A slight altercation...

[mrcaptainbob]

Without  a lot of dialogue here, there was a slight altercation with a neighbor's son. I found out...from him, that he and his wife have been "berry picking" in the past. They were "following the berries" as far as where my tractor stash is. And that's around 300' from the common fence line. So...after a bit of going back and forth with him and feeling I'm not getting anywhere, I got his dad, the actual owner of the property, to set him straight. The son is somewhere around late 30's / mid 40's. So, today I posted the yellow 'do not trespass/hunt/etc. signs on my side of the fence and spaced them about every fifty feet. The common fence is 1320'. The  T-posts are, for the most part, in place. I want to also spray paint each fence post day-glo orange so there is no future argument as to having not seen them. I remember reading something about purple paint on fence lines. What's it's purpose, and can (should) I use that, too?

[beenthere]

They were "following the berries" as far as where my tractor stash is. And that's around 300' from the common fence line.

That be " 300' over/across the property line" I gather, from what you wrote. Not sure what the tractor stash means here. 
Is the "common fence line" also understood by the son as the property line? 

No fun having line disputes and those who don't know where the lines are and/or don't respect them.

Wish you luck. I have neighbors on four property lines, with a fifth line being a town road. No problems with any of the neighbors so far in 49 years.  But we talk a lot and get along well, near as I can tell.

[red oaks lumber]

was the "berry picking" deal worth starting a life long property feud? was what they did right? no but, think about it. is it worth having a on going fight. ;)

[Peter Drouin]

If they're picking berries, what's the harm. If it were me I would tell them to pick some for me too. maybe she would make you a pie :D

[Seaman]

I have to go with Cap' Bob on this. His line, his berries. That's why we have boundaries, of all sorts, and that is one thing going wrong with our society....no respect for boundaries.

They should have ASKED !

[Corley5]

I've got my boundaries which are my fencelines.  I don't cross over them on to my neighbor's properties and I expect them not to cross over on to mine.  Good fences do make good neighbors.

[thecfarm]

I would of done the same thing. Our berry places are very important to us. We have one place that there is more than enough for 2-3 families. I always ask if I can pick and give them a jar of jam.I myself would go with the yellow no trespassing signs. I have places that I post. This way no can say,Well I didn't know. This makes them come up with another reason why they are on my land.  : I may walk on my neighbors land,but I don't take anything.

[bama20a]

If they're picking berries, what's the harm. If it were me I would tell them to pick some for me too. maybe she would make you a pie :D

,I'll agree, If you are not using the berries whats the harm,
Ol' saying{ To have a neighbor you have to be a neighbor},Mark,,,,,

[Chuck White]

In this area, paint along the property lines means the same thing as a Posted Sign!

[Stephen1]

In the north,  a red painted circle every 50' is the stay off mark, along with private prperty signs, at an entrance.
I do agree, I would ask them to pick me a bowl full to, but it depends on the response from them when you meet them on your property. Some people get attitude when asked whst they are doing.
I believe that we all just rent our property while we are alive(pay taxes) I have no issues whith people walking thru my sugar bush as long as it is just a walk thru.

[r.man]

Having had problems with people and vandalism in the past,but having many friends and neighbours I think I would go with a mixture of the responses. The neighbours were in the wrong and should be told so, but the older fellow sounds like a straight up guy that would deserve some leeway. Around here a neighbour or friend would always ask before taking berries or christmas trees but the ones that do ask are normally given permission because they are neighbours. Since I am Canadian I would apologize to them if the berries had been promised to someone else and tell them to ask earlier next year. 

[thecfarm]

Just another note,I've had that happen to me. A neighbor picked some of our berries. The husband made her come down and tell us. She is the type that it's OK if she did it to me,but if I was to do that to her.  :  :  Just like the hunters that walk right by my house. They don't see a thing wrong with it.

[mrcaptainbob]

I have 20 acres. The north side has about 300' of trees from the fence line. the neighbor has 10 acres. Any 'berries' around here will grow on that side as easily as it will on this side. The claim was that they just "follow the berries up to the tractor stash". (Tractor stash is my mini bone yard of five cannibalized gt's). And that 'stash' is around 300' on my side of the fence line. The woods are dense enough that the ground is barren of anything growing, except for moss. Until it gets to the southern side of the woods where light can get in. It would not be such a great issue if the guy had any inclination of being conciliatory. Instead he raised it to a an argumentative and antagonistic attitude. His 'belief' that it's okay to walk somebody's property, never leaving evidence that he was there, and the property owner was never aware is okay. I believe it's a matter of integrity. And respect. If it's not yours, leave it alone. He made mention of past property owners before I came along. What ever their relationship was is of no consequence. The previous owner passed away over twenty years ago, I purchased it eleven years ago. This is the first time I met this guy. Not to mention..his dad is the owner, not he. For him to assert him self, try to dominate, and outright lie was plain offensive. My wife likes to go for occasional walks. I would be SERIOUSLY upset if she came across somebody in the woods or anywhere where else on our property that does not belong there. I recently found this guy has other issues. Of what is no consequence here, and I will not post. But it's even more imperative now that he not be on this property. Regardless of that, 'good' neighbors respect each others property, property lines and wishes.
  By the way, what is the meaning of the purple paint? I remember reading about it, but can't dig that up....
  And another point...thank you all for your opinions. Neighbors like you are great. And I do have many of those around here.

