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Old January 14, 2016, 11:59 AM   #26
Brian Pfleuger
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I don't know how Conservation or police handle trespassers where you are but I wouldn't "tell" trespassers anything or "run them off" or "confront" them. I would call the police and Conservation. They can deal with it. If they're back tomorrow, or next week, or next year, I call again, and again, and again. Someone will get sick of it (or be in jail) and it'll stop. It won't be me.
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Old January 14, 2016, 01:29 PM   #27
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They won't do much to them the game wardens are busy making drug busts and the that is all the police are worried about too. They might get a 100 ticket and a slap on the wrist.
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Old January 14, 2016, 01:33 PM   #28
Brian Pfleuger
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The first time.

What about the second? Third? Fifth?

Somebody's going to get real sick of it.
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Old January 14, 2016, 03:04 PM   #29
johnwilliamson062
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I know someone who supposedly started putting bullets in the trees around the poachers.
Not the approach I would take, but they no longer have problems with poachers.
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Old January 14, 2016, 03:11 PM   #30
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I imagine it would be difficult getting an officer out in time for them to actually do something though, or am I incorrect? I didn't live on a farm but I lived on a house surrounded by ranches, and the PoPo and it would have taken them at least 20 miinutes to get out there-and thats motorvating along.
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Old January 14, 2016, 03:37 PM   #31
Grizz12
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A big sign

NO TRESPASSING
Owner has PMS
and a gun
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Old January 14, 2016, 06:46 PM   #32
Lwh4207
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Haha I will make be a sign that says just that, and I have called the law numerous times I didn't vote for our current sheriff so I don't get very good service around here
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Old January 14, 2016, 07:30 PM   #33
Brian Pfleuger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zincwarrior
I imagine it would be difficult getting an officer out in time for them to actually do something though, or am I incorrect? I didn't live on a farm but I lived on a house surrounded by ranches, and the PoPo and it would have taken them at least 20 miinutes to get out there-and thats motorvating along.
Maybe, I guess it depends on your presumptions as to how the situation is going to unfold.

As I said, I wouldn't confront them so they have no reason to leave. I'm also assuming they're hunting, so they plan to stick around for awhile. Plus, if they're not, I can always get pictures of vehicles and if I do interact with them I would audio record it, as I do all "unpleasant" confrontations. So, I'll have evidence.

The police around here respond fairly quickly too, generally speaking. Conservation, not so much, at least during hunting season.
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Old January 14, 2016, 07:49 PM   #34
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After talking to conservation officers and other LE's, it became apparent poachers and trespassers are not high priorities. They would take notes after the fact, but don't expect a stake out or trying to catch anyone in the act. They were more than willing to pursue the bad guys if you provided them proof of a violation....(ie: photos, eyewitness accounts, or a signed confession by the perps, fingerprints, DNA.) Left me wondering why I had to do the work for them? If that's the way the problem gets solved, I'll play the game with their rules.
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Old January 14, 2016, 09:14 PM   #35
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My brother in law has had a similar problem with poachers, but not to the degree some above have indicated. He's in a very remote area but doesn't have easy access from the main roads, something some poachers seem to like.

2 things seemed to have helped: We installed a camera system that snags license plates and activity, which he does turn into the sheriff after he sees them twice. A call from the sheriff to the license plate owner, after they've been identified seems to help (It's a small east Texas county).

The second is along the lines from johnwilliamson062. They typically shoot up the retaining strap and seat / platform after taping a target on the strap.

They try to avoid direct contact, not a lot good can come out of that.

Good luck, be safe.
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Old January 15, 2016, 12:07 PM   #36
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Here is Wisconsin, trespassing is not a hunting violation but a criminal act. Wardens do not come to a trespass call, the local (generally Countie Mounties) LEOs respond.....and they take trespassing very seriously. They are happy to use photos of backtags, license plates, 4 wheeler registration numbers or photos where the identity can be seen. Photos showing the individuals on your property are evidence. Last year with the couple trespassing and picking morels, the husbands got snarky when I told them to leave the morels they were trying to steal. He claimed I could not prove they were taken from our property. I told him the photo on my cell phone showing them with full ice cream buckets on my property would be hard to deny. I told them they could either empty the buckets and go back to their car and leave or they could wait for the cops to show up and talk about the trespassing and theft charges. Again, they were on my property without permission, in attempt to steal something of mine and the husband still called me a f%&#ing jerk as they walked away. This is the mindset of most trespassers. They somehow feel entitled to use land they did not pay for, do not take care of, nor do they pay taxes on, just because of who they are. Many times, if folks would just stop and ask first, but no, it's better to trespass than to risk the chance of being told no. For some, being told no means they now have to trespass. Like the morel hunters. I watched them drive by slowly twice and saw their brakelights as they parked around the corner, thinking they were out of view from the cabin. The little cover in the woods made it easy to pick out the white ice creme pails they carried....stupid is what stupid does. If I see folks on the property I do not recognize, I always go to see who it is. I generally have my GWP with me, a 1911 in a shoulder holster and a cell phone. Sometimes it's someone lost, a utility worker or someone that does have permission to be there.

