What do you do when somebody points a gun at you?

[huntingaddiction]

What about using your reticle to range targets is that ok in a hunting scenario?

I assume you mean a rangefindibg scope?  If so do you intend to shoot said target cause if not no...that is what a rangefinder is for.  To be clear by intend to shoot I mean would you shoot there at that moment if a target were to step out.  Is it safe and are you sure of what you are aiming at and what is beyod it?

[JimmyHoffa]

I support not escalating if the guy realizes his err and puts his gun down.

But think about this: If a guy walks up to you on the street and points a hand gun at you what are you going to do? Then says "Oh, it isn't loaded."

Basically the same thing, right?

Not exactly.  The rifle provided a scope which enhances your vision.  If he's drawing a bead on you, then it is same as a guy putting a handgun in your face.  I don't see utilizing a scope and aiming a rifle as being identical.  ***I don't support/encourage 'scoping'.

so you don't support it but if he utilizes his scope(which oh yea has crosshairs in it) that is ok?  That is just utilizing a scope.  Kind of surlrised at some of these answers.  Would honestly love to see aome of these guys react.

I agree the guy was/is a moron.  anyone that scopes other armed people is probably a moron.  But if on a ridgeline and see a moron looking at me in a scope is a bit different than a guy walking up to me on the street and pulling out a handgun and pointing it at me.

[huntingaddiction]

I support not escalating if the guy realizes his err and puts his gun down.

But think about this: If a guy walks up to you on the street and points a hand gun at you what are you going to do? Then says "Oh, it isn't loaded."

Basically the same thing, right?

Not exactly.  The rifle provided a scope which enhances your vision.  If he's drawing a bead on you, then it is same as a guy putting a handgun in your face.  I don't see utilizing a scope and aiming a rifle as being identical.  ***I don't support/encourage 'scoping'.

so you don't support it but if he utilizes his scope(which oh yea has crosshairs in it) that is ok?  That is just utilizing a scope.  Kind of surlrised at some of these answers.  Would honestly love to see aome of these guys react.

I agree the guy was/is a moron.  anyone that scopes other armed people is probably a moron.  But if on a ridgeline and see a moron looking at me in a scope is a bit different than a guy walking up to me on the street and pulling out a handgun and pointing it at me.

At 100 yards I view it as the same thing honestly.

[DaveMonti]

I'm with jay on this.  I certainly don't condone this behavior, and would intervene if I saw someone doing it, but I think it's highly unlikely that someone  will shoot me while "scoping" me.  People get shot because they are mistaken for game, not because someone mistakenly pulled the trigger on a loaded gun while the safety is off while scoping someone. 

Yes, I know it's possible and may even have happened, save me your stories and your "what if" scenarios and your "you're-really-a-liberal-in-disguise-who-wants-more-people-to-die-by-guns-so-you-can-ban-them-forever" and whatever else can escape from under your hot collar because I disagree with you. 

While I would yell and probably even take cover, I'd chalk it up to someone being an idiot and I would not get confrontational.  I'd protect myself, but if it was obvious that someone was using their scope in lieu of binoculars to scope me, I'm not going to get all upset.  I personally think I face higher risk by riding my motorcycle on public roads. 

As I said, it's not a safe practice, and to make sure nobody does it, we have to teach everyone that it's a sin akin to actual murder.  I get it.  I just don't think it's a big deal and it certainly doesn't warrant me getting into a confrontation with a stranger, where the odds of getting shot go up exponentially. 

[YukonHunter]

Maybe a rangefinder scope, you couldn't give me one, but anyway.  Maybe a mildot system for determining distance, very useful for determining antler spread.

[csaaphill]

I'm with jay on this.  I certainly don't condone this behavior, and would intervene if I saw someone doing it, but I think it's highly unlikely that someone  will shoot me while "scoping" me.  People get shot because they are mistaken for game, not because someone mistakenly pulled the trigger on a loaded gun while the safety is off while scoping someone. 

Yes, I know it's possible and may even have happened, save me your stories and your "what if" scenarios and your "you're-really-a-liberal-in-disguise-who-wants-more-people-to-die-by-guns-so-you-can-ban-them-forever" and whatever else can escape from under your hot collar because I disagree with you. 

While I would yell and probably even take cover, I'd chalk it up to someone being an idiot and I would not get confrontational.  I'd protect myself, but if it was obvious that someone was using their scope in lieu of binoculars to scope me, I'm not going to get all upset.  I personally think I face higher risk by riding my motorcycle on public roads. 

As I said, it's not a safe practice, and to make sure nobody does it, we have to teach everyone that it's a sin akin to actual murder.  I get it.  I just don't think it's a big deal and it certainly doesn't warrant me getting into a confrontation with a stranger, where the odds of getting shot go up exponentially.

[Jpmiller]

I went out ONE year with a guy who didn't need binoculars, he had a scope. Anytime he saw something or thought he saw something up went the rifle to check it out. We were hunting the Vail tree farm which was loaded with Hunter's. We all told him to knock it off and when we got back to camp we all told him we wouldn't go out with him again.

