Ever since we moved to our house in Pendleton 18 years ago, we've had problems with people coming onto our property to hunt. The guy who own's the property behind ours, has let anyone hunt on his property. There is a lane going from the road into his field and every opening day of shotgun season, that lane is full of vehicles of people hunting out there. The problem, is that his property is all fields except for a small cow pasture and a small patch of woods less than 50 x 50 yards. The edge of his woods has a small part of his field between it and the fenceline between our properties. My property is 80 acres, about half woods and half fields with a fence going all the way around it. Until 4 years ago, anyone was allowed to hunt his property. Now, only one of his brother-in-laws has permission to hunt his property. The guy who owns the property is named Austin and the guy he gave permission to is named Robert. Numerous times, we've caught people on our property and called both the Sheriff's department and the DNR to deal with it. Most of the people claim that they either had permission from Austin or "some doctor" (my father-who never gives out permission to hunt our property) or both, to hunt out there. We currently have, and always had, "NO TRESPASSING" signs on the edges of our property but people don't seem to care or claim they didn't see it. Since most of the people we've caught on our property have been in the last 6 years or so, Austin finally gave his brother-in-law, Robert, sole permission to hunt his property.
Robert came to my mom's house 4 years ago and told me that he was the only one who would be hunting out there from now on and that we need to get the trust back between our families. He asked me for my cell phone number and he gave me his cell number as well as his work and house numbers, then he told me that he would call me to get permission if he shot a deer that ran onto my property and that he expected me to do the same. Then he said that he would like to give me some money just to show that he trusted me and that he's trying to improve the relationship between our families. I declined the money.
Since he became the only one with permission to be on Austin's land, I've had numerous problems near our property lines. Two years ago, my friend and I were headed out to hunt a stand I have set up 20 yards from the fenceline between our properties, as we approached, we noticed a gut pile at the base of my stand with a blood trail going back to the fence. The trail continued into the field on his side and the barbed wire on the top of the fence had been cut and the fence was pushed down to make it easier to cross. When I tried to call him about it, all the numbers I had for him, including his work and house numbers, were either disconnected or belonged to someone who had never heard of him. He only has two stands and one ground blind he hunts. Both stands are set up at the edge of his woods facing mine, and the ground blind he uses is usually set up less than 20 feet from the fenceline in the middle of his field facing my property. I realise no laws are being broken since he is remaining on his side but it's obvious he is "hunting" my property. This year, he has a stand set up on the fence row. The ladder of his stand is on his side but the tree it's in is not even touching the fence on my side of the property. The DNR said that I need to check where the property line actually is before any action can be taken, but I have aerial photos (in color) showing, with a yellow line, where the property line is going all the way around my property. Every August I put up new NO TRESPASSING signs and by December or January, they are shot, or look as if someone has tried to rip them off the tree or cut the up. Every opening day of shotgun season, it sounds like a shooting gallery on our property line and he takes 4 shots minimum, usually more. He has never called saying he's had one run onto my property but after finding that gut pile, I'm sure he just goes over when ever he feels like it. Robert called me Monday afternoon to tell me he just missed a nice 10 pointer and that he would like to meet this week for lunch or to get a beer or something. So I don't know if I should meet with him or not and if so, do I bring up my problems with his stand being on the fence row and the other BS that's been going on since he's had sole permission to hunt Austin's property or not? Also, do I have the DNR sit on the property line with me opening day or should I inform them they should be ready to come out opening day? Should I not even bother with the DNR and just call the Sheriff's department? Or should I try to catch him out there using trail cameras or what? Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Robert came to my mom's house 4 years ago and told me that he was the only one who would be hunting out there from now on and that we need to get the trust back between our families. He asked me for my cell phone number and he gave me his cell number as well as his work and house numbers, then he told me that he would call me to get permission if he shot a deer that ran onto my property and that he expected me to do the same. Then he said that he would like to give me some money just to show that he trusted me and that he's trying to improve the relationship between our families. I declined the money.
Since he became the only one with permission to be on Austin's land, I've had numerous problems near our property lines. Two years ago, my friend and I were headed out to hunt a stand I have set up 20 yards from the fenceline between our properties, as we approached, we noticed a gut pile at the base of my stand with a blood trail going back to the fence. The trail continued into the field on his side and the barbed wire on the top of the fence had been cut and the fence was pushed down to make it easier to cross. When I tried to call him about it, all the numbers I had for him, including his work and house numbers, were either disconnected or belonged to someone who had never heard of him. He only has two stands and one ground blind he hunts. Both stands are set up at the edge of his woods facing mine, and the ground blind he uses is usually set up less than 20 feet from the fenceline in the middle of his field facing my property. I realise no laws are being broken since he is remaining on his side but it's obvious he is "hunting" my property. This year, he has a stand set up on the fence row. The ladder of his stand is on his side but the tree it's in is not even touching the fence on my side of the property. The DNR said that I need to check where the property line actually is before any action can be taken, but I have aerial photos (in color) showing, with a yellow line, where the property line is going all the way around my property. Every August I put up new NO TRESPASSING signs and by December or January, they are shot, or look as if someone has tried to rip them off the tree or cut the up. Every opening day of shotgun season, it sounds like a shooting gallery on our property line and he takes 4 shots minimum, usually more. He has never called saying he's had one run onto my property but after finding that gut pile, I'm sure he just goes over when ever he feels like it. Robert called me Monday afternoon to tell me he just missed a nice 10 pointer and that he would like to meet this week for lunch or to get a beer or something. So I don't know if I should meet with him or not and if so, do I bring up my problems with his stand being on the fence row and the other BS that's been going on since he's had sole permission to hunt Austin's property or not? Also, do I have the DNR sit on the property line with me opening day or should I inform them they should be ready to come out opening day? Should I not even bother with the DNR and just call the Sheriff's department? Or should I try to catch him out there using trail cameras or what? Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.