Trespassing?

[509]

So let me see if I have this straight.  I pay a ton of money for a bunch of land.  I then pay a ton of money every year after that in property taxes for the right to continue to own my land.  On top of that I have to provide the documentation to everyone that wants access through my land that they don't have access when there is a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"?......................

Why is there a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"

That language says "authorized vehicles".  That means VEHICLES, not restrictions on public access. 

The Forest Service, BLM and other agencies use the SAME LANGUAGE when the road is closed to vehicles, BUT OPEN TO PUBLIC USE.

IF there is NO PUBLIC EASEMENT on your property.  Get rid of that SIGN!!!!  Why is it posted in the first place??

That is why JOE BLOW is going across your property.  If I saw that sign, I would walk right up that road particularly if I knew that there was DNR beyond your property.

[huntnnw]

Or, knock on the door and ask the landowner.

be the last thing Id trust.

[LDennis24]

So let me see if I have this straight.  I pay a ton of money for a bunch of land.  I then pay a ton of money every year after that in property taxes for the right to continue to own my land.  On top of that I have to provide the documentation to everyone that wants access through my land that they don't have access when there is a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"?......................

Why is there a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"

That language says "authorized vehicles".  That means VEHICLES, not restrictions on public access. 

The Forest Service, BLM and other agencies use the SAME LANGUAGE when the road is closed to vehicles, BUT OPEN TO PUBLIC USE.

IF there is NO PUBLIC EASEMENT on your property.  Get rid of that SIGN!!!!  Why is it posted in the first place??

That is why JOE BLOW is going across your property.  If I saw that sign, I would walk right up that road particularly if I knew that there was DNR beyond your property.

And you would be wrong and be the exact kind of person that I wouldn't want near my property. This is just like the corner crossing debate. Everyone feels so entitled to anything labeled public or government owned and you don't know what your talking about. So you go in anyways and cause a problem for the landowner to deal with and then the LEO that shows up can't hardly do anything cuz people play stupid and the law as it's written says "knowingly" entering private property. So you say "Oh I didn't know"  so the matter gets written off as unimportant and nothing happens. Then it happens over and over and over cuz people THINK they can do whatever they want and don't respect private property. You just want to spout off about being an important American citizen with tax dollars paying for the right to disrespect people and their property. Rainier10 is talking about people like you just driving in and acting like they can do whatever they want. It would be great if everyone walked in past the gate instead of destroying it. All of you who pop off about public land entitlement don't have a clue.

[turkeyfeather]

Id say it was perfectly fine as long as your not stopping or doing anything on private land, Most rural private land owners know that this is a thing and they will typically fence off stuff they dont want people moving through. In the case of a fence, stay out. If its open land, my thought is its ok as long as you respect it and know where your going... Not just driving deep into someones private property to turn around. Scouting before hand comes into play big time. Really these days with things like google maps led alone google earth and onxmaps, theres no excuse to not know where you are anymore.

What a very entitled, millennial and wrong attitude you have. And if you don't believe me....ask the couple people I've called the sheriff on and he cited them for trespassing (including one who got his $30k razor impounded). IT IS NEVER OK TO CROSS SOMEONE'S LAND WITHOUT PERMISSION.

[turkeyfeather]

We have dealt with this problem alot since purchasing our property a little over a year ago. The previous land owner was out of state and didn't care if people used his property to recreate or access the Hancock land beyond that. We have had several people cited for trespassing because they think they have a right to use our easement to access that Hancock land.

[Gringo31]

I deal with close to a dozen trespassers a year.  With all of the technology out there today, it's hard to believe anyone who says they didn't know.  It gets SOOO old so quickly.  I suppose as an archer, it opens a new season for me....hunting trespassers during modern. 

[h20hunter]

Hunting on the Eastside has shown me a few things.....

Most often it seems like trespassing is a local thing.....oh I know so and so or we'll I'm local or well I've hunted this area all my life.

I've only knowingly trespassed once. Was way out of my intended range and borderline lost. I could see a main road from elevation and knew if I went down I could simply walk the road a few miles to camp. Np problem except the huge tract of land and house below me. I headed down and when got to the property I unloaded, packed away my ammo and made a beeline best I could towards the house. I could see activity outside and I clearly stood out in my orange. Landowner met me when I got close and was clearly looking for an explanation.  I introduced myself,  apologized,  explained where I came from and was intending to go. He looked me over, noticed my rifle was empty and said well these things happen.  Glass of water and a handshake I was on my way.

Knowingly trespassing is simply not ok rural or not.

[KFhunter]

Hunting on the Eastside has shown me a few things.....

Most often it seems like trespassing is a local thing.....oh I know so and so or we'll I'm local or well I've hunted this area all my life.

