Rural intruders--is anyone seeing this?

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Comments

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @Lexie Oh yes! Get some. I would love to get peafowl & if I could ever find & be able to afford the African or rare guinea fowl, I would be all over that.

    @judsoncarroll4 We have great friends who are German immigrants. You are right...but not all have that way about them either. Every culture is unique, & there are differences within even those. We know two sisters from Germany who are opposites in that respect.

    We got quite close to a young family who moved back to Bavaria just before all of this got bad. We really miss them. They hope to come back one day. Once our daughter is old enough, they want her to go there as their au pair. She is excited about that prospect. So are we. What a great opportunity!

    @shllnzl I am constantly doing the same as you. This is one reason I hate spell check. I correct things all the time. What gets me is when I see mistakes in big newspapers & scrolling across national news tickers! 😳 Haha!

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin
    edited April 2020

    @LaurieLovesLearning Oh well, Bavaria.... who wouldn't want to go to Bavaria! The food... THE FOOD! And, the stories/fairytales, the crafts. I have no German blood or really any (that I know of) from Eastern Europe... but the food is AMAZING! And, everyone I've met from Bavaria is like the opposite of folks from Berlin... almost Irish they are so good humored and quick with a song ;-p

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @judsoncarroll4 We were treated to many specialties when they were here. So many fantastic cakes & more. I agree! Our daughter is a great cook & Baker already. I hope she comes back with even more of a fantastic food repertoire. Yummy!

  • bcabrobin
    bcabrobin Posts: 251 ✭✭✭

    LaurieLovesLearning The local Amish have donkeys in with their cattle. One day as I drove past a field I could see the donkey had something in it's month, I stopped to watch and he can down thru the field with a dead coyote. I know some of the guys pretty well and ask them about it. He had killed 6 that week. He runs them down and gets them on their back and shakes. That farmer had lost a lot of sheep before but hasn't lost any now. I was told there were 30-40 coyotes in that area.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @bcabrobin Yes, they are certainly good protectors against wild predators. They hate anything dog like. I just don't know that they would announce much, especially people thieves.

    What I have been told is that one is a good protector, two will play.

    I have also been told that if a predator type pack doesn't have a taste for your livestock, to leave them alone. Having a guard anyway doesn't hurt, however. What a trapper said is that the reason for leaving them alone is that the next replacement pack might have a taste for your particular livestock. Then you have a problem. Leaving the predators who never developed that taste will actually indirectly protect the livestock from those others.

  • dottile46
    dottile46 Posts: 437 ✭✭✭

    I once had a donkey that would announce visitors. Scared most of them back into their vehicle. We have an untold number of coyote in our area. I can hear them at night in all directions. Last winter a neighbor allowed a trapper on his land. Twenty-six coyote were trapped in that season and I wouldn't be surprised if that was only about a quarter of the number in our immediate area.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @dottile46 Well, now I know. Ours never announced visitors, so I was unsure 8f it would happen.

    That made me think of our llama. We had people come to pick berries one year and they were so scared of our llama. They were convinced that he would split at them or more. He loved people talking to him. He only ever spit at a dog once, but never people.

  • Melissa Swartz
    Melissa Swartz Posts: 270 ✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning That's an interesting point about leaving the predators alone if they don't have a taste for your livestock. It's definitely something to think about!

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @MelissaSchwartz I thought that trappers generally know what they are talking about. I won't forget that piece of advice.

  • dimck421
    dimck421 Posts: 203 ✭✭✭

    I have an ongoing issue with someone coming onto my land. I mentioned this previously. Since then, matters are worse. I set traps to capture raccoons, as they hunt my chickens. Someone threw the traps into the wooded areas. Left a note, stating my traps draw animals. (Uh, yeah, that is the point.) The note added each time I set the traps, the person would toss the traps, until they destroyed them. I had 20 T-posts taken by the same person. Chickens released, from a locked run. Goats released or their solar electric fence disconnected, allowing a goat escape. I put up game cameras, using my p/u, so they were up too high for tampering. They were shot. I bet you are thinking, well, if you live on an acre inside a city, folks don't want to hear your goats and chickens. :) I have 80 acres of farmland in an agri area, where tobacco is still king. The local SD explained, as I have no evidence as to my suspect accomplishing the incidents, there remains nothing they can do. Totally open to suggestions!

