals, owls hooting and noises I never heard in my life! I'm there...alone...first time...starting to feel like a wuss! While I'm shooting....I have my back to any potential dangers that could crop up. That's a little nerve racking to begin with. I shoot off about 150 rounds..starting to feel a little more comfortable..then I hear a crash! I jumped 6 feet in the air! It was a sheet of 3/4" plywood falling on to some trash cans about 40 yards away!
Why this is funny to me is..I go to the range twice a week in the daytime..and the place is usually rocking! Groups of people are shooting at different areas and the place is generally noisey. People are all around! I'll tell you this! That place sure does get quiet at night! Just the sounds of night time, with some extra odd sound effects mixed in! Have you ever been somewhere, where you just have this uneasy feeling about your surroundings? I had this feeling as if something "Bad" was going to happen..and it made me on edge for two hours!
Needless to say...I'm typing this..so other than the raccoon waddling out on to the line, the boogie man didn't come out to get me. I sure was bored saturday..but this field trip sure livened things up!
No...I didn't shoot the Raccoon.
Now...I've got the gun in my hand. Shouldn't be that nervous...right? GEEZZ!! With these E-muffs...amplifying EVERYTHING...I'm hearing creaking gates, swinging signs, howling animals, owls hooting and noises I never heard in my life! I'm there...alone...first time...starting to feel like a wuss! While I'm shooting....I have my back to any potential dangers that could crop up. That's a little nerve racking to begin with. I shoot off about 150 rounds..starting to feel a little more comfortable..then I hear a crash! I jumped 6 feet in the air! It was a sheet of 3/4" plywood falling on to some trash cans about 40 yards away!
Why this is funny to me is..I go to the range twice a week in the daytime..and the place is usually rocking! Groups of people are shooting at different areas and the place is generally noisey. People are all around! I'll tell you this! That place sure does get quiet at night! Just the sounds of night time, with some extra odd sound effects mixed in! Have you ever been somewhere, where you just have this uneasy feeling about your surroundings? I had this feeling as if something "Bad" was going to happen..and it made me on edge for two hours!
Needless to say...I'm typing this..so other than the raccoon waddling out on to the line, the boogie man didn't come out to get me. I sure was bored saturday..but this field trip sure livened things up!
No...I didn't shoot the Raccoon.