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What I’d Do If I Heard The Bump In The Night

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home defense

The Bump in the Night

Many people get into or use their guns for home defense, maybe even you. But just having the gun isn’t a magic talisman that will keep the bad guys out of your house. In addition to, or as part of, training, have you thought about what you’d do if you heard a bump in the night and might actually have to defend your castle?

I haven’t been a single woman in a long time, but I still sometimes have the house to myself at night. It’s nice not having to fight for the blankets, but it does mean that I don’t have my usual backup if I think I hear someone trying to break into my home. Knowing that I might be home alone soon, I’ve been thinking about what I’d do if I heard a bump in the night. I thought I’d share with you to give you some ideas too.

Home defense

Real lions are fierce, but I don't think this guy’s gonna do a real good job of protecting me.

OPTION 1

Sleep through it. Call me sleep-deprived or just a heavy sleeper, but it takes a lot to wake me up. When my Facebook feed is full of people talking about that mega thunderstorm last night, I’m the one wondering what I missed. So maybe I did think I heard something, and promptly rolled over and pulled the blankets over my head. Not the best home defense strategy if I’m on my own. Maybe an alarm system I can leave on while I’m home alone would be a good idea, because being dead asleep is just about the ultimate “Condition White”.

OPTION 2

Wake up, assume it’s my clumsy cat jumping off the dresser, go back to sleep. Whether it is pets, kids, or crazy neighbors, many of you have the same problem that I do: loud noises at night are almost certainly something harmless. Even being woken by the sound of a crash might not mean that someone has bashed a window in to try to rob me. The alarm system I mentioned would help me tell the difference between an animal or child wandering around inside and someone coming in through a door. It would also be a good self-defense strategy for me to learn what noises are normal.

home defense

Even kittens can make a lot of noise when they’re getting down from tall surfaces.

OPTION 3

Let’s say I woke up and I’m pretty sure what I heard wasn’t the dog. I should rack the cruiser-ready shotgun I keep next to the bed, right? That will totally scare away any home invaders. Well … no, it really won’t. My new house guests, if there are any, might not even hear and recognize the sound. If they don’t, then I’ve done nothing that I couldn’t have accomplished more quietly by having my home-defense gun already loaded. And if they do, then I’ve just let them know exactly where I am and that I’m awake, maybe looking for a fight.

home defense

My shotgun just doesn’t fit in with my home décor

OPTION 4

Clear the house! After all, I’ve taken a couple classes and watched some movies, so I’m totally qualified. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. From actually running towards a gunfight I don’t want to have and could have avoided (or at least had on my ground), to accidentally pointing a gun at my husband trying to surprise me with an early arrival home … the possible negative outcomes outweigh any positives to me. Besides, my law enforcement friends tell me that even they wouldn’t clear their own homes off-duty, that’s what officers with back-ups and body armor are for!

home defense

I've got a gun and a flashlight…is that enough to clear my house?

OPTION 5

Call 911. I’m not saying I’d call the cops every time I heard a funny noise, but if I’m hearing unfamiliar voices or the noises are obviously bad or don’t stop as I’d expect normal night sounds to stop? Hiding behind my bed with my cell phone and my gun at the ready both gives me the ability to defend myself and make sure help is on the way. If I’m lucky, the worst that happens is that I’m a little embarrassed for being paranoid. That seems like a fair conclusion to a legitimate fear.

home defense

Any old cell phone can be kept plugged in next to your bed to call 911, even if it doesn’t have service.

Would you pick one of these options next time you’re home alone at night? Why or why not? Tell us over on our Facebook page!

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