I have had trail cams trashed, No Trespassing signs torn down, fences cut and gates left open from trespassers. I have had my opening day of Turkey or deer season interrupted because someone didn't see me in the woods and figured it was open to them, even without permission. The only real deterrent is having someone there or making folks think someone may be there. During the general gun deer seasons, my sons or I leave a vehicle parked at the cabin on our land during the week on days when we aren't there hunting....otherwise some of the neighbors and others feel they are safe to go.
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Old January 15, 2016, 07:08 PM   #37
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Thirty or so years ago my parents bought a piece of property in MS. On this 50 acre plot the house was up front new fences built and life was good. I was there during deer season and walking the property and found the back fence cut an a 4x4 parked in the back pasture, strategically out of sight of the house. I left a note on the windshield telling them that there was a new property owner and they did not have permission to either hunt or access other property from there please do not return. The next day I went out and fixed the fence. A few days later they were there again. This time they returned to a truck with 4 flat tires. The caps were in the pasture and the valve stem cores were in my pocket. I have to admit I thought about cutting the stems but passed on it. No cell phone coverage there in those days so they had a long walk out to get some help. They never showed up again...at least as best as I could tell.
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Old January 16, 2016, 04:02 PM   #38
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In Oklahoma many sheriffs and game wardens are little help in problems with trespassers. Some sheriffs simply refuse to get involved with trespasser issues.

Had big problems with trespassing hunters on one of my properties for years. The place was properly posted. All my neighbors had problems with trespassers too. The sheriff and game warden were no help.

Then a new Dodge diesel pickup belonging to trespassing hunters burned up while parked in tall grass on the adjacent property. No more problems with trespassers.

An acquaintance and his neighbors had problems with a trespassing/poaching neighbor for years. The perp is a local cattle farmer who even shocked his neighbors fish ponds. He took advantage of an OK law that allowed trespass while "searching for missing cattle".

Then the law changed and the "searching for missing cattle" provision was eliminated. The guy continued to poach on his neighbors property until they got together. Result: Some of the perps cattle really did come up missing. End of poaching problem.
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Old January 16, 2016, 09:44 PM   #39
reynolds357
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On the land that adjoins mine, the ATV of the trespasser was shot in the engine block as soon as the trespasser got off it and walked about 15 feet away from it. I do not advocate that, but it cured my neighbors trespassing problem. Shame the Sheriff's office could never find out who shot that atv and bring him to justice.
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Old January 17, 2016, 12:03 PM   #40
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In Missouri, unless your property is posted with a sign or "purple painted" every x number of feet ( it is either 50 or 100) around the perimeter it can NOT be considered posted and you can't prosecute the offenders. That is the first question LEOs will ask when you call in a complaint. Unless your answer is yes, they will not respond. Game wardens will not respond to trespass calls and are very slow to respond to poacher calls despite the fact we have a 1-800 game thief hotline.

