Trespassers

[TheMan419]

In Washington state, hunters must have permission from the land owner to be on private property. If they are there without permission the legislation defines it as "poaching". Same as hunting out of season.
Since this law went into effect we not had any hunters trespass.

I like this. Wish they would do this in more states. I know in some states, mainly out east, they have rules that say the land is open unless posted. I would be ok with that too as long as people would respect it or there would be consequences for not doing so.

If I found a tree stand on our property there would be a note left along with a well hidden game camera to find the offender. When you do the game camera route you also need to hang one that is obvious so they steal that one and think they are getting away with it. You can buy a cheap broken one on line so they are not stealing a good one.

When we bought our property we had several folks ask if they could hunt it. I talked to the insurance agent. He said if I was just letting a friend hunt for no fee my homeowners insurance would cover me. If I was charging to hunt I would need a different policy and it would be $$$$$.

Now that we have the horses at home we do not allow hunting on our property.

 

[MossRoad]

I like this. Wish they would do this in more states. I know in some states, mainly out east, they have rules that say the land is open unless posted. I would be ok with that too as long as people would respect it or there would be consequences for not doing so.

If I found a tree stand on our property there would be a note left along with a well hidden game camera to find the offender. When you do the game camera route you also need to hang one that is obvious so they steal that one and think they are getting away with it. You can buy a cheap broken one on line so they are not stealing a good one.

When we bought our property we had several folks ask if they could hunt it. I talked to the insurance agent. He said if I was just letting a friend hunt for no fee my homeowners insurance would cover me. If I was charging to hunt I would need a different policy and it would be $$$$$.

Now that we have the horses at home we do not allow hunting on our property.

Yep. The key there is no fee. If you charge, you may assume responsibility for the land and any potential hazards.

I've mentioned this before:

When we bought ours out between SB and North Liberty, there was a mile of dirt bike trails with direction arrows nailed to the trees and brush cut out with saws! I asked my then insurance agent about it. He said to post it No Trespassing and also put a notice at each entrance to the property that I could find that the trails are not open and would be blocked off on X date. So I got a bunch of orange tape and wrapped all the trees, put up notices, took pictures of posted notices, etc.

They tore down the notices and orange tape.

Each week I put them back up and each week they tore them down.

On the fourth week I blocked the trails with downed trees....

They stole the trees and dragged them down the old RR grade with an ATV!

So I put in more trees, more tape, more No Trespassing signs. Then one muddy day, I followed their tire tracks off the property and down the road to a house where I saw several dirt bikes and ATVs and a bunch of kids. I called the cops. They came out. Followed the tracks and drove up in the driveway. I sat in the road while the cops talked to the dad.

Cop came out and told me the dad said the kids were just having fun riding in the fields. The cop asked him if they had permission? No. Was he aware they were vandalizing property and trespassing? No. Was he aware that riding dirt bikes and ATVs on county roads was illegal? No.

Cop said he doubted we'd have any more trouble from that group. And he was right.

 

[JethroB]

Yep. The key there is no fee. If you charge, you may assume responsibility for the land and any potential hazards.

I've mentioned this before:

When we bought ours out between SB and North Liberty, there was a mile of dirt bike trails with direction arrows nailed to the trees and brush cut out with saws! I asked my then insurance agent about it. He said to post it No Trespassing and also put a notice at each entrance to the property that I could find that the trails are not open and would be blocked off on X date. So I got a bunch of orange tape and wrapped all the trees, put up notices, took pictures of posted notices, etc.

They tore down the notices and orange tape.

Each week I put them back up and each week they tore them down.

On the fourth week I blocked the trails with downed trees....

They stole the trees and dragged them down the old RR grade with an ATV!

So I put in more trees, more tape, more No Trespassing signs. Then one muddy day, I followed their tire tracks off the property and down the road to a house where I saw several dirt bikes and ATVs and a bunch of kids. I called the cops. They came out. Followed the tracks and drove up in the driveway. I sat in the road while the cops talked to the dad.

Cop came out and told me the dad said the kids were just having fun riding in the fields. The cop asked him if they had permission? No. Was he aware they were vandalizing property and trespassing? No. Was he aware that riding dirt bikes and ATVs on county roads was illegal? No.

Cop said he doubted we'd have any more trouble from that group. And he was right.

I had a similar chat with a neighbor (no cops thankfully yet) about them using my timber firebreaks as a motocross track. They were creating ruts and berms hotdogging the corners. So far they are behaving.

I also carry a $2 million liability umbrella policy beyond homeowners coverage. Cheap peace of mind to me for about $250/year.

 

[dougtrr2]

Just curious, the stand was 100 yards away, but where is the property line?

I found a tree stand in "my" woods. I wasn't sure of my exact property line, but it was place such that the only shot was into my my property. I put NO HUNTING signs up on my property in direct view of the stand. The stand did go away.

Doug in SW IA

 

[newbury]

When we bought ours out between SB and North Liberty, there was a mile of dirt bike trails with direction arrows nailed to the trees and brush cut out with saws! I asked my then insurance agent about it. He said to post it No Trespassing and also put a notice at each entrance to the property that I could find that the trails are not open and would be blocked off on X date. So I got a bunch of orange tape and wrapped all the trees, put up notices, took pictures of posted notices, etc.

I've a high-power line ROW about 150 yards from my house cutting across my 75 acre parcel.
After we first moved in I realized it was often used as a shortcut for ATV's. Often after dark.
Noone ever asked permission.
I started firing across it at random times.
The traffic stopped.

/edit - in Mississippi all property requires landowner pemission, no posting required.

 

[MossRoad]

Yikes!

 

[newbury]

The sound of my Mossberg is easily heard.

 

[Jstpssng]

Yikes!

Yikes! is right! I had somebody pull that stunt on me; I was doing a vegetation assessment and when I went past one house I noticed their shooting range was pointed at the power line, with no back stop.
When I went back through I was about 100 yards past their range when they started shooting.

I was supposed to report anything like that to the line supervisor, but for some reason I didn’t; probably because I was redoing a coworker’s work on a Sunday. If I had, the shooter probably would have gotten a visit from somebody with a badge.

I don’t know why some people feel they have the right to shoot across somebody else’s property. I’ve had lead fly over my head several times because people don’t know what a backstop is. It’s not funny, and gives all firearm owners a bad name.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Many years back, I put up a tree stand on my property around 100 yds in from a well posted property line. I showed up early on opening day of buck season only to find another hunter in my stand!

He claimed the stand was his and he had permission to hunt there. I told him it was my stand on my land and I had not given anyone permission to hunt. "Prove it" was all he said as he raised his rifle!

I saw no sense in arguing with someone with a loaded gun. I turned and walked away saying "we'll let the police sort it out". I watched from a distance as he left in a hurry.

It never ceases to amaze me the nerve some people have!

 

[m1garand762]

Just curious, the stand was 100 yards away, but where is the property line?

I found a tree stand in "my" woods. I wasn't sure of my exact property line, but it was place such that the only shot was into my my property. I put NO HUNTING signs up on my property in direct view of the stand. The stand did go away.

Doug in SW IA

Center of my property