One more Grackle and angry neighbor..

[only1harry]

I was sitting in my porch as usual enjoying some ice coffee I had made and looking out for Starlings and Grackles or that big old male groundhog that's been coming over from under the neighbor's shed.  

I see another shadow go by one of the windows like it was coming straight down but very close to the porch.  I approach that window slowly and look through the blind.  It's a Grackle only about 8-9yds away!  I lift up the blind every so slowly only about 4-5".  I step back because I didn't want to rest my hand and the gun on the window sill and have the barrel stick out and spook the bird.. it was really close and walking towards me never looking up.  I set the A/O down to about 8yds (lowest is 7.5), mag at 6X and squeezed the trigger off-hand.  The 14.3gr CPHP hit its chest and the Grackle just went down head first and it was a gonner, no movement.

All of sudden I hear the next door neighbor about 40yds out sitting in his porch saying "oh that a**hole is shooting animals again".. he repeated it a few times and sounded really PO'd.  He made sure he said loud enough so I can hear him.  I know that was his intend.  I did not say anything.  I didn't want to escalate the situation or have it turn into something ugly.  I couldn't see him and he couldn't see me because of trees and leaves in the way but I could see some movement in his porch behind the brush.  I had forgotten I was shooting at the "bad side" of the house but I usually check to see who is around and all was quiet.  I knew he was home because both cars were in the driveway.  I must have starlted him with the shot.  The 850 is louder than the 36 and it was shooting strong as it's warm and humid out.  I didn't go out to retrieve the bird right away since Grackles are not in the unprotected bird list, only Starlings.  I took a couple of pics from my window, and about 30min. later after I heard him drive away I went outside and disposed of the Grackle.  Oh well, it's ahole neighbors like that, that make it very difficult to enjoy some pest control and our airguns on our own property.  He 's only been my neighbor about 2yrs.  I tried talking to this guy over a year ago but he didn't want to hear it.  He 's also an "animal lover" and has a small dog.  He told me he doesn't let his dog out in his back yard in fear I 'm going to shoot it.  That is how stupid and unreasonable he is.  
I 'm just glad these blinds are working out really well for me.  They go up completely silent and I can pull the string while I 'm low to the floor without them seeing me.  

[SirNomad]

Have you actually had a conversation with the guy or is he just totally being unreasonable and not willing to LISTEN to what you have to say? If you explain to him that the grackles are a danger to more beneficial birds and a pest, and that European starlings are an introduced exotic that take nesting sites away from native birds and that you'd never shoot someone's house pet it might smooth things over. Some people are reasonable, some aren't. He might think you're in the category of "jerks who shoot anything for pleasure" rather than just eliminating foul pests.

[3n00n]

Fits great inthe crock pot with just a small amount of preparation.

[only1harry]

SirNomad:  Yes, I knocked on his door last year and we had a conversation.  The guy didn't want to hear anything.  He never invited me in and I stood at his door step explaining things about the Starlings, groundhogs on my property, damage my son sustained to his ankle as he ran and fell when his foot went in the groundhog hole, and was knocked out cold for a couple of secs, etc.  I explained to him there is nothing illegal about what I do and that I take every precaution with the airguns and never aim towards someone's house, car, etc.   He is very unreasonable and none of the neighbors like him.  He didn't even want to hear what I had to say and was looking down and shaking his head the whole time.  After 3-4min. he said he had to go and couldn't talk to me anymore.  I just felt like smacking him..  I have a good relationship with all the other neighbors.  They complain that he doesn't even respond when they say hello to him or waive.  He 's just one of those very grumpy people that has something against everyone.  He and his wife are rarely seen.  They stay indoors like hermits and hire someone to cut their lawn.  They are very strange and unfriendly people.  I couldn't have asked for a worse neighbor.

[sport71]

There is one in every neighbor hood, and I'm your neighbor! LOL...

[shadow]

Some are set in their way's and I've ran across my share of them in my Airgun hunting travel's, smile and thank them for their time. As long as we do our hunt's legal like and alway's show respect to Mother Nature and our not so friendly neighbors all is Zen, kill em with kindness hehehe. Nice shootin and he look's like he's taken a nice grass nap. Ed

[gamo2hammerli]

There's always a few of "those" around.....the type that don't have any joy in their life.....and don't want anyone else to have joy in their lives.....any way, sort or form.  As you say....all the other neigbours don't like him.....then there's something "not right" about him.

Btw....good shooting again.

[Crock Pot]

Stays inside, hardly seen, reclusive, anti social...................Hey be careful there mate, he could be one of these weirdos that you hear about with someone locked in their basement or worse.  Next time you shoot one of those grackle things scream out at the top of your voice " hey I got another one of those dirty @#%$rs!" and proudly march out and get it.  Good luck and keep safe!

[gamo2hammerli]

Yeah....and don't encourage him to be in the air gun/real gun fraternity.

[naildigger]

Everyone has a right to thier own opinion, and just like a## holes everybody has one. When I was younger in a situation like yours, I would have walked over and told him to keep his voice down, that he was scaring away all the wildlife and messin up my shootin session. But, best thing to do, just wave, smile, and get on with it.