Trespasser/Poacher on my land

[Lilly001]

When I bought my land I was fortunate to meet a Gentleman who lived very nearby who had permission from the previous owner (timber company) to hunt.
after talking to him I realized that he had permission to hunt almost all of the properties that surrounded mine and he usually only shot one deer a year.
so I gave him permission to hunt mine and he has yet to kill a deer on mine (5 years). But he patrols mine like it is his own when I’m away and keeps me well informed on the local going on.
He also invites me to his neighborhood fish fry That he does in October each year.

 

[NCHillbilly]

When I bought my land I was fortunate to meet a Gentleman who lived very nearby who had permission from the previous owner (timber company) to hunt.
after talking to him I realized that he had permission to hunt almost all of the properties that surrounded mine and he usually only shot one deer a year.
so I gave him permission to hunt mine and he has yet to kill a deer on mine (5 years). But he patrols mine like it is his own when I’m away and keeps me well informed on the local going on.
He also invites me to his neighborhood fish fry That he does in October each year.

That's a good deal.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Why would you not take the stand? What is your reasoning behind this?

The reason I didn't take the stand i found on on my land is because it didn't belong to me, and I'm not a thief. Pretty simple reasoning if you ask me. If my truck breaks down and I pull it off the road into your field, that doesn't mean you now own my truck. If they hadn't have come and got it, then I would have kept it.

 

[paulito]

The reason I didn't take the stand i found on on my land is because it didn't belong to me, and I'm not a thief. Pretty simple reasoning if you ask me. If my truck breaks down and I pull it off the road into your field, that doesn't mean you now own my truck. If they hadn't have come and got it, then I would have kept it.

Thats the way i was brought up and see it. great explanation.

with all the social media and what not it seems overall as a society we have forgotten how to communicate. can't tell you how many conversations i've had with people fit to be tied about something their neighbor is doing. when asked if they talked to them the answer typically is......naw i just turned them into the HOA and let them handle it. now i ask you, with that attitude and environment set, what chance it there that said neighbor give ya call when he sees water pouring out of your garage when you are on vacation or there is someone snooping around??

have a conversation. in most cases it will likely be a simple misunderstanding and can easily be solved. that being said, when it comes time to be the angry neighbor, by all means have at it but call the warden as well.

 

[transfixer]

When I bought my land I was fortunate to meet a Gentleman who lived very nearby who had permission from the previous owner (timber company) to hunt.
after talking to him I realized that he had permission to hunt almost all of the properties that surrounded mine and he usually only shot one deer a year.
so I gave him permission to hunt mine and he has yet to kill a deer on mine (5 years). But he patrols mine like it is his own when I’m away and keeps me well informed on the local going on.
He also invites me to his neighborhood fish fry That he does in October each year.

Extremely good idea ! That works out very well for both parties , having someone to keep an eye out on your property is invaluable

 

[Dbender]

The reason I didn't take the stand i found on on my land is because it didn't belong to me, and I'm not a thief. Pretty simple reasoning if you ask me. If my truck breaks down and I pull it off the road into your field, that doesn't mean you now own my truck. If they hadn't have come and got it, then I would have kept it.

I said absolutely nothing about stealing. I said take the stand leaving a detailed note how to get into contact with me. You'll get a response if you already have the stand in your posession you may or may not otherwise. Hillbilly your situation is diff from the o.p. you apparently knew who was hunting the o.p. does not. Totally different scenarios.

 

[outdoorman]

Yesterday, I called and spoke with the DNR warden for this area and he said he was going to patrol on my area and send me a form to fill out listing who was allowed on my property. He also asked if I was willing to charge trespassers and I agreed.
I'm planning to go back to the property tomorrow morning to do some posting of No Trespassing signs and check to see if the climbing stand is still there.
If it is, I'll leave a note in a ziplock bag attached to the stand with the message of new ownership and no trespassing or hunting allowed.

 

[notnksnemor]

Yesterday, I called and spoke with the DNR warden for this area and he said he was going to patrol on my area and send me a form to fill out listing who was allowed on my property. He also asked if I was willing to charge trespassers and I agreed.
I'm planning to go back to the property tomorrow morning to do some posting of No Trespassing signs and check to see if the climbing stand is still there.
If it is, I'll leave a note in a ziplock bag attached to the stand with the message of new ownership and no trespassing or hunting allowed.

That is standard for DNR.
They don't want to go through the trouble charging someone and the get stood up in court.
One question, Did you have a title search and get title insurance when you bought the property?

 

[westcobbdog]

Title search just checks the chain of ownership of a property and to see if there are any liens on the property, like a 2nd mortgage everybody forgot about or some unpaid tax bills. Title ins protects the buyers equity interest in the property forever vs claims one may make. Some years ago on Austell Rd in Marietta a sister fraudulently signed an out of state sisters name on a sales contract. Year or two later sis #2 shows up at the family farm and sees it full of houses.
Bottom line, folks that purchased title ins still got to keep their new house vs the ones that did not. Think this situation is diff.

 

[Throwback]

If you can fence/gate off the entrances and easy accesses to your property I would certainly do that. If someone REALLY wants to get in there they still can but it will keep most of the nosey folks out and it will curb the “Muh pawpaw said anyone can do anything on open land” doofuses

 

[jiminbogart]

The reason I didn't take the stand i found on on my land is because it didn't belong to me, and I'm not a thief.

