"Pardon me but the fact that you lived in rural west Tennessee and did not own a gun sounds fishy."
Fishy? Are you saying that there is something wrong that I did not have a gun?
Maybe I would have wound up like the 5 in WI.
I bought my property in 1972, built my own house, and had no problems till 1990.
I did have guns from time to time, but I never went out looking for a gun fight ! Thats for Morons !
I live on the edge of a wilderness preserve in British Columbia, but haven't owned a rifle since I left the North Peace in '79.
Around here, if you own a rifle, you just end up shooting more bears than I'd ever want to. One of my neighbours pops a half dozen per year, but still has them raiding his fruit trees when they pass through, as they continue to do, generation after generation. Grizzlies avoid humans, so it's only the black bears that come around, anyway.
I just let the dog bark. ;^)
You need a gun Alex.
Someone should be able to help.
Maybe some Dobies or Rotts if you'd prefer.