I've only knowingly trespassed once. Was way out of my intended range and borderline lost. I could see a main road from elevation and knew if I went down I could simply walk the road a few miles to camp. Np problem except the huge tract of land and house below me. I headed down and when got to the property I unloaded, packed away my ammo and made a beeline best I could towards the house. I could see activity outside and I clearly stood out in my orange. Landowner met me when I got close and was clearly looking for an explanation.  I introduced myself,  apologized,  explained where I came from and was intending to go. He looked me over, noticed my rifle was empty and said well these things happen.  Glass of water and a handshake I was on my way.

Knowingly trespassing is simply not ok rural or not.

I woulda been totally cool w that 

It's the guys doing the shoot from their truck then run through your fence to snag and grab that buck, turkey that give hunters the bad name.

[509]

So let me see if I have this straight.  I pay a ton of money for a bunch of land.  I then pay a ton of money every year after that in property taxes for the right to continue to own my land.  On top of that I have to provide the documentation to everyone that wants access through my land that they don't have access when there is a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"?......................

Why is there a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"

That language says "authorized vehicles".  That means VEHICLES, not restrictions on public access. 

The Forest Service, BLM and other agencies use the SAME LANGUAGE when the road is closed to vehicles, BUT OPEN TO PUBLIC USE.

IF there is NO PUBLIC EASEMENT on your property.  Get rid of that SIGN!!!!  Why is it posted in the first place??

That is why JOE BLOW is going across your property.  If I saw that sign, I would walk right up that road particularly if I knew that there was DNR beyond your property.

And you would be wrong and be the exact kind of person that I wouldn't want near my property. This is just like the corner crossing debate. Everyone feels so entitled to anything labeled public or government owned and you don't know what your talking about. So you go in anyways and cause a problem for the landowner to deal with and then the LEO that shows up can't hardly do anything cuz people play stupid and the law as it's written says "knowingly" entering private property. So you say "Oh I didn't know"  so the matter gets written off as unimportant and nothing happens. Then it happens over and over and over cuz people THINK they can do whatever they want and don't respect private property. You just want to spout off about being an important American citizen with tax dollars paying for the right to disrespect people and their property. Rainier10 is talking about people like you just driving in and acting like they can do whatever they want. It would be great if everyone walked in past the gate instead of destroying it. All of you who pop off about public land entitlement don't have a clue.

Oh, I have a clue. 

As a professional forester for 50 years with both private industry and government I have seen private owners post PUBLIC LAND.  Steal PUBLIC TIMBER.  AND ALL THAT TIME COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PUBLIC.  It works both ways.

Yes, the PUBLIC is  "entitled to anything labeled public or government owned" particularly public land.

Give me a break.

I have had landowners try to kick me off public land.  I calmly dial 911 and ask a deputy sheriff to show up.  Guess what, at the point every landowner said, "yes, that is public land, but YOU should still ask permission to since I live here".  I did help knowing the Federal, state and local law enforcement personnel.

Kicking the public off public land is a THEFT of government property.  It is that simple.   

BTW... I reviewed and checked the legal easements to the Wenatchee River that the Game Department bought years ago.  There are almost a hundred of them.  Some of those easements cost hunters and fisherman THOUSANDS of DOLLARS in license fees.  Now, the NEW landowners want the easements terminated at NO COST to them!!!

Sounds like the public has a legal easement across your property and you don't like it.  Fine, you never should have given DNR a public easement across your property.  Your lucky they agreed to limit vehicle traffic.

The public is getting ripped off by private landowners left and right in Washington and other states.  Time to end it.

[hunter399]

WOW
This baby is getting hot in here.
I'm gonna need more 🍿 for this one.
 

[LDennis24]

Hunting on the Eastside has shown me a few things.....

Most often it seems like trespassing is a local thing.....oh I know so and so or we'll I'm local or well I've hunted this area all my life.

I've only knowingly trespassed once. Was way out of my intended range and borderline lost. I could see a main road from elevation and knew if I went down I could simply walk the road a few miles to camp. Np problem except the huge tract of land and house below me. I headed down and when got to the property I unloaded, packed away my ammo and made a beeline best I could towards the house. I could see activity outside and I clearly stood out in my orange. Landowner met me when I got close and was clearly looking for an explanation.  I introduced myself,  apologized,  explained where I came from and was intending to go. He looked me over, noticed my rifle was empty and said well these things happen.  Glass of water and a handshake I was on my way.

Knowingly trespassing is simply not ok rural or not.

I woulda been totally cool w that 

It's the guys doing the shoot from their truck then run through your fence to snag and grab that buck, turkey that give hunters the bad name.

