Snoopers/Snooping

[texican]

I brought up the issue of snooping on the Vanity Fair Monsanto thread. Seems a lot of farmers had Monsanto's storm troopers snooping around their fields, alongside the roads, and elsewhere. I wondered if farmers up in the part of the country mentioned, were more tolerant of strangers poking around where they shouldn't be.

Personally, I don't like and don't tolerate snoopers. I live on a dead end road. The first mile is a county road. The second mile, is a private road... 95% of which belongs to me. I stop all vehicles on my road, if I don't know the person... I ask them who are they and who or what are they looking for. If they're lost, and looking for one of the gas wells locally, I point them in the right direction. If they're 'just lookin' around', I point out that this road is private, and they've already passed several no trespassing signs, and they should turn around and leave. If they still want to push it, I ask if it'd be okay if I come drive around in their backyard tomorrow, or maybe tonite, around 4am... 9 times out of 10 they'll say NO... I profess that I too, will just be 'lookin' around'... I can usually see the little light bulb over their head lighting up.

I have stopped folks on the county road, knowing they were headed to my road... and very politely asked if I could help them find what they're looking for...

Occasionally I'll find a vehicle just parked on my property... If no one's contacted me before, and I'm not expecting anyone... my standard reaction is to deflate the tires and wait. Cellphone at the ready, to call the law. If the person is innocent, I inflate the tires and they're on their way. Guilty and I call the law.

I've had to escort some folks off the road and back onto the county road before...

It always amazes me that city folks will allow 'drive bys' of their homes at all hours of the day/night... someone can just park a car across the street, and snoop all they want... When I see a movie where someone's on 'stakeout' I shake my head... If I see fresh tracks on my section of road, I get out and check and see if they drove back out, and if they didn't, I get to my turnoff, and 'wait' for them...

and, apparently, according to the VF article, a lot of country folks tolerate snooping too... (didn't want to single out urban folks)

++++++++++++++

Do you allow snoopers to snoop? Have you ever noticed snoopers? Have you never even thought about them?

I value my privacy...

[JHinCA]

We do the same as you. We also live on a private road that is a continuation of a county road. It is clearly marked as a private road. Anybody we don't know we go and talk to them and ask what they are looking for. We are NOT welcoming to nosy strangers.

[RoseGarden]

I live on a public road, so I can't do anything about someone sitting on the street watching. I might go out and inquire of them if anything like that ever happened. I do NOT tolerate trespassers. I have my property gated at the driveway and posted with signs and purple paint. I'm not being nasty, I just don't want every tom, dick and harry who wants to sell me something (aerial photographs of my place horsemeat steaks in a box, band candy, a load of dirt, etc) having the ability to just come onto my property. I live alone, and that's a big safety concern. The only person I am comfortable with coming onto the place is the meter reader lady who comes usually from the 21st to the 24th of every month to read the electric meter. She's been the same one for the past 10 years at least, and probably longer.

I do very much value my privacy. Not because I'm a crook or have something to hide. On the contrary, I consider my home and property a personal sanctuary, a place that is safe and secure from the outside world and all it's jack booted police (oh, the times I've been asked if I was Mrs. G***, who lives across the road and down half mile you see, the police can't even find the right house, and I'm to trust them?) it's endless salesmen and Jehovah's Witnesses and gvmt. employees wanting me to fill out census forms or farming forms or whatever.

No, sorry, this is MY property. I live here, I paid for it in full, I pay my taxes on time and in full, I do nothing illegal, I keep to myself and I bother no one. This is MY sanctuary, MY safe place, and NO ONE gets to intrude on it for any reason. And thugs or theives sneaking around? So far I've only had a few in the many years I've been here, and they were summarily dealt with. Although the mystery of the missing Silkies was never solved, I do still suspect theivery.

Texican, funny you mention the tire tracks... I have always paid attention to my driveway when I come or go. Something as simple as a driveway can tell you a lot. Did someone other than me drive in? Did someone walk in? How many? Which direction did they walk? Did they leave cigarette butts or foil wrappers from cigarettes (amazing that I have actually found both foil and fresh cigarette butts on my property before--what do people think, I won't notice them?) Were there any dogs in or out? Coons? Tell-tale chicken feathers? Clumps of fur? And if you set the chain on the gate just so, you can tell if anyone has tampered with it.

So no, I don't like snoopers/sneakers. This place is my private place, away from the insanity and cruelty and hate. Sounds like a silly 'chick' way to put it, but that's how I feel about it.

