Thread: A Cautionary Tale

How Things Go Wrong... The road to hell really is paved with good intentions.

This is a cautionary tale about where best intentions can lead. It happened a long, long time ago, on a continent far, far away. Fortunately, no humans or bats were hurt in the making of this tale.

In my younger days, I worked on a nature reserve, where security was a bit of an issue. It was very close to the border between South Africa and Mocambique, in the sub-tropics – a hot and humid place.

One of the conservators decided that they would like to be able to blast off a warning shot or 2 with a shotgun in the general direction of an intruder – be they man or monkey, even in the dark. A plan was hatched, and the solution was rock-salt loaded shotgun cartridges. Hand loads were made, and the rounds tested – they worked a treat, shredding banana leaves at about 10 paces, but little damage beyond that – perfect for teaching a lesson to a less-than-committed intruder likely to be encountered in a casual burglary… All good so far.

Fast forward 2 years, and a bat problem emerged in a 5m high shed. It was an open-bay design, and bats were nesting in the recesses, with faeces running down the walls. For those that haven’t smelled it, it is a pungent, horrid stench that you’ll never forget. Anyway, a think-tank went to work to come up with a solution. Bats can carry rabies, so handling them was not an option. Someone then remembered the rock-salt cartridges, stored in the firearm safe. That night, just when the bats became active for the evening, there was an ambush. The shotgun was produced and as soon as the first rat of the sky stuck its head out, head-ranger took the shot. An almighty clang was heard, and a neat 12g hole appeared in the sheet iron of the roof. The salt had solidified due to the ambient humidity and time, creating a solid slug. Awed at the performance, the firearm was put away, and the rest of the ammo destroyed.

A warning shot at an intruder would have had far worse consequences – most likely a fatal shooting. Beware when embarking on what seems like a great idea!