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I figured I would share this story and here some thoughts on what others here might have thought and done.


I was at a buddy's ranch in Wimberly this last summer, where I had quite an experience with the Sheriff's Department out there. There were about seven of us on the hundred acre ranch, with a total of about 12 rifles and pistols. We were doing some shooting with the ARs and M1 garands, which contained some brief amounts of rapid fire, but nothing dangerous whatsoever. After about an hour of shooting, we were all stunned buy the shouting of "Everyone on the ground! Anyone who moves is getting a round through them!". Through the brush comes two deputies, from about fifty yards away, with their BPVs on, and M4s pointed at us. Well of course everyone hit the deck almost instantly. One of the deputies held us at gun point while the other looked through our vehicles and our equipment. He then picked up the AR, that was still on the ground next to me, while saying, "Is this loaded, do yall even know how to shoot this thing?" As he picked it up, I advised him that it WAS loaded and chambered with the safety off, as I was just about to shoot it when they ran up and ordered us to get on the ground. He quickly told me to shut up, and then proceeded to sweep just about everyone, including his partner! And when he pulled the bolt back to unload it, the rifle was pointed directly at me. I was truly just waiting for a 5.56 through my face. To sum it up, about seven minutes later we were finally allowed to talk, which is when we explained that we were simply collectors having a Saturday at the ranch, doing nothing dangerous and following all safe shooting guidelines as if we were at a public range. While still on the ground they ran all of our DL numbers. Of course they found no warrants or anything of the sort. They then asked if any of the guns were illegal or stolen because it would "take all day to run all of these guns." He then saw one of the bayonets on the picnic table that belonged to my friends antique M1 Garand, and said "you know that knives this long are illegal?" (We all just sort of looked at each other like, c'mon.) After a few more insults and ranting, they instructed us to "remain on the ground until they were out of sight". The deputies then walked out the way they came in, with not one arrest placed or a citation given. They never did clue us in as to why they came, but my guess is that it was due to a complaint by neighboring ranch or a passerby that heard the shots from a distance. The owner of the ranch attempted to ask why they came, to which he recived no response. After it was all said and done, and the adrenaline settled, I wasnt as mad as I was confused about why they (1) just jumped the fence and came in, (2) didnt tell us why, (3) had terrible, horrible safety skills, (4) continued to be rude even after we explained that we were simply friends enjoying a hobby.

Looking back I guess we handled it okay, although I'm not sure that there was anything different we could have done. I wasnt about to "talk back" or "smart off", simply because I was worried that they might slap me with some charge that could potentially prevent me from ever handling those very firearms ever again. We never did file a complaint, although the owner of the ranch did call a few days later, and politely asked them to please not send another two man SWAT team over the fence, if they simply hear gunshots. And if necessary, contact him on his cell.