Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Trespassers

Ok, we have a potential future problem at the pond. I may have mentioned this in another thread, but I can't find it now. Anyway, while hunting the other day I caught 2 teenagers riding their dirt bikes on the pile of excavated dirt near the pond. I mentioned this in a trail cam thread on another site that a neighbor of the property owns and he said that he's kicked those same kids off of his property before too. I am planning on getting trail cameras for a number of reasons, but possibly the most important, I want them to keep an eye out for trespassers. My pond will only be 3/4 acre so it wouldn't take much to screw it up. I can only imagine what would happen if they decided to take some fish with them. Without cameras we probably would never know, just wondering why we're only catching stunted BG a year down the road. Anyway, the pond is a stone's throw off of an old railroad (no tracks) that is frequented by these ATVs and dirt bikes. Besides the obvious fencing and trail cams, what other alternatives have you landowners found that works to keep trespassers off your property? I don't live on the property. My father does, but he's an over the road truck driver, only home about 3 days a week. So the opportunity to trespass is certainly there for these kids. In talking to the adjoining landowner I did tell him that if he sees them he is more than welcome to run them off and say he knows the owner. So that'll be an extra set of eyes which is good.

If you catch them, prosecute them... Warnings don't do much, but having to pay a fine or go to jail starts to send a message. Make sure your property is properly posted so the charges will stand up in court. Contact the local police department or sheriff's office and consult with them if needed.

I agree with CJ. What happens if they crash and burn on your property, then sue you?

Omaha, trespassing is a real problem in this country cause of the corrupted legal system, even with precautions and if your in the right, they can still drag you into court and cost you big bucks.

I like this no trespassing sign.
http://mainehuntingtoday.com/bbb/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/best-no-trespassing-sign.jpg

Thanks guys, I like your train of thought. And I like that sign too Adiron.

In the spirit of that no trespassing sign, it doesn't hurt to do some target practice every time your at your pond, the sound of high powered rifle fire can be a deterrent.

One long border of my property also abuts against an abandoned RR track. It always has people riding ATVs and cars on it. It's also long border of my pond.

Fighting trespassers is a continuous effort. Once you run off a group, there will soon be a new group.

I go for the "warning once, then, throw the book at them." This way, you can always say you tried to be nice.

My rule - never , never ever approach a trespasser unless you have the ultimate advantage. A marksman buddy with a rifle and a clear view to cover you is a good start. With all the nuts out there you had better be ready for anything if you are confronting them.

I put on my happy face and ask them to leave. So far, no repeat offenders.

well said Eric.

Who would be afraid of a trainee Santa Claus?

Trainees are the worst, as you well know...

We shoot often on the property and near the pond so this should be covered.



I had my rifle, a side arm, and a nearly black belt 10-year old at the ready.



If little ol' me scared them off the first time, this dude would scar them for life.

Omaha

I totally agree with all the sentiments here...but if there is a group of repeat offenders I would take them aside and try to reach a compromise - I realize compromising with trespassers sounds crazy, but if given a chance to still ride their bikes while observing some ground rules you set it might have some pretty amazing results. You can always throw the book at them, put up razor wire, plant claymores....but it's always worth a try leveling with the kids and offering them a chance to be responsible. Maybe I'm crazy.

I try to be reasonable with trespassers, and typically they are also reasonable and don't cause any further problems (it still makes me mad though). Then there are the "others". I have some stories on here already about some "others" I've encountered thoughout the years.

Ultimately, it's my property, and I'll decide who, if anyone, is allowed to place their feet on it. If you're nice, ask BEFORE trespassing and perhaps offer something in return as a kind gesture (heck, it's neighborly to do), I may very well allow you to visit my property and probably won't expect anything in return. Follow my rules, and I may continue to grant you that privilege. If I decide to stop allowing you that privilege at any time and for whatever reason, that's life. I can do that. I own it.

I don't imagine your neighbors would like it if you drove your atv all over their manicured yard, helped yourself to what's in their garden or went into their house to check out what's in their fridge whenever you felt like it, so they shouldn't assume you're okay with them helping themselves to your property, your fish, your trails or anything else on your property either. Just because you have a bunch of land, and a nice pond on it doesn't change a thing. Right is right. Wrong is wrong.

Get your own if you like it so much.

OK, I'll play devil's advocate on this one. Yes. trespassing and shoplifting, pick pocketing, etc. basically, if I want it, I have the right to take it, is a problem in USA. BUT...for the first time, I am talking from the other side of the fence. Just because you have a no trespassing sign, doesn't mean you have open season on humans.

