Intentional Trespassers

[hill7410]

Saturday morning me and my dad did not see much deer so i decided to do a drive to him, i started walking our trail and i kick up a doe (Good sign i thought) i get further down and i see a guy in a orange suit, Thinking what is my dad doing, i get up there and it is not him and the person is with somebody else too. I immediatly ask them who they are and they start to pull some BS excuse out and say they are looking for there uncle's land, these guys are in there upper 40's and just flat out lying to me. They then have the audasity(spelling) to ask if they can walk through my land. I tell them they need to turn around and get off my land before the police get involved. I just dont understand why these guys would do this, there is posted signs everywhere and not to mention it just stirred up all of my land to hunt, in hines sight i wish i would have called the cops.

[walleyeaddict]

still should

[lawdog]

I honestly think people should get prosecuted more and then this BS will stop. Only problem with that is there just aren't enough CO's to handle the enforcement and the sheriff's office is usually too busy to want to, although they will if you call them...

[harvey lee]

ANYONE that I catch tresspassing on the ranch I take care of in North Dakota is charged with trespassing.I will not allow it.

[buzzsaw]

If I owned land and caught somebody tresspassing they would be turned in immediately. It's basically an attempt to steal from the land owners who pay for the property and the yearly taxes on that property.... not acceptable.

[MinnesotaMuskie]

We have land near Spring Lake...it borders federal land and has the only road access. We have gated the road at the edge of the property and will report and prosecute anyone who trespasses.

It sounds harsh...but we need to protect our investment as well.

Warnings do nothing...call the authorities.

[BLACKJACK]

If you have your land very well posted and its obvious they tresspassed, then prosecute. Sometimes though it IS hard to tell the boundary between public and private land. I know that more than once I've been hunting public land wondering where the next boundary sign is. The Feds will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire land and then get chincy on the signs and put them at +1/4 mile intervals. Then over the years they disapear, get run over etc. Make sure you land is WELL marked and then prosecute.

[stmichael]

It sounds like these guys were trying to pull a fast one, taking a risk on walking on an unknown property.

There is no excuse for the "do you mind if we walk through" They should have apologized and turned around.(at least ask for the most direct route back to the road...if really lost)

I think in your case you should have called, and, still should. It sounds as though this is their plan, to make it look like they have mistakenly walked onto someones land and play stupid. Hoping that there may be a guy that is not home to kick them out.

[gorrilla]

Blackjack I have to disagree with you (AGAIN).

You shouldn't be telling people to really post their land well, you should be telling the other clowns out there to make themselves really aware of property boundaries before they set foot on the ground in the first place. More people use the "lost in the woods excuse" and hope for the best. I say people are responsible for knowing the boundaries, and " I couldn't see any signs" is a lame excuse...

[almostthere!]

Gorilla,

People do get lost or turned around in the woods. No one knows the boundaries of private land more than the land owner; even with the help of plat books, it is still sometimes hard to know exactly where the boundary land is. However, if a land owner puts up signs, it will prevent law abiding citizens from knowingly entering private land. Further, it is not illegal to enter unposted, non-aggrecultured land.

[iffwalleyes]

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Blackjack I have to disagree with you (AGAIN).

You shouldn't be telling people to really post their land well, you should be telling the other clowns out there to make themselves really aware of property boundaries before they set foot on the ground in the first place. More people use the "lost in the woods excuse" and hope for the best. I say people are responsible for knowing the boundaries, and " I couldn't see any signs" is a lame excuse...

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You must have a lot better sense of direction than me and I am pretty good. People do get turned around and unless they run into a fence line or trail they generally don't know where they are at is they are lost. Most of the lost hunters I have run into are usually on my camp trails. I am more than willing to help them find there way out. I know my woods and camp that I hunt and most of the state ground around me better than most but I still get turned around. Yes some people will use the excuse they are lost but most probably are.

[gorrilla]

have you guys with all the answers ever owned land next to public land??

