Trespassers and stray dogs on new property, how to handle

[candyappy]

@RegentLion

But how do you handle the roaming dogs? Domestic dogs worry me far more than the coyotes I’ve seen.

You fence your animals in a manner that keep the dogs out. Living rural means that someone , somewhere close is eventually going to have a dog or dump a dog that will get onto your property.

You know who your neighbors are that border your property. I would notify them of the impending clearing and building and your wish that the no trespassing signs be respected.

Then post some No Trespassing signs. Frequent and visible in the areas most used by others.

People here also put a No Trespassing/ Hunting notices in the local paper here. It may help but I doubt it. We saw people on our creek bordering property looking for Morel mushrooms last week.

They had to blatantly Trespass to get to the creek.They could have asked permission. Some people just don’t care.

[RegentLion]

@candyappy

You fence your animals in a manner that keep the dogs out. Living rural means that someone , somewhere close is eventually going to have a dog or dump a dog that will get onto your property.

You know who your neighbors are that border your property. I would notify them of the impending clearing and building and your wish that the no trespassing signs be respected.

Then post some No Trespassing signs. Frequent and visible in the areas most used by others.

People here also put a No Trespassing/ Hunting notices in the local paper here. It may help but I doubt it. We saw people on our creek bordering property looking for Morel mushrooms last week.

They had to blatantly Trespass to get to the creek.They could have asked permission. Some people just don’t care.

How would you notify everyone? Letter? In person? It’s quite a few of residences.

We live rural now…but so rural we don’t get stray dogs. We’ve had two cats wander down here, and we’ve lived here for over 15 years. I don’t know the best way to fence a dog out, so am open to suggestions.

The new place is less rural by far, but we are ready to be closer to an actual town. It’s a tradeoff for sure.

[Bluey]

A good fence is less expensive after all than all you will have to do to keep trespassers out without one and possible lawsuits to defend yourself if something happens to someone while on your land.

[RegentLion]

Good point… what do you recommend for the horse paddocks?

[EssexFells]

You don’t have to fence it to keep animals out – just to create a clear property boundary so that a person strolling up to your woods will know that this private property is off limits. Put pound-in 1" fiberglass posts every 30ft or so to create a visible line. And where there are obvious paths entering the woods, a post on either side of the path with 1" fence tape hung on these posts. Get brown or black fence tape, so it doesn’t look garish, and I wouldn’t tape off the entire property line. Aside from the cost, would look like crap and require more substantial posts. Last thing you need is a bunch of neighbors complaining to the town that you’ve destroyed the natural beauty of the area.

The logs that you’re clearing for the barn could be piled across the paths on the property line, and over the years, each time you work on the property, keep extending your brush piles up/down the property line. Won’t bother the wildlife one bit- in fact it’s good habitat.

The most obvious source of trespassers is the two sides with housing, so that’s what, about 3000 ft on a 60acre parcel? So, 100 fiberglass posts would be less than $200.

This isn’t going to make you popular with the people who have been using the land as if it’s a public park, but I totally agree with you to reserve it for your own use, and to not take on the liability of other people using it. It’s not a park.

I bet 90% of the people who encounter your fence post line and tape across the paths, plus no trespass signs, will respect it even if they hate you for it. You probably will still get a few violators, but if they know they’re being surveilled, they might stop. Rather than put Camear in Use signs, I’d mount a trailcam along the most common paths, high enough that it can’t be reached without a ladder. Instead of hiding it, do a couple of wraps around the tree with blaze orange ribbon, right under the camera.
Anyone walking past it will notice the blaze and look up to figure out why the tree’s wrapped. At which point they realize they’ve just given you a great photo of their face. Bet they turn around. ( Camera doesn’t even need to be working, they won’t know that.)

[RegentLion]

@EssexFells

The most obvious source of trespassers is the two sides with housing, so that’s what, about 3000 ft on a 60acre parcel? So, 100 fiberglass posts would be less than $200.

Thanks for the awesome post.

