Tresspassing neighbors

[Deere Dude]

What about, "Hey neighbor. Good to meet you. I just bought this posted property across the road and was wondering if you could keep an eye on it for me. I'm trying to keep trespassers from loitering and if you ever see anyone on it, let me know."

He would probably be more than grateful.

I live in the middle of nowhere and asked a new neighbor to keep an eye on the place for a couple weeks while I was gone. He was very obliging and checked the place a couple times a day and even questioned a visitor or two.

 

[motownbrowne]

What about, "Hey neighbor. Good to meet you. I just bought this posted property across the road and was wondering if you could keep an eye on it for me. I'm trying to keep trespassers from loitering and if you ever see anyone on it, let me know."

He would probably be more than grateful.

I live in the middle of nowhere and asked a new neighbor to keep an eye on the place for a couple weeks while I was gone. He was very obliging and checked the place a couple times a day and even questioned a visitor or two.

I think this is a good solution. Many people have suggested involving the authorities without even talking to the guy. To me that's the wrong reaction. Someone earlier said that me calling the guy a moron was jumping to conclusions. Perhaps my post was too strongly worded, but in my opinion, anyone who goes for a walk on posted private property with a gun in his hand is not the brightest bulb in the box. What I'm getting at is that if you involve the authorities, one possible outcome is that you end up with a not-particularly-smart, disgruntled neighbor who doesn't mind trespassing. In short, not an ideal situation.

If it was me, I wouldn't mind the guy tromping around, but would prefer that he leave his guns at home, and at least introduce himself and ask permission first. Letting the guy know this face to face instead of having the cops tell him that he's been observed trespassing and to desist seems more likely to result in a positive long term neighbor situation.

 

[JMER817]

OMG talk to him. There could be a dozen legit reasons why he was on your property. Give him a chance first to see if he fess's up.

 

[newbury]

Do you have other neighbors that you talk to on occasion? Try to scope out the renter.

<snip> I got a picture of someone checking out my tractor. No damage done and I think it was just the father of a neighbor I know. Probably just curiosity. I also got a picture of another neighbor walking down the driveway with his daughters ( I assume they are his daughters). He was carrying a rifle. That one torqued me off pretty good, as I have posted signs all over the boundary of the property. He rents a place that is 2.5 acres, across the private road from my land. From his front porch he can easily see 3 posted/ no trespassing signs. <snip>

If your tractor is parked that far in your lot the "father of neighbor" was also trespassing rather far.

<snip> I was told by a local farmer , back when I was buying the place, "if you have a pond stocked with fish your neighbors think it belongs to them". Seems like he was right.
To get to the area where his picture was taken he had to walk up the road past 4-5 no trespassing signs the walk around a gate with more no trespassing signs and a farm bureau-reward for trespasser info sign. Then down 300 yds of driveway, past my tractor to the pond.

I'd find some excuse to talk to that farmer and try to check out the renter. Since the renter lives so close he may think he has some "right" to your land.

I've a neighbor in Vermont who continually drives across my land and has even had the gall to ask me to chop down some mature trees so he could have a better view. He's a city guy.

 

[Wagtail]

OMG talk to him. There could be a dozen legit reasons why he was on your property. Give him a chance first to see if he fess's up.

Agree.

Short personal story... I'd moved in and made a point of meeting my neighbours, but my next door neighbour's place was a 'holiday property' for him and we'd only waved at eachother. He was rarely there.

So, later in the Summer, there was heavy bushfire smoke in the area and it looked thickest towards his place. So I dressed appropriately for firefighting, hopped in my ute, opened his gate and investigated the entire perimeter of his land. No fire there, it had drifted from other fires in the area, but there was now wheel tracks from the ute over his land (pushed down grass, no ruts).

A few weeks later I spotted him & immediately went over to tell him that I'd been on his property and why. He was very grateful that I was looking out for him and we exchanged mobile phone numbers for the future.

De-escalate the situation is my advice. Talk to him... there may be a reason that he's gone onto your property. Not too many people go for a casual walk, with a rifle, whilst wearing shorts & sneakers (in your November) and accompanied by two daughters(?).

 

[coobie]

It's very important to have good neighbours. That is some scary s**t right there and you have a serious problem on your hands. Best luck dealing with it.

Ya scary,the guy has a gun.Don,t pi$$ your pants..To the OP I would call your local police dept and have them deal with it.

 

[DarkBlack]

Area is posted everywhere, cameras set up, suspicious movement on the cameras.... Sounds like the description of a prison. A self inflicted mental prison maybe?
As soon as you post your land, you just set a standard you have to stress about to maintain.
Around here there isn't much woods posted. We try to be civilized and share what's not really ours.

 

[Jstpssng]

Area is posted everywhere, cameras set up, suspicious movement on the cameras.... Sounds like the description of a prison. A self inflicted mental prison maybe?
As soon as you post your land, you just set a standard you have to stress about to maintain.
Around here there isn't much woods posted. We try to be civilized and share what's not really ours.

Careful, them words can get you lynched here.

 

[4570Man]

To all of you saying call the police. What in the heck are they going to do? His picture is pretty much worthless since it doesn't show their face. Even if you had a picture of their face the police wouldn't do anything anyway.

 

[2ndhalf]

x2 on the 22.

He looks like he's from the city. Doesn't know any better.

This may well be it.. City dwellers don't know the laws of the country. They think "wow I'm out here where there isn't anyone else I can do what I want". My father in law always cringes when he finds out he has city people moving to a house next to a property he farms... farmers know everyone so they usually find out. They know it will be them going and telling them to keep off their planted fields with their ATVs etc.

I had a neighbor who came from a big city and he bought a piece of land which had wheat on it about two weeks from harvest. He got on his craftsman lawn mower and mowed the area he wanted his house. I talked to the farmer who also had wheat on my property I just bought which I waited for him to take off... Nicest guy in the world and offered to leave me bales of wheat and work up some of my property but he wanted to shoot that city guy for mowing his wheat.

... moving from the city?.... better do some asking before you do anything.