Tresspassers - Do you know these rats?

If there is one thing I can't stand are folks that think they can just walk around and scope out places to hunt on other folks land. These two had to walk past numerous no trespassing signs prior to getting where they are. If anyone can identify these men, I would appreciate a PM. The photos are going to the Tuscaloosa Sheriff's office and with the other photos we have, there is no doubt they will be caught. The land is near Samantha, and that is all I got to say about that.


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My guess is that they are looking for a cemetary. They do not appear to be game poachers to me.

Look like loggers or timber guys to me. This leased or private land?

Guessing this is family land? If leased it could be someone with the timber company. I had lots of pics last year of some guys and it turns out all of them were with the timber company.

Seem awfully comfortable and with Hunter orange. Do you own or lease? Maybe owners reps?

Seems like if they were up to no good and were outlaws they would have stole your cameras. Any chance they have a legit reason to be there? If you own the land then I guess you would know but if it's leased the landowner may have hired them for a survey or something. As a forester, I get a lot of grief from hunters who lease and aren't sure of other activities the landowner may have planned on the property.

Not timber guys, Land is owned, and not currently ready for any harvest. One rat has a pair of chain cutters in back pocket and a gun on his hip.
If they are "Lost" then they need to get a better app on his phone.
I ain't buying the timber company line....

Definitely don't look like they are deer hunting. Agree maybe cruising timber.

Looks like they're working to me. Do you own the land or have you talked to the landowner about it?

Either they did not see the cameras or did not care.

Looking for a cemetary

Man I just don't see those old dudes dressed like that as poachers.

Playing Pokemon?

Landowners was with me when we looked at the pics. He is really surprised. So I would say the Owner did not ask the timber folks to drop by and estimate anything.

If those two are the biggest threat to your deer then you sir have no worries!

"Land is owned". Does that mean you own it or someone else owns it.

See earlier post, Landowner was with me when we looked at pics,

The one in overalls is carrying limb loppers in his left hand. My guess is looking for a cemetary, geocaching or something like that. Still no reason to be walking around on posted land.

They are two old dudes that are into geneology and are looking for an old cemetary.

I sure wouldn't be dressed in plain clothes and blazed orange if I were "slippin"

LOL - now that is entirely possilble

Few years ago was hunting with a buddy on some land he had been leasing and who shows up one day? 2 guys looking for an old cemetery, we promptly showed them where it was located, someone local was wanting to be buried there.

PS: he had put a climber on a tree in the middle of the cemetery.

Got to keep the facemask on when slippin.

Dang right

There is a cemetery about 1.5 miles away. they are way off their geo points if that is the case.

What gives you the right to slip in on other peoples property and poach? Is it just the "rush" or is there something deeper?

No way in heck I do it for a stupid deer. That's for sure.

Are y'all meaning looking for a cemetery as in if y'all see them they will be buried in it? That's how I take it. Lol

No, they are serious. Looking for cemetery, property corner, property line, maybe even one of those cement elevation thingy's. Who knows. The poster feels they will find who it is so they can find out. Won't be able to do anything about it though except tell them not to come back since they obviously not hunting.

Criminal trespass second-degree involves a person who knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon some real property which is fenced or enclosed in such a manner that it is designated to exclude intruders. Criminal trespass second degree can occur when a person trespasses onto private property which is posted with no trespassing signs. From a trespass second-degree is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine and a jail sentence not to exceed 90 days.

I think I'd try to find them and ask questions before going all legal on them. How did the landowner react?

Nearly impossible to prove unless you have them on video going past a posted sign. Figure out who it is and why they were there, then worry about the legal stuff.

he is taking the photos tot he sheriff and asking them to find and prosecute tot he fullest extent allowed.

Sounds like you have it all figured out. All you needed to do was post the picture and see if anyone knew them. All about the photos going to the sheriff dept. wasn't necessary with all that you already know.

10-4. The reaction probly tells the story then. They not supposed to be there. If no to little reaction then the landowner was holding something back from you. They may be scouting for turkey season

They're entering their deer into their Game Check app on your land, so it won't show up on theirs. Lol

I agree with this. I completely understand 100% about not wanting unwanted guests on your property but ready to hit it with full steam and ready to prosecute is a little extreme. They are obviously not hunting (no weapons). Obviously want a hunter to see them (lots of orange). They obviously don't mean any harm here. Ask alot of questions before you make any enemies. Keep in mind you may have the buck of a lifetime that you shot get on the man's property that you and your landowner had prosecuted.

Smart! I do believe that is it. But the bad part is..if Fish and game are gonna use gps to find the location..theyll be checking for BAIT.

Uh..oh. Whats that big wood thing with the roof?...and all that yella stuff piled up where it fell out in that Dirt..I mean Food plot?

