How to politely deal with a trespassing neighbor?

[ebinmaine 67,051]

19 minutes ago, Stormin said:

He climbed over a barbed wire fence? String a cattle electric fence wire along it. That could really tickle his assets.

Best idea so far. 

 

 

 

[Stormin 9,981]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Best idea so far. 

 

Thanks! Just don't ask how I know.

[DougC 2,641]

I guess I'm not sure why you don't want your relatives on your land hunting game when instead of posting this here you could call then up and talk to them in person. Old people like him and me still have land line telephone service........

[johnnymag3 2,513]

MRS. SMITH AND MR. WESSON LIVE HERE..................... AND ARE ASLEEP..

                               YOU MAY WANT TO GO ELSEWHERE

[WHX?? 48,614]

1 hour ago, DougC said:

I guess I'm not sure why you don't want your relatives on your land hunting

It sounds like this trespasser is NOT a relative Doug. 

[Pullstart 62,638]

1 hour ago, DougC said:

I guess I'm not sure why you don't want your relatives on your land hunting game when instead of posting this here you could call then up and talk to them in person. Old people like him and me still have land line telephone service........

Like Jim said, this person is a country block neighbor encroaching on mine and my Grandpa’s land, but has no permission to do so.  My uncle is hunting with me and got him on trail cam.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

Cover your bases and know your boundaries.  I could write a book on all the land disputes I worked on

[DougC 2,641]

I read it wrong the other day. I thought it was a family thing. You are correct . I don't allow encroaching on my farm land without prior permission for hunting  or stealing my Morel mushrooms. I keep a 12 gauge with bird shot ready for mushroomers............

[Pullstart 62,638]

Well, for a quick update.  This is what I’m doing about this matter... that I haven’t had any issues with since hunting season.  I do believe I may have seen him in my back field once before, a few years ago,  but I witnessed it from a long 10 acres away.

 

We are working a deal with grandpa to purchase the land on an interest free land contract.  The farmer will lease it from us and it’ll help to pay our debt.  One concern was the property lines between the field and this one neighbor, so I had it surveyed.  Today, Jackie and I are driving t-posts next to the surveyed stakes.  I may return and sink some metal posts 1’ or so into the ground, but I haven’t gotten that far.  Now that the boundaries are known, I can posts no trespassing signs on what I know will be my property.  There are a couple spots that his farmer planted over the line and I don’t want to be a prick but I cannot allow that to continue for the risk of losing the property by some type of eminent domain.

 

Jackie makes a great tug!

 

 

[WHX?? 48,614]

Funny the surveyor didn't put down corner markers?

[Pullstart 62,638]

3 minutes ago, WHX24 said:

Funny the surveyor didn't put down corner markers?

Plastic corner markers, wood every 100’ feet with flags.  

[ebinmaine 67,051]

14 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Plastic corner markers, wood every 100’ feet with flags.  

Double check your laws but I know for a fact over here in Maine ANY METAL POST IS A LEGAL BORDER MARKER. Especially on corners.

 

My next door neighbor's 2 acres cuts into my 10 or 11 and at the back corner there is literally a piece of rebar stuck in the ground.

I asked the surveyor why he did not put a stamped topped pin in that shows his name and he said that piece of rebar IS the legal boundary. No need to change it.

[Pullstart 62,638]

14 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Double check your laws but I know for a fact over here in Maine ANY METAL POST IS A LEGAL BORDER MARKER. Especially on corners.

 

My next door neighbor's 2 acres cuts into my 10 or 11 and at the back corner there is literally a piece of rebar stuck in the ground.

I asked the surveyor why he did not put a stamped topped pin in that shows his name and he said that piece of rebar IS the legal boundary. No need to change it.

I left all their markers.  There are little plastic quarter sized caps with the surveyor’s name on them at the corners, I drove the post to nearly touching.  More of a visual now than looking in the ground.  The reason someone suggested driving metal into the dirt 1’ below the surface is just in case they get nasty and pull the t-posts out... then I could use a heavy magnet or metal detector to find it again.  I doubt it’ll get that far or nasty now though.

[Handy Don 12,048]

5 hours ago, pullstart said:

risk of losing the property by some type of eminent domain

The legal term for this is "adverse possession". Here in NY, it requires proof of continuous use over a number of years. Our village lost control of a corner lot that the adjacent landowner had fenced in and used for parking for 20 years and in all that time no village official had called it out to make them stop. To get it back, the village could use eminent domain if they had a reasonable public purpose for the land and paid market value for the loss of the parking convenience. (BTW, the village still owns the land and the user isn't paying any taxes on it!)

