Gun selection in real life

So early one morning the dog goes nuts. As much as I don't like to get out of bed at the crack of dawn, you don't ignore an upset dog. That's one of the reasons you have a dog in the first place.

I knew something was disturbing the mutt, but what? It could be anything from someone trying to steal something, a bear prowling around, or some stranger taking their dog for an early morning walk.

You know those horror movies where someone goes to check out a strange noise and discovers the ax murderer? I'd feel like an idiot to run into actual trouble with all my guns locked in a safe. So that's why I decided to take a gun with me.

Which one? If I knew it was something really nasty I'd take something like my 30-06 deer rifle, or my shotgun loaded with buckshot. However, the odds of something like that seemed a bit long. I could just take a large caliber handgun with a high capacity magazine. Had it been winter that might have been what I'd do as it could be hidden by my bulky jacket. Don't want to upset the neighbors for no reason.

Being summer and a weekend, the lake's population swells and there's a lot more activity and new people. It seemed likely the dog was just upset by people walking around. Some folks think it's unfriendly to burst out of your house with a snarling dog and honking big gun in your hands.

In the end I slipped a little Ruger LCP 380 in my pocket, loaded with self defense rounds. That way I'd look like I was just exiting the house with just a snarling dog. At least I wasn't unarmed. Nobody wants to get shot, even by a small gun. It also can make enough noise to harass a black bear and get it to move on.

What did it turn out to be? I let the dog out, her hackles stood up. She paced around the house and checked out down the road. Then she ran around the woods a bit before coming back to the house. I didn't see or hear anything.

Judging from the recent discovery of bear droppings in my yard, I'm guessing it was a bear that was prowling around the property. Of course, it could have been an uppity squirrel that needed a good barking at. Since I know I might have a nuisance bear, next time I'll bring out a bigger noise maker.

The last thing I want is a dead bear. Better they learn that coming to my house will get them harassed so they go somewhere else. Should something go terrible wrong with that plan, at least I can protect myself. The odds are pretty long that I'd need to shoot a bear, but they ain't zero. Better to have a gun and not need it than the other way around.

-Sixbears