I have a serious problem with people riding trucks, four-wheelers and dirt bikes on my hunting property. Furthermore, I found both a lock on and climber last weekend while shed hunting. After obtaining permission to hunt this property last summer, I quickly became overwhelmed by the amount of trash and damage the trespassers have caused to paths and finding numerous beer cans can only lead me to believe they were riding/driving under the influence. I called my local game warden this morning and he told me that I have to contact the local sheriffs department and talk to them about the four-wheelers and dirt bikes and the warden himself cannot do anything about the stands unless an animal is in season..hmm? The past two weeks, two different trespassers have been brave enough to drive around my truck - parked in the middle of the path entrance, and make their selves at home. Luckily, I was able to stop and tell them that it was private property and I have already been in contact with both the warden and sheriffs dept, but they blew me off by saying they have been riding those trails and hunting the property for years. More or less, they seemed unbothered by it. This is very annoying and unsafe. What actions would yall take in this particular situation?
Son of a ..... First off, I'd get (if I didn't already have) written authorization from the landowner as to who has access to the property. Until you have said authorization on paper and signed...you have no standing....period. Then I'd make sure the property is properly posted "NO Trespassing". Once I had that I would also have the landowner notify law enforcement and file a report and a complain about trespassing and demand action be taken. It sounds like Law enforcement is blowing you off....I get it too, the bastards are just plain lazy. That game warden is wrong about the stands, if they are trespassers..season or no....he should be actively pursuing the lead for all he knows they are hunting there out of season....dolt. I had the same problem on property I OWN years back with a hunting club quail hunting.... You can't act without the authorization and posting the property backs your play. Then nail the (insert explicative here) to the wall. Good luck!
I would make sure you let the land owner know about the trash and how they are tearing up his or her land. You might even take some pictures to show them if they don't get out to the property that often. Also once you get the auth from the land owner to watch over the place you should be writing down license plates and any other activity you see and report it. Also give it to the land owner to report as well. And if your still having issues with the cops and CO not doing anything about it I would call your state Rep as well just to shake as many trees as you can so the right thing gets done.
Oh my god! You aren't serious are you?!?!? They MAY HAVE BEEN RIDING UNDER THE INFLUENCE?!?!? Its clear you don't own this property, you have rights to hunt it. Maybe others have rights to party on the property? Maybe they thought you were tresspassing when they drove around your truck.
Agreed with the above^^^ You need to talk with the land owner and decide what steps to take together, as it will take him to be willing to step up and prosecute if necessary. Also make sure you get his permission to put up NT signs, some will not and do not want their property posted. After that you both will need to talk with the local sheriff about the problems before season (unless it's a year round thing) and discuss what to do and how to approach things. Also, if any of the people are known perhaps the sheriff can pay them a visit and warn about future problems.
I think Brent has it covered pretty good to start at least. Trail cams to have proof for said law enforcement?
Get a wireless trail cam or put one in the lock box on a tree and callnthe cops when you get there license plate pics Tyler Rector BHOD prostaff
Vice President Joe Biden recommends shooting a DB shotgun in the air to keep trespassers away from the property of all Americans.
trespassers are by definition ignorant... as other have said, get your written permission from the landowner squared away, then you can feel more confident about dealing with authorities. just because there is a history of trespass (if that is truly what it is in that these people have no permission to be there from the landowner), doesn't mean it is legal or justified. it's really amazing what trespassers will do. my property is clearly posted. there is just a small turnout big enough for 2 vehicles where I generally park with no trespassing signs right there. people will park right beside my truck and trespass on my property and then are surprised when I confront them. I guess they figure whoever is in this other vehicle is trespassing too? I have no clue what these people are thinkin... I usually get the same story... we've been coming here for years... or my grandpa said it was alright... well, then you've been trespassing for years... and your grandpa that lives down the road, doesn't own this property! /sigh
Lol, from my experience that's just a ploy they preconceive of when they decide to walk in, if they happen to run into anyone. People generally know where they actually do and don't have permission to go in....many simply don't give a flip...afterall they only have to watch while they are on the property and the landowner has to watch 24/7. They are banking on the odds being in their favor and if they happen to get caught...just poo poo it off as some lame brain excuse. I hate trespassers and have a long long history with dealing with them here..not a fun problem to have.
The owner has to be willing to prosecute if you are going to make any headway. Is verbal permission good enough in NC or do you need written permission to be on someone's land? All you can really do is get the owner on board with the "trespassers" and call the cops/warden every time you see them on the property.
We've had our fair share of trespassers in the past. None recently; that we know of. I always take my cameras down during gun season around here for fear of them being stolen but next year I am going to hide them high in trees in areas trespassers have been in the past to see if I can catch anyone in the act. There is someone going around right now stealing traps and whatever the trap may have caught. They are for sure in a 2 county radius. I don't trap but we have a guy that does on our property and last week he had a trap completely destroyed and throw around and whatever was in it, probably coon, taken. This guys' kid got some pictures recently of another one of theirs being stolen. I hope they get everything thrown at them.
You have no authority to do anything except to notify the legal landowner about what's going on. It will be up to them to try and rectify the situation. One thing you need to consider though; there are landowners that really don't want to be bothered with all the hassle this involves. I know a couple of guys that had the very same problem with trespassers on the property they had permission to hunt on. The landowner got so fed up with all the turmoil that he finally told them they couldn't hunt there anymore. So be forewarned....you could end up getting the shaft too.
I am in the same boat. Don't own the land but have written permission to hunt. Good thing is that I met local DNR guy checking property for owner. I am the only one who should have access but I kick out tons of people. I hate to say this if people here have four wheelers but they are the absolute worst. They think they own the property, trash it with empty beer cans etc, and the cops can't seem to catch them. Now since I am friends with the DNR I have his cell number to call and he has actually busted the four wheelers with trailers (they can't run if they trailer them in) when I call. It's the local guys (no trailers) who steal our stands, trail cams etc. I can only hope I catch them one day.
I've had the same issue with some guys here on a property I hunt. My neighbor owns the land and he told me that kids and other hunters will at times come on the property. I had 3 cameras set up on the land and one afternoon I had just climbed my tree and sat down in my stand and I see a truck coming towards me through the woods. This guy had no regard for his truck as he was driving through thick brush, my first thought was, well my hunt is over for today. I actually thought he saw me and for some reason was too lazy to walk over to me from the field, but instead decided to run over 5 or 6 trees to get to me. I was just hanging up my gear to make my way down the tree when he drove about 5 feet from the tree I was sitting in. He just drove straight through the woods from the field to the road and hadn't even seen me. I was standing up in my stand and everything. I was pissed, and I knew the owner wouldn't be happy. The great news is, the dumb *** drove past all three of my cameras during his little drive through. I got video and pictures of his truck and also his plates. gave them to the owner of the property and the Sheriff paid the guy a visit. Found out from the owner later the this guy was a bow hunter from down the road, knew that my neighbor was letting me hunt the land. He knew i was there and wanted to mess up my hunt as there had been two big bucks in the area and he and his family were chasing them. I get as excited about hunting big bucks as the next guy, but breaking the law and ruining it for other hunters isn't the way to go. Good luck to you with these TP's, looks like a lot of the above posts have you covered.
depending on your state laws, you may not have any recourse. It may be totally up to the land owner to take action. If he is not willing to prosecute, you may be out of luck. In this case, find someplace else to hunt.
For hunting, it's written permission, carried on your person. By chance are the trails following utility line / right of way through the property? I'm not making excuses, but it may be another loophole.
