Another.... what would you do? Stuck Trespassers

Well, I usually don't make a big deal of most if not all these kinds of situations, its relatively quiet around here, meaning if this is all I have to deal with, it could be lots worse and then some. I keep tabs on things as best I can. Sometimes, I just may not be able to get to someone, that for whatever reason decides to come through or is on the property, though I may hear them. I decide whether its worth pursuing, based on my chances of getting there to cut them off and deal with it. In the past I had no choice but to try every time and most of the time I caught up with the person or people, inform them its posted and all the rest. That was necessary and helped make it the way it is now. But, there's always new people at some point and that usually who I catch, someone new to the area or place.

I'm in my garage working on my new to me ford tractor, looking forward to getting some more of the small repairs I want done before I take it to the field. So, I've got the middle tin off, tools scattered about, lawn tractor behind it, some other things to move, the oil filter was off to work on the tachometer drive, so its not exactly ready to run.

I hear something below, (I'm on one hill, above our lower ground which is a small valley) I walk down and see this truck hung up on a berm that keeps my creek from flooding the road, just about teetering. I kind of lit into him a bit, and I never do that with trespassers, but was a bit annoyed with the interruption. So, a little steam is let off, they get the point, won't forget now as I explained the deal about land and trespassing. I then said, don't move, you'll just cause damage to the truck, I'll be back down in 20 minutes or so to pull you out. Whats funny, is the darned beaver made a dam just above this spot, 2nd time now, and its flooded. That's always where you'll get stuck, every time in the mud and water LOL !

Polite and apologetic couple, mid 20's, one is a long time friends niece, he's a state trooper, of course I can't prove that, but I have been irritated with name dropping when I catch people here, some have taken advantage of that. So, I only allow one person, another friend/neighbor on the other side of this large contiguous section of land permission to come through to visit a neighbor on this side. He's very respectful and another set of eyes out there, heck he came after me last year at night, I was out mowing, he wanted to see who it was and would have notified me about it.

New Holland/Ford 4630 with front wheel drive pulled it out in fwd, 1st gear at an idle! I took a short video as I drove LOL ! The guy wanted to pay me, I said your money is no good, just heed what I told you about trespassing without asking permission and all. Most, if not all I have dealt with have been very respectful thankfully, but you never know what the heck you'll run into just the same. He was joy riding with his girlfriend, got hung up is all, so in the end I did the right thing, and will do the same unless someone is a jerk, and its not harmless. Now I've got to deal with that pesky beaver, just never ends does it LOL !

What's your take, or story about a stuck trespasser? Leave em, break out the heavy equipment or what ?

Trespassers make my blood boil so much I would keep my distance and call the law. Then they can pay a towing bill too. Fortunately it's calmed way down around here.

I let them get a tow truck after all if you damage there vehicle you could be liable

(quoted from post at 17:19:53 08/07/15) I let them get a tow truck after all if you damage there vehicle you could be liable

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Gotta agree. Call John law. After the cops writes a ticket call a wrecker. I don't like trespassers.

Rick

Call the Sheriff, have the car(?) Impounded (as evidence)..let a Judge decide what to do with them and they have to pay the Impound/towing fees...

Ron..

The few hunters around here really don't bother me much but if your hunting morels on my land all deals are off. Caught two a couple of years ago and drew my pistol figured I would make a point and well two on one......I will let any Father & Son hunt my property. I might be a little naïve but I still think most people are good.

I think that coulda been me in that truck years ago. Young, dumb and goofing around. What you did probably would have impressed me and I would have appreciated it and as I grew older realized how lucky I was that you acted the way you did and you would have gained a supporter for life.

I think you did good, especially in this era of paranoia, fear, anger and litigation it becomes more and more difficult to act like someone whom I would like to have as a neighbor.

(quoted from post at 18:38:29 08/07/15) I think that coulda been me in that truck years ago. Young, dumb and goofing around. What you did probably would have impressed me and I would have appreciated it and as I grew older realized how lucky I was that you acted the way you did and you would have gained a supporter for life.

