I just closed on 100 acres of undeveloped land 3 weeks ago. After the closing I spent a few hours exploring the property and I found 2 feeders and 3 stands. I left them in place. I looked in the feeders and they had no corn in them, and one had a big mud dauber nest inside. I wrote a couple notes that the land has been sold, and that the feeders and stands needed to be removed by 31 October. I figured that was fair, and I figured that since the land was up for sale for so long, that whoever the equipment belonged to probably didn't know if anyone cared about the property. The property is not fenced or marked in any way.
I went out today and the feeders and stands are still there, but the notes were gone and the feeders had been filled up with corn. I looked around but I didn't find any game cameras. So I put up no trespassing sIgns on the entrance from the road, and on the stands and the feeders. I did speak to a sherrifs deputy and he promised he would keep an eye out for anyone. He also told me I was within my rights to take down the feeders and stands and do what I wanted with them.
I spoke with the 2 nearest neighbors, just introduced myself, and let them know that I was not upset at whoever had the equipment, but they needed to remove it. They didn't seem to know who might have been out there, and I wasn't about to assume or accuse them of anything.
Basically I'm trying to be a good neighbor, but someone had to have seen the notes, they were in ziploc bags and they filled up the feeders anyway.
I wasn't planning on hunting the opener anyway, haven't had time to prep this property or scout but this is kind of getting me pissed off.
I know the game wardens will be busy already on the 5th, and I can't expect the sherrifs office to have someone standing by to catch a trespasser. I also don't want to be out there first thing in the morning with everyone carrying rifles. Now I did go and set up a camera pointed at one of the stands, and I hid it very well, so I hope to get a picture.
So what would y'all do?

Put feeders on craigslist

Hard to say. Could be somebody that's hunted the place for years- legally or not- that considers it "their spot". First thing I'd do is get some purple paint or some signs and post the whole place. Are they driving in a road or walking in?
Ask the GW to check on it Saturday they've been notified it's yours now.

Count yer blessings,those are your feeders. Bob

I think that you have done enough to let them know they are not allowed to be hunting there, with the exception of marking your property. If you aren't going to be hunting there, let the camera do the work for you.

Where did you put the note exactly? If it was in the feeder, they probably never saw it.

I just don't want to start something. I'm new to the neighborhood so to speak, but dammit, I saved for 5 years for the down payment, and it's going to take 20 more to pay it off. This is where I am going to build a house and retire. I spent 20 years in the Army, and I worked my [censored] off since then to be able to do this. But I don't want to be the "out of towner [censored] tellin people what to do", you know what I mean?

I suspect they feel someone is trying to bluff them off a place they have hunted for free for who knows how long. You definitely would not be the first new landowner that some hunter attempted to bluff off their own land. Believe me, some people really are stupid enough to try.

You've already made a good faith effort where most would offer. At this point, I would take the stands and feeders and wait for the neighbors to belly up the truth and ask for them back.

I put the notes in the battery boxes and on the top rung of the stands, with duct tape holding them in place. They saw the notes.
If I could afford it, I would have the bulldozer and the brush hog crew out there at 7am on 5 November clearing the fence lines.

How much for the feeders!LOL Just check your camera and the idea of catching them opening morning is very good. Can you see where they drove in from.Track driving to the feeder and so on. If there is a stand put locks on the door! I see how you are trying to handle this but after the notes were gone it would be GAME ON!

Wait, which place is this??? I'll come get my stands and feeders.

I would put locks on the stands as the next step, and as a last resort take everything down and move it....

Sounds like you have done the right thing!

Unload it and buy ur wife something, win-win!

Were is this at?

I'll buy it if decent shape and donate to your new land fund

I had the same thing a few years ago in Bowie when we got our place. I actually moved the feeders, started shooting a lot, and the neighbors figured out I was "crazy". I know you want to be a good guy, and I know all about the "poor ol' boy just feeding his family", but it's yours. Take them down, use them, sell them, burn them, whatever. It's yours not theirs. They had warning, now it's up to them to take the loss

I could borrow a generator, lug my old peavey amplifier with the half stack and do a lovely rendition of the star spangled banner at full volume every 15 minutes to celebrate the opening of deer season.
Or get a bunch of cheap alarm clocks and set them near the feeders and let them go off about 5 minutes after sun up.

Drive in and check the feeders at 7am opening morning.

I wouldn't do that. Take them down before they have a chance to go sit on opening morning. If they have a problem they will come see you. Again, YOU own it and everything on it. I am a bit worn down by the poacher apoligizers. Let them put the scratch and buy a place, then they can complain

Maybe they filled the feeders figuring your note gave them the right to hunt UNTIL Oct 31st. I'd check again before this weekend and remove the blinds. If you've got no place to store them at least disable them. I know you don't plan to hunt until next year, but whomever these folks are are likely to shoot every deer on the place knowing that they are loosing this hunting spot. May not leave anything too hunt next year...

Claymore inside the stand with a trip wire to the door.

Yeah, I'll just go out Friday and take them all down and just pile them up by the entrance. Hopefully this won't escalate into anything.

I'd empty the the corn into some buckets and keep it if your going to take it all down. That stuff is getting expensive.

On a side note, good luck with this. When we purchased our little ranch here in Midland County there were no gates and it seemed to be the hangout spot for allot of people who lived around there to fish, hunt, shoot, etc. It's been almost 5 years now and the invasion hasnt let up. Put up gates, no trespassing signs, etc., but everytime I go out there someone has cut the chains on a gate or simply ran through a gate, 2 stole 4-wheelers from a locked storage trailer, countless feeder motors shot or completely disabled, game cameras stolen, etc. Welcome to the wonderful world of land owning. Mine's for sale! I can't handle it anymore!

BAH HAHAHAHAHHAAHA !!! Ill bring My TELLE !!! Strum some Buck On'em !!!! HAHAHAHA !

How about this - take everything down and store it or put a chain around it. I know this creates work for you, but it sends a rather loud message. In the spot where the blinds and feeders were, drive a t-post and leave notes letting them know its your land, but you're willing to let them pick up their stuff to be "neighborly". Maybe have the local law to help with the transaction. Besides a little work on your end I think its a win-win. It doesn't sound like you want to start a war and I think you're right thinking this way. Until you move there permanently to always be on your land they are going to know when you are and aren't there. If you piss them off, you never know what they might do. I know I could have everyone blast me and say its your land and have a lot of mean things to do to them, but I for one would go the civil route until more is needed and I don't think you're there yet. My $.02

where is all this taking place at. i understand if you dont want to say.

THIS! Late, Friday afternoon.

I would have the Game Warden or Sheriff write some kind of order to vacate and place them on the stands,after I laid them on their sides and taken the batteries out ofthe feeders. You might put up signs saying that this property is being protected by video surveilence. That way, if they are crazy enough to come back on the property, they know you mean business and have contacted the authorities. You might even invite the GW out for coffee at the land opening morning.