I guess I'm a thief then.

We(me and my business partners at the time) paid 15 million for our land, spent several days posting it and then dealt with poachers, vandals(one got locked up) thieves and trespassers for several years. Everyone around considered our land their land.

When I found a climbing stand I confiscated it. When the poacher's brother asked for the stand back I told him they could have it and he came and got it.

You trespass and poach on my property and anything you leave will be confiscated.

If you leave your truck or 4 wheeler that will be confiscated too. You have to come face me to get it back.

When I told the deputy I had let a teenager off with a warning the deputy was upset that I hadn't called them. That kid told me he had killed 17 deer off of our property the prior year(we did not own it then). Another member here on GON actually caught the guy and called his dad and me to come out there.

 

[outdoorman]

That is standard for DNR.
They don't want to go through the trouble charging someone and the get stood up in court.
One question, Did you have a title search and get title insurance when you bought the property?

Yes, I did get a title search and purchased title insurance.

 

[outdoorman]

Well yesterday, I was at the property and spoke with one of the neighbors I have gotten to know on first name basis (we exchanged phone numbers last year).
He identified a 'local' who he has observed hunting on my property recently.
I suddenly recollected meeting this person last hunting season when I found him hunting on the property. He just so happens to be a 40ish year old son of a neighboring landowner who himself owns about 37 Acres (The son lives elsewhere nearby). At that time he admitted to seeing the 'No Trespassing' signs I had posted but that he knew the past (now deceased) property owner who would let him hunt it. At that time, I informed him I was purchasing it and would not allow others to hunt it.
Later, yesterday while walking the property, the DNR warden showed up to check out the property. While there, I showed him the deer stand, corn and some litter left by the trespasser. He left his business card tacked to the tree where the (now lock-secured climber was at and told me he would be checking back.
As we spoke at the bottom of the power line, We observed the neighboring land (father, not his trespassing son) owner on his golf cart looking down at us from the top of the power line. He then drove away back to his home on the neighboring property.
Today, I got a call back from Georgia Power representative who says he will check the easement area and consider putting up a fence and gate to block off the power line.

 

[ucfireman]

At least you got a stand out of it.

 

[ucfireman]

The reason I didn't take the stand i found on on my land is because it didn't belong to me, and I'm not a thief. Pretty simple reasoning if you ask me. If my truck breaks down and I pull it off the road into your field, that doesn't mean you now own my truck. If they hadn't have come and got it, then I would have kept it.

If you park your truck in my field, with out a note and don't come back for lets say a week or longer, Guess what. You have donated that truck to me. As far as I'm concerned you abandoned your property on my property so I will take it.
May not be able to sale it or register it but I will use it a s a farm truck or part it out.
Overnight is one thing but abandoned is another. As far as the deer stand, if it is past posted signs then I would take it as a message, I know you were here and you are not welcome here. Just my 0.02

 

[Throwback]

If you park your truck in my field, with out a note and don't come back for lets say a week or longer, Guess what. You have donated that truck to me. As far as I'm concerned you abandoned your property on my property so I will take it.
May not be able to sale it or register it but I will use it a s a farm truck or part it out.
Overnight is one thing but abandoned is another. As far as the deer stand, if it is past posted signs then I would take it as a message, I know you were here and you are not welcome here. Just my 0.02

I understand how you feel but That’s not quite how that works legally

 

[huntfish]

When I bought my land I was fortunate to meet a Gentleman who lived very nearby who had permission from the previous owner (timber company) to hunt.
after talking to him I realized that he had permission to hunt almost all of the properties that surrounded mine and he usually only shot one deer a year.
so I gave him permission to hunt mine and he has yet to kill a deer on mine (5 years). But he patrols mine like it is his own when I’m away and keeps me well informed on the local going on.
He also invites me to his neighborhood fish fry That he does in October each year.

This! When we got our property in Wisconsin, it bordered 3,000 acres of public land. First tour of the property identified stands that folks were accessing from the public side. Since we were there for only gun season and lived in GA, we needed to come up with a plan. Spoke with the Game Warden.... We took down the stands and left the GW card in the tree. We also gave the GW permission to hunt our land anytime except for gun season when we were there (5 days). GW received a few calls about the stands and the folks got them back. Word got around very fast and we didn't have a problem with anybody hunting.

 

[Throwback]

This! When we got our property in Wisconsin, it bordered 3,000 acres of public land. First tour of the property identified stands that folks were accessing from the public side. Since we were there for only gun season and lived in GA, we needed to come up with a plan. Spoke with the Game Warden.... We took down the stands and left the GW card in the tree. We also gave the GW permission to hunt our land anytime except for gun season when we were there (5 days). GW received a few calls about the stands and the folks got them back. Word got around very fast and we didn't have a problem with anybody hunting.

amazing how folks evaporate when they find out the game warden hangs out in the area

 

[Milkman]

amazing how folks evaporate when they find out the game warden hangs out in the area

I heeerd some of them rascals was mean

 

[Big7]

Get the Game Warden involved.

In Georgia, a posted sign don't mean squat.
It's already posted as soon as you buy it.

Check with DNR. Once he has "the talk" with them, they will never be back.

Bet the egg money on that.