I think you did good, especially in this era of paranoia, fear, anger and litigation it becomes more and more difficult to act like someone whom I would like to have as a neighbor.

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Well said , too bad not everyone has your upbringing and attitude! :roll:

Let the law handle it. More than one landowner has been killed or beat up over "letting off steam" eventhough they were in the right.

Billy NY- Sometime this summer( Saturday morning just after daylight), I'm driving down my drive and cross the bridge into my bottom nearest the blacktop road.

I come across a car parked just to the side of my gravel drive. As I pull alongside, I notice two bodies slumped over in the front seat and three bodies slumped over in the back seat. I lay on the horn. Eventually, 5 heads begin to stir and they roll the windows down and apologized for parking on my property. They looked to be in their 20's. They told me they would leave my property. I told them that they looked like they could use a few more hours to sleep it off and just stay put until they were good enough to drive.

I would rather have them sleep it off instead of being on the road hurting or killing someone. They said thanks and went back to sleep.

They pulled out around noon.

I had that problem last Winter. I got up one morning to find a pickup half way up my driveway and
stuck cross ways with no one there.

With four foot snow banks and no way around it "I had to go to work" After a quick look at the problem doors locked. I decided the only thing to do was move it.

I hooked a chain on the front end but The ford 640/with chains could not move it. Now I'm getting a little hot under the collar and decide the only thing to do is push it down hill. The only problem is the V plow on front. Well, after 3 or 4 pushes I got it passed the stone gate posts and another couple attempts it was at the road. All I know is that the pickup was gone when I got home that night. Never did hear who's truck it was.

Trespassing aside, I'm darn careful about towing any vehicle that's not mine. Just too much liability if something goes wrong. I'm not saying I never help anyone out, but I am pretty cautious.

When I was a kid everybody was welcome on everybody's property. If you did something stupid, your parents got called and the indiscretion was dealt with in manner satisfactory to all involved. If you were old enough to know better and got caught stealing apples or gas, you got a load of rock salt or birdshot in yer butt for your trouble. Nobody gave a hoot about how many partridge or rabbits you shot on whose property. We all had bike/atv trails through our property and nobody cared as long as everyone stayed on the trails. Then the deer moved in and everyone got serious about hunting, and the next generation of kids weren't as considerate as the youth of yesteryear. Their parents were as likely to call you out for daring to insinuate their little Johnny might possibly have done something inconsiderate or outright wrong as they are to discipline their kids. There is still an atv trail across our property and things are okay, generally, but I have had to resort to, after several warnings, have a few arrested for property damage or trespassing during hunting season. But for the most part, everyone stays on their side of the fence these days. We don't have quite the problems with vandalism and theft in the immediate area that other places do (yet) so it isn't too bad.

You did pretty good. I live 3 miles from the horse
farm iv worked on for 25 years now, there's one
house near one of our hay fields, the guy has been
told repeatedly to not ride his atv on the land or in
hay fields. Well one day in the middle of winter I
drives tractor and spreader from my house full of
cow manure down to the farm to spread it on the
fields, I go to the very back of the farm and try to go
down a little hill to get into the hay field and I see
the guys atv stuck in a snow drift. I stop the tractor,
go look at the atv and there's no key in it. I was
pretty ticked, so I took the loader and pushed the
atv out of my way, I dident hit it hard or anything,
but I seen i put a crack in the plastic fender, just a
small one. Next day I'm walking the horses out and
this old fool rides up on the atv, I'm hoping he
dosent spook the horse and I'm thinking he's mighty
mad about his fender, he gets off and says thanks
buddy for getting my atv out! Lol I was pretty
surprised. The thing that bugs me is when other
people think they can do what they want on your
land? I just don't get that. Another situation was
another neighbor was riding his atv down the road,
illegal I know, a guy comes to the stop sign as I was
talking to the kid, this guy was the head of the
snowmobile club, he says to the kid, you better not
be riding that on the snowmobile trails, I said to the
guy, you see that farm, you better not be making
snowmobile trails across it, (which they were when
they were told not to) so the guy speeds off! Lol, I
told my friend ride on there trail on this farm for all I
care!