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    Wow. The nerve of someone! And they are persistent. Considering, evidence should be able to be gathered.

    When I heard about something similar like this happening on a farm (from chickens to cattle rustling), the owner had to carefully do a stake out with video at the ready for proof.

    I would be concerned if this person was armed. My guess is that it is someone who has gone too far with a personal animal rights agenda.

    Do you know where they are coming onto your land? Time? With what type of vehicle (if any)? Are there tracks? Did you keep the shot game cameras? Were there bullets lodged inside? Document everything as much as possible...on paper & video. Write down everything you find. Date, time, crime committed. Do you know of anyone else having the same problems?

    If you are successful getting your perpetrator, I would like to know, and how you accomplished it. Information is good.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    @dimck421 I am sorry this is an ongoing issue and understand the frustration of having it repeat time and again...with no help from the law. You can't even set traps for the person(s) without worrying about a lawsuit...just kidding (kinda). I'm with @LaurieLovesLearning on documenting. Start a journal and write dates, times, what happened in as much detail as you can. I don't know if it is feasible or if there are any where you live but maybe a private investigator? They have the good equipment usually and they are cheaper than buying it all. You might need to set your raccoon traps if you bought more and then plant yourself with a good camera. Since they obviously have guns I'm not sure if you want to do this. Maybe an off duty officer? You might be able to trade something with them as payment. It's very frustrating. I hope you can find a deterrent. How about some type of paint that would transfer off onto their hands if you replace the traps? If all else fails the raccoons are usually pretty easy to find about an hour after sunset or maybe two tops. They will be hanging around a food source then and shoot them if you have a gun. That's what I did but I also didn't have anyone messing around. Darn...I guess every plan has a downside. Pick the one that resonates with you (other than shooting the perpetrators ideally lol). With your losses as they already are, how much more can you afford to lose? Let that guide you and listen to that small, still voice within.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin
    edited June 2020

    I'm sorry, but there are no good answers. It is either put up with it or stop it. I've been there with thieves on my grandparent's farm. That is precisely why I have designed my "human-proof hedge row" system. .... and I have actually added a "moat with alligators" to that design since I first posted it! I'm not kidding. I don't want to go to jail for wounding an intruder or go to Heck for killing one. So, on the next property, this will be job one. It will be hard, expensive and take several years to grow. But, things are not good... and getting worse. Of course, it is not immoral to kill someone who is threatening your life, livelihood or even property.... but, it is hard to say when it crosses the line from annoyance/vandalism to a clear threat. I hope never to deal with such again.... probably will, though.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin
    edited June 2020

    Again, my design is for hedgerows that are people and deer proof. The first row is yucca, Oregon grape and prickly pear cactus. That forms the outer ring. Ten to 20 feet in is a second hedgerow of hawthorn, Russian olive and Buckthorn. after another 10 to 20 ft gap is black locust, hazelnut and vining roses. between the hedge rows, one should plant blackberry thickets... and/or timber bamboo. And yes, I have actually added a deep, wide ditch to my design, with gators... fish , turtles and frogs too... this is all edible... and I live in the south... I can put grapevines, kiwi, honeyberry, dogwood and passion fruit throughout... for fruit.... but yeah, NO ONE is walking through that! Put in some Guinea fowl for an alarm. If need be, the culvert could be pulled out with a tractor and the moat extended across the driveway.... propagate some plants and it is 3 concentric rings, minimum, self fertilizing, food bearing and impenetrable. Maybe add honey locust, with their tire piercing thorns along the drive.... cut and drop them across if need be.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The far back end of my property is near an area frequented by people walking their dogs in the desert etc. We cannot get through the area because of thick, thorny bushes. We have no intentions of clearing those bushes as they form a natural fence for us.