[thecfarm]

I mentioned hunters walking right by the house. They also walk by all my "junk". So when they did a piece of "junk" Now they know where to find it. Same way with your tractor stash.  ;)

[beenthere]

Purple paint doesn't mean anything to me. Maybe to some others, but don't think it is anything "universal" for signage.

[Texas Ranger]

Purple paint is a Texas thing, possibly other states, don't know about them.  The  paint is applied basically at eye level every 100 feet and at line openings.  The paint says posted.  Strip of paint is 8 inches long, one inch wide, and a very specific color.

Other states, your mileage may vary.

[Peter Drouin]

I would be nice to my neighbor as long as he was a gentleman if not then we would have a talk after he woke up  :D  :D :D :D ;D ;)

[WmFritz]

My home sits on 5 mostly wooded acres with a 25 acre hay field on one side and 17 acres of woods directly behind. None of the properties around me are posted.  The neighbor behind me is a younger, single guy, who travels for work and is gone for long stretches.  Only once in the 25 years I've been here, have I had  to have stern words with trespassers. In that incident my wife came out to the garage to tell me there were three people with shotguns, walking through our woods  behind our house.  When I approached them and found out they had no business on anyones property in the area, they left without an argument. I let them know they were way to close  to my home for shooting  and to leave the neighbors and my property.

My cabin property is a little different.  I was lucky enough to find  property surrounded by very nice folks. Some are full time residents, some are  part-timers like me. One of the big selling points for me when I first found it, was the fact that there were very few signs posted in the area. When I pointed it out to one of the first neighbor's I met, his response was; " We have an unwritten agreement.  If anyone wants  to walk your land... they  do. At the same time, you are welcome to walk anywhere you please... except hunting season.".   I was sold.  I feel very fortunate to have such great neighbors who look after my place. I am proud to have them enjoying my woods. I also like the fact that my little 30 acres feels like hundreds.


Mrcaptainbob, I hope that's the end of your situation. If he was truly berry-picking, a few polite words from him would've been appropriate. I have no tolerance for people that haven't respect for others.

[red oaks lumber]

when did posting land and trying to keep everyone off happen? when i was younger no one posted their land or really cared if people were on it.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

when did posting land and trying to keep everyone off happen? when i was younger no one posted their land or really cared if people were on it.

This is why nails are in my trees. 

[thecfarm]

When people started to walk 20 feet past my house. Park thier trucks in my field. Drive through my field. Shot a turkey about 100 feet in front of my house,shooting towards my house. Park their car where I was cutting wood. Need more reason red oaks???  >:(
I just posted my land to keep the turkeys hunters off my land. Why should I get all worked up about a few stupid hunters. Those yellow signs keep me happy. I do have about another 150 acres that,so far,is not posted.

[WmFritz]

Every one of those incidents thecfarm posted are intolerable. Especially shooting toward your home. arg-smiley

[chain]

Purple is the legal color to display "no-trespassing" in Missouri. We use handy rolls of 3-4" wide purple tape with No trespass-No hunting, etc. can be purchased at some farm stores. Very handy easy to cut but tough enough to tie to about anything, very visible also.

[Seaman]

Same in NC. By law , purple lines on trees is same as printed sign.

[mrcaptainbob]

The argument of berry picking as offered just doesn't hold up. Wild berries grow every where. Including on his dad's property, I'm sure. Again, to claim they 'followed the berries' was another story. There are NO berries along the fence line, nor for an additional 250'. I'm just not appreciative of the instant lies, the lack of apology (after all, it is MY land they were on...without permission) and constant justification. Far too much hostility from this guy. And by silly and exaggerated extension here: my barn/shop is just an additional fifty feet. I take it, by his argument, he can enter that building, look around, and as long as 'nothing is disturbed and the owner never knows, no harm is done." To further the idiocy of this claim, my house is just another hundred feet. Same holds true for that? As long as I'm not home and I never know anybody was in there, it's okay for somebody to look around inside? As long as they don't leave any 'signs'?Yeah, I'm exaggerating. A lot. Seems like all the neighbors around here, including the adjacent land owner, are 'protective' of their property. Yet this guy assumes it's okay to walk mine. I think, if anything, it was not only that he and his wife did not ask for permissions, but the arguing and justifying.
  At any rate, I did day-glo orange the top ten inches on each T post along that fence line. Both sides. I trust that should remove any argument about not knowing where the line is at because of the wire being rusted away. ( and conveniently wound back around the standing part of the fence...)
  Again, thanks for your helpful insights and opinions. If there are developments pertaining to this situation, I'll add them.