I understand the trying to be as nice as you can, taking the high road, not just putting it on craigs list. You are an absentee landowner and they can get you back alot worse than you will ever get them!

I would try to catch them so to know what your up against, is it just random person who noticed the property was unused or is it a neighbor or an existing lease that was not notified or terminated? My suspicion would be for the worst it is a neighbor or some random person, a lesee would should have known and contacted you at least.

matt

I agree with the "take the stuff and leave a note with your phone #" approach. But let the local LEOs know what you're doing.

I think you've already done a good job of being friendly about it.
You gave them written notice the land sold you are the new owner, to get their stuff off and gave them generous time to do it and made them aware they are no longer welcome on the property.

Obviously they ignored your attempt at trying to handle it the nice way.

If they were trespassing and hunting unbeknownst to him like many have already said everything on the property belongs to you now.
If he had a lease agreement with them or gave them permission any breach falls on the sellers shoulders due to non disclosure.

If I were in your boots I'd be there 8am opening morning and drive right up to the blinds that overlook the recently filled feeders and clear the matter up in person.

what ever you do.... have the GW and l.e.o.'s involved. That way there is no doubt once things come to a head. I would get all my facts straight with the law then, take down the equipment, place a note in the area with my #, put up no trespassing signs and see what happens. You could wait until opening morning and make plans with the GW to pay a visit to the stands but who knows if they are going to be there and the last thing you want is to waste a leo's time because he won't give it to you so easily next time but that would be a great solution for sure.

A buddy of mine found a feeder, camera and stand on a place that he leased this year. The first thing he did was take the stuff off his place. He called the game warden and set up a meeting with him. The guy came back the same day they took his stuff and found it all gone and cut the locks to the main part of the lease and destroyed every feeder and stand he could find. The game warden caught the guy, because he had his name on the game camera the next day and arrested him. the guy admitted to everything and said he had been hunting the land for years. Now he has to pay back everything he tore up and the cameras he stole.

Put a badger in each blind with a sign on each door that says "I tried to be nice..."

Seriously, I'd try to get LE to engage them Saturday morning. If they're bold enough to rip down your signs and fill their feeders anyways, then when they pick up their stuff at your front gate, they're probably going to feel the need to get even. If they know that LE has their names and the full story, they're less likely to cause trouble. These obviously aren't people that want their free hunting taken away.

Get there extra early opening morning get someone to drop you off and leave, be sitting in that stand waiting for them at 3am, when they open the door and see you they know they will be caught.

That would work, don't forget the digital camera.

"Say cheese for the LEO's" then take as many pics as possible, the shock and flash will disorientate them for a few minutes.

Yea one of them was mine, will come pick it up....Where are you exactly. lol

Looks like you have some feeders for sale.

Then your stuck in the blind with a man outside who has a gun. You might have one as well, but is it worth it? In my opinion no. I beleive you protect your family, yourself, and your property. No of which you can do if you are seriously injured or killed. Did they come back and ignore his request, of course they did. Has he taken the civil means as far as he can take them, no he has't since the law has not been called. Get the law involved, if that doesn't work, he has a bigger problem on his hands and good luck. He'll be dealing with people that obviosly don't care and possibly have less to live for. Be safe, you've worked a long time to enjoy this, don't blow it by acting rash. Good luck and please let the forum know how it turns out.

I could use a stand a a feeder or two.

that's sort of what I was thinking. I wouldn't be itching for a confrontation with an armed person in a remote area. Sure you can also be armed, but "even" odds still aren't good enough for me.

^^^^ I agree. I wouldn't confront the guy on opening morning like that.

Taking the feeders and blinds and leaving a t-post with a note is the best idea. I would let the GW know whatever you do though

I had a somewhat similar problem a few years back. I didn't own the land, but I was the ONLY person other than the owner allowed to be there. At some point, someone came and put up a feeder and stand. Intentional trespassing? Maybe. There is an crudely marked property line seperating a small 10 acre tract from this place. I did the note thing. Put it in a ziploc bag and zip tied it to the barrel lid on the feeder and one in the blind. Came back a few days later and both notes were gone, but the stuff still there. So I put up a camera and more notes. Checked it a week later only to find pics of some area kids playing in the blind and climbing the feeder ladder. I knew where the kids came from so I went and told their folks and they fixed that. So once again, I left some notes. I even left one on the feeder. I spray painted a small white square on it and wrote the note in permanent marker. This time, I got a phone call.

Not saying that this is true in this situation, but in mine it was. I could have waited until opening weekend and confronted an armed man in his blind on what he thought to be his land. That could have turned out bad. Just remember to think twice before acting, then stop and think twice again.

And for legal reasone, take pics of the notes and where you leave them.

..how many GWs are there in your county? im sure there not gona be swamped on opening mornin seein as its in four days..and your not even sure if they are goin to be there opening morning..are you living there or just a weekender? because if you schedule your time anyway or form whoever has there stuff there is gona know that. and will be waiting for you to be gone....take the stuff and sell it...or keep it...its yours and its legal...

Are you saying I can't hunt on Saturday?

JR

Another call to the sheriff and getting the GW informed and involved is a good idea.
Putting off dealing with the situation isn't.

Nobodies suggesting a shoot out over the deal.

Invite the deputy to hunt your land opening day, or even this season. If you do, I'm sure they will watch your place extra special for you. Tell them they can use the stands and hunt over the feeder since someone is trespassing to use it. Your trespassing problems will be solved. And it doesn't hurt to get to know the local law enforcement.

Take them down and put a lost and found ad in the paper and give the sheriffs office the items and let the owner collect them from them.

^^^^ great solution

Note to self. When I win the lottery and buy my dream place, set aside money for 24x7x365 armed patrols.

If this had happened to me, I would have been on the phone immediately with the former landowner. He may (or should) know who these people are. If so, he may be able to clear things up fast, especially if its someone that he allowed to hunt there. On the other hand, if he was an absentee owner who rarely, if ever, visited the land, then he may not know. In that case, confiscate the equipment.

x2

Be interesting to see if it is all gone by the 31st.

This is expensive, but I would buy a couple of plot watcher pro cameras and let'em run. You can set them far enough away that they would never spot them and they can watch a large area. Just ordered two for my place to try and catch some folks.