  • burekcrew86
    burekcrew86 Posts: 248 ✭✭✭

    We live in a small town but have not really had too much trouble. Scary stuff for some communities.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    @judsoncarroll4 that is a very comprehensive idea! I think it would take the Army Corp of Engineers and several platoons to get through it lol!

  • Melissa Swartz
    Melissa Swartz Posts: 270 ✭✭✭

    @dimck421 Have you thought about using a drone with a camera to get video of your trespasser? You may be able to find a "rent a drone" option nearby. Then you could put out your traps as bait (how ironic is that) so that you can get the trespasser on video from the drone.

    I hope you are able to find a way to catch the creep!

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    Just the normal amount of crime (that’s really enough) mostly. I’ve heard of cars and garages being broken into a little more often. Longing to get out of this area but stuck here until at least next year and maybe not even then I’ve planted just about everything in pots and pallets that are located around my small lot. I have 2 big dogs but they stay in the house at night (hope they’re listening, lol) but do worry that one morning I’ll wake up and someone will have stolen all my growing plants. It’s scary!

    @judsoncarroll4 I LOVE your plan!!!

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @dimck421 @Melissa Swartz I would discourage drone use if they have guns. I imagine that it would just become target practice. That could get expensive.

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    @bcabrobin one of our local ranches has a set up in which their chickens are fenced into a large interior area, and their guard donkey (who is name Xena!!!) is in a fenced area around them. We have all sorts of large predators here -- all of whom would eat a chicken -- but my understanding is that Xena gives them the what-for very effectively.... :D

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here is a common sense security overview. Maybe it will provide a new perspective.

    https://www.homegrownselfreliance.com/home-security-and-protection-on-the-homestead/

  • dimck421
    dimck421 Posts: 203 ✭✭✭

    @judsoncarroll4 you really planned that area out! I lined one of the points of entry with blackberries. Fail. I've put up game cameras. Fail.

    @Melissa Swartz @shllnzl

    My answer ended up being surveillance system. NOT how I wanted to spend my money, but I had no choice. Sadly, my suspect is actually a relative. He is a 40 year old bent on revenge, without qualifying whether or not he levels his revenge on the right person. You'd think adults could just talk matters out, and he'd soon see I have nothing to do with whatever is happening at his place, but that is not how he sees matters. The good news is, as soon as the cameras went up, the prowling, items being moved, items being taken stopped. My goats are out of sight of the house, so they still get released, via disconnecting the electric fencing, which is not good, as we have coyotes and other predators. I guess they will be moved to the yard, for their safety. Thank all of you for letting me sound off and offering suggestions. If you have additional ideas, boy, would I appreciate reading them!

  • Suburban Pioneer
    Suburban Pioneer Posts: 339 ✭✭✭

    I accidentally grew a forest of sunflowers in our front yard space last year, and discovered that, in addition to garnering many compliments and feeding the migrating birds, big sunflowers also create a strong maze that will definitely slow down any sort of 2-legged intruder. And there's nothing the city can complain about because they're not a fence. Gotta be judicious with them, though, because they do inhibit the growth of potatoes and seed like weeds. But the dead stalks are wonderful filler material for building hugels.

  • SandraKay
    SandraKay Posts: 23 ✭✭✭

    I live in rural AZ on 5 acres. My husband and I have lived here for 15 years.  A few weeks ago we had the first evidence of someone being on our property. We came home just after dark and the next day my husband noticed a light on in one of our sheds- he thought I had left it on but I hadn't been in it for over a month.  He then checked the out buildings and found that someone had tossed things around in the well house.  Nothing was missing and usually there is  someone here- but now we're looking at getting some cameras for the property.  It's a shame as we didn't even lock the doors to the house for the first 10 years we were here.