I left one stuck for about 5 hours one day years ago until I got 'volunteered' by family to go haul him out. If not for that he'd probably be there yet.... I really have no issue with them having to pay a $500 tow bill for their stupidity when they go trespassing on private land.

Rod

You did the right thing. I was blading my private road a few years ago near a lake. I got off to adjust the blade and a car pulled up behind me. I continued with blade adjustment and the guy stuck his head out the window and said "do you think you own this blankdy blank road?" When I finished with him, he knew I owned it. Another time on the same property, I found some guy on a bulldoser pusing my trees, that wasn't a pretty scene either.

Billy You handled it better than I would have. I have had it with trespassing people!!!!!

I drained all my pasture ponds ten years ago to keep the walk in "fisherman" off my property. Just last year I rebuilt a pond that sets on the boundary between my farm and the one to the west. You can not see it from any public road and only one other property as it sets in a valley along a creek. All the property around this pond is posted NO TRESSPASSING!!!! Even the neighbor's to the south. So what do I find about three weeks ago???? TWO men fishing in that pond!!! They had caught two of the tagged bass I had put in just this spring. These I gave good money for as they are breeding age NOW. I "held" them until the law showed up. They where all mouthy about how they could fish wherever they want and all. They got charged with trespassing and fishing without a license. It cost them each $500 , their fishing equipment (junk) and a five year ban on getting a fishing/hunting license. Found out in court that they look on Google maps to find ponds and figure out routes to sneak in off those maps. Truthfully I really think aerial pictures of my land should be MY property as well. Up to me to decide who could look at them/my land.

I will let the law handle a few but if it gets to be much more than that I will drain the darn thing!!! I already play LOUD music and recordings of gun shots during hunting season to keep the idiots away. Neighbor has a propane cannon for birds in his grapes. I might borrow it next gun season too. Let the IDOTS buy their own ground to hunt on!!!!!!!

On that I would call the cops and let them deal with it and also make sure the party who was trespassing had to pay to fix things and also had to have a tow truck pull them out. I have lived where I am for 35 years and now days I'm not so nice to those who are not where they should be. It is one thing if they ask but no ask they get every thing I can throw at them

JD Seller- Is your wife doing okay? How about your boys? Steve? or the new hired young man? I'm not trying to be nosy but you seem really grouchy and short tempered tonight. I hope everything is Okay.

I always tell them to hook the chain to THEIR car. One guy thought he"d stand by while I pulled the car out of a snow-filled ditch. Had to tell him he needs to get in, start it, put it in gear, etc. I didn"t bring a big enough tractor to drag dead weight.

Pulling in the driveway one night after a high school basketball game, I see a vehicle running across the back of my place. As I pull out the lane to investigate, they zoom back South and run right into the ditch at about 40 mph. Dead stop. I pull farther out and shine the headlights downhill to the truck, and see a person exit with a long gun, and slip into the cornfield. I shout out to identify themselves, but no reply. I drove back to the house, called the local police and grabbed a pistol or two. I could see the truck from the barnyard, so I kept watch, the officer was there in a matter of minutes. We drove out the lane and hiked down to the truck. Two gutted deer in the back, no tags. The officer calls in the plate number and it starts to get interesting.

