Man, I should have taken a picture!

[OkieKubota]

I had several errands to run in town this morning before I had plans to Brushhog a couple of properties this afternoon. I got my errands done and was headed back home and was on the last 1/4 mile stretch to our gate when I noticed an old Junky (understatement) pickup driving slowly down the road in front of me so I slowed up and held back a bit. The truck stopped in the road right next to our turn in for our gate which is right on the edge of our property. I drove on up and the truck took off and drove on down the road so I pulled into our turn in and got out to unlock the gate and I could hear someone yelling and screaming in the woods right across the road just on my neighbors side of the fence. Whoever it was was coming to the road and I finally could pick out that they were cussing up a storm about spider webs. I just stood there and this skinny guy with a mullet comes out of my neighbors property with a backpack on and a pit bull on a leash and you could tell I caught him totally by surprise. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was just sitting over there in the woods in the shade with his dog while he was waiting on his girlfriend. About that time the junky pickup comes back and is driven by a girl. He just kept talking and told me his girlfriends dad is a neighbor about 1/2 mile back up the road and her dad hates him so she let him out by my gate and he squirreled up in the woods while he waited on her to come back from her dads. I told him he definitely needs to not just be going into property he had no permission on and I told him he was just a few feet from being somewhere that would have gotten him arrested. I told him to have her let him out at the store next time because I’m always around somewhere and may not be in a great mood like I was today. After they drove off I thought...man I should have taken a picture of him, the dog, and the truck! Hindsight...

I didn’t see my neighbor today but hoping to catch him tomorrow to let him know...he had a walk behind brush trimmer that was brand new stolen about 6 months ago.

 

[lakngolf]

You never know. And these you were there to see and catch. I am sure they are not the only ones and ALL have a story!

 

[j-bird]

Showing a presence is key. The other key is follow thru should it be needed.

I stopped a local farmer just yesterday, because I didn't recognize the vehicle. I stopped him and started asking questions. Not that I am the local law...just keeping an eye on things. We had a good exchange and all is good, but he appreciated the fact that I kept an eye on things... In most cases, when I have had issues, if you send a strong message the first time, I have not had many repeat issues. Also those that are supposed to be there either call first or come out in some sort of marked vehicle. I live on a dead end road....so either you are lost, you are there because you are supposed to be, or you are there and up to no good. I can help you if you are lost. I have no issue if you are supposed to be there...but you may get confronted if in a strange or un-marked vehicle. But if you are up to no good...you are going to get confronted... It really helps that I live on the property....I know not everyone has that option. Just as neighbors in town should be watching out for each other....I do the same thing in my community....we just have much bigger yards.

 

[dogghr]

Cool story. Hope its true and no problems for you or neighbor. I'm calling it a drug drop or pickup, and BS on the GF dad, but hopefully not. I luckily have never had problem at the farm. Everyone keeps an eye out, which is nice since I'm not living there. I like nosy neighbors personally as nothing slips by them. Glad you were there at the right time.

 

[KSQ2]

There are some things annoying about having property with no road frontage and relying on an easement, but there are some plus's too.

 

[Elkaddict]

Showing a presence is key. The other key is follow thru should it be needed.

I stopped a local farmer just yesterday, because I didn't recognize the vehicle. I stopped him and started asking questions. Not that I am the local law...just keeping an eye on things. We had a good exchange and all is good, but he appreciated the fact that I kept an eye on things... In most cases, when I have had issues, if you send a strong message the first time, I have not had many repeat issues. Also those that are supposed to be there either call first or come out in some sort of marked vehicle. I live on a dead end road....so either you are lost, you are there because you are supposed to be, or you are there and up to no good. I can help you if you are lost. I have no issue if you are supposed to be there...but you may get confronted if in a strange or un-marked vehicle. But if you are up to no good...you are going to get confronted... It really helps that I live on the property....I know not everyone has that option. Just as neighbors in town should be watching out for each other....I do the same thing in my community....we just have much bigger yards.

My biggest mistake when we bought our place was treating some of the locals too nicely. They viewed it as irrevocable permission to trespass with their friends and livestock…. I’d have been far better off prosecuting trespassers from the start. Most, not all up here are simply takers who feel the world owes them. Sad commentary….

 

[Mennoniteman]

My biggest mistake when we bought our place was treating some of the locals too nicely. They viewed it as irrevocable permission to trespass with their friends and livestock…. I’d have been far better off prosecuting trespassers from the start. Most, not all up here are simply takers who feel the world owes them. Sad commentary….

You have touched on an important point. Start in very firm on usage permissions on a new property. You can always ease up and give some permissions later, but when you realize that you're being taken advantage of, you can't very easily clamp down and tell people to stay off that you've already given some slight allowance.

 

[j-bird]

My biggest mistake when we bought our place was treating some of the locals too nicely. They viewed it as irrevocable permission to trespass with their friends and livestock…. I’d have been far better off prosecuting trespassers from the start. Most, not all up here are simply takers who feel the world owes them. Sad commentary….

I try to send a strong message first. Some folks just don't know...some folks know damn good and well.... An honest mistake or mis-understanding I will work with. Those that I am sure are up to no good...well I will run them off even if it means a little show of force. I have never shot at anyone or point blank threatened to....but I have certainly let them know I had the tools for the job.

I have had kids looking for a place to "park", druggies looking for a secluded place to do their thing, I had folks just taking a walk on property that wasn't theirs, I have had "arrow head hunters" in the spring in the woods (they was looking for shrooms), I have had a hunter who simply got turned around in the dark (I actually watched him), I have had deer stands show up where they shouldn't be. I had folks trying to steal anhydrous (to make meth), I had someone updating an old wooden deer stand - I never actually met him, but sent a message al the same. The most frequent however are ATV and snow machine users....they seem to think they can go wherever they want...especially at night. They left a broken down machine out in a field right in front of the house once... That was an interesting event... I even scared the crap out of a contractor one night as he was coming out to get some of his own tools...

I can't imagine the trouble some of you have that don't live on your property....

 

[George]

Not everyone has the $5,000.00 entrance fee let alone 500g for 80 acres.

G