It pays to have permission

[peterc38]

Yesterday after work, I was cutting on a red oak score. The property the tree was on is part of a large estate. I had permission to be there cutting. The tree came down in a storm probably about a year ago. I was eyeballing it for a while before asking permission.

I was almost done cutting when the cops came. One of the nosy yuppie neighbors had called and said "He's cutting down trees and I don't want him doing that". Mind you the massive rootball is almost completely uprooted but they said I was cutting down trees. I guess they would prefer the tree sit there and rot.

Anyway, anticipating this scenario when I got permission, I had the guy send me an e-mail stating I had permission which I kept on me and was able to show the cop which obviously completely diffused the situation.

Morale of the story, it was good I had permission and also had it in writing to show the cop.

 

[Ductape]

Good thinking ahead. I'm surprised that same scenario hasn't happened to me yet. I always do my best to have the cell phone number of the property owner with me whenever possible.

 

[Circle B MN]

Permission is a good thing. Nosy neighbors a bad thing.

 

[Racerboy832]

I own a few acres next to the state forest. I noticed a huge oak tree fell towards my property. I told a buddy about it. He was up there cutting and a state trooper showed up. Someone complained about cutting on state land. Well the trooper was all pissed off and about to read him the riot act. He said I have to call in the State Econ officers. They show up. The guy points to a yellow ring on one tree and then to another. He says to the trooper now imagine a line between them. You should be able to tell this tree is not on state land. They let my buddy go back to work but he was still scared. The funny part is I noticed one of the state marker dots was on the tree but it fell onto my land. I saw the econ Officer later that night, he said if we wanted to be a meany about it (mean me) and it was a state tree that fell onto my land I could complain and the state has to send a crew up into the woods to take it off my property.

 

[sbhooper]

Thinking ahead and having the permission in writing was a real heads-up thing to do. One more granola muncher stopped in his tracks!

 

[olyman]

dont just love the puke hippy types--which are mostly granola crunching leftists--and hate anything that is right for the enviroment---they only see thru extremely dark glasses---twits--but if youd turn them in for actually doing something wrong--welll--buddy,,thats a diff story!!!!!

 

[Butch(OH)]

Let me get this straight. The tree was on private ground right? I would have kindly asked the cop for his badge number and supervisors name and number before I asked him to leave private property. Even if I had a suitcase full of :censored::censored:ing permission slips

The only thing worse than yuppie neighbors who think they control everything they can see out thier windows is law enforcement who think they are gestapo storm troopers. He had no right to be on that property to ask about a stupid tree, or even ask what you were doing, let alone ask for a permission slip,,,,, at least out here in the wild wild west of Ohio.

Can you tell my BP is up?

 

[HittinSteel]

Cop approaches, I shut the saw down.
"Got some complaints of you cutting"
"I have the permission of the landowner.....track them down and ask them yourself if you don't believe me"
Restart saw and continue cutting.

 

[Baldman]

I kind of like the idea that maybe the nosey neighbor was trying to help protect or look out for my property...

 

[blsnelling]

Lowesy tree huggers

 

[Benning]

I kind of like the idea that maybe the nosey neighbor was trying to help protect or look out for my property...

:agree2:

 

[fffrosty72]

maybe they should have called their neighbor that they care about so much and ask them if they know whats going on before 911. I doubt that they even know their neighbors name.

 

[Oldtimer]

I was cutting a parcel in my home town, and put my landing where the old one was; within 10' of a nice 2 acre private pond on the property...so the trouble maker townsfolk called the Selectmen.
The head of the selectmen came right down, chest puffed out, saying he had complaints about me being so close to the water.
I told him I had no other choice but to put the wood right where it was put the last time (when no one gave a damn.)..
He says "I don't care, I am going to call the town forester and have him investigate!"
I said "Fine, send him over. He's a good friend of mine, and I haven't seen him in a long while."
The selectman left and I never heard another peep from anyone..