Good luck if you ever do, I believe you could have signs every ten feet and you'd still have people using the "I'm lost excuse"

On rare occasions, I'll admit it honestly happens, but tons of yutz's every year use the lame exuse to explore a little across the line on purpose. If any of you who think my opion is off the wall a little, I have to question you on the laws and what is a LEGAL posting distance apart. Also things such as ag land (which includes CRP, CREP, RIM, and newly popular tree farms in central MN) that doesn't have to be posted at all. And yes you can be prosecuted, dumb or not when you cross the line...

The responsibility is on the hunter not the adjoining land owner to know the lines. I've been literally on both sides of this fence and I think you guys who play dumb are giving us all a bad name. In this day and age of GPS, mapping, cell phones, and compasses some guys still make a habit of not quite wanting to know where the line is...

Another thought is go before season and try to locate the owner and have him show/explain where his boundary is. If you don't know, then you shouldn't just guess and hope...

[harvey lee]

Yes,the ranch that I take care of is surrounded by a National Grassland.For years we have posted and called the local CO and we have very little problem anymore.You must be firm and the word will get out.

The neighbor said we were crazy for all the posting that we do as it will not help.Just two weeks ago he stated that ever since he started to post heavy and have some charged by the Co,that his problems are starting to go away.

It does help for sure.We post 2 miles of fence along public land.

As far as what is legal posting,that depends on what state you are in.I put up three times more signs than needed to be legally posted.If someone walks on this land they do know what they are doing and will find out how much it will cost for sure.No excuses for me.

I would say a general rule to follow is that if you dont know who owns the land you are walking on,you best find out and ask.People going where they want just ruin it for all the others.

[CodyDawg]

After reading all of these and thinking on it some, I have came to this conclusion. Almost all people who do this are lazy and irresponsible. Ask yourself a few questions. If they are truly lost and dont know where they are, why is their gun loaded??? I think the prudent thing to do would be to unload your gun. that to me would go a long way in believing they were truly lost and had no intention of hunting that land. Another question, why didnt they come up before the season and learn the lay of the land? People have plenty of time and money to sit in a bar on friday nite, but all of a sudden they are too broke to properly scout?

[gorrilla]

On our land we post very heavy as well, I just think that its a shame we feel we have to. Legally we wouldn't need one fourth the signs we put out. I agree with Cody, in my earlier post I said something similar. It all comes down to wanting to do the right thing versus not caring too much about boundaries...

[chucker34]

I reported this on another post as well about road hunters, but every year I see truck with orange occupants cruising the neighbors driveways through the woods looking for deer. I doubt its deer they shot and that ran into the woods from neighboring fields because its several people that do it. They only pick the neighbors who own cabins and they know aren't there.

So I posted my own driveway this year, in part because of the road - no wait, driveway hunters - and the neighbors who like to cruise up and down everyone's driveways on their four wheelers. They really ramp it up at dusk during the late fall and summer. I guess I'd like to keep my own small patch of woods relatively quiet for the resident deer.

Still, my wife thinks I am kind of a jerk for posting our land since the four wheelers are our neighbors that we know fairly well. She doesn't think they're hurting anything and I'd agree - at least not in terms of deer movement. But its our land and we should be able to post it if we want, regardless of any hurt feelings.

And its not soley intended for the fourwheelers. It's the driveway hunters and hikers/walkers that think a dirt driveway with a mailbox next to it that leads into the woods must be okay to trespass on. After all, it's the woods. I wonder if people in the city would raise a fit if I walked up and down their driveway with my firearm or bow?

[almostthere!]

Quote:

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After reading all of these and thinking on it some, I have came to this conclusion. Almost all people who do this are lazy and irresponsible. Ask yourself a few questions. If they are truly lost and dont know where they are, why is their gun loaded??? I think the prudent thing to do would be to unload your gun. that to me would go a long way in believing they were truly lost and had no intention of hunting that land. Another question, why didnt they come up before the season and learn the lay of the land? People have plenty of time and money to sit in a bar on friday nite, but all of a sudden they are too broke to properly scout?

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When a person is lost, the last thing he will think about is unloading his gun.

