From the Barber's Chair: When Reality and Training Overlap

I received the following email from my barber a few days ago. Note how a real, middle-of-the-night response to four-legged pests serves as a scenario to test one's training for the two-legged variety.

As you all know,while [my wife] is rehabing after knee surgery,I have assumed all her outside duties.  Someone or something has been attacking our barn,destroying feed boxes,and has killed several chickens lately,during nightime hours.  We set a havahart live trap in the barn.  We caught,and dispatched a possum last week.  We kept the trap baited.  This morning,I arose at 0530,and entered the barn.  Wearing shorts and a t-shirt,I flipped the light on.  The trap had been sprung,a large amount of grey fur was visible inside the trap, and a racoon was looking at me from behind a barrel in the corner!  I ran to the house ,returning with my tactical 12 guage,uploading on the run.  I realized that impressive damage would occur by discharging the 12 inside the barn walls.  I returned with the .410,loaded with 3-inch 9shot loads.  The coon stuck his head out from behind the barrel.  Headshot.  A second coon came barelling out from behind the barell!!!!  With barn cats flying in all directions,I engaged him as he ran.  Headshot.  That left one rather large coon in the trap looking at me.  I repaired to the house,returned with the .17 rimfire rifle.  Another headshot.  Three suspects down,no injuries to responding units.  They were,as the saying goes,code 4.

Continued