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Decided to head to a creek to see if any crappie had moved in yesterday. Took my 8 yr old daughter with me. We parked in the public hunting parking area around lake aquilla and i had the truck facing out. I was tying jigs on our poles on the back of the tailgate. a pickup came over the bridge on the creek driving real slow. it had dark tented windows and i couldnt see into the passenger compartment. it pulled in next to our truck facing the opposite direction of my truck and just sat there for a few seconds. i had slowly postioned my daughter behind me when it started pulling in, and had moved to have my truck bed between us and the truck. i had my glock 33 inside the front pocket of my bib coveralls, and slowly had moved up and unzipped the pocket without being obvious about it. normally i feel pretty safe in hill county, but this area has had a tendacy in the past to have lots of drinking and partying, not so much in the day but at nite. anyway to my relief the drivers window rolls down and its 2 older guys inquiring about if this was a public hunting parking spot, and did i know anything about the hunting in the area. they were trying to read a map and find out what location they were in, is what took them so long to roll window down. they had drove in from stephenville and were not familiar with the area. anyway, i still felt safer knowing that i had the means to protect my daughter and myself if it had been different.
doc

Good situational awareness!

I'm like you....when I see a vehicle with windows tinted so dark you can't see in, time to go to mode yellow, and start picking cover locations, reaching for the gun, etc. I thought side windows tinted so dark you can't see in is illegal.

Good job doc606 ! It sounds like you took all the correct precautions.
I think sometimes the more isolated areas can be just as dangerous as heavily populated areas.

Glad you stayed safe and had a good day with your little girl.

I'm glad you didn't pull your gun and sternly order them to leave

We are forgetting one very important issue. Did you catch any crappie? Glad all turned out well.

story replayed to me from FIL 75 yrs old

Galveston island fishing west end somewhere, dually with two guys look ruff pull up to him on beach small talk about fishing no one else around. him between trucks driver ask him if would like an foot whopping. FIL has fanny pack with kimber 45 in it he has his hand inside and on the pistol. Tells driver I dont think so Driver see fanny pack and hand inside of it, decised to leave well enough alone could have turned out real bad Never know when or where always be prepared

There are more good guys in the world (well, Texas at least) than bad. That's what I'm going to keep telling myself anyway.

That said, there have been moments like this in my life where some "sketchy" folks turn out to be friendly and harmless, just needing "directions" or whatever.

Then when reviewing the situation later I realize that I was probably about to get robbed (or worse) and the bad guy's "radar" (they decided to find an easier target) went off so they became real friendly and moved on down the road.

I'll give just about anybody the benefit of the doubt, I don't judge on appearance, as there's plenty of "clean cut" bad guys out there (unless their foaming at the mouth or twitching) - but I don't get so close that I couldn't retreat or defend myself if need be.

Anyone else ever get that feeling?

Glad it all worked out ...

Just a side note,
I do a lot of kayaking and kayak fishing and I'm up here in Texas hill country now ...
I know we can carry in LCRA parks/lakes, any and all City owned parks/lakes, but
I'm thinking that Aquilla is a "Corps of Engineers" lake .... Federal Property, so I avoid carrying on any lake
Operated by US Army Corps of Engineers until I am sure it's OK to carry there.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fi ... cess.phtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visito ... Id=M274786" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I actually don't go to any lake where I can't carry legally.
The purpose I got my CHL was for rattlesnake protection. There's LOTS of rattlesnakes where I g.
Plus, a couple years ago a man was found shot to death at a County Boat ramp, another person a couple years ago was found on the lake bottom inside a concrete filled drum (which was sunk about 30 years ago), ... so I always carry my rattlesnake protection after that, just in case.




I've read ..
In most cases firearms are prohibited on Corps properties, except while hunting in authorized/designated hunting areas, and unloaded, and you have the commander's written permission .......
BUT
I've ALSO read, that Part 327 section 327.26 of the Code of Federal Regulations makes it legal to carry on COE property by stating that state and local laws shall apply on project lands and waters including the use and possession of firearms UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED (which they did).

327.13 Explosives, firearms, other weapons and fireworks.
(a) The possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, loaded projectile firing devices, bows and arrows, crossbows, or other weapons is prohibited unless: (1) In the possession of a Federal, state or local law enforcement officer;
(2) Being used for hunting or fishing as permitted under 327.8, with devices being unloaded when transported to, from or between hunting and fishing sites;
(3) Being used at authorized shooting ranges; or
(4) Written permission has been received from the District Commander.
(b) Possession of explosives or explosive devices of any kind, including fireworks or other pyrotechnics, is prohibited unless written permission has been received from the District Commander.

Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 327 governing use of Corps of Engineers Project Lands and Waters
a) Except as otherwise provided in this part or by Federal law or regulation, state and local laws and ordinances shall apply on project lands and waters. This includes, but is not limited to, state and local laws and ordinances governing:

(1) Operation and use of motor vehicles, vessels, and aircraft;

(2) Hunting, fishing and trapping;

(3) Use or possession of firearms or other weapons;

(4) Civil disobedience and criminal acts;

(5) Littering, sanitation and pollution; and

(6) Alcohol or other controlled substances.

(b) These state and local laws and ordinances are enforced by those state and local enforcement agencies established and authorized for that purpose.