No matter how many times I venture into familiar territories, I still get turn around every once in a while. I know some of you guys who follows the well beaten paths to your treestands do not have understand the concept of being turned around, but the guys who ventures off the beaten paths has been turned around at least once in their life time.

Anyways, the land owner is suppose to post their forested boundaries. If you do not post, people will venture.

If I am lost and see your nice beaten path on your side of the property, guess what, I will be heading down that beaten path and hopefully you will not be a jerk and point me to the road.

[gorrilla]

almostthere, if your lost and you see my beaten path on my land and decide you should walk down it with your loaded gun. YOUR GOING TO GET A TICKET...

Land can be legally posted and believe it or not when your walking through a woods at an angle towards it you might not see a neon sign or a 10 foot tall fence telling you to turn around!!! THE RESPONSIBILITY IS STILL YOURS TO KNOW WHEN YOU ARE CROSSING THE LINE. WHY CAN'T PEOPLE FIGUIRE THAT OUT AND BE MATURE ENOUGH TO NOT TRESSPASS.

[almostthere!]

NOte to self: when lost, do not walk onto Gorilla's land.

Are we suggesting that if one is lost and comes up to a posted private land, one should just turn around and head back into the unknown and hope that a search party finds one?

Whatever happened to MN nice? Oh, it only comes out when people disappear like the fellow in nothern MN. Then, we feel sorry for the guy.

[nofishfisherman]

Quote:

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THE RESPONSIBILITY IS STILL YOURS TO KNOW WHEN YOU ARE CROSSING THE LINE. WHY CAN'T PEOPLE FIGUIRE THAT OUT AND BE MATURE ENOUGH TO NOT TRESSPASS.

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When will people figure out that sometimes people do make a mistake. I assume we are all humans here and humans are not perfect. It is your right to call the athourities if you see someone on your land, but you should also realize that maybe the person meant no harm at all and is actually simply lost. And saying that the person should know where they are and whose land they are on at all times is not a valid arguement in my eyes. The person should make every effort to know where they are but I can almost promise you that everyone reading this forum has been disorriented at some point while in the woods. If there is someone here that has spent alot of time in the woods and never once been turned around or lost their trail then lets hear from them becuase they are the only ones that should be making that argument.

[HateHumminbird]

I've read many of the above posts, and compared those experiences to the experiences we've had on our land.

You just need to be like my dad. A harmless fellow with a reputation for being a bad-dude.

Don't get me wrong, my old man is nice and doesn't cause harm to anyone. But about 10 years ago, a dog started running our cattle around the yard, maiming a few and killing one. The thing was a rottwieler from Germany worth some big $$$. My old man did not hesitate to grab the .22. First shot bounced off the skull. Second one went in one ear and out the other.

Amidst the threats of legal action from the owner, and the town gossip, an article in the paper was run with the headline, "Local farmer shoots $10,000 dog."

Since then, we haven't had much problem with trespassers, theives, or any other trouble-makers of any kind

Joel

[chucker34]

Trespassing really ticks me off but I can admit people often make an honest mistake, especially if land next to a public hunting ground such as a WMA or national forest is not properly posted. I know, I know. You should know where you're at, but you might wander a hundred yards or less into private property that's not marked without knowing it in some remote areas. I'm not talking about being miles into it.

I think its extremely important to keep a cool head about you and give the person the benefit of the doubt the first time, letting them know they're trespassing. The next time, I'd call it in since you then know it wasn't an accident. Reacting hot-headely puts both you and the trespasser in danger. Too often, people's first reaction is 'This is my land! I own it! And what the hell are you doing on it!?!?!It's mine! All mine! I own it! Get off!' And while it may indeed be your land, where you have every right to keep everyone else off it, stop and think a little before exploding on someone.

What if you dog ran into a patch of private property while you were pheasant hunting on a WMA? Wouldn't you go get him and hope the landowner wouldn't go off on you or call the CO before you could explain? Give others the benefit of the doubt at least once and then call the CO on them.