Truck is registered to the old guy who owns 20 acres next door, but lives about two miles down the road. He just rents out the little shack on the 20 acres. I had never seen that particular truck before. I think, "crap, what have I stirred up now". As we walk up to the car, a car pulls into my driveway and drives out the lane to us. It's the 80 plus year old man himself! Claims he was driving the truck, got stuck, then walked two miles home to get another car and drove back over (all in about 20 minutes). He's clean and dry, swears he was driving. Police, with backup want to stop up to the rental house. There they find a 13 year -old grandson, covered in mud and corn fodder, quite upset. About that time, the son shows up, drunk off his you know, and lights into the officers about the situation. Despite a very checkered past and his current state, they talk him down, and size up the situation. They had some story of shooting the deer up north a few days before and some new tags to put on them. When they come back to me, ask what do I want to do? I say- let the old man come drag the truck out with his tractor, no charges, nothing . He shows up the next day, pulls it out and gone, blames me for calling the police and getting his wonderful family in trouble.

When you get down to it, you did the right thing Billy. We all want to "rub their nose in it", but if we think back, someone has helped all of us when we didn't deserve it. If you read the scriptures, you'll realize that Jesus Christ himself gives all of us the benefit of the doubt. None of us deserve His blessings.

not realy a trespasser story ,, but the cop was stuck alrite ,this happened the yr I graduated from hi school , summer of 1975 the cop missed a curve above the ohio river and went bumpty bump bumpty bump over the very steep hill some 300 ft down ,,He couldn't had been going too fast on that knob hill road,, and He claims some one roadhogged him off the road when they met at the corner,, that's probably exactly what happened on that narrow road ,, anyways ,, I am riding my 175 ka-saki street -trail up the hill when I see this poor county cop cat clawing up the hill ,, so I stop and make sure he is OK ,, between huffy puf breathes , he says help and wreker is on the way, since he called his accident in already ,from his banged up Newport ,wanted to know if I knew who drove a big green dodge polara late 60s, I honestly did not ,. he then noticed there were no tags on my bike and said HEy You are illegal riding that on this road !! And that I should be fined for that ,,. I told him Mister this is a farm chore bike ,which it was ,,and fired it up and roared it up the hill, and left him there huffin and bitchin about they aint no such thing as a farm chore bike immunity,... I knew that too ,, but he couldnt catch me on foot , and didn't have any idea where I lived, and did not know me ,,.

We volunteered to pull someone out a couple times and they just drove away without a thank you, so we decided that anyone that got stuck would have to WALK to our farm to ask for help. Most of the time we just let them use the phone to call a wrecker so they had to pay the bill. After they had to pay for towing, they never came back again.

I have a lot of those incidents, not so much with someone stuck, but trespassers. I live in a secluded area along a creek that was previously a popular party spot for the youth, and a perfect road through for road hunters. About 15 years ago I decided to build on the place after it being basically just used for cattle grazing, and quickly found out that I was going to have to reclaim my own property from the kids and road hunters. The first few years were the worst, and I have been called every name in the book, had fences cut, logs drug across my driveway - you name it, I have had it with the exception of them trying to burn me out, and I am confident they would have tried if they could have seen the house and buildings or tell if I was home. I found out the best policy is a zero tolerance policy -- no one enters. Now it is fairly peaceful and between the ones that were tearing things up, etc finally growing out of it, and word getting around that I will confront those entering. In the past year of two I have had a couple, one couple driving their pickup onto the gravel bar (drinking of course), and when approached he immediately took the offense, and both told me they could go anywhere along the creek they pleased (the female could tell you where to go without taking the Marlboro out of her mouth ). The other crew was a family in a 4 door UTV (nice one). They were stuck in the creek. They were not too pleased with me when I told them of their dilemma that I was not going to allow them to enter with another vehicle to retrieve, and I planned on retrieving and they could have law enforcement see me about getting it back. The were able to get it out via a winch, but I doubt they will be back, as they know I am serious and they indeed received a visit from Dept of Conservation who was planning on informing them of the merits of not entering private property or driving a vehicle within the stream bed (fines for both I am told). If I would have continued to tolerate them, or allowed a few, I am fairly certain I would still be putting up with the ones that feel they have the "right" to enter the stream via private property, and hunt from the roadway. It is touchy at times when you approach someone who is drinking and may indeed be carrying a weapon, but I never carry myself as I know there have been a few times when I would have shot out a few tires, or possibly worse. Best to not put myself into that temptation.

