Skills were tested... and I got a C+ maybe...

[mcdonl]

Well, I suppose that the circumstances played into it but none-the-less I was not impressed with myself.

So, I had JUST fallen asleep... that awkward phase where I thought maybe I was still awake, but I wasnt...

Anyway... one of my dogs, (the one that stays in our bedroom) started barking, jumped up on my bed and was generally freaking out! This woke me, and the first thing I hear is my wife SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS... "Get the F out of here!!" with intermittent screeching... I jump up, grab my .357 and flashlight, as soon as my bedroom door opens I see my kids running down the hall toward me freaking out and I pull then past me into my room. Now it is just my wife still screaming, and me in my underwear with gun and light. I move to the living room (I did check the breezeway with the light on the way through and noted the deadbolt was set) when I turned the corner the following scene presented me:

My wife, standing in the front doorway holding back my other dog (the one who sleeps at the foot of the stairs and will bark at anyone going near the house), my two cats up on the porch railing trying to get into the window through the screen and two coyote pups (teens I would call them) on the porch, not paying any attention to my wife just trying to get the cats. I told my wife to close the door, I ran through the kitchen, breezeway and into the garage and when I got around the corner the yotes were running off into the woods toward my neighbors house so I was not about to take a shot. I was pretty concerned with the fact these animals did not have any fear of a human.

I should have woke up with better wits, I should have taken a look out my window before leaving the room, I should have made sure my cats were in, and I should have had a carbine of some sort handy as well as my revolver.

I was happy that I grabbed my tools, and pulled my kids to safety.. although they knew what was going on and followed me out of the room... but, again... they knew it was coyotes, not a meth head.

Anyway, I live on a game preserve so I cannot hunt them but 1 mile in either direction I can... and will...

 

[Bullnettles]

I'm sure someone will say CALL THE COPS, but I think you did well. You knew your wife was in trouble and came to her aid without pointing the gun at her. Some will say "Don't sweep the house" but if a loved one is in danger (or yelling) I would do the same without thinking twice.

 

[mbt2001]

Coyotes will go out of their way to kill cats...

 

[William Lee]

I wouldn't say you got a C+, mcdonal. Your wife and kids, as well as your cats, are all safe. Sounds like a job well done to me. The devil's always in the details.

 

[inthelineofire]

You were ready and willing to defend your family. You did what any one of us would have done. A+.

 

[jbrown50]

Fishers, Foxes, Raccoons and birds of prey such as Owls, Eagles and Hawks also list cats on their menu.

That's one reason it's bad to have a bunch of feral cats hanging around the neigborhood. The predators will eventually come in and some beloved pets will eventually get eaten too.

 

[mcdonl]

some beloved pets will eventually get eaten too.

Beloved may be a stretch

Thanks, I do feel better. I am re-thinking my sleeping attire though.

 

[Mudinyeri]

I'm sure someone will say CALL THE COPS, but I think you did well. You knew your wife was in trouble and came to her aid without pointing the gun at her. Some will say "Don't sweep the house" but if a loved one is in danger (or yelling) I would do the same without thinking twice.

Generally speaking, I'm one of the "don't sweep the house" advocates but that assumes everyone is safely (or as safely as possible) barricaded in and you can protect them from a position of cover. It's a different story altogether if a family member is (apparently) trapped in another area of the house and screaming for help.

Pretty good job, I'd say.

Not sure cats are worth the effort in my book, though.

 

[sidheshooter]

I'm not seeing a C+ here..

Yeah, sure, maybe you'll do some things differently with the benefit of hindsight, but I'd give you much higher marks for quick response with appropriate tools at hand when your wife needed you.

 

[boostedxt]

i agree with sidhesshooter and everyone else. sleeping, woke up by wife screaming, you got the gun and went to her aid. you did what you should have...i give it an A

joe

 

[strambo]

I should have woke up with better wits

Heh, can't control that one!

Just do a non-emotional review of what went well (and sustain that) and what you could improve (make sure not to be too specifically honed in on this "coyote" situation). How did the securing of gun, light go? can that be improved? What else could you have needed (you mentioned carbine-which one, where stored, how do you hold the pistol & light?) Cell phone or any phone, spare ammo...

You did fine though, not a C...probably a solid B.

 

[easyg]

My wife, standing in the front doorway holding back my other dog (the one who sleeps at the foot of the stairs and will bark at anyone going near the house), my two cats up on the porch railing trying to get into the window through the screen and two coyote pups (teens I would call them) on the porch, not paying any attention to my wife just trying to get the cats.

No, I think you did just fine.

On the other hand, your wife might need a little training in case such a thing happens again.

Why did she open the front door without securing the dog first?
Why did she open the front door, at night, without a firearm at hand?
Why all the screaming?

 

[phonesysphonesys]

You should have called the cops. LOL!
Just had to say it.
Semper Fi

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

At first it sounded like a crazed crackhead was trying to shove their way inside with your wife trying to shut the door on them.

If that had been the case, they'd likely be dead and you'd probably be looking for a new front door(sans holes and goblin blood) if they didn't stop. So from that, I think it's an A+.

 

[mcdonl]

It was a trip I hope to not have to take again. As far as access to the tools, it was ok although I have to admit 2 days ago I discovered my batteries were dead in my surefire so I had to use my streamlite and although it is an awesome lite, not great in this situation.

Not sure what my wife was thinking to be honest, she opened the door because of the noises she heard... in my book strange noises are why you DO NOT open a door.

I am giving more thought to the carbine. Thanks everyone.

 

[strambo]

To be fair to your wife, I'm sure coyotes making a ruckus sound nothing like home invaders.

 

[primetime]

Given the circumstances and how it warranted a speedy response by you, i think you did pretty well. You had your piece in hand, a light, and your fam was secure..thats all you can ask at that point.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I think you're fine. That said, you and your wife should have a discussion about her actions. If she's not prepared to be the one to defend with force, she needs to wake you before doing anything. And that includes dealing with predators. If she had got in the midst of 3 or 4 frenzied coyotes trying to save the cat or dog, she could have been badly injured. People may not be their prey, but that doesn't mean one or more 40-50 pound wild animals with claws and teeth aren't a threat.

I am re-thinking my sleeping attire though.

Why?

What advantage would clothing afford you in an HD scenario? It would be a little embarrassing if you had a BG pinned down at gun point and were in your birthday suit when the cops showed up, sure. But there's no tactical advantage that I can see.

 

[mothermopar]

Debriefs and after action reports are for ironing out the details. I don't know what else you could have done, given the tools you had.

Good job.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I am re-thinking my sleeping attire though.

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas...

 

[Tacbandit]

What was the elephant doing in your pajamas...??? lol

 

[ilikepancakes]

The fact you grabbed the flashlight too gets you at least a B. And hey better unwanted coyotes than unwanted people in your house...

 

[svtruth]

I'd give you an A

but then, I believe in positive reinforcement as a learning tool.
On a related note, two news stories this week from Rye, NY (!) of coyote attacks on little kids.

 

[Warhawk83]

You did just fine!
I would be rethinking sleeping attire as well, and I have on many cases, as I generally sleep au naturale.

 

[Webbj0219]

I remember once when I was coming home from work, had to wiggle and knock the door open because of all the humidity it was really sticking. My roomate heard this from the shower(he must have some pretty keen hearing if he could hear me over the water running) So he comes flying into the living room dipping wet and buck holding the plunger over his head. The shower still running behind him. He was always watching horror movies and was a paranoid type to begin with, always showered with the door open so he could hear what was going on in the house. But still I was pretty shocked. So it could always be worse. Just remember that.