Case in point...we are inheriting an old house, the redug pond and a few acres to the east of the house. The house west side has a fence right next to it and back about 200 ft. with a small and large gate for access out the gates, up to the road in front of house and east to pond and fields with mower and tractor. The property was divided up by brothers(wife's granddad and brother many years ago. The brother put up a bob wire fence then, and it goes back and slants behind the house...obviously not on a N S line as sections of land were divided up then.
Well, fast forward to 30 yres ago, when my in-laws built the house and put up the fence on the west side back about 200 ft, then over to the east side. The son of the older guy that put up the original 'property line' fence always let my in laws plant a garden in the vacant 11 acre field to the west, and of course,access to the land for far enough to get the equipment in and out. It has always been a gray area. Everyone you talk to has a different description of the property line.
3 yrs. ago, a man bought the 11 acres with idea of building small houses on it. This was before we ever started staying there intermittenty. Now, being in the city on a postage stamp lot for 40 yrs, property line fights were as foreign as stories of Hatfield and McCoys.
Long story short...err.. too late for that; The guy has wondered over 3 times, 1st from his place to the back large gate, introduced himself and we started talking about some hunting trespassers he has seen on his game camera near the back of the property. He started talking about no trespassing signs and 'somebody might get hurt' etc. He is also a part time resident of the property. I told him I would be on the lookout for them. By the way, he had a Weatherby 7mm mag. strapped over his shoulder. Oh yea, his 1st spoken words were 'can I trespass to walk my property and look around?" after we started chatting, and forgot about the walkabout, I drove over to his house and invited him to come, that I had forgotten. He declined, saying he has a bad back and had done enough walking for the day.
2nd meeting, a few wks later, I was at the pond around the dam, which is toward the back of the property. I heard several high powered shots and birds scattering behind my dam. I thought it was the hunter trespassers; drove over to the area of shooting, and it was the land owner. I told him I was working at my pond, and it seemed the shots were pretty close and that I thought it was the hunters and came to investigate. He was shooting from his hood and out toward behind my dam and several hundred ft.back; he showed me it was at a downward angle. We both agreed that it was a little too close for my comfort.
3rd meeting, I had parked the UTV near the forward side gate and went inside briefly. He was on tractor and stopped. I re-introduced myself....idle chatter...then it became apparent that he was treatening me with putting up a sign, and somebody could get hurt, etc. I politely told him that I dont intimidate easily.
Then we started talking about the line always being vague, and the guy he bought it from(wife's uncle across the road) told him there would be property line trouble. I never knew any of this stuff had been going on. He says he had it surveyed; I asked to see the survey...because, I really dont know the property, he asked me if I wanted to get it surveyed; I said no, why should I, you can show me yours. He said he had a survey mark from the other corner, but never said he had a mark on the back of the property line.

Still dont know where the actual 2 points are, and I'll be damned if I am gonna be threatened over a line in the sand that I cant see or be shown. Note to all...know what the hell you are protecting before you start spouting off at the mouth. and dont treaten too harshly unless you intend to back it up.

burgermeister,
That's quite a mess you've potentially got there, and I hope you the best.

Property line disputes can be expensive and stressful situations.

When you are an absentee land owner, you have to be very aware of what can happen to your place when you are not there.

That is one of the main reasons that I try to be nice first.

When I say "be nice," I don't mean to allow them onto my place. I mean to say "hey, maybe you didn't understand, but now you do."

What an understatement Wessguy!

Our lawyer just filed a motion for a new trial, coupled with having now been criminally charged with trespassing on my own, surveyed land and property damage for cutting someone else's lock off of MY gates (they cut mine off to put theirs on), the legal fees have now exceeded the cost of our 60 acre "slice of hell.....err, heaven".

12/5/09 marked the third anniversary of this lawsuit with no end in sight.

But TJ, 'talking' doesn't sound near as much fun as those other things you mentioned! (by the way, this other land owner is shopping around for pond property and also works in an industry where he comes across a lot of PVC)

Burger and Rex, that sounds like a mess and I hope it gets resolved so you can put that unnecessary stress to bed for good. I'm praying we can nip this in the bud before we get to that point.

I was certainly nice when I approached the young men. They didn't see us coming and from talking to the other land owner, they might have bolted if they had. My dog startled them. I introduced myself by asking if they had permission from the land owner. His response was "I suppose not". Kind of irritated me with that cocky answer, but I kept my cool and basically said, hey I know this big pile of dirt looks like a lot of fun, I'm sure it is, but the fact of the matter is, the land owner doesn't know you, you didn't ask permission, and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate you on his property without his knowledge. They took off quickly down the trail on their little dirt bikes without an argument.

Well placed boards with nails in them have caused trespassing ATV riders and dirt bikers to think twice about trespassing again after ending up with expensive flats. The plan can backfire though...

Fences, signs and ONE verbal warning (if I think they deserve one) after that, it’s time to bring in the law. The word will get out that YOU MEAN BUSINESS!!

I started out 25+ years ago with the good neighbor attitude. Then I realized that a predator/prey relationship had been established and I still put up with it for awhile. Then I got chapped and became a jerk. I found that people would push until I started pushing back.

Now, my neighbors have a 100% understanding that we both know where my property lines are.

I much prefer the current arrangement. It helps me sleep nights.

As far as putting boards out with nails in them, I have them around the bird feeders to deter the bears, seems to work and the bears can't sue me,----Wait I forgot if Cass Sunstein has his way the bears can sue me.
I know a certain lawyer around here I would like to see try to represent the bear.

There is one kid, not one of these guys, on an ATV that crosses this way to help my dad with the livestock when he's away. Good kid, so I'm not worried about him. He might have an issue with the nail boards though.