In what sound like something that might happen in a village somewhere in a lawless, third-world country, a man decided to randomly fire shots into his neighbor’s yard in pursuit of squirrels. But it wasn’t a third-world villager, it was instead a resident of Newport News, Va.
According to CBS affiliate WTKR, local law enforcement responded to what was reported as a shots fired call.
“Officials say that when officers arrived, a woman told them that the suspect, Roderick Howard Franks III, fired three shots into her yard while he was trying to hunt for squirrels,” WTKR’s Nick Boykin reported.
“There were two children inside the house when the 21-year-old shot into the yard of the home. There was also another child with the woman when the shots were fired.”
Related: A Call for a Squirrel-Hunting Revival
Franks is being charged with the following:
- Firearm/Etc: Pointing/Brandishing
- Firearm: Shoot from vehicles
- License revoked: Driver without License, 1 off
While its not encouraged to hunt private land for anything, anywhere without permission, hunting officials and those in the hunting community largely endorse squirrel hunting legally. In fact, many hunters get a real kick out of pursuing this small-game animal. It’s also an excellent way to introduce kids or a new hunter to hunting.
“There’s no better way to introduce someone to hunting than through squirrel hunting,” said Mark Hatfield, a certified wildlife biologist for the National Wild Turkey Federation. “For one thing, young kids can hunt squirrels successfully and they can do it while doing what kids do: moving around a lot and exploring.”
Related: Squirrel Hunting Suppressed
One of America’s most legendary hunters Daniel Boone, hence the Daniel Boone Squirrel Gun, a 16 gauge shotgun that once sold for $27.
Image: 1915 C.M. McClung & Co. Hdw., Knoxville catalog.
“Squirrel supplemented the protein of frontier families who needed meat to bolster their stews, while canned SPAM offered an inexpensive alternative to fresh options during challenging economic times and World War II,” wrote Li Zhou for the Smithsonian.
While it’s unusual to see squirrel and SPAM in the same sentence when referencing nutrition, it’s true many hunters and hardy Red State Americans remain fond of both.
Featured photo: iStock
