gerard
Veteran Member
Guess I'm just kind of a "hands on" type of guy!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time!
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OP
webbmeister
Gold Member
Re: Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time
Sorry the replies to everyone's good counsel were a long time coming. I'm now in CA (had to leave the morning after I reported the damage) and I won't be back next week. I am sick with worry over what those boys (all 18 and over - out of school, jobless, and living at home - are doing to my property.
I'll look when I get back. Where do you get those cameras?
Jim
Sorry the replies to everyone's good counsel were a long time coming. I'm now in CA (had to leave the morning after I reported the damage) and I won't be back next week. I am sick with worry over what those boys (all 18 and over - out of school, jobless, and living at home - are doing to my property.
I'll look when I get back. Where do you get those cameras?
Jim
OP
webbmeister
Gold Member
Re: Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time
Hello Everyone:
I'm back from the West Coast (where I left my one-and-only to work at Stanford - but that is a story from another post) and I went out to the property today to see what has transpired since I was last there with the Sheriff. While I was gone, I received an email update from the good neighbor. He told me that the Sheriff had indeed been by, had spoken with the kids and the father, and had asked my neighbor's permission to park in his drive every once in a while to see what he might catch. That was last Wednesday. Today, as I was completing the "No Trespassing" signs at the front of the property, another neighbor stopped by to ask if I'd given the kids permission to ignore the existing sign, since they were out on Saturday morning doing a lot of shooting. I told her that I hadn't, and then headed out for the hill. On the way there, I found a large rock propped in the branches of one of our most beautiful hawthorn trees. The trunk and branches are riddled with what appears to be .22 slugs. It doesn't look good for the tree, and the rock was just waiting to fall on a passerby.
Steamed, I went over and rang the doorbell and banged on the door. No answer. I called the sheriff again, and am waiting for the deputy who is handling my case to get back to me.
I now have an eye-witness to the boys using my yard as a firing range, *after the sheriff has told them to stop.* I have made and posted an additional dozen "No-Trespassing/No Hunting/No Fishing" signs. Only a blind man could miss them. I have written a letter to the man and his children, and I will send it certified/RRR tomorrow. I have spoken to an attorney, and he has advised me to just copy him on that letter to save costs - but that if we need to go further, he will write the next letter.
I absolutely HATE this. I am, by nature, a generous and caring soul. Denying someone access to something I would ordinarily readily share makes me sick. I must say, though, that it also makes me sick that I cannot enjoy my property free from worry about what will be damaged or who will be harmed next.
Can anyone point me to where I can buy one of those motion-activated cameras? I'd really like something irrefutable if I wind up engaging a lawyer.
Thanks, as always,
Jim
Hello Everyone:
I'm back from the West Coast (where I left my one-and-only to work at Stanford - but that is a story from another post) and I went out to the property today to see what has transpired since I was last there with the Sheriff. While I was gone, I received an email update from the good neighbor. He told me that the Sheriff had indeed been by, had spoken with the kids and the father, and had asked my neighbor's permission to park in his drive every once in a while to see what he might catch. That was last Wednesday. Today, as I was completing the "No Trespassing" signs at the front of the property, another neighbor stopped by to ask if I'd given the kids permission to ignore the existing sign, since they were out on Saturday morning doing a lot of shooting. I told her that I hadn't, and then headed out for the hill. On the way there, I found a large rock propped in the branches of one of our most beautiful hawthorn trees. The trunk and branches are riddled with what appears to be .22 slugs. It doesn't look good for the tree, and the rock was just waiting to fall on a passerby.
Steamed, I went over and rang the doorbell and banged on the door. No answer. I called the sheriff again, and am waiting for the deputy who is handling my case to get back to me.
I now have an eye-witness to the boys using my yard as a firing range, *after the sheriff has told them to stop.* I have made and posted an additional dozen "No-Trespassing/No Hunting/No Fishing" signs. Only a blind man could miss them. I have written a letter to the man and his children, and I will send it certified/RRR tomorrow. I have spoken to an attorney, and he has advised me to just copy him on that letter to save costs - but that if we need to go further, he will write the next letter.
I absolutely HATE this. I am, by nature, a generous and caring soul. Denying someone access to something I would ordinarily readily share makes me sick. I must say, though, that it also makes me sick that I cannot enjoy my property free from worry about what will be damaged or who will be harmed next.
Can anyone point me to where I can buy one of those motion-activated cameras? I'd really like something irrefutable if I wind up engaging a lawyer.
Thanks, as always,
Jim
Boondox
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Re: Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time
Jim -- I just read this thread and am absolutely shocked at their behavior! These are criminal acts by ADULTS, and why the legal system can't/won't help is beyond me! A ruling in civil court is fine, but how will you ever collect damages?
Is there any way you can invite a local television news station over to do a story...and in the process shame the local authorities into taking action against these thugs?
As for the motion-triggered cameras, you can find them at Cabelas (and probably other catalogs catering to sportsmen), but they have to be set up fairly close to the action. My bet is the camera would just get shot to pieces.
Wish I had something more encouraging to say.
Pete
Jim -- I just read this thread and am absolutely shocked at their behavior! These are criminal acts by ADULTS, and why the legal system can't/won't help is beyond me! A ruling in civil court is fine, but how will you ever collect damages?
Is there any way you can invite a local television news station over to do a story...and in the process shame the local authorities into taking action against these thugs?
As for the motion-triggered cameras, you can find them at Cabelas (and probably other catalogs catering to sportsmen), but they have to be set up fairly close to the action. My bet is the camera would just get shot to pieces.
Wish I had something more encouraging to say.
Pete
Gary_in_Indiana
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Re: Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time
Even if the camera were to fall victim to a gunshot the evidence it could garner before that might well prove to be worth more than the cost of the camera. I think the key would be to use a camera that transfers it's image in a wireless method. My guess is these people are criminally oriented enough to chase down wires and destroy anything at the other end. I sincerely hope you are some way able to put an end to this.
Even if the camera were to fall victim to a gunshot the evidence it could garner before that might well prove to be worth more than the cost of the camera. I think the key would be to use a camera that transfers it's image in a wireless method. My guess is these people are criminally oriented enough to chase down wires and destroy anything at the other end. I sincerely hope you are some way able to put an end to this.
OP
webbmeister
Gold Member
Re: Put Tractor Up for the Winter Today - 2nd Time
Thanks Peter and Gary (and everyone!) I'll check into the cameras - Gary, wireless is not much of an option - no electricity out there to run a receiver - unless there is a different solution, maybe like cellular ... I'll check into it. Even several hundred for the gear will probably end up less than the cost of an attorney. I certainly don't begrudge an attorney the fee if it comes to that - attorneys do earn their keep - I'd rather the State's attorney handle it as criminal first though. That (a conviction) would give me, I think, some teeth in civil court, if it needed to go there.
Thanks again, everyone.
Jim
Thanks Peter and Gary (and everyone!) I'll check into the cameras - Gary, wireless is not much of an option - no electricity out there to run a receiver - unless there is a different solution, maybe like cellular ... I'll check into it. Even several hundred for the gear will probably end up less than the cost of an attorney. I certainly don't begrudge an attorney the fee if it comes to that - attorneys do earn their keep - I'd rather the State's attorney handle it as criminal first though. That (a conviction) would give me, I think, some teeth in civil court, if it needed to go there.
Thanks again, everyone.
Jim