I hope there is more to the story then what we know, if not the reaction seems a bit over the top. You don't even know why they're there and you're ready to prosecute to the fullest?? They are on there phone in the pics like they're looking for something. They may have been lost or maybe they are up to no good. I understand either way that they are trespassing but to have such an attitude towards others when they don't seem to have actually caused any trouble is strange to me.

I'm sure the Sherriff will drop everything and put out an all points bulletin to find these two desperados.

Yea might be technically trespassing but these are not deer hunters or people scouting your place to hunt. I would let it be.

I'm sorry guys, but if the landowner says the have no right to be on the property and they walked by several posted signs to get where they are going, then they are trespassing. It doesn't matter if they aren't hunting, shooting, or just piddling. They didn't have permission from the landowner and that's enough for me. I'd call the sheriffs office also and file a report ..

You can not deny anybody access to a cemetary............

And one or two burial plots make a cemetary, regardless if the graves are marked or not.

With all that orange on they werent trying to sneak around

Where is the land located in Tuscaloosa. I'll be glad to come by and do some investigating.

and you don't have to give em 24/7/365 free access either. and they still have to get permission from the surrounding landowner.

Pfffttttttt

I never said I poached, where did you say this place is?

OP, is this your first year hunting at this place?

I've probably had my pic taken a couple thousand times by game cams. I wonder if everybody that has me on camera gets their panties in a wad like this? Not taking sides - don't know what those guys are doing exactly - just makes me wonder if everybody reacts this way.

Lots of foresters in the woods in AL every day. And yes, we know where your corn piles are!!

Them ol boys ain't slippin with all that orange.They were looking for something.They could be good guys,I wouldn't jump on them too hard.

I've been gone from Tuscaloosa for a few years, but I worked in the county courthouse for twenty-five years. They look familiar. Not courthouse employees, but folks i might have seen there. If you're going to the Sheriff's office, swing by the Appraisers office too.

I've been gone from Tuscaloosa for a few years, but I worked in the county courthouse for twenty-five years. They look familiar. Not courthouse employees, but folks i might have seen there. If you're going to the Sheriff's office, swing by the Appraisers office too.

Might be a land sale in the future.........

Heir property?

Could be surveyors trying to find a corner.

Thanks for all the comments. This forum is always a place to get multiple sides and ideas. Will keep them in mind as we go forward. I hope for the best.

I find it interesting that two older gentlemen who don't necessarily look like poachers seem to get lots of possible explanations for their unauthorized presence on someone else's land but a Baldwin County Bubba with a beer can in his hand and girlfriend in tow, who also do not necessarily look like poachers get branded as trespassing scum.

Just sayin'.

One reason is, the two guys in question here appear to be working and professional.
The others are drinking beer and piddlin.

J/S

yep hog wild..them dang beer drinking piddlers are the worst!

Wonder why they have pliers in their pocket and bolt cutters under their arm?

I'm guessing they are looking to remove a treestand.

They could've worked on a fence and been looking for livestock that got out.

That's Perjerker and Daniel White I'm sure they are looking for a donkey that has gotten loose. You don't have to worry bout them they just piddlin around the sanctuary.

Those are actually GW''s.
Some of the new Biologists-type......
I hope there are no stands near that feeder.

Imo, professionalism would require them to gain permission from the owner before entering.

My first thought is does the landowner have any utility easements on the property. Maybe a gas line, power line, or cell tower. A lot of time these landowners forget they have given access through a gate on the back 40 to access these things. I know I am on numerous game cameras doing work for utility companies, and if I know I am on a heavily hunted property during deer season then I will wear orange.

Very possibly this and if they need to get in, they will cut a lock.

I'd show you what a poacher looks like but they steal my cameras or take my SD card and smash it with a rock....


Never got a picture of one with an orange vest on and no weapon.

Pretty sure they got bolt cutters on them though.

The problem is, you are ASSUMING that they do not have permission.
It is blatantly obvious from their actions and appearance that they are not hiding and do not care who sees their pictures.

I am sure the sheriff is going to put out an APB and a BOLO for these guys over a class C misdeamenor. They can't even arrest them on that charge unless the land owner signs a warrant with the magistrate. Even then, they are not going to look for them.

Actually, no, I am not assuming anything. I am taking the op's word for it since it's his thread and he claims to have been there with the owner who not only did not know who they were but also requested the sheriff prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law if caught.

Btw, I agree, they do not look like what I think poachers might look like but that is not my point. Even if they are there on legitimate, lawful, business, I think it is very UNPROFESSIONAL to not contact the owner beforehand to let them know when and why they intend to be there. That is my opinion on the matter and I do not think it is at all unreasonable.

There are multiple instances where that is not required, or considered as general practice.
And, never assume that A landowner is THE ONLY landowner. Or, that there may be legal easements that they have 'forgotten'.