This really puts it in perspective… I just used OnX Hunt to guesstimate the two sides and it’s right near 3,000 feet as you thought…. Making a visual fence with the fiberglass posts would really be doable both in terms of cost and labor. (Right now the sheer work that needs to be done is overwhelming).

So far we think it’s just one person using the land, the person with a DNR connection, which makes me feel really weird. They should know better!!!

We have three trail cams in different areas on the property, and I’d like to get a few more. Two are on the main trail that comes from one side of the property and the other is quite far back—that’s the one that caught the dogs.

So far they’re at knee height, so certainly could be tampered with if noticed, but we expected to only see game on them. Time to switch it up, maybe?

[Djones]

@RegentLion

what do you recommend for the horse paddocks?

2x4 no climb keeps dogs out of paddocks.

Set up game cameras where your eye shows you game trails. I am in redneck alabama where intact dogs are handed out at the state line when you move in. Despite that, over 20 years we’ve had limited serious dog issues.

I can tell you how to set up hot wire fences baited with milkbones should you discover a wandering dog. I broke my own neurotic doodle in one zap. He was crossing out to forage in the neighbor’s yard. Zing. Yelp. No more issues. His nose told him no way, José.

[Arlomine]

No climb. With electric on top.

[Rackonteur]

@Djones

I am in redneck alabama where intact dogs are handed out at the state line when you move in. Despite that, over 20 years we’ve had limited serious dog issues.

Thank you for the good-morning laugh. I have lived there and am planning to move back, so can’t wait to receive my intact dog at the Welcome To state line (not).
Right now I am living in Redneck Georgia where intact Pit Bull mixes are handed out at the county line whether you are moving in or just visiting.

[eightpondfarm]

as for the dogs…
Boy, i would hate to have to shoot someone’s dog! But i wouldn’t hesitate trappin it! And i did.
iI caught a neighbor’s dog (friendly, so he came to me when i bid) and led him back to the compound and into my horse trailer. Gave him a bit of water and left him in there four hours. Then i called the owner and asked them to come pick him up. I don’t know how they did it, or maybe it was because his experience here was a little unpleasant, but he never came back.

I don’t have a large hav-a-heart trap, but if we were to have recurrent wandering dog problems, i sure would get one and use it to trap. Then i’d post a sign on the road: Found Dog. 55# neutered male. Black. and my phone number. No directions, no name, no address. When they called i’d make arrangements for a pickup. Dog would remain in cage. And the owner could walk to where the cage is with a leash. Doubt the dog would be back…

[candyappy]

@RegentLion

How would you notify everyone? Letter? In person? It’s quite a few of residences.

I would do it by letter. Something like:

A friendly letter letting them know you purchased the property recently, are planning on building and keeping animals etc… and would rather not have people hiking or walking dogs, or allowing loose dogs as the previous owners did— due to the safety of your animals and theirs.

[cutter99]

@RegentLion

@EssexFells

The most obvious source of trespassers is the two sides with housing, so that’s what, about 3000 ft on a 60acre parcel? So, 100 fiberglass posts would be less than $200.

So far we think it’s just one person using the land, the person with a DNR connection, which makes me feel really weird. They should know better!!!

Is there any chance this person had permission from the previous owners to snowshoe/ hike the property, but is now not aware it changed hands?

Whatever you choose to do in order to keep people out, bear in mind that some will take offense. Try to be firm, yet nice when relaying your wishes to them.

I live in a very rural area, and 3 sides of our farm adjoin other farms, with all sides fully fenced, but with gates connecting to the next farm over. Luckily, we have exceptional neighbors on those 3 sides. These are the kind of neighbors who have told me to access their properties to ride them, offered tools/ help/ support in a variety of situations, and been very pleasant to live near. We have always reciprocated whenever possible.