Edited June 4, 2021 by Handy Don

[ebinmaine 67,051]

9 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

The legal term for this is "adverse possession". Here in NY, it requires proof of continuous use over a number of years. Our village lost control of a corner lot that the adjacent landowner had fenced in and used for parking for 20 years and in all that time no village official had called it out to make them stop. To get it back, the village could use eminent domain if they had a reasonable public purpose for the land and paid market value for the loss of the parking convenience. (BTW, the village still owns the land and the user isn't paying any taxes on it!)

Another good reason for living in the great state of Maine.

 

Takes 20 years of continuous use to gain possession here and I've got lots of things that would convince one to leave my land.....

[Wheel Horse 3D 3,772]

With the storage units, we run into issues of trespass or unwanted presence all the time.

1. Notify offender politely as possible

2. Here at least we fill out a no tresspass warning and hand it to the individual and file it with the sherrif, OR fill it out and give to the sherrif who has it served on the individual.

Then if the issue goes any further all legal stuff has been covered.(we also keep a copy on hand so the sherrif doesnt have to look it up)

[19richie66 17,484]

[ebinmaine 67,051]

8 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

 

One of my favorite signs:

 

I got 25 acres and a backhoe.  

Don't push me.  

 

 

 

[formariz 11,987]

Hunting around here is not an issue but plenty of other reasons come up to deal with intruders or unruly neighbors that think they can do what ever they want.  I am not one to start controversy over minor infringements and both I and my neighbors use each other’s properties with first asking and consent being given of course.  I am however not one to tolerate being intentionally and continually disrespected by someone who is fully aware of what they are doing. Knowingly trespassing, hunting , and giving the thumbs up to the camera does in my opinion fall under that category. The least he could have done was to approach you and like a man apologize and ask if it was ok with you. Obviously since he himself does not have the adjoining property he knows fully well what he is doing. Clearly marking the property boundaries was the right thing to do but I doubt that will stop him. Hopefully it will however I would not count on it. An individual like that usually needs further effort. I would politely have a conversation with him however leaving no doubt of my displeasure with his actions and the fact that it will not be tolerated. 

[RandyLittrell 3,876]

Is there any chance your Grandpa gave him permission to hunt a long time at some point in the past and he just thought is was good going forward? Just curious, I didn't see anything in the post about it. 

 

Maybe just an honest conversation with the guy might do the trick. 

 

Beyond that, what you are doing is the right way to go I think. 

 

 

 

Randy

[Pullstart 62,638]

45 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

Is there any chance your Grandpa gave him permission to hunt a long time at some point in the past and he just thought is was good going forward? Just curious, I didn't see anything in the post about it. 

 

Maybe just an honest conversation with the guy might do the trick. 

 

Beyond that, what you are doing is the right way to go I think. 

 

 

 

Randy

No, grandpa hasn’t given him permission.  I worked with him a number of years ago, he’s a bit odd.  I know we all are in a way, but it seems he likes to stretch the rules and poke the bear.  Now that I KNOW where the boundary is instead of ASSUMING, I can use the authoritive approach and let him know he doesn’t have permission, even if he ever did or thought he did before.  

[Tractorhead 9,064]

12 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

One of my favorite signs:

 

I got 25 acres and a backhoe.  

Don't push me.  

 

 

 

Absolutely right, 

never mess with a Guy who owns a Excavator or a Backhoe...

 

... we know places, nobody will find you.. 😎

 

😂

 

[Handy Don 12,048]

Not sure about MI, but in NY the landowner bears liability for what happens on their property absent clear and practical warnings. You wouldn't think a trespasser tripping on something and injuring themself would have recourse, but they often do.

One form of protection is an abundance of "Posted" signs on property borders.

Another is to document with the individual (and with the authorities, as another poster noted) that this person has no permissions whatever to be on your land at any time and if they choose to trespass that they alone bear responsibility for any and all outcomes.

Another (and I recommend this) is to carry extra insurance--speak to your broker.

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

On 6/5/2021 at 3:43 AM, ebinmaine said:

Hahahaha old Troy Landry.  One episode he had some trespasser too. 

 

 

BTW: If we in Belgium go on vacation, and come back finding homeless people living in our home. We legally can't do a thing, neither the police can. Even if they broke into our house. Sounds ridiculous because it is!  2years ago (pre-corona) a family had just that. They had to wait for the homeless people to get out the house for food, or going out begging for money before they could reclaim there house. 

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Maxwell-8

[Pullstart 62,638]

Wow. That’s crazy @Maxwell-8!