[Quint]

While I'm on a county gravel road we all keep a pretty good eye on who is running around in the area. If I see someone out driving around at 2am and it isn't the neighbor coming home from work I know I should probably be on alert and see who it is. We were really vigilant a few years ago when people were having cattle come up missing. A strange vehicle on the road pulling a stock trailer had every farmer in the section tearing out of the barnyard in their pickup to identify or corral whoever it was. One was caught backed into a field getting ready to load up cows and he barely made it out of the area. He had about 6 pickups chasing him with very angry farmers wishing to do him great harm. If they'd have caught him bad things would have happened. Very bad things. A while before that someone was really hitting outbuildings and stealing folks blind. There was a sort of neighborhood watch formed and someone was usually out patrolling at night. The thievery stopped. Also getting the word out to the local petty criminal element about the fate of someone caught stealing probably helped too.

[Jena]

If I see a strange vehicle, I call my ex who lives right down the road to see if he knows them. If not, he'll go investigate.

There is this old road to nowhere next to my house. If I see someone messing around down there, I go after them. Last year I got to play "Dukes of Hazard" chasing a kid who had been mudding in the field. It was fun and I caught him even though I had a regular car and he had a 4X truck!

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to tell who should be on their road. Many are not that isolated.

Jena

[fishinsoap]

Funny this topic comes up again right now. Just yesterday I went out to some property I own, and some SOB had cut the lock on the gate. They had already gone, but I just have no room anymore for snoopers/tresspassers. Some people have no respect.

[nehimama]

Snoopers/tresspassers/poachers fire my ire! In early Feb, I was going out to the barn late at night, to check on a doe about to kid. Way up the hill I saw lights in the woods that should not have been there. Forgot about the doe momentarily, and swarmed across the pasture with my flashlight to see what was up.

As I neared the end of the pasture, caution overtook me (finally!) If someone were doing illegal things up in my woods, what might they do to *me* when I arrived on scene? I live alone, and I'm sure most folks around here know that.

A few days later, I figured out it was poachers, as the Great Pyrenees boys began bringing deer leg bones home to chew on.

I think, though, the fact that someone was coming out to investigate, and the dogs were raising a ruckus, helped the poachers to leave earlier than they'd planned on.

Not sure what to do if this situation ever occurs again. Call LEO? Call DNR?

NeHi

[pinemead]

Nope. MY property. I once had a young woman come to my door (my house is quite far off the road). Her boss sent her to see if I wanted to sell my place. I said no and sent her on her way. The next day, a man from that office came. I said no and sent him away. Two days later, the boss came and said he thought I might be going through a bad divorce or something since the place was getting really run down. I met him at the door with rifle in hand and told him the condition of my house was none of his business and that I didn't appreciate him and his gophers tresspassing. They never came back.

[Jennifer L.]

The roads around me are all public roads, however if I see a car parked I take licence plate numbers. If there's someone in the car I make it really obvious I'm taking the information down. If asked, I explain I want a record in case someone has been tresspassing and I need to contact the authorities. Most of the time people are ok with this (and move on).

Jennifer

[Scrounger]

Since I have part of the place for sale, there are times when there are people wandering around out there, unannounced. Other then that, the only trouble I have with tresspassing is durring Deer Season and Turkey Season. When we bought this place, the prior owner (brother) told other relation that he had hunting rights to the property. Naturally, since they wanted to hunt, they believed him. Nobody would ask us if they could hunt or even call to let us know they were going to be there. I've lost a goat to deer season. He still believes he has hunting rights, but at least this turkey season, a cousin called to ask if they could hunt. That's all I've ever asked - ask permission and let us know when you come and go. That way nobody gets hurt.

Awhile back, I had a guy from high school visit the farm a few times. I eventually banned his worthless mutt because he killed a chicken and a cat. He was also a friend of my brothers (same one). One time, the guy walked over the hill from my brother's place to check out our place when he thought we weren't home. He'll deny it, but the photos don't lie.....
If I ever see the mutt on my place again, it's a goner.

[hintonlady]

We live on a gravel road that happens to be public easment access that is on our property. No control.

One day a vehicle was stopped and the two occupants had their dog playing fetch in the middle of a large stand of our soy, dry waiting to burst out of pods soy..........

my DH was way too polite. grrrrrrr

[THETOOLMAN]

Originally Posted by texican

++++++++++++++

Do you allow snoopers to snoop? Have you ever noticed snoopers? Have you never even thought about them?

I value my privacy...

I do not tollerate snoopers-- I call them tresspassers & I have MY property well posted. VERY few people try and cross my land, as I will take a pot shot at them.. THE WORD IS OUT! I am an @$$ hole. I am armed
& that Is the way I keep people off my land.

[treesonggal]

I've owned two rural properties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and had trouble with trespassers at both. The law was no help at the time as they were also neighbors and "good ol boys" who had always wandered wherever they wanted to.

We just returned from looking at property in Lucy County in the Upper Peninsula. When the realator made a remark about the neighbors "not appreciating" no trespassing signs posted on private property, we decided to look elsewhere. Come to find out, most of the land in that area was owned by out of staters or people from Lower Michigan.

We have the same problems here. From where our place sits, we can see most of the land on three roads. This winter the snowmobilers where the most troublesome. The hunters are next on my list but me walking down the drive with a shotgun in my arm wearing a nightgown and slippers was enough to scare them off! Maybe it was the nightgown, LOL.

