Clearing Overgrown Land

[Captain Matt]

I wouldn't invest the time in clearing roads until you solve the problems with dumping, poachers, etc. Otherwise you're just making it easier for the bad guys.

Good luck.

[howdy]

I have something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Poulan-Pro-25c ... gKn-_D_BwE

It will cut down large saplings right next to the ground.

[roadkill]

I like the nail in a bag idea and even thought about digging a slit trench that would catch someone's front-end, but the more reasonable side of me thought like others, probably not the best idea if I want to stay out of legal troubles.

Your caution is wise. A landowner owes few duties to a trespasser. One of those few is not to intentionally injure him. Work with law enforcement and don't employ self help.

And good luck on not getting the game camera stolen. Life isn't fair.

A game camera watching the easy to spot game camera helps. Won’t keep it from getting stolen but will provide you with leads on who stole it.

[KLB]

A game camera watching the easy to spot game camera helps. Won’t keep it from getting stolen but will provide you with leads on who stole it.

Good idea. Maybe they make one that is entirely silent and doesn't have any little red lights or the like to tell you that it is on. I have not shopped for one like that.

[KLB]

Someone else mentioned herbicide, which will surely be part of your solution. I have had good luck with Remedy (generic name: Triclopyr 60.45%). It can be as much as $80 a gallon, but you can dilute it substantially with diesel fuel. Add a splash of dishwashing detergent to act as a surfactant--as I understand it, it makes the solution cling to the plant.

You need not spray an entire plant. Spray just around the base, all 360 degrees. Larger brush may take a while, but it will die. I have had very good luck with it. Put that in a battery-powered backpack sprayer, and you'll be able to kill a lot of brush.

[pbwalker]

Someone else mentioned herbicide, which will surely be part of your solution. I have had good luck with Remedy (generic name: Triclopyr 60.45%). It can be as much as $80 a gallon, but you can dilute it substantially with diesel fuel. Add a splash of dishwashing detergent to act as a surfactant--as I understand it, it makes the solution cling to the plant.

You need not spray an entire plant. Spray just around the base, all 360 degrees. Larger brush may take a while, but it will die. I have had very good luck with it. Put that in a battery-powered backpack sprayer, and you'll be able to kill a lot of brush.

+1 on Remedy

[Pawpaw]

A game camera watching the easy to spot game camera helps. Won’t keep it from getting stolen but will provide you with leads on who stole it.

Good idea. Maybe they make one that is entirely silent and doesn't have any little red lights or the like to tell you that it is on. I have not shopped for one like that.

Even if it has lights, a piece of electrical tape will take care of that.

I've never seen any herbicide that works better than Roundup. The best price I've found is Atwoods: http://www.hearing.nihr.ac.uk/public/au ... f-tinnitus

Added to water, that bottle will make 100 gallons. As stated, mix in a little dish soap so more of it stays on the plants.

I use it in a 26 gallon tow-behind sprayer. It has boom arms that will lay down about a 6' swath, or I can use the wand for more controlled applications, like along a fence line.

Your location says "NE Texas". Atwoods has stores in Greenville, Sulfur Springs, and Paris.

[Piney]

If hand chainsawying or brush trimmer/sawing is the choice, I'd strongly suggest spraying the cut stumps with a strong herbicide (not Roundup for example). One's time is also valuable. Having to go back over the same area, like a road/trail, again and again can be worth a little extra $ up front. Once one gets the large brush manageable, then its just mowing-style maintainance.

I use Remedy in a diesel carrier mix (1:4) in a low volume sprayer--almost just dribbling on brush stumps.

TAMU's BrushBuster program web site has some good reading.

[johncanfield]

For a limited budget, putting the saw blade on the trimmer works well. I have an old Stihl trimmer that I put their saw blade on to clear small trees and brush many years ago and it worked very well. Be sure to only use that saw blade with a trimmer that has the handle bars so that you can control it. That blade will go through a small tree like a knife through hot butter and will do the same to your leg if you let it get away from you.

^^ This ^^ It's slow (as in very slow to clear much at a time) and a bunch of work but you're young

[C-dub]

Paint a purple ring around the trees no more than 100 feet apart on the perimeter trees.

Texas PC 30.05
Trespass, section 1, subsection D.

The law requires the following regarding the use of purple paint:

Markings must be:
vertical
at least 8 inches long
at least 1 inch wide
bottom of the mark should be between 3-5 feet above the ground.
Markings can be no more than 100 feet apart in timberland
Markings can be no more than 1,000 feet apart on open land,
They must be in a place visible by those approaching the property.
Trespassing is a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, unless the intruder is
carrying a firearm, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

Why would you recommend painting rings around the trees when the section you quoted clearly says the markings must be vertical?

[The Annoyed Man]

As I said, I don't have the trespass problem you have but I have the place fenced and posted. I personally would not put spike strips down as that sounds like a good way to get sued when someone gets hurt.

Might be a good way to flush them out, they trespassed, and are admitting to it so then, you get them charged with the crime. Then you countersue for all of the trash clean up and property damage.

We have seen what happens when people set up a trap for people committing minor crimes. Doesn't turn out good for the person setting the trap.

It does kind of run against the grain, though, doesn't it? If you put up signs, paint the trees purple, and even put up signs warning of booby traps, you'd think that the responsibility for whatever happens to a trespasser is entirely on them. I guess the law works on the principle that stupid people need to be protected from themselves.

What about putting a trip wire across the trail, and attaching one of those exploding blue-dye packs they use on bank robbers to each end of the trip wire? Nobody gets hurt, but the trespassers AND their vehicle most definitely get identified. It's a win/win/lose situation. Your trespassers get caught, they don't get hurt, and the cops make a collar.

[zmcgooga]

After some research apparently it's legal in Texas to use a "device" to protect your property.

Tex. Pen. Code §§ 9.43 &9.44

[C-dub]

I kinda like the trench idea. It's reminiscent of a moat.

[Captain Matt]

It's not a moat, it's a drainage ditch, and why was them fellers trespassing on posted private property in the first place Sheriff?

[jmorris]

.....
Why would you recommend painting rings around the trees when the section you quoted clearly says the markings must be vertical?

Evidently it's a common misunderstanding. First time I ever saw this after moving to Texas (1996) it was a purple ring around a tree so I guess I just always just blew right past the "vertical" when reading 30.05.