Physical barriers aren't going to work, unless you spend way more than is sane.

Have you considered calling in the Fish and Wildlife people? If they are killed/dumping game out of season, that would definitely fall under their bailwick.

As for the ATV folks, maybe you should mount your next POSTED sign on a metal wire, chest high and right after a bend they like to come haring round?

 

Unless the law has changed, you can register your land with the Wildlife folks. Once it its posted to their specs, anyone with out a formal written permission slip from you can be arrested on the spot.

having said that, good luck getting them out there to patrol.

I would get that done, then raise hell daily, all the way up the chain of command until something is done. document all the pictures of offenders and the poached deer.

I hate to say it, but it seems the majority of "hunters" I run across live to hunt illegally, and even pass the art on to their kids.

Your facing an uphill battle, but brace up and fight for your precious land. It can be done. A buddy was in court last month ( HE get's charged for clocking 3 illegals with a 2 x 4 when they were caught stealing his mowers & equipment off his company vehicle) and there were 22 game violators on the docket. All lost their vehicles & property, and repeat offenders were cuffed & went straight to jail.

Good luck & keep us posted.

One side note, if you have someone close by the land, see if you can give them power of attourney to have them arrested. I had that capacity for one land owner. After the 5th one was arrested, things calmed down quickly

 

My rule on trespassers is to cut them NO quarter!!!! They KNOW they are trespassing and every time they get away with it they become more brave. You need to make sure they know that you will spare no part of the law to deal with them in no uncertain fashion. People will run over others as long as they can get by with it. The very FIRST time you don't bring the wrath of hell down on them they think they have won and will do with you as they damned well please.
2 kinds of people in this world, lions and lambs. Which you decide to be in dealing with these people is up to you......

 

A buddy of mine had a similar situation.... It was mostly resolved by (still the occasional trespasser but nothing like it was)

1.- Contacting local law enforcement, and be as friendly as possible. Show them some of the pictures of the BS that's going on there. We went out discretely (on foot or mountain bike so little noise was made) at various times. Both times we called LE while we were there and guided LE onto the property over the phone. LE cited 2 groups at 2 different times. It was an easy bust for them and it helped to resolve his problem. Trust me, it they had to do it on their own it wouldn't have gotten done. We just had to help do some of the work.

He and a couple other close knit friends confronted them a few times. We simply addressed that they were trespassing and needed to leave. They were usually apologetic and just left. A couple of weekends later we saw the same people showing up again and again. Just don't go alone, always have someone with you.

You can always trash their stands, blinds, and baiting equipment.

 

Contact law enforcement and register the property. Then get to know the local game wardens and deputies and request that they establish a presence in and around the property. If you can, give someone else local POA to establish "eyes and ears" on the property.

You might not want to shoot any dogs, clothsline ATV riders, or lay boards in the trails with nails sticking up to pop tires. Good way to get your shed burned down and property destroyed in any way they can.

 

First thing I'd do is put a gate across the property entrance. If you can keep the ATV riders off the property at least they can't tear it up too bad. Can you identify the trespassers on the trail cams? If so, print up the pictures and drop a letter in the mail to the offenders. Make it clear that you know who they are, when they trespassed, etc. Tell them that the next time you get pics of them you'll be sending your evidence to the law. Get the letter notarized just to make it seem quasi "official". I've found (from being a landlord) that most a**holes see something remotely official looking and tuck their tails.

 

I think I'd just send the pictures to the police directly, if you warn them they might just bring a baseball bat or sledge and wreck your cameras next time.

 

+1 On contacting the LEO's & Wildlife Wardens.
Definitely post your land and build up the gates and fences.
I would place your "hidden " game cameras to cover the gates so that any tampering or destruction of private property is recorded.
You might want to consider building another layer of gates and fences within your property
so as to subdivide and slow the trespassers.
I would warn against any kind of "bobby traps" that might injure people or wreck equipment.
Ultimately, your property is located in a isolated rural area, so there is little you can do unless you want to build a small cabin and hire a gamekeeper to maintain your property.

 

Ultimately, your property is located in a isolated rural area, so there is little you can do unless you want to build a small cabin and hire a gamekeeper to maintain your property.

Can I apply? After the couple work weeks I've had...I'd welcome it!

 

You might not want to shoot any dogs, clothsline ATV riders, or lay boards in the trails with nails sticking up to pop tires. Good way to get your shed burned down and property destroyed in any way they can.

plus, setting booby traps is ILLEGAL, so you could go to jail...even though they're trespassing.

and they could sue you civilly for any injuries sustained on your property...once again, even though they're trespassing.

it's a crazy confusing injust world we live in.

 

i would confiscate all the equipment on the land and if they call LEO be sure to note that they were trespassing and their stuff can be picked up at a date and time, if they dont contact LEO you do so and let them know you recovered all this lost equipment on your property. and by LEO I mean gamewardens.
and let the game warden know about the baiting and they will try and catch them, they love writing tickets on hunting over bait and hunting out of season, big fat fines for those especially turkeys those start around 1k

 

thanks to all for the advise. We will catch up with the authorities next week and look at putting in a pair of gates at the only path in (over then by boat LOL).

 

I still like the idea of fishin wire between trees, with hooks on it, at about neck level. Or pits with punji sticks. not that I would ever recomend retaliation

 

JUST PISS ON THE CORN PILES

 

It is going to be tough keeping people off your property when you live far away. Locals are most likely using it and will continue to ignore the signs as this has already been proven. It puts you in a bad position as a land owner. If you press charges on a local your place could catch fire. Making friends with a local hunter/s and draw up.a lease agreement. This would be cheaper than hiring someone and will put more eyes on your property while your away. Registering with Wildlife sounds good but these guys are few. Perhaps giving them a heads up on the wildlife violations may help but don't expect too much. Don't trip wire the place, dig punji pits or hang any trebel hooks at eye level over trails with fishing line.

 

I share your concerns because I too have a piece of land (no buildings) that I am not close enough to monitor on a regular basis. We had some locals using it without permission for 4wheelin and tearing up the ground cover and causing erosion. Fortunately, in my case the area where the land is located is still infested with my many near and distant relatives who were happy to put out the word that future trespassers were not welcome and would be dealt with harshly (how was not specified). It did the job without involving any official authority. I note that you indicated that it was family property but not whether family was still in the area. At any event I wish nothing but good luck in your efforts.

 

It is going to be tough keeping people off your property when you live far away. Locals are most likely using it and will continue to ignore the signs as this has already been proven. It puts you in a bad position as a land owner. If you press charges on a local your place could catch fire. Making friends with a local hunter/s and draw up.a lease agreement. This would be cheaper than hiring someone and will put more eyes on your property while your away. Registering with Wildlife sounds good but these guys are few. Perhaps giving them a heads up on the wildlife violations may help but don't expect too much. Don't trip wire the place, dig punji pits or hang any trebel hooks at eye level over trails with fishing line.

+1
Especialy the part suggesting you locate a local respected hunter and let him hunt your property, when you are not using it yourself.