Neighbors and personal vigilance are the only ways I know to combat the douche bags without possibly incurring personal liability for flattening tires, etc. as has been suggested previously.
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Old January 17, 2016, 03:24 PM   #41
Lwh4207
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I'm not 100 percent sure about the law in Arkansas I've never been able to find anything out about how close a stand can be to a property line but I've got two people that have stands right on the fence. They have their property leased just to hunt on and that's where most of my problems come from they just cross the fence and unless your on foot or horseback it is hard to catch them.
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Old January 18, 2016, 09:00 AM   #42
buck460XVR
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Quote:
I'm not 100 percent sure about the law in Arkansas I've never been able to find anything out about how close a stand can be to a property line but I've got two people that have stands right on the fence.
Yes, you need to know the law. Here in Wisconsin, you can have a stand right on your property line, but you cannot shoot into someone else's property without permission. The minute your bullet/arrow crosses the property line, you can be considered trespassing. Same goes for allowing your dog to cross the fence-line in hopes of pushing game to your side. Wisconsin used to be like many states and have confusing laws about signage and fences.....but not anymore. They have gotten very aggressive towards trespassers and have done much to enforce the rights of property owners. You no longer have to post your land, lands are considered posted unless one has written permission to enter. Being lost is no excuse because you are responsible for knowing where you are. Trailing a wounded animal is not a legitimate excuse either as even then, you must have the land owner's permission to enter. Check your laws and continue to bug whoever it is that is supposed to enforce those laws. Take pictures and record when trespassing occurs. Do not do anything illegal yourself such as setting traps or damaging property. Make yourself visible during times when trespassing may occur or give the impression someone is there. You are not the jerk for demanding your property rights, the trespasser/violators are the dirtballs.
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Old January 18, 2016, 09:28 AM   #43
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Not too many years back, Ohio instituted a hunting law that requires hunters to carry written permission on them while hunting private property. It's a pain in the @#$ but I'm sure that was the results of them getting tired of hearing every excuse in the book, and false rumors such as "If you are tracking a wounded animal, you can cross property lines. "Trespassing" is a different offense than "hunting without written permission" and a personal can be charged with both. Private property is not required to be posted, but it sure makes for a much better case for prosecution. I believe they do require landowners to post signs so many feet apart if they border public hunting land.
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Old January 19, 2016, 07:39 AM   #44
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I would lease it if that suits you. We lease 1800 acres or so, and although you will never keep everybody out a few extra hands working to that end helps. We basically pay the property tax which is cheap I know compared to some leases. If you want a copy of what a contract looks like I can email you ours. It is rather involved for the protection of the owner. We buy our insurance through NC Forestry in a program underwritten by an insurer that they work with and the club is a member of the NC Forestry Assc. Arkansas may have something similar.
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Old January 19, 2016, 08:23 AM   #45
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I'm on good terms with the wardens in my area, but when you actually need one to check out reports of shots on the properties I oversee they are generally out of the area. I take care of different properties for the landowner and have had problems on all of them at one time. The first time a trespasser is caught here, they are issued a warning by the wardens or sheriff deputy whichever is involved, as the folks in charge of prosecution won't waste the court's time for it.
I picked up a chair a couple days ago that was hidden next to a tree and behind a bunch of brush in the woods. Next to it was a snuff can and a spit bottle...real classy bunch of guys sneaking into the woods around here.
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Old January 19, 2016, 11:04 AM   #46
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My Dad and I actually confronted a group late one Friday night on the road in front of our property. Wood Peckers were nothing but, yes sir, no sir polite and the ring leaders dad was a judge in our county! I give them enough credit as to the fact that we think they stayed off of our and our neighbors property. Letting them know our neighbor was a retired Secret Service agent may have helped also.
Scum of the earth they are.
We also gave the local game warden a key to our front gate so he could hide out in the brush for the road hunters.
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Old January 19, 2016, 05:04 PM   #47
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I have a neighbor that had a similar issue with someone hunting on his property without permission. He told me that normally he would not have cared since he doesn't hunt, but the guy had damaged his fence a couple times. He put trail cameras up, but was never able to get a good picture showing either a license plate or the person's face. When he took the pictures to our county sheriff to see if they could get anything with just the image of the guy's truck the sheriff said that they did not have enough to go on. He told me that the sheriff seemed very intrigued by a large buck that happened to walk through in one picture though. Long story short, he leased the land to the sheriff and a couple of his deputies and one of the deputies just happened to be hunting the next time the poacher showed up.
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Old January 19, 2016, 07:32 PM   #48
Lwh4207
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I guess a lease would just be the best way. I like to hunt but I can't hunt it all by myself I just hate for people to come in and kill all the young bucks or does that still have fawns on their side. Can you put rules on a lease?
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Old January 19, 2016, 09:41 PM   #49
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I have always been amazed at the numbers of people who willingly trespass on property that if they asked for permission and maybe helped the landowner a little would be welcomed. Of course those same folks don't usually care to put out any effort to hunt either.
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Old January 21, 2016, 08:45 PM   #50
Art Eatman
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Lwh4207, it's common for the lessor to set conditions in the lease, as to what can be hunted: Size, sex, number of points, whatever, for deer. And, yes or no for other game or non-game animals.

Similarly, a group of hunters on a lease can set "group rules" of the same sort.
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