 

[treeman82]

A number of years ago one of my clients had given permission to take some slate off of their property, because they were doing a major renovation, and the slate was not a part of the plan. One of my friends needed it for his own house, so we went over one afternoon to pick it up. Well low and behold the neighbor had called the police, who showed up in force. We gave them our licenses, and I gave them a rundown on the situation. Turns out there had been a rash of burglaries at the time, so they were just doing their jobs. I knew the neighbors, and I knew the homeowner, so the cops left after a little while.

 

[johncinco]

maybe they should have called their neighbor that they care about so much and ask them if they know whats going on before 911. I doubt that they even know their neighbors name.

In todays age? Nobody even knows who their neighbors are. I would hope my neighbors would call me if they saw someone cutting on any of my properties. Hate to shop up one day and find a clearcut. What would you do if you saw someone cutting wood on a place you have never seen anyone on before, next to your place? I'd investigate for sure at least.

110 acre parcel out aways behind my house. A couple years ago I heard saws running and rode the quad out to take a look. 3 log trucks backed in, loading up, skidders running. I watched a few minutes and then headed out. I talked with the owners about 6 months later and asked how their logging operation went, and he told me thieves had come in and logged it off. He was waiting 10 years between cuts to get nice trees, and someone just came in and cut all the best timber down. I kinda felt bad for not asking sooner, but I figured it was him again. Never caught anyone.

 

[deerlakejens]

I have relatives who farm in SW WI and they lost several valuable walnut trees when they were out of town. A few neighbors heard the saws but didn't think to investigate or question it. It's not always a bad thing when someone questions what's going on.

 

[Curlycherry1]

I signed a firewood contract with some nice old ladies that owned about 150 acres of woods that was marked for culls by a forester. I got a nice tight contract that I had been using for years and so I figure I am safe as can be.

I get there one day with two helpers and we unload the tractor and get going and we are making great progress. Two weeks of great progress dropping, skidding and blocking firewood. Then one day the cops show up with some other car in tow. Turns out the ladies did not have permission to be taking anything off the land as there was a judgement against them. I showed the cops and lawyer a copy of the contract and they said the women had no right to sign away the firewood and they knew it.

Cops told me I was SOL and that I had to pack up and leave. We probaby had ~100 face cords of wood on ground ready to haul the blocks home for splitting.

Karma sucks though because they apparently pulled this on other land that they said they owned. They heated an ancient home with wood and one day the chimney caught on fire and the house burned to the ground. Rumor has it the local fire department had even been scammed by them and so the FD was not working too darn hard to put the fire out when it was -10 degrees. Apparently fire departments have a hard time with it is too cold.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I would hope my neighbors would call me if they saw someone cutting on any of my properties.

People report me to my neighbor when I'm cutting...he replies, "Yeah, it's the guy who owns it."

It's land that fronts a different road then my house.

As for written permission...

Private Land hunting permits in Connecticut you need both the permit and a photocopy of the plot from the town hall. I can't remember if you keep it with you or mail it in with the application. If I applied for a owner-occupied private land deer permit (free), I have to send in the page & plot # number with the form so they can double check I own more then 10 acres.

Wouldn't be surprised in the future for folks cutting on other people's property if you're required to carry written permission & property map. Most cops wouldn't have the first clue whose land is whose, at the map gives them half a chance.

 

[peterc38]

I kind of like the idea that maybe the nosey neighbor was trying to help protect or look out for my property...

I take your point but in my original post please note they said "He is cutting down trees". They should at least get the facts straight if they are going to call the cops. The tree had been on the ground for about a year with a massive rootball unearthed/exposed. I was only cutting what was laying on the ground.

 

[jnl502]

Cop approaches, I shut the saw down.
"Got some complaints of you cutting"
"I have the permission of the landowner.....track them down and ask them yourself if you don't believe me"
Restart saw and continue cutting.

and then 3 warning shots to the back......