My mom, back in the 1950's
(I posted this to a non-DU forum)
Referencing ‘farm dogs’, this happened back in the 1950's:
Most, if not all, of our rural neighbors had dogs, and the county officials knew few, if any, bought a license for the dogs.
One year the county decided to send a man around to the farms to check the dogs and, if the dogs had no license, the man would give the owner a fine. This, the county thought, would raise needed income for the county.
My mom happened to be home alone the day the man showed up. My dad’s primary occupation was as a painter, ... painting houses, schools, etc and he farmed in his ‘free time’. We kids were in school.
We had two drive ways; one by the house and one by the barn.
My mom saw a stranger pull into the drive way by the barn; get out and approach where our two dogs were kept.
Not knowing the man or his intentions, she did what a country woman, raised in Texas, home alone, might do.
She went outside and fired one shot into the air from a 12 gauge shotgun.
The man quickly got back in his car and drove away.
I guess word got around about mom. Some time later, one evening after dark, with the whole family inside, we noticed a car pull into the drive way down by the barn.
Naturally we all looked out to see what was going on and heard a woman’s voice yelling
“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”
It was a neighbor lady whose car had broken down.
My mom, from around that time, standing next to a lilac bush.
= new reply since forum marked as read
No. I really mean it. Cool story. 
