I live in the suburbs, but about 15 years ago I bought 3 acres in the country planning to build a home there someday - that's not going to happen now as my wife was diagnosed with cancer just after we bought the land and we spent years getting her well, plus now it's just too expensive and I'm too old, but I kept the property waiting for the market to come back so I could sell it and make a little something on it. In the meantime I keep it mowed and trimmed, and I keep my tractor and ZTR mower out there, and up till now there's never been a problem. The neighborhood is friendly, the neighbors are great and I've gotten to know several of them pretty well. Last summer the guy across the street called me and said some kids had been riding 4X4s on my land, this summer they upped their game and took a chainsaw and cut a trail between their property and mine. I posted no trespassing signs all around the property but they just tore them down. Tonight the neighbor called again, he saw them over there and went to talk to them - he got their names too - as they were dumping a cubic yard of fish guts into my pond. My nice, clean well kept pond! Right now I'm waiting for the sheriff's office to call me back, the property is 20 miles from my home but I'll drive out to meet him there tomorrow to discuss what to do. I'm thinking game cameras at the least now...... What would you do? The pics are of me putting no trespassing signs up a few months ago when this really started to be a problem, the trail is where they cut thru my property.
Update: Just got off the phone with a sheriff's deputy, we're going to meet at the property tomorrow and then he's going to go visit with the perps, he said he's particularly interested in one of them. When my neighbor confronted him about dumping the fish guts in my pond, he told the guy he could be arrested and taken to jail for trespassing - the guy replied - "I don't care, I've been to jail." When I relayed that to the deputy he said he was going to check on him (probably for warrants, my guess) as he didn't sound like someone he wanted living in his county. (interesting comment!)
Update #2 The sheriff's deputy just called me from the perp's house, he had him sitting on the front bumper of his car and had just finished explaining to him that if he ever sets foot or wheels on my property again that he would go straight to jail. He then asked me if there as anything else I'd like him to do on my behalf an I told him I'd like them to remove the cubic yard of fish guts they dumped in my pond and clean it all up. He laughed and said that was no problem. I'll go out tomorrow and see what was done.
Caltrops? Ahah...............had to google that one. Not looking to hurt anyone, just want them to stay the hell off my land.
I had to look up caltrops as well. Disappointed...I was hoping it described a length of piano wire strung about so high between a couple of trees. Voice of experience. Got 'clotheslined' by a real clothesline (yer older'n dirt if you remember those) as a kid cutting across a neighbor's back yard one night on my bike. Never did that again.
When you visit on Thursday or Friday, I would suggest you ask the local friendly Sheriff to meet you out on the property. Young hooligans can be little shits nowadays unless you carry open like I do when up in the mountains on the trails. Just being a little over cautious, I don't like how some of the privileged punks think. Hope the pond gets cleaned up, do you stock it with fish?
Ima borrow a nice big sidearm from my neighbor across the street, it's be just for show - but it will show well! I do stock the pond, mostly bluegills and catfish......
To me the worst part would be that now you have to worry about the ****ty neighbor and his friends looking for ways to get revenge on you for ending their fun and getting them in trouble. People like that never seem to be able to grasp that the trouble they get in is their own fault, it's always because someone else hates "good clean fun." Remember, when idiots drink they suddenly think all sorts of stupid things are good ideas so yes I'd still be thinking about a game camera or two. Here's hoping the deputy plans to make these guys his business for a while.
Cameras are for getting evidence to get something official done. The sheriff's are ready on your side. I like the clothes lining idea. Just find a way to discreetly post a warning so the lawyers don't come after you for hidden boobie traps. I had issue here with quads riding in the park behind the house. I confronted them and called the cops. The problem was solved. There are some people that are still afraid of the law.
This is a tough situation... Protecting your property from vandals without retribution from these jerks.... I think your best bet is the posting of the private property signs and working with the law enforcement... Stay away from any attempt at rigging your property that might cause personal injury to the trespassers.... You don't need those kinds of troubles...
Don't know about laws in other states but I've got a quarter section of land that I have to carry LIABILITY insurance on. A trespasser can climb the fence, turn around and hurt his little hiney then sue me for his injuries. Burns my ass but there it is. Nothing is safe from stoopid.
That was one of my biggest worries too, what if someone gets hurt on my land, even tho they aren't supposed to be there? My neighbor across the street (and my watchdog) says they've been tearing around the neighborhood (including on my land) with little kids riding two up - no helmets, no safety gear at all, shorts, no shoes etc. A lawsuit just waiting to happen..... Apparently they've been clearing paths on other properties too, I'm going out today to take pics, and I'll get the deputy involved - he seemed pretty willing to help.
They need to get the hint that there is public land and there is private land.... And just let the law handle the splainin.... The thing you have going for you now is there is a record of the issues.... If an accident happens with one of the trespassers you are in a much better position in that you tried to keep them off your land... So don't spend too much time worrying about them getting hurt...
All of that, yes, except I'd be too paranoid about the greed inspired lawsuit-happy epidemic in this country to not worry at least a little about that sort of thing, even with the law involved the way it is. This is why I suggest a game camera or two, discretely placed so it/they won't be stolen by the yahoos. Evidence is evidence, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Luckily for me (knocking on wood), the only trespassers I need to worry about are the opossums I spotted a couple nights ago...
The whole event really pisses off my across the street neighbor, he's lived there since the early 80's and every time he comes out of his driveway he sees my "No Trespassing " sign, and it angers him because it's a small, nice neighborhood and there's never been a need for such signs.... He's hoping the n'erdowells will leave and we can get back to having people who support each other, watch out for each other and take pride in their neighborhood. I'm going to rent a bobcat in a couple of weeks and clear out about an acre of brush, there will be nowhere to hide then. Plus that should make the property more saleable.
Bouncing Betty land mines are the answer. They don't kill, but they make it impossible to have children. Gets them off your land, and prevents them from reproducing. Best of both worlds.
I remember a great sign that stood for years outside a small farming community. Your neighbor might enjoy a little humor instead of a cold warning. "You'd better be able to cross this field in 25 seconds because my bull can cross it in 30."