The MSM coverage of this Quebec cow killing has focused on its necessity, or lack thereof. “Police officers who shot two cows that escaped on their way to the slaughterhouse say they had to kill them because they were a threat to the public,” the AP reports. “Gatineau police spokesman Pierre Lanthier said Monday the cows charged police. Lanthier says it occurred near a primary school and says the cows could have killed a child.” For our purposes, set aside the idea of the cops waiting for a shotgun or rifle (as they did) and notice how many shots were required to send Elmer to the great meat processing factory in the sky. Of course, there’s a few key differences between a bovine that’s [temporarily] escaped from the slaughterhouse and Mr. Bad Guy. For one thing, bad guys are way harder to shoot . . .
They’re smaller and move more quickly. They’re more agile and [generally] possess more intellectual ability. They jump out at you. They carry weapons. To stop a rogue human from attacking, you really need to be on top of your game. You have to shoot them effectively. And that means slowly.
As I’ve mentioned before, adrenaline has a major impact on cognition. For one thing, your perception of time slows down. You’re moving a lot faster than you think you are. If you slow down, take your time and focus on the front sight, you’ll still shoot quickly. But you’ll be far more accurate.
Given “stray” bullets’ potential for costly collateral damage, given the advantages of shooting the perp where it hurts, you can’t have enough accuracy, really. When push comes to shove, you want to worship at the altar of center mass. And here’s the kicker: you don’t need a lot of shots on target to win a gunfight. Because all you really need to do is slow the bastard(s) down.
Remember Ralph’s Rule: when you’re in trouble, leave as soon as possible. One well-placed hit on a person trying to kill or maim you and/or yours can be incredibly discouraging—for him (her, them). It may give you time to leave, when possible.
Caveats? Lots. There’s no guarantee of anything in an armed self-defense situation. But it’s certainly true that accuracy is your friend. For the greatest possible accuracy in a life-or-death situation, follow Bart Simpson’s sage advice: don’t have a cow, man.