LEO Jots Down License Numbers at Shooting Spot

[GrizzlyGuy]

This morning I strapped on my dual-holster gun belt (guns unloaded), drove 5 minutes over to the national forest, parked along the fairly busy paved road at the edge of the forest, put on my snow shoes, shouldered my pack, and hiked a few hundred yards down a snow-covered forest service road. I left that road and headed up the ridge just a bit to a safe and legal spot for shooting.

I setup my target so that I would be shooting into the side of the ridge and away from the road, loaded up, and happily blasted away with the .45 1911 and 9mm Glock. A lady came by behind me on XC skis heading further out into the forest via the road, I waved, she waved. I shot another 100 rounds or so, then gathered my brass and targets and hiked back out to the car.

When I got there, a guy sitting in another car said that a LEO had just been by and had written down everyone's license plate numbers. He had apparently been sent out to investigate the shooting I was doing. Gunfire is real common around here, my guess is that some flatlander tourist forgot that they were now out in the country and called the cops.

Anyhoo... I'm not at all worried as I was doing nothing wrong or illegal. My guess is that the LEO concluded the same thing, or else he would have hiked out to talk to me or waited there at the cars until I got back. I just thought it was odd that he would write down all the license plate numbers. Has that happened to anyone else?

[kurac]

yeh, well he drove all the way out there for the call so I guess that was about all he could do. If the paniced person places another call, dispatch can tell them "we got their license plate number, everthing will be okay"

[TrailerparkTrash]

It's no big deal at all. The only reason why he wrote down the plates was probably because his radio and/or his mobile data computer were out of range and he couldn't run the plates right then and there.

He's probably just fishing for a stolen vehicle and/or warrant returns on any of the vehicles. Cops are always hoping to find parolees with guns etc.... Also, another reason could be he thought he'd jot down the plates in the UNLIKELY event a dead body turns up with 9mm and .45acp bullet holes! Hahahaha..... Then they'd start their investigation and contact all the registered owners of all the vehicles up there and move forward.

Again, no big whoop, relax and be glad a cop was doing his job out there. Sometimes cops are looking for real criminals and law abiding citizens just get in their way. Cops don't know if a car is going to return with "honest citizen" or "armed-and-dangerous-wanted-felon-parolee-at-large-etc..."

[TimRB]

Probably all the cop knew was that he was supposed to investigate a call about "somebody shooting". So he showed up, knew immediately what was going on (nothing whatsoever) but took licence numbers anyway just in case this turned out the be the 1 in ten million case where somebody got shot.

Tim

[rockman]

Just doing his job, no worries.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Also, another reason could be he thought he'd jot down the plates in the UNLIKELY event a dead body turns up with 9mm and .45acp bullet holes! Hahahaha..... Then they'd start their investigation and contact all the registered owners of all the vehicles up there and move forward.

LOL! That was my first guess when I got home. I didn't see any dead bodies, and I'm not that bad of a shot. Besides, the Glock is registered to my wife and I was in her car, so she'd get to play person-of-interest instead of me.

[SJgunguy24]

Next knock at the door will be these guy's

[MP301]

Yeah, no big deal at all. The reasons for taking plate numbers might not even have anything to do with your shooting at all. If someone complained about the shooting, I can pretty much say beyond doubt that they would have made contact. LE usually dont miss the chance..especially if there is a call.

And if he was criusing through the area and heard the gun shots, but knew it was legal to shoot, then getting plates on vehicles in the area would be a good idea if something (like a dead body as mentioned in another post)...as a matter of fact, try explaining to your boss that yeah, you heard some shooting in the area that the body was found, but you didnt think anything of it! Having plates would redeem you!

It is more likely that it is standard policy to take plate numbers every time they come through certain areas like that in case something is reported later (auto burglary, etc.).

Plus, they might get lucky and get a good hit on a stolen or otherwise wanted vehicle....makes for good entertainment.

The other day F&G in Amador county stopped a vehicle that was out of place in the boonies (not sure of the actual reason for the stop as they have slightly different ways of doing things), but it turned into a big investigation when they searched the car because it had a large amount of supplies in it...Food and water.

Turns out the guy was most likeky bringing supplies to a pot grow site...hmmmm