I would taken plate number and called law. If land was posted (mine is) they would get ticket about $300. Law would have tow truck, they would pay that. They could get summons for land damage mud running about $300. Now law will due warrant check (possibly they go to jail for outstanding warrant). Law will look car over for drugs, firearms, and un registered or defects they get summons for that too. I DON'T HAVE TO DUE MUCH AND WORD GETS OUT FAST SO OTHERS STAY AWAY!!!!

Seems like these people have NO RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE OR OTHER PEOPLES PROPERTY. I think if you count back the years, it lines up with the ME GENERATION. The people who's ideas were, ME FIRST. You have to be careful, you never know what these people are on, or since they could care less about others, what they might try to do. You have to be prepared to take it to the next level, what ever that may be, and if you aren't then it's best to let the law take it for you. Or you have to say to your self, is this piece of crap worth going to jail for, because you know some lawyer will try to find a way, and some judge will try to keep his appointment, and do what ever helps them, and not what is right. It seems like trespassing is a misdemeanor, with out any witnesses, then it's there word against yours, and you know they will LIE, LIE, LIE, because that's who they are. I think having them pay for a toe truck is a real good thing to do, at least they have to pay, and not you. Just my 2 cents.

I caught a couple doing some dirty things on our property once.I pulled in the lane right before deer season to walk back and clear shooting lanes etc and spotted a truck parked a couple hundred yards ahead of me. I'm instantly madder than a wet hornet. Automatically assume it's someone stealing tree stands. I go up to the truck and look in, and there's a couple laying there horizontal if you know what I mean. Don't know who was more suprised or embarrassed. Just said get outta here.

Do have people that sneak on and take asparagus and wood. I'm not so nice to those people.

Back in the late '70's some young kids took their new lifted, big tired 4x4 Chevy out into one of our neighbors corn and were doing figure-8's and stuff, really tearing it up. He caught them and held them at shotgun point until the deputies got there and took them in. In Indiana, a property owner can hold the trespassing vehicle that did the damage. I don't know the language, but our neighbor decided to hold the truck on his property, leaving it where the damage was done. And to make sure that the kids didn't come back in the middle of the night and grab it, he took his dozer and pushed piles of dirt up to the front and rear bumpers so it wasn't going anywhere until he said so. Sounds good and all, but during the night someone came by and picked it clean, stealing the tires and good stuff. Probably the kids themselves but no one could prove it. The law says that the property owner can hold the vehicle, but it also says that if the property owner does so, that the property owner is liable for its upkeep, safe guarding, and so on. So our neighbor lost a ton of corn, and then to pour salt into the wound, went out a lot of money for repairing the damage to the truck that did it. Sometimes things just don't work out for the good and honest folk.

Mark

Heres what a friend in Kansas did.....During hunting season he found a 4WD pickup buried in his CRP ground....There was no one around.....They had opened up a gate with no trespassing and no hunting signs on it....He went and got his tractor and hooked a chain to the bumper and took off with lots of slack in it pulling the bumper off..

He then sat and waited for them...When they came back he told them that he had tried to pull them out with no luck....Of course they were really mad and said that we are calling the sheriff....He said don't worry,I have already called the sheriff (whom he knew well) and he knows about it.....He had the sheriff run the plates and they were from Kansas City,KS..He also told them to call a wrecker and gave them a local phone number...It was a friend of his that brought a semi wrecker and he charged them $500 to be pulled out.....When the hunters left they said that they were telling everyone about him and he said that "I sure hope that you do"..

He lives alone in an isolated rural area and continually has people trespassing and stealing stuff..One night while he was at work they took 10 suitcase weights and the bracket off this IH tractor..Theft is rampant in that area..One of his neighbors lost his 2366 IH combine batteries and they cut a $200 cable to get them off quickly...