Is there a building on the property? The tax assessor must have the right to go check out buildings on a property; they have sent me bills that included taxes on buildings and I never knew they had been on the place.

They don't like any sort of LEO. Who else would have the right to be on your property without any sort of permission?

My uncle got a big settlement from an oil company that ran tests on his land without permission. Timber buyers have been known to look over a place without asking and then try to buy the timber. These guys don't look like hunters, but unless they are working for govt in some capacity they very well could be up to no good.

I'm betting timber cruising not hunters

He got lucky. Minerals is the dominate estate in Alabama. They have to pay for crop and timber damage but typically nothing more. Testing is a grey area. Most companies offer a token to appease the landowner and receive indemnification.

I think it is just two old codgers out piddlin. They might have had hunting permission on the land at some point in time, but forgot they lost it. Timber cruisers don't carry around fence pliers and bolt cutters.

I don't know how ya'll can tell that is bolt cutters. With the leather gloves, wire cutters, ask any cattleman and he would say that is a crimping tool for fence repair. I use a pair with handles just like that.

Probably gonna fence in that cemetery, when they find it.

might be treasure hunters. there is rumored to be a fortune from around the civil war buried in that general area.

They don't look like timber men. Like someone else said, County workers. They have that look.

Mighta been a leprechaun who got holda the wrong stuff

Like someone else said, utility workers that need access to land carry bolt cutters and will use them in a heartbeat. That is the purpose of having double locks on your gates. One is yours, the other is the power companies. Remove theirs and they will remove yours for you.

My thought the whole time has been guys looking for escaped cattle and fixing fences.
Not sure about the Law now.....But, it used to be legal for them to pursue and retrieve cattle from almost anywhere.

Can you educate me on what "dominate estate" means? My uncle owns the mineral rights to the property. He knew an oil company was testing in the area, but they never contacted him. They did contact some of his neighbors and paid them for something - I'm not sure if they actually leased their land or just paid to test it.

So they had permission to be on his neighbors land. From there, they accessed the back side of his property. He took pictures of their trucks and equipment set up on his land with a string of flagging across it for some reason. At any rate, they found out what was on his land without asking. Didn't really do any damage.

When he confronted the company, they claimed to be confused about the property line and offered a token settlement. He took it to court before a jury in Baldwin co and won a significant settlement. He never told me the amount, but I'm pretty sure it was 6 figures.

He never bought their claim about not knowing the property line. He thought they just wanted to test his land and not pay him. I guess the jury agreed. So was this unusual? I was kinda surprised he ever got anything. It dragged on for years.

In that case it isn't totally unusual. I was speaking in the context that the mineral ownership was severed from the surface, which is the case most of the time. Him being the owner of both put him in a very good position for compensation.

Most mineral owners however welcome the testing. It is really the only way they can ever get to market. Typically, it is the surface owner that doesn't have mineral ownership is hesitant about the testing.

They're looking for lost cows or sign of them around that feeder more than likely.

Thanks! I understand about the mineral rights belonging to someone else. I have mineral rights on most of the land at the farm, but on one tract I bought the seller retained half. It wasn't a deal breaker because it's likely worthless anyway.

I do not own mineral rights on the land where I live. Almost nobody in my area does. Some company bought the mineral rights for the whole area decades ago. I certainly wouldn't willingly assist them if they wanted to look for something. I'd hate to have an oil well in my yard, but there wouldn't be a thing I could do about it. My uncle was in a much different situation. The thing is, he wanted to let the company test his land and I'm sure he would have let them do it for a token payment. Poor business on their part to try to strong arm instead.

Updates?

He got a ticket for hunting over that feeder>>>>>>>>:)

I think IM going with this too. They look like Farmers to me.

That or under cover fish and game guys dressing as farmers on feeder locating duty. Looks like the one guy PINNED that one with his cell phone. LOL.

Be careful around there...the next ones will be dressed in solid green...

Curious how much time these two got locked up for since y'all were going after them so hard with all the answers?

I HUNT a olderman,s land that has a 3 powerline right aways.The powercompany has rights to cut the right aways without any permission given.I have hunted a couple of clubs with traintracks that workers work on several different factors could be and ppwer companys will cut locks and replace it with a 2 way lock pin were you have a lock and they have a lock ,many factors to consider. Its not illegal to carry a pistol. IF they were ppoacher you would be missing stands and camera,s.