The property across from us was sold 2 years ago, and that neighbor has managed to irritate everyone else in the area with his attitude towards the rest of us and way of talking to people/ handling various situations. He recently made the comment that if someone offered him the right number, he would gladly sell, but he has sunk much more into the property than it would ever be worth. I doubt anyone here would be sorry to see him go.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@RegentLion

But how do you handle the roaming dogs? Domestic dogs worry me far more than the coyotes I’ve seen.

I’d do it with electric fence.

A long time ago, my dog went with me on a walk down our road. The neighbors had just put up a single strand of electric fence for cattle they had just turned out on a new field. Doofus was used to just stepping off into the pasture, getting a quick drink from their pond (literally 2 steps from the ditch) and coming back to me, so he never noticed the fence. And I never saw him taking off for home, either! It took YEARS for him to go on a walk with me again.

String a strand about 18" or so off the ground; you may want to do 2 at 12" and 24". Tell the neighbors the fence is going up for your horses. Then, let the dogs figure it out. The deer will jump the fence, no problem.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@eightpondfarm

I don’t have a large hav-a-heart trap, but if we were to have recurrent wandering dog problems, i sure would get one and use it to trap. Then i’d post a sign on the road: Found Dog. 55# neutered male. Black. and my phone number. No directions, no name, no address. When they called i’d make arrangements for a pickup. Dog would remain in cage. And the owner could walk to where the cage is with a leash. Doubt the dog would be back…

I had to chuckle at this. It’s exactly this method that resulted (12 years ago) in the 65# mutt currently hogging my couch right now. I kept then-puppy Scout shut in the garage for a week with posters
everywhere, posts on FB, notices with both city and county municipal shelters, and had him scanned for a chip. No takers. Sigh.

He’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he morphed from a weird-looking pup to a gorgeous adult with a heart of gold.

[SLW]

I would say nothing and put nothing in writing regarding the property. The recommendation to use a one strand Hotwire fence, with flags/tape on it, is good. Put up some no trespassing signs where you believe people are accessing the property, then sit back. Meet your neighbors and be kind. If use of property comes up you can verbally explain that you have dialed that back as you will be using the space.

Roaming dogs are a universal rural problem rooted in the arrogance of the dogs owners and you will never change their pattern of behavior. If the dogs aren’t “hurting” anything leave it be. Once you determine they are running livestock you will have fix it yourself. The dog owners don’t care about your critters.

[Spudsmyguy]

We had a neighbor’s dog that had taken to chasing our mare and foal. Owners were warned once that DH will shoot the dog if it happens again and sure enough it did. He was in the house getting the gun and the dog owner was beside herself all her kids were crying so DH thought better of it and didn’t shoot. The neighbors moved out shortly afterward. I guess their dog not being allowed to harrass other people’s livestock was too much for them. I had one neighbor’s dog that used to use my lawn as a toilet. Every morning he’d trot on over and take a dump. I snapped him with a lunge whip in mid crouch and he jumped up and ran for home. Never came back.

[Djones]

Yeah sending letters and such is just overkill and weird, tbh. Just post it with fresh signs, and yeah, the dated signs are a great idea.

Rural Dogs will be rural dogs. Hell, someone dumped a very dead starved one on my road frontage just this week. Fence them out of your pastures but otherwise just roll with it. Only rarely are there nuisance dogs and most are deterred by yelling at them to go on.

[SonnysMom]

@clanter Pennsylvania added the Purple Paint law recently. Sometime in the last couple of years.

[JanM]

Check your state laws to see what is required on No Trespassing signs, some states do require names, etc on the sign, say how far apart they should be, etc.

[EssexFells]

This is good advice. Living in the country harmoniously means getting along/cooperating with a lot of people with different views about how to use the land than you. Live and let live, and only defend your property boundary from the ones who are actually crossing it. Broadcasting a letter to lots of people will really come across badly and likely ruin your chance to develop a good relationship with the recipients.
This isn’t super important in the big scheme of things-- it’s not like you’ve caught people stealing timber or otherwise defacing the land. Control it over time, no need for a shock and awe campaign in the first month of your ownership.