Pond Boss
Posted By: Snakebite Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 05/25/20 08:50 PM
So I need some ideas or personal experiences. I am in the works with a large property that has 3 main road access points. A fair amount of traffic and I get asked nearly everyday by passer by if I can fish the property. So I am looking for solutions I do have about 10 green signs displayed that say are no hunting or fishing violators will be prosecuted. This seems to have little effect.

So what options do I have?
Posted By: anthropic Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 05/25/20 09:08 PM
Any way of blocking the view? Trees, berm, whatever?
Fences and gates. Locked.
Posted By: RAH Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 05/26/20 10:33 AM
May just need to call the police (just warnings were required, no arrests). That was what a neighboring farmer had to finally do on his remote land. He also allowed one (just one) fellow to hunt it with the agreement that he kept others out. This has worked pretty well for many years now.
Posted By: Snakebite Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 05/26/20 12:17 PM
Originally Posted by anthropic
Any way of blocking the view? Trees, berm, whatever?

I will say I don`t have enough dirt material for the berm. I can do trees or fences or both. What types of fences or trees should I be thinking of.

I have talked to our local wildlife officer to help keep a passing eye on the land.

Thanks
I had trespassers. Sister caught them, I responded, took pictures, and asked states attorney & conservation police officer to prosecute. CPO gave the two individuals tickets, SA prosecuted, each paid $175 in fines. I then set up two trail cameras that should catch someone coming in, ensured gate was closed, and put ip big sign..

Of interest, ASCS office person told them about it and who owned it, they confirmed it and checked it out on google satellite images.
Posted By: gehajake Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 06/27/20 04:26 PM
In this day and age I would firstly set up game cameras that link to cell phones to advise you immediately of trespassers and even without that I would put up signage to that effect,, let people know that they are on camera and reported, not in a couple weeks when you check your camera but are being watched and recorded live, right at this minute, and law enforcement is on the way even as you read this.
My biggest beef I have with it is the disrespectful rifraf that trespasses,, there is a private lake here local that a lot of people sneak in and fish, it is owned by a municipality that really doesn't care, just puts up no trespassing signs for liability reasons, but they leave piles of soda and beer cans, Styrofoam worm boxes and every other piece of trash they can find to throw down, absolutely disgusting. how can anybody be that worthless?
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 06/28/20 02:27 AM
Trespassers - Here are some links to previous PBoss discussions about dealing with trespassers. Hopefully there are some additional good ideas for you.

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=470985

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=194874

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=489293

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=414626

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=45213

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=414763

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=357677
Posted By: Snakebite Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 06/29/20 06:39 PM
Thanks for all the great ideas, I think we have a starting game plan. We have decided to put a t-post fencing around the entire property. The 3 lower strands of barbwire and top 3 strands of electric fencing, outfitted with a alarm siren if the line is cut.

We also decided on planting Japanese Silver fountain grass about every 6 feet on the perimeter of the fencing line. They grow dense and spread 6ft wide and 5ft height.

Purchased 11 wireless cameras that will record and send movement notifications to our cell phones. Finally 2 trail cameras placed in the entrance ways to capture license plate information. Placed a call to the local game warden to make them aware of the situation.

Anything else I should look into?
Posted By: anthropic Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 06/30/20 05:38 AM
Well, I sure am impressed! Fortunately my place is not visible from any road so I haven't had your issues, but if I did your game plan sounds like it would work. Thought of planting bamboo if necessary, but it spreads like crazy.
Posted By: esshup Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 07/19/20 11:35 PM
The only thing that I can add is to make sure you prosecute anyone that is caught. If they think that it's just someone talking and that no action will be taken they won't get the message.

If you have anyone watching the place for you, talk to the game warden if they need to be added to their list via paperwork as a person that can press charges if you aren't around or aren't available.

Here in Indiana, game wardens can only get involved if a person is fishing or hunting, the sheriff has to get involved if they are trespassing.
Research Louisiana Trespass Law (if you don't own the land, you are trespassing if you enter without express permission) then ask your Representative to introduce similar legislation for your State.

No fences, gates or signage being required here; tremendous relief for property owners.
Posted By: Zep Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 07/20/20 09:49 PM
Originally Posted by esshup
The only thing that I can add is to make sure you prosecute anyone that is caught.

Agreed....although I may try once...a stern threat that "next time there will be no warning"...there are many pieces to this puzzle....good fencing, locked gates, no trespass signage, property monitored by camera signage, house/barn/structure alarm system signage, wireless game cam. Have the game warden's name and number handy in your cell phone....so you can use the game warden's name if you catch and are talking with the offenders....also use your cell phone to take pictures of the vehicle, vehicle license plate number, and the offenders. I have NRA medallions on the front gate to send a message that there are people beyond the gate that are locked and loaded. Of course we can only do so much because we all know that a dedicated human can break into Fort Knox if they are determined enough.

I had this sign made for my barn:
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Posted By: gehajake Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 07/21/20 11:41 AM
I'm no professional but I would dare venture that most of your problem evolves around less then 4 people that have figured out the place, and probably live close enough to sneak in on ft. I may be wrong but I'd bet you catch one of them and prosecute him your problem will be mostly solved. in today's technology age with real time cell cameras and all, most individuals realize the implications of such actions, just a few stupid crackheads that don't care about an arrest record.
Posted By: Snakebite Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 07/21/20 01:16 PM
I say when most people that drive by and ask either have kids or have teens that fish. I don`t think many of them were the actual people wanting to fish, but someone asked them about being able to fish it. Since setting up the trail cameras I have spotted 4 different adults at different times coming on the land and walking around. Not fishing, but checking out the ponds and the buildings on the land. Two came by 4 wheeler and the others I could not see where they entered from.

As with everything it seems right now, my wireless cameras are on a back order log a mile long.
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Keeping away fish poaching trespassers - 07/21/20 10:37 PM
Mark, I like that sign.
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