Suggestions for dealing with trespassers?

[Raoul]

Long story short, We have the family farm up for sale. It's posted and the entrance is chained shut.
Some upstanding folks are apparently driving through the old fence to hunt.
I plan on showing up in the morning and making their lives interesting. Besides the obvious, what do you deer hunters recommend?

[Spots]

Scout it on a work day and remove theirs stands. Find where they are driving through the fence, and wait for them to drive through. Then restring the fence while they are hunting and wait on them to get back there. I got a few more things I can suggest, but I'd rather pm them. Let me know if your intrested

[gjohnsoniv]

I knew one guy who got hair from the barber and threw it everywhere. Ran the deer clean off, only problem is that it will keep you from hunting until next season.

[10-Ring]

Mothballs work great too, or what if a few pieces of plywood fell off of your truck where they are crossing. I would hate to have to explain to a property owner why my truck has 4 flat tires on his property. Other than that I like the way Flatwoods is thinking.

For a more highroad approach maybe call the sheriff or game warden after you see them drive in. Edited November 10, 2012 by 10-Ring

[Jonnin]

put down a bunch of bait and inform the authorities

[Lumber_Jack]

Buddy, unfortunately you're fighting a tough battle. As a land manager I can say there is no surefire way to stop trespassing besides direct confrontation, and thy can get sketchy. Often trespassers have a sense of ownership regardless of who actually owns the land. An if they don't they have a blatant disregard for the law. Either way, be careful & assertive, but I'd recommend being respectful. These things can escalate to an unnecessary level quickly.

[RED333]

Get a LEO involved, no need to take someone to jail, but as others have said, these things can get out of hand sometimes.

[ShaunM]

Call your local Law Enforcement Office and let them know. If you go out there and find them on your property call the Police. If people are purposely trespassing then yes they need to go to jail. I take that as if you were breaking into my house.

[Wingshooter]

You could setup an IR trail camera on where they are entering. make sure there is no flash and make it hard to find. This will give you evidence and a pattern (maybe tag number). Then get the advise of the sheriff or game warden. They'll help you out. Of course if you catch then out there even better, but be careful confronting them. I would still involve law enforcement Edited November 10, 2012 by Batman

[whiskey]

I'd suggest you call the local TWRA officer and ask if they can join you in the morning so you can confront them together.

DO NOT sneak in behind them and dump sugar in their gas tank, that is illegal.

[Howler]

If ya confront them be careful. I've run people off the family farm before. Most leave without any problem. Some want to give ya chit.

[Guest CCI]

Post, "No Hunting with out owners permission (or written permission)", signs!

[url="http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/permission.pdf"]http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/permission.pdf[/url]

[DaveTN]

Chai Soua Vang was approached for trespassing. He killed six of the eight hunters there. Be careful.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

It is unbelievable that people who are tresspassing think that they have a right to be there.Its not unheard of that people get shot or even killed ..
Sad and infuriating...
same goes for squatters rights...just wrong..

[Caster]

If you find a tree stand of theirs and it has a ladder, discretely tie it to your atv or truck with a hundred ft of aircraft cable. Wait for the guy to get up in the stand, then drive off, ripping the ladder away, stranding him up there. Call the game warden.....or don't.

OR, take up shooting skeet a few hundred yards away, or get a 2-stroke dirt bike and take off the muffler. Make LOTS of noise. Could get a battery operated radio with an alarm clock on it. Set it for just after you think they get set up in the stand. Edited November 11, 2012 by Caster

[Garufa]

[quote name='Sour Kraut' timestamp='1352596115' post='843402']
It is unbelievable that people who are tresspassing think that they have a right to be there.Its not unheard of that people get shot or even killed ..
Sad and infuriating...
same goes for squatters rights...just wrong..
[/quote]

Certainly you've come across white-trash rednecks before.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Is it theft if you take something that was left on your property?

If not then I say sell the tree stand that was "abandoned" on your property. Then sell it on Craigslist and make some Christmas money.

Dolomite

[DaveS]

[quote name='Dolomite_supafly' timestamp='1352596966' post='843414']
Is it theft if you take something that was left on your property?

If not then I say sell the tree stand that was "abandoned" on your property. Then sell it on Craigslist and make some Christmas money.

Dolomite
[/quote]

Technically it could be considered abandoned property. I've been reading some of these post, and you should be very careful how you handle this. Anything you do to cause harm to someone on your property, you are liable for. Heaven help ya if you "drive off" with the guys tree stand while he's sitting in it! Properly "post" your land, and call the sherriff if you catch them there.

The best sign to use is one in which requires "written permission" to hunt. Then that takes away "my word against his word" argument.

Dave S

[DaveS]

[quote name='Raoul' timestamp='1352578787' post='843244']
Long story short, We have the family farm up for sale. It's posted and the entrance is chained shut.
Some upstanding folks are apparently driving through the old fence to hunt.
I plan on showing up in the morning and making their lives interesting. Besides the obvious, what do you deer hunters recommend?
[/quote]

Since your property is up for sale, why not just give the guy permission to hunt?

Dave S

[Chucktshoes]

[quote name='DaveS' timestamp='1352598022' post='843427']

Since your property is up for sale, why not just give the guy permission to hunt?

Dave S[/quote]
I'm not the OP, but if I was, this would be my answer to that question. "Because he didn't ask." If it ain't your land, and you don't have permission from the owner, you know you ain't supposed to be there.

[DaveS]

[quote name='Chucktshoes' timestamp='1352599073' post='843447']
I'm not the OP, but if I was, this would be my answer to that question. "Because he didn't ask." If it ain't your land, and you don't have permission from the owner, you know you ain't supposed to be there.
[/quote]

Absolutely correct!

Dave S

[TMF]

Hmmm... armed individuals trespassing on my property? If LEOs aren't willing to respond to that and handle it they should be ready to clean up the mess of lead poisoning victims.

[Raoul]

[quote name='Chucktshoes' timestamp='1352599073' post='843447']
I'm not the OP, but if I was, this would be my answer to that question. "Because he didn't ask." If it ain't your land, and you don't have permission from the owner, you know you ain't supposed to be there.
[/quote]exactly

[kwe45919]

I'd call the local authorities........I'd try to do the right thing first.............then I'd get medevil on their butts. Things would get fun for me and ugly for them.

[Garufa]

[quote name='DaveS' timestamp='1352598022' post='843427']
Since your property is up for sale, why not just give the guy permission to hunt?

Dave S
[/quote]

Hey, my house if for sale but anyone who wants to hang out until it's sold is welcome.