So I have a really good dog, but he looks like Scooby doo and he is just as scared too. Our home is in one of the more affluent neighborhoods, but it has been host to a number of automotive break ins and just some weird bs as of late. Last night (5/26/18) around 0030, the storms had just passed and I am walking the hound when we both see movement from my elderly neighbors side bushes. Doggo got his big boy bark out while moving for cover behind my legs, and there I was in just shorts and flip flops. The movement was strange, but pretty human like. I got back to the door without turning my back, retrieved the m&p 40 with a tlr-2 unhooked the dog and went back out to see if it had moved. It had moved to behind a decorative rock near some taller shrubs on the edge of our property line. It was still there bouncing in and out of hiding moving like a tweaker, my dad was one so I've got quite a bit of experience noticing signs. I call out quietly but directly "who are you?" no response but there was movement, so being that I know my neighbor is a soft target and with construction on a bridge at our streets entrance we would be looking at 20 minutes plus for a call out. I moved forward and lit up the suspected prowler, after saying I am armed and asking them to identify themselves. Turned out to be a helium balloon about 3ft tall shaped as an "0" that was floating about 6ft above the ground to the top. It must have been blown in during the storms from a grad party as the string was tied to a laundry clip and it had just enough buoyancy to keep it on the ground, while being light enough to move with the lightest of breezes. Glock glockit.... I did maintain trigger discipline and did not present the weapon until a few verbal warnings were given.
I mean I know I made mistakes, and here is what I've learned after sitting back and breaking down the situation.
-First lesson being that I don't have a powerful enough flashlight for walking the dog at night. I will be adding a stinger ds led hl that will sit on a charger near the leash.
-Second, we have some extremely dark spaces and direct lines to a highway. Lights lights lights. Maybe some shrubs to break the visual line to the highway.
-Third, I should have called the police when I went back to my porch with my pistol. I didn't but I should have. I've made a call before that lead to an arrest of a man taking pictures in windows at night I shouldn't have treated this differently.
-Lastly my dog will not attack lol, he may defend me if something got up close and personal, but he isn't going out and getting him some.
Building on the third, I knew how long it took under good road conditions for the local pd to respond. In my mind I saw my softness being the only thing between whatever this thing was and my wife and baby girl. I keep pistols secured in a couple places in my house for quick access and I went for one with a light. I should have called the cops and let them "deflate" the situation, but something inside drove me outside. I did all of this from my porch, it wasn't like I was hunting it. Still I feel like I didn't handle the situation the right way.
Positives I've Taken Away
-Trigger finger discipline. Keeping the finger off the trigger probably saved that balloons life and a long legal battle for me.
-The TLR 2 HL. What an amazing piece of kit. Night sights were utterly useless and pointless, I could see the sights, but couldn't identify the target and the background. the light and laser on the other hand, wow.
-I put my limited training to work. I went through the motions even when my emotions were high. Before I identified the floating bandit it was a real situation to me and I found I leaned on the force on force training I've taken, and the force training I've watched on sportsmans channel. I definitely want to get into a low light training environment and work on it. And I need to get into a legal class regarding home defense.
All in all I think I did the wrong thing. I should have barricaded the door and defended my home and family from within. I should have called the police. But I feel like there are some really positive things to take away from this crazy experience. This story is slightly embarrassing, but I feel like the lessons may help others and the conversation may provide some enlightenment for me.
I mean I know I made mistakes, and here is what I've learned after sitting back and breaking down the situation.
-First lesson being that I don't have a powerful enough flashlight for walking the dog at night. I will be adding a stinger ds led hl that will sit on a charger near the leash.
-Second, we have some extremely dark spaces and direct lines to a highway. Lights lights lights. Maybe some shrubs to break the visual line to the highway.
-Third, I should have called the police when I went back to my porch with my pistol. I didn't but I should have. I've made a call before that lead to an arrest of a man taking pictures in windows at night I shouldn't have treated this differently.
-Lastly my dog will not attack lol, he may defend me if something got up close and personal, but he isn't going out and getting him some.
Building on the third, I knew how long it took under good road conditions for the local pd to respond. In my mind I saw my softness being the only thing between whatever this thing was and my wife and baby girl. I keep pistols secured in a couple places in my house for quick access and I went for one with a light. I should have called the cops and let them "deflate" the situation, but something inside drove me outside. I did all of this from my porch, it wasn't like I was hunting it. Still I feel like I didn't handle the situation the right way.
Positives I've Taken Away
-Trigger finger discipline. Keeping the finger off the trigger probably saved that balloons life and a long legal battle for me.
-The TLR 2 HL. What an amazing piece of kit. Night sights were utterly useless and pointless, I could see the sights, but couldn't identify the target and the background. the light and laser on the other hand, wow.
-I put my limited training to work. I went through the motions even when my emotions were high. Before I identified the floating bandit it was a real situation to me and I found I leaned on the force on force training I've taken, and the force training I've watched on sportsmans channel. I definitely want to get into a low light training environment and work on it. And I need to get into a legal class regarding home defense.
All in all I think I did the wrong thing. I should have barricaded the door and defended my home and family from within. I should have called the police. But I feel like there are some really positive things to take away from this crazy experience. This story is slightly embarrassing, but I feel like the lessons may help others and the conversation may provide some enlightenment for me.
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