Big Thank You to GA DNR LE for Trespassers

[transfixer]

the thing is people like that don't appreciate someone being nice and letting them off easy, if they did they wouldn't have come back , or lied in the process, its one thing to give someone a break, and you did initially, and they basically spit on you giving them a break !

 

[buckmanmike]

We had a similar problem on some of our land. Finally got the trespassers off the property, but they left with a departing gift of sheathing nails in our driveway.
Hope you have no further problems. Some people are just mean.

 

[basshappy]

I've got cell phone video, taken personally, with tag numbers, of people fishing without permission and the DNR said they couldn't issue a ticket from it.
They had to see the infraction.

The one gentleman lives on the road leading to the easement to our property. We know who he and his wife are, and now his son-in-law (the gentleman who came twice who I ran into in person that started this process rolling).

I spoke to the Ranger about retribution because I want to go out and enjoy the land and have kids running free without worry of flat tires, missing bolts on our dock, etc. He felt that would not be an issue, but to call him immediately if anything were to come up and he would be out to handle it.

And now the trespassers know the posted signs wifi recording in progress are actually factual and recording. They don't know where they are, how many there are, or if other cameras are pointed at the wifi cameras ...

They also know we will ring the SO and or DNR after their experience on Friday.

It is unfortunate it came to this. I hate it for people but dang just do the right thing.

 

[basshappy]

I wish they worked as hard to prosecute those who stole fish from a private individual.

County SO won't touch it if they're fishing.
DNR won't get there for days.
I wish they would give the SO authority over private lakes/ponds.

What county if you don't mind sharing?

Fishing without permission falls to DNR. Same with hunting. Or trespassing with firearm. Just trespassing falls to SO is how I understood Ranger last week. Also, if trespasser has already received warning Ranger indicated SO would come out quickly to make the arrest.

I got the cell camera alert at 1:41 PM on Friday.

I texted Ranger the pics at 1:44 PM.

He was off duty but forwarded to on duty Ranger.

On duty Ranger called me at 2:03 PM.

On duty Ranger met us at 3:02 PM on our property.

On duty Ranger made contact with trespassers around 3:20 PM.

Trespassers departed our land with their gear around 4:50 PM.

So it went pretty quick. The walk in, and up the mountain takes a few minutes, as the walk out of course. My boy, the Ranger and I were on foot.

 

[basshappy]

I’m sure ! I feel that most will do that good ole guy thing to the po po face trying to get out of it. I feel zero sympathy as you are the ones who have had to suffer with this and none of them thought about you or your property until they got caught even though you told them several times…

Agreed. You are nice and apologetic solely because you are caught. I know the first trespasser (son in law) told the second trespasser (his father in law) he ran into me twice and what we discussed but the FIL told me and the Ranger. So it seemed it didn't matter because after he heard what his SIL said about meeting me twice he still went onto our property 3 more times!

 

[basshappy]

Guys that old definitely knew better ! they knew what they were doing , and they knew how to act to get off with the minimum amount of trouble , they knew they were trespassing, new they shouldn't be hunting on county land, they just figured no one would ever see them, they werent sorry ! just sorry they got caught !

Agreed. They knew it was not their land. Period. And they knew the county owned it, and they hunted it for 10-15 years without worry or issue. I can imagine the number of deer they harvested illegally using bait to lure them in. Really grinds me ...

 

[basshappy]

Unfortunately…nice people get ran over in this day & age. You gave them multiple chances to do right…but they had no intentions of doing right.! I bet they try to sneak into that property from another direction..

They can access that parcel without traveling through ours. But all 3 ways to access it are trespassing because they don't have permission from any of the property owners. Again, I understand they may not care because they've been doing it for years. But MAYBE this was the light switch and they will go the legal route forward.

Now the county is aware of the trespassers and baiting and hunting so I predict that spot will go cold. I mean, would you risk going to jail to hunt when you may not even see the quarry you're hunting?!?! We all know there are days we hint where we don't see a deer.

