Well, after Toby met those guys on our land 3 weeks back, we hoped the trespassing issue would go away. Apparently they had other ideas. Toby was up there by himself a few weeks ago and up the hill come the trucks. They said “oh, hey, um we were just headed to the property above yours.” and drove on (2 truck loads of people). Then, up comes another truck that just turned around as soon as they saw Toby’s car. The next time we went up to the land, there had obviously been some trucks on the property and someone had shit by the well head!!. SO, we gated all the access areas to the property again, posted no tresspassing signs, and locked the bottom gate that allows acces to 2 other properties as well. This morning, both the gates have been torn down and there has been more activity on the land! This is making me insane!! It should be obvious to them by now that someone does not want them on the property and that they need to move their parties else where. I think they need a serious lesson in respect!! So, our next plan is to go camp out there on a Friday or Sat. night, which is when they seem to come up to the property. We will lock both gates and listen for them to show up. Then, call the sheriff and have him block them in. I hate to involve the law, ’cause I think this will make them more pissed and more likely to come back and do more damage. But, I don’t know what else we can do. We plan to invite all our friends up there to camp with us so that we can make a big presence (it definitely won’t be just Toby, K and I!!). I may even put a sign on the first gate that says “OK, listen up! We are currently up on the property waiting for you. If you chose to break down this gate again, we will call the law and you will be charged with Trespassing and willful destruction of property.” I figure, even if we aren’t up there, maybe (doubtfully) that will get them thinking. Either way, they can’t say we didn’t give them ample warning.
Thats a tough one! I hate involving the law too. If you can’t coordinate it so the police show up while they are still there…I’d take pictures or something. If you have pictures somebody should be able to identify them and you’ll have proof that they were there.
Maybe next time they are up there you could try following them until they are off of your property. Of course you should take someone big and burly with you. I can’t imagine them wanting to stay on your property if you right there with them.
What a tricky situation, because you don’t really want to start a feud with this people!
Sorry I could be more helpful. I hope it all works out.
Argh! What a frustrating situation!
Oh man, mama, that stinks – I can’t believe they went so far as to break down the gate. I wish our neighbor wouldn’t ATV/snowmobile through our pasture, but at least he’s sort of, I don’t know, respectful about it – he certainly isn’t stopping to take a crap on his way out. 🙁 Hope your plan works! Maybe just knowing someone has moved onto the land – maybe put up a home under constuction sign???
I can think of a few ways to stop them from coming…but it won’t be pretty! And you’re definitely NOT going to make friends with them.
You could pull glass and nails by the gate so that when they go over them, they’ll get flat tires.
You could keep vigil and when they enter your property you could shoot them over their heads, or you could shoot their tires! (Make sure they don’t have anything to shoot back with!)
I can think of a few other ‘evil’ things to do to them…. but then I tend to get really mean when people have been disrespectful! Especially after I’ve been nice and civil to them.
I’m with you, Christine. If it were up to me, I would have electrified the gates long ago 🙂 But, luckily, Toby is more level headed than I am. I think for now, we are just going to go to the beach this weekend and forget about it. We will probably close on the property in the next 2 weeks. In that time, maybe we will have Toby’s brother weld us a steel gate and put up some new (much stronger) gate posts. Let’s see them break through that!
Christine has said it all for me, I wouldn’t be level headed at this point, especially with them pointedly shitting on your property. Call the cops and if they fail to do anything that shooting the gun over their heads or blowing out their tires sounds damn good.
Oh, my gawd! People are just shitty (pun intended). I agree with the above; I would have lost my level-headedness a few trespasses back. Good luck with this, but take care (these idiots sound like the type that don’t give a shit about anyone’s space, property or safety.