This subject could end up in any of this forums categories but I just need some input on how to proceed. I have a neighbor that has in the past few years gotten rather odd and anti neighborly. Last Sunday I posted our property and for the first time, I put a " No Trespassing " sign in the corner of our property, bordering on his . Today I found that sign jammed into a tree stake in our yard. I called our local CO but he hasn't got back to me but how do the rest of you feel I should proceed ? I've tried to be friendly this summer, trying to get a conversation going but they won't talk to us. I can't figure out what is the problem but am a little concerned on our safety with this kind of behavior.
Put the sign back up! Make sure your on or inside of your property line. Don't back down you own it period. Use a ladder so they cant reach it so easily. I've had the same issues, don't be discouraged.
It probably would have been wise to contact your neighbor before putting the signs up. I still have to sign a portion of our lines this year and I intend to do that. I plan to tell my neighbor that I am putting signs up - not because I am concerned about him or his son trespassing, but because the entire boundary has to be properly (I believe the law says "conspicuously" or "adequately" posted) in order to prosecute in the event that I do have trespassers. I will tell him that I have captured trail cam photos of several trespassers (which I have) over the past several years and that if I ever get one that I can I.D. I want to prosecute but I have to be legally posted in order to do so.
I would still contact your neighbor before you put the signs back up.
I've tried talking to them at home or up town and they will not respond. His wife has gone as far as if she's in her truck at the grocery store and sees me walking across the lot , will just lay down in the cab waiting for me to leave. I really haven't a clue what happened. Never had a fight with them.
Some people get all wacked out instead of talking first I know this firsthand when a very large tree on my property blew over 1/2 0n my neighbors .The signs went up immediately .I had always been cordial with them and could not under stand .Seems there addict son was cutting firewood for sale that year and he wanted as much wood as he could get .Had they asked I would have gave him the whole tree as it was 48 "at the stump and I would never put the effort into cutting it up .15 years later the big half still sits on my side .
Instead of just "trying to be friendly", have you tried just talking to the guy to see what the issue is? Sometimes its best to just get right to the point instead of beating around the bush. Just explain that you would like and prefer to have a neighborly relationship, and figure out what you, him, or both of you can change to make that happen. Without having that conversation you will probably never figure this out. For all you know you could have accidentally done something to offend them and not even realized it. Or they might think you did something that someone else actually did. Communication is key.
When you put new signs up make sure to put a few on your neighbors trees, just to drive your point home.
Our neighbors went one step further this summer. The property is split by a road but on their side they used caution tape as a border on their property. I'm not sure if there was a murder I missed or they're just really worried about trespassers.
I would put the signs back up well inside your property line.And I would also put up some game trail cameras watching the signs along with a junk bait camera in an obvious spot.Get pictures and then call the CO and let him handle it.
The OP described his neighbor as an odd guy who is unwilling to talk with him. In response, he gets a thread filled with recommendations to just "go talk with him."
All that's now needed is for someone to chime in and blame the OP for the lack of "relationship."
Hell, even sending a letter to the neighbor to break the ice and see what the problem is would be better than some of the "just take it a step further and hope he stops" options that always get brought up on here. Maybe this guy really is just a hopeless ****, but it doesnt sound to me that that can be determined for sure yet at this point without some kind of communication between the two. Just because the guys neighbor doesnt want to make small talk, doesnt mean he wouldnt be willing to hash out whatever the issue is. At least then you know for sure. Since your stuck living next to them regardless.
I'd follow the previous suggestions of putting the sign back, possibly with a ladder (being 100% sure it's on your side), and then smear some tanglefoot on the back of the sign and around the tree.
Hell, even sending a letter to the neighbor to break the ice and see what the problem is would be better than some of the "just take it a step further and hope he stops" options that always get brought up on here. Maybe this guy really is just a hopeless ****, but it doesnt sound to me that that can be determined for sure yet at this point without some kind of communication between the two. Just because the guys neighbor doesnt want to make small talk, doesnt mean he wouldnt be willing to hash out whatever the issue is. At least then you know for sure. Since your stuck living next to them regardless.
I'm concerned about our relationship. I put up a no trespassing sign and you trespassed, took it down, and stuffed it in my yard. What did I do wrong? Can we please just talk so I can better understand how to navigate your deviant ways? Pretty please???
Lol. Thats a pretty good one. But I didnt mention anything about being a pushover in the process of talking to his neighbor. On the contrary i recommended calling the guy out on it to find out what the issue is, and to let the neigh or know what his issue is with him. Way to twist it around though.
Good stuff.
What if yellow colored signs are a violation of the neighbors's safe space? What if yellow triggers aggression in the poor fellow?
These are the types of things you should think of that could in fact be reasonable explanations for the guy simply returning the sign to its proper owner.
Personally, I know that if I ripped down a neighbor's sign and stuffed it in his yard, I would be expecting to be understood rather than judged.
You forgot the third question. Is this neighbor by chance also a relative? I'm hoping there's more to the story and that this guy is like a crazy uncle or something.
Thanks for the replies but there is no humor in this situation right now. They've done some other things we suspect and my wife is getting nervous about their mental state of mind. We've owned the property for about 10 years and I've never felt the need to post signs in that corner but after today I think I may post about 8 more along their property line !
Sorry for you and your family. I'm not making light of this situation. It's terribly stressful. Post the s#%t out of it and get the law involved. Cameras don't lie but neighbors do sometimes! Hope the best for you.
Wait for the CO and they'll prosecute, dealt with the same thing last year. Trespassers kept taking it down and when questioned about it, their response was "well why is there hunters in there when is says no hunting?" People like that don't learn from talking.
Maybe the neighbor is just a plain A-HOLE and nothing short of "Johnny Law" is going to deter him from being that way.
There may have been a tragedy in his family or lost his job or something like that? Not defending his actions by any means just throwing those possibilities into the mix.
Either way I would make another call to the CO, especially if things have escalated.
Good luck and hopefully the situation is resolved with no more issues.
Maybe the neighbor is just a plain A-HOLE and nothing short of "Johnny Law" is going to deter him from being that way.
There may have been a tragedy in his family or lost his job or something like that? Not defending his actions by any means just throwing those possibilities into the mix.
Either way I would make another call to the CO, especially if things have escalated.
Good luck and hopefully the situation is resolved with no more issues.
I can spot a dorky neighbor a mile away. I have a few that I tolerate and that I am fake nice to for the most part. But sometimes it's hard when you only have an hour to cut the grass and the half retard wants to try and talk.
You ever think about how your neighbor could be telling people he actually likes, about the creepy guy following him and his wife around in store parking lots. Or always trying to talk them at worst moments.
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