I would not be surprised if the DNR did not install 2 cell cameras up there in strategic spots and ran them the rest of this season - to see if the poachers return.

 

[basshappy]

the thing is people like that don't appreciate someone being nice and letting them off easy, if they did they wouldn't have come back , or lied in the process, its one thing to give someone a break, and you did initially, and they basically spit on you giving them a break !

Yup. Sadly. I was very polite and respectful with the initial trespasser. Even the second time. I want to enjoy the land, not have hassle and troubles. We have signs posted everywhere. Cameras everywhere. I can't understand how anyone in 2023 would do what they did because you are on camera pretty much most places these days.

 

[Gadestroyer74]

Yup. Sadly. I was very polite and respectful with the initial trespasser. Even the second time. I want to enjoy the land, not have hassle and troubles. We have signs posted everywhere. Cameras everywhere. I can't understand how anyone in 2023 would do what they did because you are on camera pretty much most places these days.

It’s easy. They don’t care and didn’t think they would get caught ! Just like all criminals think and why they do what they do. There are a heap ton of folks on this forum and in life in general that have done a whole lot of stuff wasn’t legal back in the day and didn’t get caught. Most learned from it and got away from those things. Some never did. You can’t fix stupid

 

[HavocLover]

It’s always baffled me how the long arm of the law works.

Sounds like these guys were blatant and habitual. Can’t wrap my head around why there were any warnings given. Never mind it being the first time the law interacted with them. You had two different encounters with the fella. That should be enough for a legit trespass charge.

Meanwhile, I’ve heard a few stories about interactions with very honest friends/acquaintances of mine that had some very minor, honest mistakes/mishaps and they’ll hammer them.

Glad you got it taken care of but I’ll echo some previous comments… don’t let your guard down. They might think you are only a deer Hunter and abandon the property otherwise. So I’d remain just as vigilant during off season.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Superb work on your part

 

[notnksnemor]

Superb work on your part

Why is it up to the landowner to do all the work to catch trespassers?

 

[Jim Boyd]

Why is it up to the landowner to do all the work to catch trespassers?

Need to read again.

No one said (at least I did not) that it was incumbent on the landowner to do all the work.

What I said, very clearly, was that it was good work on the OP’s part.

Anything else you read is simply interpretation on your part, sir.

Seems to be a good bit of that, these days.

 

[notnksnemor]

Never attributed it to you.
My point was the landowner purchased a cell cam, network access, probably spending several hundred dollars at DNR suggestion.

 

[Tnhunter]

Glad they got caught!

 

[NCHillbilly]

If you have any buildings on that property, you'd best keep a tight eye on them. People like that are the type to come back with a can of gas and a lighter.

 

[transfixer]

Never attributed it to you.
My point was the landowner purchased a cell cam, network access, probably spending several hundred dollars at DNR suggestion.

Neither the DNR , or sheriff's office, or local police will outlay any money to protect a private individuals property , most you could hope for is the sheriff's office to ride by and check occasionally to see if anyone is there , the DNR isn't going to expend any effort unless they are killing turkeys illegally, I firmly believe they do not care about deer anymore, they might make a case for a nice buck killed out of season but that is about it.

protecting our property or property we lease is ultimately up to us, the only different thing about that situation is they were also on county property hunting, but again, the DNR doesn't seem to care about what is killed during season

 

[Crakajak]

Most Leo and Dnr rangers are reactive... not proactive anymore.They have their hands full just responding to complaints.Unless they just happen upon a crime being committed.

 

[transfixer]

Most Leo and Dnr rangers are reactive... not proactive anymore.They have their hands full just responding to complaints.Unless they just happen upon a crime being committed.

And most don't want to have to deal with the paperwork involved for situations they consider trivial

 

[notnksnemor]

And most don't want to have to deal with the paperwork involved for situations they consider trivial

Agree.

Ticketing a Dad for not having their kid in a life jacket is a lot easier than trying to catch a fish poacher sneaking your lake.