'Mushroom Hunters'

[AJMD429]

What is it about these people that makes them think it's ok to just park your vehicle on someone's property, then traipse all over the place, and if they find mushrooms, rip them up and take them....?

I remember years ago my cousin made a couple guys hand over a big grocery-bag full of morels... Since it was his property he thanked them for picking them for him.

[Pisgah]

I don't know what makes people think such behavior is OK, but I know how to stop it. Many years ago I owned a large tract of land that was rich in, among other things, fishing ponds and, in summer, abundant blackberries. Simple trespass -- where a person unintentionally enters private property, or simply walks across it without permission, is hard to prosecute in SC and hardly worth the trouble, but any time I caught a simple trespasser I would call the law and have a deputy report the incident and issue a warning. If that person entered the property again, the charge was criminal trespass, and even though the penalties weren't all that harsh conviction was easy as pie to get with the warning on record. Likewise, if anyone entered the property with criminal intent -- like stealing mushrooms, fish, blackberries -- or caused damage while they were there. I prosecuted a whole bunch of people over a couple of years and once word got out that I would do it, the problem went away.

I really wasn't too upset over losing some fish or berries (I customarily allowed fishing and berrying for just about anyone who asked permission), but I knew darned well that if any of those scalawags drowned or broke a leg while on the property they were going to sue the bejeebers out of me. And I confiscated several nice messes of fish and plenty of blackberries, too!

[crs]

AJMD,
They are probably related to the folks that toss out old furniture, construction materials, fast food bags, drink cans and bottles, stray dogs and cats, skeletons of goats they have eaten, and you name it on the county road on two sides of my pasture! For the second time this spring there has been an old couch dumped into the little creek on my northeast corner.
I have to call the county for the second time in two weeks to get them to come and clean up the mess.

[piller]

Charles, I don't know if it is possible for you to put some type of camera there, but I would try to get a picture of the license. It may be possible to have the Sheriff prosecute the dumpers.

[3leggedturtle]

We got "neighbors". Them and their buddies from city think they can hunt drive and basically use my 80 acres as their own. I don't like snitches or calling the law, but think this winter I'll stay there and " re-train" them. Gonna start getting a case history if it. Why do you have to be a ash hole just so people start respecting you and your land? Todd/3leg

[marlinman93]

It's that greed factor that makes people trespass onto anyone's property to remove anything. But seems if it grows naturally without cultivation by the land owner, it's even more accepted by the thieves. As if it somehow isn't the property owner's crop because they didn't plant it.

[jeepnik]

Back when I was a kid my parents had a cabin at one of the local lakes. In winter it was wonderland, now of course it's all condos.

Anyway, it wasn't unusual to have folks park in front of the cabin off the road so they didn't have to pay for parking at the resorts. The cops were too busy with other issues (mostly drunks and fools). So dad got a length of chain and chained the rear end of one car to a tree. We left that rear axel there for quite some time. Never did know what happened to the rest of the car. But, I guess the word got out. Solved the problem for all of the cabins (all four) along that road.

Today of course they'd either sue or burn the cabin down. Many people today are very poor examples for the young.

[hondo1892]

Haven't caught anyone yet on my place but I've had my ginseng and trail camera's stolen. If I did catch someone and call the law my cabin probably would get burned down. What burns me so bad is the same people would hate it if you did the same thing to them they do to you.

[GunnyMack]

People have no self respect let alone respect for others!

[crs]

Piller,
I discussed the camera with the county roads folk when I reported the current dumping. They said that they will turn over pix or other dumper ID to the Sheriff and a deputy will pursue. I was told that a picture of a license plate has led to prosecution in the past.
I will look into it as I will want to have a system that sends the pix to my computer so that I do not have to wear a trail through the pasture checking the camera. The camera must also be very small and next to invisible to avoid it being discovered and damaged.

[gcs]

I've got property upstate NY that I inherited from my mom and her parents, been in the family over 50 years. All of the trespassing, poaching and thievery, were from the "good" local folks I not so affectionately call the Inbreds.
Not once was anyone denied hunting, Christmas tree cutting, berry picking, etc.
When my Grandparents died, the house was vacant except for family visits, and hunting ,that halloween, said inbreds burned the house down, Broke my Moms heart, Supposedly that's a locals thing there,, break in, steal what you want, party and torch the place on the way out.

Since that day, the posted signs went up, and I'll prosecute anyone that steps foot on the place.

It ain't a city vs. country thing, it's a degenerate dirtbag thing. peeing me off just thinking about it again!

[crs]

It ain't a city vs. country thing, it's a degenerate dirtbag thing. peeing me off just thinking about it again!

AMEN!