 
I got lost up North of Newport one time because we were gutting out a small buck my brother shot and it got dark so we started to pack it out and a cougar showed up. You could hear it in the dark and see its eyes in your flashlight so we kept tracking it as it circled us until one of us could shoot and finally it paused and we took a shot at it. Couldn't find blood or anything and it disappeared on us. Well we started hiking again and realized we were going the wrong way. We didn't know the exact location we were in but we could see a light from someone's house so we made a B line for their light and ended up in their backyard. Guy was totally cool with us and offered drinks and a congratulations and told us where we got turned around as he knew the area well. No fences, just knew that it was private ground in that direction and respected that and stayed clear of his backyard and his property until that night. 
On another note, where were you guys when I needed a few more folks to explain how it feels to deal with trespassers who pretend to have made a mistake on the corner crossing thread. I got totally reamed. Then Stein, KFHunter, and a few others say a few things to agree with me. And they still attack me! It's ridiculous. The Unlawful Inclosures Act says we can go there. Me me me, you're only trying to keep it for yourself...    People trespass and because it's low on the priority list for LEO's they don't do anything unless they damaged or stole something. It's not like you can detain someone either until the LEO shows up so they just take off. The hunter ALWAYS pretends to be confused. They think it doesn't hurt to just jump the corner by 200yds to shorten your hike or follow the road that on a map clearly goes where they wanna go, or pick up shed antlers from private ground. Even open wheat fields. If you don't have permission, you don't touch it. Some folks just don't care and will walk out into an open field and grab an antler they saw driving by. Or say they are not that person then talk about taking shed antlers from a wildlife refuge, while doing a job there, but being a lawful outdoorsman at the same time.   

[LDennis24]

Like I said 509, you don't know what your talking about. I don't have any easements on my property for the public. You're wrong again! You stated that you would just go right up the road because the sign didn't explicitly say NO TRESPASSING! That doesn't make it ok! It's his road and DNR employees are allowed to use it. Not the general whiny public "Professional know it all Forester" who says he's entitled and it's stealing!  How is it stealing when he owns that road? He has to put up a special sign for people like you who think they are entitled? You're not! And you don't have clue...

[LDennis24]

 

[Macs B]

These last few posts...


This is the main reason that I have quit letting people use my land.  This sense of entitlement and the attitude that someone has a right to use my property because of "their interpretation"  is exactly the reason that we no longer allow people access.

It was not always like this.  People who use the woods were respectful.  I have had timber men, farmers, you name it hunt my properties with no concerns. They collect mushrooms, or greens or owl biscuits, whatever.  Gates were closed, trash wasn't dumped, roads weren't tore up. That's not the case anymore, and that is why we shut the doors to everyone except those that we invite.   

[Rainier10]

So let me see if I have this straight.  I pay a ton of money for a bunch of land.  I then pay a ton of money every year after that in property taxes for the right to continue to own my land.  On top of that I have to provide the documentation to everyone that wants access through my land that they don't have access when there is a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"?......................

Why is there a sign from DNR that says "authorized vehicles only beyond this sign"

That language says "authorized vehicles".  That means VEHICLES, not restrictions on public access. 

The Forest Service, BLM and other agencies use the SAME LANGUAGE when the road is closed to vehicles, BUT OPEN TO PUBLIC USE.

IF there is NO PUBLIC EASEMENT on your property.  Get rid of that SIGN!!!!  Why is it posted in the first place??

That is why JOE BLOW is going across your property.  If I saw that sign, I would walk right up that road particularly if I knew that there was DNR beyond your property.

Maybe it says "no unauthorized vehicles..." I will have to check.  The reason that it is there is that I called DNR and told them I was sick of people blocking my gate.  The old pull up to the gate and park right in front of it so everyone knows someone is already hunting out that road, go somewhere else.  My first step was to put a "please don't block gate" sign below "keep gate closed" sign.  Anyways, DNR says "nobody should be parking at that gate, blocking the gate or parking anywhere near that gate. That is your private gate, on your private road, on your private property.  DNR land doesn't start until 150 feet inside of your gate and off to an angle.  If people want to access that area they are supposed to go in on X, Y and Z roads that are green dot and then when the green dot roads end they can walk to that corner of DNR."  About a month after that conversation they came out and replaced the old faded signage with new signage inside of my gate and off to the side of the road where the DNR land starts that the road goes through.  The road hops back and forth on my property and DNR property.  I have an easement to be driving on the portion of the road that is on DNR land, so do three of my neighbors.  We are authorized as well as a few different agencies.

Everyone that I have asked to call DNR and confirm what I am telling them about that gate and that stretch of road has been set straight by DNR that the public is not supposed to access DNR land via my property or road system.  There are mulitple access points to the exact same spot so I am not blocking access in any way, I am only protecting my private property.