[radiofish]

Well a while back there was a "when snitching is not stealing thread". Apparently some folks think it is OK to go onto a neighbors property and help themselves to whatever....

I live down a private gravel road, with six "No Tresspassing" signs before my gate. The property here is heavily timber covered, and the only way in is by the private road, and my place can not be seen from any public road. If I catch someone snooping around here, they will get met by an armed Marine Corps Veteran with an attitude. As posted above, I pay for the property, pay my land taxes, and I am supposed to let whomever comes along wander onto the place with no authorization???

In 2004 at the old place down the hill, I caught a burglar inside a building at gunpoint. He was arrested, but the County District Attorney's Office would not proscute him, after my many requests. So I figure that a bayonet tipped weapon may be a deterrent to keep out the riff raff.

I know that my neighbors and myself watch out for each other up here on the hilltop. The person from whom I am buying my land from is also a Marine Corps veteran,, and my front neighbor was a soldier in the US Army. Law Enforcement response time is from 1/2 hour to who knows how long to arrive up here. So my neighbors are happy to have this gun toting CCW carrying Leatherneck on the hill. Suprisingly enough, the spree of burglaries that were occuring up here in the past have dramatically dropped after I moved in almost 2 years ago. Maybe it is due to my passing out my business cards, and my being assocated with the County Sheriff's Office as a volunteer in communications. If needed in an emergency, I can talk directly to the dispatcher or a LEO over their radio systems....

By the way, it is all private property on either side of the county road up here. So if I see an unknown (to me) vehicle parked, I tend to take the license plate info and a photo using my cell phone just in case!!!! A couple of folks got rather annoved at that tactic in the last year, so I explained it to them and asked if they wanted to talk to a Sheriff's Deputy. They couldn't seem to drive away fast enough afterwards, when I pulled out my hand held wideband radio to call dispatch!!

[foxtrapper]

When I lived on a landlocked farm, I too could behave as you do Tex. Today, I live on a public road. 'Tain't the same.

[WolfWalksSoftly]

I'm with you THETOOLMAN, a while back we had a slow driver in front of ourplace. Flashed him with the spotlight thru the trees to let him to we knew he was there. He stopped, I fired shotgun in the air. He turned around in driveway and left. I told the wife he would probably be back and with buddies. I changed clothes, and staked out in the woods just off the drive with my 12 pump, and sure enough he came back with a buddie. He said he thought someone was driving around in field poaching. I assured him he was mistaken and they left.
So now will have to put up fence and gates, and have a sign made about how I enforce the Castle Doctrine Law just passed here.
I have zero tollerance for this stuff. I told him in the city, you drive that slow and a drive-by is about to go down, out here in the Country, you are checking my place out.

[bajiay]

We live at the end of a 12 1/2 mile county road. Usually don't have trespassers, but a few days ago someone came out in the middle of the night and slit open one of the baby calves. There's no way it was from an animal the way it was done and too clean cut. Had to be cut by a knife. Parts of it were missing. Owner seems to think it was some Satanic worshippers because of the way it was cut and what they took from it. Guess it happened several years ago about the same way. Really nice of them to do that. Kinda weirded me out though.

[wilded]

Wait until they vandalize you place, steal equipment and kill some of your favorite livestock that they thought was too difficult to steal beacause of multiple locked gates and cross fences. Wait until you find deer shot and only the backstrap cut out of the carcass or dead turkeys in the oat patch that have been shot and just left. Wait until they go out in your orchard and help themselves. Wait until you find the gut pile where someone dressed out and took one of your best goats for meat. Then see how tolerate of strangers you are. If someone is on our family place now they better have an invite or written permission to be there or the will have problems. If you make a service call I better all ready be a client!

[minnikin1]

Originally Posted by Jennifer L.

The roads around me are all public roads, however if I see a car parked I take licence plate numbers. If there's someone in the car I make it really obvious I'm taking the information down. If asked, I explain I want a record in case someone has been tresspassing and I need to contact the authorities. Most of the time people are ok with this (and move on).
Jennifer

This is a really good idea. You could take pictures of the car and tags also.

I have been on both sides of this fence. At one time I worked as a field inspector for insurance companies. Country homes can be very hard to find sometimes -
if I couldn't locate a property, I was required to take a photo of the street sign to prove I had truly been there.

I learned that some folks are very protective when it comes to their street signs. And that stopping on the side of the road to consult a map can be threatening to some people.

I also know what it's like to be a woman home alone and seeing a strange car parked outside.

That's why I like your idea. It's not too aggressive but it sends a message. . A nice balanced approach, I think.

[Ardie/WI]

I recognize 99% of the vehicles that drive by our house. I know who owns the land around me and who should be on it. People watch out for their neighbors here.

I haven't spotted any snoopers yet.