Confronted a trespasser yesterday.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

go talk to him in person, it doesn't really sound like you had a bad encounter with him........sounds like he was doing what every other person does when trying to get the ok to use private property, they offer to help out in any way possible........just because he identified himself as a LEO, doesn't mean he's going to break your balls about stuff.

 

 

+1- Face to Face is the best option. we see it here in the forum enough. You can't read the infletioin in a persons voice in the written word. The true meaning can get blurred. Talk to him after you clarify what the landowner really wants. I have seen guys lose hunting right becasue they over estimated their worth to a landowner.

[aqua750]

It does not matter how you handle it, you are now on his radar. Be prepared for the next round.

 

I have owned three different  parcels of landover the years 1-200acres 1-40 acres and now a 15acre parcel and I must advise anyone to  be very careful how you handle tresspassers  depending on what they are doing, who they are,where they live,and there  atitude when confronted.Ihave had many encounters with uninvited  people on my land and here are the hard facts!unless you live there year round,hire a caretaker or have a retired buddy who lives very close to your property  forget abut the local police they have better things to do!THERE IS NO DEFENCE WHAT SO EVER!!  I know two people who were very nasty to some people on there land one had his cabin burnt to the ground months before he found out and another guy in livingston manor who after a few months  on his return  he found  his house empty!!!! right down to cans of beans in the cabinets  whoever did this had to have made several trips to his house with a large truck!! And had the balls to leave a note thanking the owner for his polite ways .Think about it  the sound of  glass breaking or the sound of a chain saw cutting you a new door opening, it only lasts seconds.  It has been my experience these people who live nearby or have been tresspassing on your land are using your land more than you!! you just pay the taxes so  the  best approach is to introduce yourself as the owner  find out what they are doing, and feel them out and if they are hunting tell them that they cant use the property to hunt on becauce you hunt there but they are more than welcome to use the property like it was there own and to do you a favor and keep an eye on the place hell they pattern you coming and going like  you do a buck, they know when you come and when you go I lost a very expensive knife some wher did not know where 5or 6 months later It showed up on my bb-q really filthy , someone had found it and returned it to me! I asked everypossible person Iknew up there  and no one knew anything about it  oh well

 

[bubba]

When you go to talk t him, take him up on his offer to keep an eye on it.  Never hurts to have an ally

[NFA-ADK]

Great post with many great ideas.  I would ask him to meet and discuss it further.  ( "Joe I was wondering if I could talk to you about the land by our house?  I would like to discuss your offer from the other day.")  Explain your frustration with a small apology stating why trespassers are annoying and why you had a bit of an attitude towards him on that day, frustration works for me as the excuse.  If you and the land owner are willing to allow him use of the property, I bet your trespassing issues will become minor.  Plus that is someone who CAN patrol while you are at work or away.  And believe me if anyone at any times goes to his NEW hunting grounds, well he will check it out and who better to inspect trespassers?  Good neighbors are irreplaceable and invaluable. 

 

Good Luck and tread lightly, hope it all works out for you!  Keep us posted, and thanks for sharing!  Funny how we can all get along when we have a common objective or enemy.  Turn that possible issue into a benefit! Again good luck! 

 

 

[wdswtr]

Isnt a DEP cops job to protect the water shed for NYC?  What can he actually enforce beyond that?  I cant see how all of a sudden you would be getting harassed with traffic violations like mentioned above.  The first thing I would be doing is establishing with the actual landowner what he is willing to allow you to do with his land and trespassers.  Your fighting a battle that can go nowhere unless you have landowner support.  Without that your pissing up a tree Im afraid.  I am a caretaker for 3 different parcels of land that border mine. All 3 owners are from out of state.  When they first bought the parcels and built fishing camps on them we came to an agreement I would watch over there places, plow there driveways if they come up to fish in the winter and throw trespassers out.  In return I am the only one who is allowed to hunt there and cut any dead trees for firewood. After year 1 and having to call the police on a few recurring  trespassers I was informed I had nothing to stand on not being the land owner. These guys would park right in there driveways, put drives through there land and then move down to the next place and do it all over again. Not just one but a couple different groups of hunters.  Very odd how fast this occurred as my family leased this land up to the point where it sold. Never had a problem before that.  It was not until we changed things to the landowners themselves placed the call to the police and I would be the correspondence between them.  Once the word got around the neighborhood that trespassers were no longer taken lightly things quieted down.  I often wonder now if in the beginning we had an attorney write up a legal document authorizing me the authority on behalf of the landowners to take legal action on trespassers. 

Edited November 21, 2013 by wdswtr

[jrm]

Isnt a DEP cops job to protect the water shed for NYC?  What can he actually enforce beyond that?  I can't see how all of a sudden you would be getting harassed with traffic violations like mentioned above.

Believe it or not, DEP police have issued traffic tickets. Although they work for New York City, they apparently have police powers statewide. Crazy, but true. From what I have heard, a few years back DEP was setting up speed traps on roads in the Catskills. This caused some friction with either the NYSP or local police and the practice was ended

 

After year 1 and having to call the police on a few recurring  trespassers I was informed I had nothing to stand on not being the land owner.

It was not until we changed things to the landowners themselves placed the call to the police and I would be the correspondence between them.

That has been my understanding. I have property upstate. I was speaking with a neighbor who explained this to me. We were discussing watching out for each other's property and exchanged phone numbers. He told me that the local cops will not respond to a trespassing complaint from someone who doesn't own/reside at the property. If we saw anything, we agreed to contact each other so the police could be notified.

Sounds strange, but it does make sense. You see a strange truck pull up to the property next to yours and call. The cops respond and the people say "we are allowed to be here." Without a property owner to refute the claim, who's to say they are lying? You could think they are trespassers, but they turn out to be friends of the owner.

[wdswtr]

JRM your last sentence is another reason to have a good relationship and understanding with the landowners.  They call me to let me know if a friend is using there place for a fishing trip and also let the friends know who I am so there is no confusion.

[blackradio]

well I decided to not say anything to the guy. Screw him. I saw him up and down the road with his quad (towing a trailer with some toddlers on it) but he didn't ride on the property from what I could tell.

[orion]

"Believe it or not, DEP police have issued traffic tickets. Although they work for New York City, they apparently have police powers statewide. Crazy, but true. From what I have heard, a few years back DEP was setting up speed traps on roads in the Catskills. This caused some friction with either the NYSP or local police and the practice was ended"

 

That's right they used to do on Rt 28 by Ashokan Reservoir

[dbHunterNY]

talk to the land owner and do as he requests and let him know what happened.  don't keep anything from him.  on DECs website somewhere there's written permission slips with a copy for the owner.  they work well.  if you don't have it you don't belong here.  otherwise you'll be running back and forth to verify if someone has permission from him if they say they do.  don't say things like "I would like..." or "I would appreciate it if you stayed off."  refer to the owner and his behalf.  be polite and not passive aggressive.  just because you're not calling names or yelling doesn't mean you're not coming off as harsh or abrasive.

[jjb4900]

well I decided to not say anything to the guy. Screw him. I saw him up and down the road with his quad (towing a trailer with some toddlers on it) but he didn't ride on the property from what I could tell.

you asked him to stay off, and as far as you know he respected your request..........looks like the problem is solved. 

[blackradio]

I hope so.

 

[skeets716]

Sounds like you are getting a good handle on the situation.  Remember, anything you put in writing most likely is there forever!  Spoken word with a cool head will lay a good foundation.  Who knows...may turn out to be a good guy and a good friend to have.