The next day he shot a doe in an any buck area (was caught at the check station fortunately, rifle forfeiture). Come to find out from his brother this was not his first time doing that, told me he gets so excited when he sees something he just shoots it. After hearing that I am so thankful there wasn't a more serious mistake made. I doubt he is the only one who is like that, having a rifle pointed at you in the field is dangerous no matter what you think their intentions are, he didn't go out intending on poaching deer. I'm just glad it was a doe and not a person.

[JDHasty]

I went out ONE year with a guy who didn't need binoculars, he had a scope. Anytime he saw something or thought he saw something up went the rifle to check it out. We were hunting the Vail tree farm which was loaded with Hunter's. We all told him to knock it off and when we got back to camp we all told him we wouldn't go out with him again.

The next day he shot a doe in an any buck area (was caught at the check station fortunately, rifle forfeiture). Come to find out from his brother this was not his first time doing that, told me he gets so excited when he sees something he just shoots it. After hearing that I am so thankful there wasn't a more serious mistake made. I doubt he is the only one who is like that, having a rifle pointed at you in the field is dangerous no matter what you think their intentions are, he didn't go out intending on poaching deer. I'm just glad it was a doe and not a person.

I have been waiting for someone, anyone, to post their experience with hunting with someone in the party who used a scoped rifle to glass for game.  I knew it was coming, I just had to be patient and it would show up.

 And that, my friends, is EXACTLY how the shooting of the hiker on Sauk Mountain went down.  The two brothers saw some movement they both thought was a bear, the younger one raised his rifle to check it out better through his rifle scope and as soon as he had the woman in his scope he pulled the trigger.  He wanted to see a bear and he "saw" a bear in his scope and pulled the trigger.   Had he checked out what he was looking at with a binocular things may well have turned out differently.

[dwils233]

one of my hunting partners started big game this year. While he had a nice rifle he didn't yet own bino's and used his scope and it really irked me and our other buddy. We were on private land with no one else to scope and we hunted in a pair with me spotting, but it was still obviously something we wanted to avoid in the future. His birthday came around and we split a pair of leopolds for him and heckled him pretty hard so I expect them to be around his neck every time we hit the field this year. I keep some old junker binos in my truck now just in case I'm in the field and anyone, even a stranger, wants to use a rifle to scope. They can have them, I can keep my cool, and no escalation hopefully.

[JDHasty]

Leupold Yosemite
Vortex Raptor

Two nice Porro prism binoculars that anyone can afford, will last an entire lifetime, and are going to be totally functional for big game hunting.  Roofs cost more to achieve a decent level of optical quality.  It is just a function of their complexity.

I've picked them up in almost new condition off Craigslist to donate to junior programs and such.   

[Cougartail]

Woops.. already posted

[huntingaddiction]

I'm with jay on this.  I certainly don't condone this behavior, and would intervene if I saw someone doing it, but I think it's highly unlikely that someone  will shoot me while "scoping" me.  People get shot because they are mistaken for game, not because someone mistakenly pulled the trigger on a loaded gun while the safety is off while scoping someone. 

Yes, I know it's possible and may even have happened, save me your stories and your "what if" scenarios and your "you're-really-a-liberal-in-disguise-who-wants-more-people-to-die-by-guns-so-you-can-ban-them-forever" and whatever else can escape from under your hot collar because I disagree with you. 

While I would yell and probably even take cover, I'd chalk it up to someone being an idiot and I would not get confrontational.  I'd protect myself, but if it was obvious that someone was using their scope in lieu of binoculars to scope me, I'm not going to get all upset.  I personally think I face higher risk by riding my motorcycle on public roads. 

As I said, it's not a safe practice, and to make sure nobody does it, we have to teach everyone that it's a sin akin to actual murder.  I get it.  I just don't think it's a big deal and it certainly doesn't warrant me getting into a confrontation with a stranger, where the odds of getting shot go up exponentially.

Lol liberal?  Far from it buddy.  I love my guns and will stand next to anyone who wants to fight with me the day they try to take them.  However, I won't point a gun at you unless I am defending myself or I intend to take your life.  That is gun saftey.  Don't throw around accusations that you have no idea about  it has been a peaceful conversation.  We do not need any idiocracy going on here cause somebody wants to be high and mighty.  Thanks!

[bknilvr00]

It blows me away how people are so dismissive about being scoped. Would you feel more or less at ease if he did it at ten feet? If I had pointed a gun at someone while I was learning to hunt, several things would have happened. I'd have never hunted again, and my dad would have skinned me alive. If you aren't upset with a stranger pointing a gun at you, and having 50/50 odds of them pulling the trigger or not, by accident or on purpose, you are a fool. It takes 1 round to end your existence. Over. Lights out. The only thing my wife ever asks of me when I go hunting is to stay safe and come home. I take that very seriously. As should everyone else

[birddogdad]

I believe some states consider the act brandishing or careless control of the firearm even in hunting applications subject to penalties...

[JDHasty]

I believe some states consider the act brandishing or careless control of the firearm even in hunting applications subject to penalties...

As well they should