[chucker34]

Jnelson. Did he ever make good on his legal threats? I would have sent him the bill for the dead cow and the vet bills for the maimed ones!

[HateHumminbird]

If it were me, that's what would've happened.

The guy came by, cussed out my folks, and then broke down crying. Interesting fellow. The deputy sheriff at the time was the neighbor and was also sitting at the table. He hinted, ever so slightly about the law, and who should really be sued. I don't think the conversation lasted much longer.

Joel

[iffwalleyes]

I agree that one needs to be rational when talking to someone that is trespassing. After all remember we are hunting meaning one or both members have guns. Even if it is your land you will get farther with being helpful then if you are hard headed about it. If it doesn't work then call the law and let them deal with it. That is what they are paid to do. There is no sense in us being a bunch of cowboys. Just remember the Wisc. shootings two years ago. That was a bad deal and I don't ever want to hear about something like that again.

[Remnar_Soady]

The last post brings up a very somber reminder. No need to act like a tool in there when every one is holding a gun....However, I firmly believe that 90% of reasons given are usually lies.

Heres how I would have handled it: No need to get worked up. Call them on their bluff and cathc them in their lie. Have them unload their guns and you can walk them through to where they wanted to go. you were trying to drive deer through your property anyways. Odds are they will then opt to turn around and walk off your land rather than have you walk them through. At that time, inform them the next time the CO will be called immediately. Then later on call the CO anyways. Pretty much avoid hostile confrontaion that way and the message gets through to them one way or another. But if it turns out they were lost and really want to get back to their land, they will let you walk them through with unloaded rifles.

[charliepete2]

I don't like trespassers, but I'd think twice about being confrontational with them. I'd be polite, and let the CO handle it. Jnelsons story about his dad reminded me of my Uncle who is also a tough guy. My Uncle bought a nice 120 that was full of big deer and also packed with guys who were used to being able hunt under the last absentee owner. My Uncle threw them off when ever he found them and let them have it while he did. Shortly after the gun season he came home to a burned down barn and kennel. He lost all his hounds that he loved like kids, and several thousand dollars in equipment and stock.

In my book the kind sneaky backbiters who trespass on other peoples land on purpose are also the kind that might do much worse when you're not around after you've riled them up. I'd keep it civil, and call the CO.

[Bassboy1645]

So how come up here in superior national forest guys have a house 100 yards back in the woods and own a 2 acre backyard wiht the only road accessinto public land yet the put up a gate at the road wiht no tresspassing?? And worse yet they yell and B**** and hollar at anybody who is hunting on the public land like the own the whole got dang woods?? Im a college kid and i cant afford my own land to hunt though i want to someday....many of my family members own land and i hear where u all are comign from. Any explanations on what to do when confronted by landowners who think they own more than what they really do?? what about the no tresspassing signs on public land??

[Remnar_Soady]

If you are truly on public land, make them call the CO on you. that will bring them out to settle the matter. However these people seem to be willing to go to great lengths to ruin your hunt, so it may mean that you have to go somewhere else. Public land is public land. it does not matter if you walk in from the road or out your back door to use it. but like I said, they will probably stop at nothing to kick you out.....

[Gordie]

Went up to the Grand Rapids area for the last weekend of zone one and when we get up there on friday after noon their was snow on the ground and thought great this should be awsome to see and get deer. we were disapointed later as we we to the stands that evening found out that someone already had paid a visit to both stands that we use. Their is 40 acres and we have two permenant stands on it and this past summer we posted the liven --it out of it,and as a matter of fact the guy walked off the road within ten feet of the posted sign this just $ucks. because this forty acres boarders the Chippewa National forest and their are plenty places to hunt, their is even places to park 250 yards from were the guy walked in at.

If the guys that do this are ever caught we will procecute to the fullest extent to the Law.

It seems that the 40 acres that is their is the only place that the deer are and the thousands of acres behind it have none , funny thing all the deer we shot this year except one witch was this past saturday were shot on forest land behind us and no even saw a deer on the 40 until this past weekend. just venting a little, thanks for this post.