-----------
State parks, OK, LCRA parks, ok. City Parks, ok, National Parks after Feb 10, 2010 will be OK, Other places Brazos River Authority etc I don't know.

Now here's a real mind blower ... If Lake Whitney is a Corps lake ...but there is TPWD: Lake Whitney State Park, and we may be able to carry in State Parks .... I give up, going to fish in the pond in back of my house ... On second thought I give up.... too cold to fish ... going back to bed.

Wait, you mean I'm not in the City's lake side Park? Stupid Garmin G.P.S. must be on the fritz again !!!

I do NOT think you can legally carry in a CORPS OF ENGINEERS park right now.
Serach the forum for Corps of Engineers

Read http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/te ... 1.3.0.1.14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not a lawyer

no crappie caught, but still had a good time with the girl. in reference to carrying on the lake:
1. i was not on lake aquilla
2. i was not on/or in a coe park. maybe i could be filed on for being in the parking lot carrying.
3. i walked down a county road to get to the creek about 50yds from the parking area. at this time i actually think the creek banks belong to the state, not the corp, only the lake and hunting areas belong to the corp. but to stop any further confusion, i will park on the side of the county road and not in the designated parking areas for the hunting. ( these are just access points onto the corp hunting property. lake aquilla is bow only so u cant take firearms of any kind onto the land. i didnt really think about being in violation. just saw that since ive been down there last, they have done some tractor work, created a parking area, and put in a new access gate. didnt see what it would hurt to park there, but will think about it twice before next time. by the way the only sign tbey have posted is "hunting by permit only".
normally wouldnt of been this suspicious and maybe i did over react, but it driving so slowly and windows being dark had be concerned. i take no chances when it comes to my daughter, too many pervs in the world. thanks for the responses and advice.
doc

Around some of the Highland lakes (LCRA) near Austin, vehicles get burglarized, and last year a bunch of kids (wannabe gangsters) were firing guns in and around the parking lots at night..... you're right .... can't be too careful.

Re: dark windows

I know of several people who are hypersensitive to sunlight (can be genetic, medication related, etc.) and therefore have doctors prescriptions for extra dark tint on their windows. While the majority of people with blackout windows are lokoing for the gangster look, there are legitimate reasons for it. Occasionally.

IMHO dark tinted windows can be an additional layer of security. If a badguy can't tell how many or what type of occupants
are in the vehicle they might move on to a "softer" target.
That said, we did get pulled over by DPS due to said windows, but I didn't mind a bit. (We had to get lighter tint on the front windows, but I'd prefer it not be obvious that my wife and kids are "by "themselves". Yes, she carrys and can protect herself and the kids (and me for that matter) but we don't ever want it to come to that.
But the fact is not only are we mom and dad, we are also the kid's security detail.

mctowalot wrote:

IMHO dark tinted windows can be an additional layer of security. If a badguy can't tell how many or what type of occupants
are in the vehicle they might move on to a "softer" target.

Conversely, neither you nor the LEO can see what one may be up against inside the blacked-out vehicle. Tinted windows are okay, no see-ums ARE NOT, IMO.

CDH wrote:Re: dark windows

I know of several people who are hypersensitive to sunlight (can be genetic, medication related, etc.) and therefore have doctors prescriptions for extra dark tint on their windows. While the majority of people with blackout windows are lokoing for the gangster look, there are legitimate reasons for it. Occasionally.

I'm not sure what the law was before September 01, 2009 but the law that went into effect now requires a "medical exemption" and "the department approves tint exemptions on a case-by-case basis". Carrying a letter or prescription from a doctor/optometrist is no longer sufficient.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/tint.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oldgringo wrote:[Conversely, neither you nor the LEO can see what one may be up against inside the blacked-out vehicle. Tinted windows are okay, no see-ums ARE NOT, IMO.

I thinlk we are on the same page re: no see-ums. Our windows meet the legal requirements, and I'm surely not going for the "gangster look". I just meant that I would rather it take a moment - or a powerfull spot light - to get a completely clear view of the occupants of our family vehicles. I would equate it to the difference between driving at night with the dome light on or off. I just don't want her - pardon the pun - driving around at night with a spotlight on the car advertising: sole adult in this vehicle is an attractive female with two cute toddlers on board.
There are some manners to be applied IMO if your vehicle has tinted windows. For instance re: the OP. It would have been comforting if the occupants of that truck had rolled the windows down right away, instead of the delay he mentioned. I can tell you that I would have had the courtesy to do that myself.
In fact today (Christmas day) on our way to visit my family we ran across an elderly couple with a flat tire. When I pulled over to assist them I rolled the windows down so they could see inside our car and not be worried.
The same applied when DPS stopped us a while back. I think most of us here know how to handle getting pulled over, one of the first steps being rolling down the windows and keeping our hands where the LEO can see them, etc.
I agree with re: no see-ums. In fact there are several HPD units with very heavy tint, and I would imagine that is meant to intimidate the badguys, perhaps it's to conceal the fact that there are extra officers, dogs, or gear. I'm sure someone on the board could "shed some light" on that (again with the puns, sorry)

Again I agree that vehicles with windows so dark that you can't see through them are un-nerving, the same can be said for windowless (cargo) vans. I'll spare you the details but I'm aware of several infamous crime stories involving them.
Perhaps on another thread...