SOunds like a rough time on the farm.

Get in touch with the game wardens. All of the VZ county wardens are great.

And build the fence, even if it is a bit at a time. I would set a precedent early on with those yahoo's as they have demonstrated their character up front.

Lol on the cans. I am probably wrong but the purple paint law indicates that property is posted fence or not. Didn't want that piece anyway, is why I never tried to get it. A fence would be nice but isn't required for trespassing as long as visible notice is posted. I'd like to be good neighbors and expect to not have any more trouble. Seems he is distant relation, wife kind of does the genealogy thing as appears to be 4th removed first cousin. Whatever that means. I think the original heirs were 1st cousins and these guys are four generations
from that.
VZ COUNTY has the worst backlog of cases in the state. I know from previous experience to handle my own affairs.

You don't have to build a fence and by law purple paint is a legal boundary. However, it is alot easier to argue that someone is trespassing when they have climbed or cut down a fence as opposed to splitting hairs as to whether your purple stripes are legal notice.

Thank you Rex, I agree.

Purple is easy enough, but can be argued easier whether they where visible. "A defense to prosecution" STS A "T" post every 50-100 yards with a "stay the hell out" signs works too, best is a verbal warning from the GW, or Sheriff, then it is a mater of record.

It is really a shame a LO has to deal with this, but it has been an issue since time began.

Double bummer

you were nicer than i would be about
finding a neighbor with my stolen goods.

you might try showing up at odd times if
you can, or even have someone drop you off.
i guarantee they watch you come and go.
i caught some neighbors on mine before by
going down during the week and spending the
night when they thought it was all clear.

A fence will be inevitable. Even if its a little at a time like was mentioned.

I would be a complete ahole about it and call the sheriff and GW.

Well I have gotten the purple paint and new signs. It's easy to say just run a fence but that is expensive and would benefit him equally. I will have it legally posted and cams out. Now that they have been verbally warned and with lawful no trespassing posted I won't be so nice.
All the advice to call law enforcement or game warden is what most people have been trained to do. Whatever happened to handling things without needing to dial nine eleven?

Had it just been simple trespassing a friendly warning is completely appropriate. The moment they started stealing your stuff is when it is good to call the law. Just my opinion but it isn't the same when your stands start going up missing.

Because so many people are such wing nuts these days.

It became necessary to call the law when he stole from you. I don't think a verbal warning and purple paint is handling it. Someone who steals won't learn that easily. What he needed was being drug off the porch and his teeth kicked in. You can't do that anymore without getting in trouble. Trust me I've done it. The law is the best way to go.

People keeping their property fenced would probably solve a lot of it. If you had a fence up you think he would have drove his tractor through the fence and took it still?

Since there is no fence and no discernable boundary line and it once was part of the same property any chance he didn't know it was on your property? Was your stand set up on his property? He could have been told when he bought it that there were some stands on the property. Its your business to fence your property, your just as big a part of the problem as he is. I always hear all the horror stories about east texas trespassing and poaching... gets me wondering how many of these properties are actually fenced.

Honestly fences mean nothing to degenerates.....They will either climb then or cut them. Hell, think about all the people cutting fences to go after their dogs when hunting hogs. Either way, with a fence there is no question it is private property as said.

Not to mentioned harassing legal folks using your property....If you don't want to call the law, don't call the law, simple. We will be here when you have to make another post of stolen gear, and hopefully that is all. BTW, 911 is an emergency number, if you wait until you need to dial that one, your next thread may be a doosy...

I've had to cover 100% of several different fences. Sure, it benefits the losers that wouldn't help, but it's still worth every penny to me.

Have you asked him to split the cost of a fence? He is your cousin, have you talked to him at all other than going to take your stand back? Maybe you could buy supplies and he could do the labor, have done that before.

Without getting LEO's involved your troubles will continue only now he'll haul your stuff down the road to a buddies place to hide it.
If you tolerate thievery even once, you're sending a message that you're an easy mark, it will get around to the lower life form in the local area.

Out of all the miles of fence Ive built on all the properties Ive owned I only had 3 neighbors willing to contribute to the cost.

Trespassing is no big deal and as neighbors I would welcome them on my land to hunt or do whatever they want as long as it is respectable. But when they turn out to be piece of shiite thieves that has been stealing from you on more than one occasion. You are a very nice guy to just say "stop it or else".

You may think it isn't a big deal but I don't want anyone on property I own, pay for and insure. Trespassing is a big deal to me, even on land I lease to hunt. It is also illegal and isn't acceptable.

They have stolen from you. The kinds of people they invite over probably aren't the best types of folks either. They stole a hunting stand, which means they probably hunt - i.e.: carry firearms around. The combination of thievery, stupidity, trespassing, and being armed would be enough for me to at least report this issue. Doesn't mean you have to press charges, but let the local law enforcement folks and the GW know. Best to have a paper trail on this kind of thing with neighbors like that.