7 years a go right after I retired I decided I needed a real handgun for personal defense. I wound up buying a Springfield XDM 40cal. About 6 months later September rolled around and I decided to go Teal hunting. So at 3:30 in the morning I am on the Mobile causeway cutting me a bundle of cane under Ed's Seafood parking lot lights. After Finishing cutting my cane and laying it in my boat, I proceeded west to the launch at Choccolata about 1/2 mile away. I drove slowly because I hadn't tied the cane in the boat and I didn't want it to blow out. mI had my Tundra lights on bright and saw no one on my way to launch. I pulled in the east entrance to parking area and proceeded the 100 yards or so down to the launch. No one, not even another vehicle was in the parking lot, 4:00am. As I approached the ramp I swung out toward road then backed boat up to waters edge. I the got out leaving drivers door open, I opened the back door took my cased shotgun and shell bag and walked back to boat placing them in boat. I then unlatched winch strap and hooked bow line on winch. I walked back to truck got in and backed boat into water. I then got back out leaving drivers door open and walked back to secure bow line to pier while I parked truck. About the time I reached the bac of truck I heard something and looked up and there were 5 young black men approaching me at a fast walk. I immediately knew I was in a bad situation. It was strange my mind started racing, everything went quiet. I glanced at my shotgun but knew there was no way to get it with boat floating 30' away on bowline. they were saying threatening things and making threatening jestures but my world was silent. my mind was racing. then It hit me my pistol was about 4 steps away on the truck console. The brothers by now had split 2 heading to the back of the truck and 2 toward the front of the truck with what appeared to be the leader coming straight to me. I stepped to the open truck door grabbed the pistol and turned around. he was maybe 8 feet from me as I did. When I came around and his eyes locked on that barrel that close to him his right hand came out of his pocket and his left of his nuts and up in the air they went. The first thing I had heard in 20 seconds or so was a very audible whoa! I really don't know how I keep my composure but I looked him straight in the eye and quote told them I recommended they take their ass on down the road. Thankfully the ones at the back of the truck made a wide swing around toward the front of the truck including the one in front of me and they begrudgingly walked on down the road. I am very thanful it turned out like it did but at the time it was happening if they had pushed it I would have done my best to kill everyone of them. I dialed 911 and the police picked them up as 2 of them were rummaging around behind Laps Restaurant. Nothing ever came of it though. Lesson I learned is always be vigilant of your surroundings. I am actually glad it never had to go to court because I couldn't swear to anything they said [my world went silent] but there was no mistaking they were threatening me. Rob me, beat me, kill me, I will never know and really glad I didn't find out!