I can't tell if they are piddlin or slippin

if they are off the right of way , they have to have permission to be there . they cant be just roaming around or just cutting through your land to cut right of ways .

been there there done this with alabama power for tearing up fences and letting cows out .

we used to let them come across out land to cut about two mile of right of way in between to biggggg gulleys . when they came through the last time they just ran over a new 5 strand barb wire fence and just left it .

daddy hunted them down told them next time they cut they'd have to bring bulldozers in because they were not coming back across him again . and that's what they did . lol

Your right about alabama power not careing.the older man that I watch his land for, has a historical landmark on his property ,he owns a beaver pond were chesnut creek first begins.alabama power cut his rightaways and busted some main waterstreams that fed his pond ,resulting in his pond going dry.he said it was over150 years old.they also busted through his 5 strand fence and left it laying. But alabama power gonna do whatever they want to.

call and raise hell, they will fix it.

they crushed a metal pipe on my place driving those huge trucks over it, I called and had it replaced within a few days.

subcontractors trimming limbs left a hell of a mess on my place two years ago, I had em out there the next day cleaning it all up.

Call the highest up person with AP you can find and let it roll downhill.

looks like two old queers gwtting ready to burn the bearings out in all your stands

Ya'll think Ala power is bad. Wait till the rail road comes thru.

We had a railroad run though our lease in Monroe Co. The train would slow or stop sometimes on our property. One day a member who was hunting close to the railroad stepped out just in time to see a guy on the train step off the stopped train and shoot into the woods. He saw him and got back on the train as it was pulling away. The member went over to where he shot and found a dead hen turkey. A couple of us want to call a LEO but our president said no so we dropped it. I should have gone ahead and had the guy busted.

We havent had that but they will and have cut a lock, chain, or even torch a gate off to get back where they think they need to go.
Have a friend who works for the RR and basically they unofficially tell them to do whatever they need to do to get there and not worry about the consequences.

Ala power is subbing out a lot of stuff to contractors. They seem to be the ones who dont care. The big transmission line folks have always been very helpful. We had a problem with people dumping on a ROW of theirs. The rep came out and looked and they installed a gate and a fence the width of the ROW. The group over the small lines for distribution thru neighborhoods and such are absolutely zero help and not worth talking too.

you should of called the railroad, they take a very dim view of such doings. Guy would of lost his job and I'd bet money that wasn't the first time he did it.

We have a Alabama Power line that runs through our place. Up until about 15 years ago we allowed them to use our gates to access their ROW, but one time they came in right after a big rain and ruined about a 1.25 miles of roads. We dont allow any vehicle traffic (ATV-UTV only) on roads when they are wet to keep them in good situation. (if you are familiar with the ground in Sumter county you know what I mean).

We installed gates where the ROW meets the county road and got power company locks for them. We then told power company they had access to their ROW from the road when it starts all they way through, but under no circumstance were they to leave the ROW and travel any distance on our property with our written approval. The problem is there are 4 big gullies on their ROW. When we allowed them to use out roads they would cut a section up to where a gully was then use our roads to get to the next spot and so on. So they had to build 2 bridges across the gullys so they could have access.

They have a legal right to be on the ROW, but that right ends where the ROW ends. After several years (and I calmed down) I started cutting the ROW 3-4 times a year so they dont even come in it anymore.

That would not be correct. They, by law, have the right to come on your property and cut what they deem are "danger" trees. I have seen this carried to court and the landowner lose badly. Its why they spend so much money on lobbiest, to cover their butts.

Well, what happened?

What turned out to be the facts of this situation???

(I didn't see any reference to a conclusion)(may have missed it).

That's what I was asking also. He had everything figured out but their names.

Actually my attorney included in the letter we sent them that they were free to cut any trees or limbs that were on (or over hung) their ROW. However they are not able to cut anything that is not on the ROW. The ROW gives them access to certain areas not the entire property. If a larger (wider) ROW is needed then they will need to got through the legal proper channels to get one.

Does anyone know, Kelly_123, that can get him on here for a follow up?

He hasn't posted in 6 months so those guys might have been meaner/tougher than he was

He was last on line 4-30-2017.

don't get confused. If you lease for hunting rights from a land owner, he has right to go or send other folks on land but they cant hunt it.

They may have filled that hole that they dug.

Moonshine. Bud growin. Lookin for snakes.....to grab on at the church house. Or a future dead body dumping spot. Bout all i can figure. They up to somethin.

Moonshine. Bud growin. Lookin for snakes.....to grab on at the church house. Or a future dead body dumping spot. Bout all i can figure. They up to somethin. Or cookin meth. Or queers lookin for a queer spot.

Well to satisfy all the curious, nothing ever came of it and we do not have any more pictures of these guys wandering around.
Thanks for all the comments and I do wish I had a better story to tell about the ending..

That is very disappointing. You are giving up way too easy. Run pictures in local paper. Post pictures around town. These rats need to be prosecuted. Don't be fooled by no more pictures. They are there. Old and smart. Stick with it.

Post them at Crossroads convenience store or Lawrence lumber. You might find out then.