Property Defense in West TX Question

[YWHIC]

I have property over in Jeff Davis County... and I plan on having a 16 x 16 building Weekender Rancher (by homedepot) put upon it for a vacation retreat.. (see picture of design).. this will be about 60 yards from the road and in plain view from the road.

Its on a paved (of sorts) road about 6 miles from US90.. and just off of FM2017 (about 3 miles).. it is 14 miles from the Rio Grande and my surveyor reported NO ACTIVITY when he was doing the survey and also noted there is border patrol presence out that way.. keep in mind this is 153 miles south from El Paso, where there is constant border problems..

I am not planning on leaving ANYTHING in it..when i am not actively there.. maybe BOLTING a woodstove in it..

I plan on covering the windows with wood and such as to prevent entry without some force on the intruders part..

I also plan on putting up a stringer type of fence and NO TRESSPASSING SIGNS in both English and Spanish..

The Question:

If I were to fly out (for my vacation) and drive out to it, and have a TX (or in my case my PA CCP).. and find someone on my property, in the building, or in general tresspassing can I legally defend MY PROPERTY??

Want a little clarification...

[RPBrown]

It is yours and under your control. You have the right to defend it.

[speedsix]

...the law is the law...it says that you can under clearly laid out conditions...defend your property...you have to choose whether or not that shack(which you may find being carried on 4 shoulders as you drive up someday) is worth a human life...

[Westfield]

Oh yea, no trespassing signs, not only in English, but in Spanish to . Wow, that will work on property in the middle of no where.

[flintknapper]

"YWHIC" wrote:

The Question:

If I were to fly out (for my vacation) and drive out to it, and have a TX (or in my case my PA CCP).. and find someone on my property, in the building, or in general tresspassing can I legally defend MY PROPERTY??

Yes, but make sure you KNOW what "legally" means...under a variety of circumstances.

[Scott Murray]

My brother-in-law used to keep a travel trailer on his hunting lease in West Texas. Illegals broke a window to get entry. It must have been a regular stop on their route. Unless you're able to do a real good job with your physical security, I'd suggest you just leave the door unlocked. It will avoid the damage they'd do breaking in. And it doesn't sound like there'd be anything for them to steal.

If you see signs of them as you approach the cabin, don't attack. Back off and call the sheriff or the border patrol. Some of them might be armed and dangerous. And the property defense could be problematic. What exactly were they stealing? You don't want the legal hassle.

Now if you're in the cabin, and they try to break in, the fight's on.


Scott

[PappaGun]

My brother-in-law used to keep a travel trailer on his hunting lease in West Texas. Illegals broke a window to get entry. It must have been a regular stop on their route. Unless you're able to do a real good job with your physical security, I'd suggest you just leave the door unlocked. It will avoid the damage they'd do breaking in. And it doesn't sound like there'd be anything for them to steal.

If you see signs of them as you approach the cabin, don't attack. Back off and call the sheriff or the border patrol. Some of them might be armed and dangerous. And the property defense could be problematic. What exactly were they stealing? You don't want the legal hassle.

Now if you're in the cabin, and they try to break in, the fight's on.


Scott

If they are armed and dangerous, the property defense would not be problematic.

But I agree that if you pull up and notice anything amiss, to first call the authorities.

[lonewolf]

IMHO, pulling up and seeing activitiy/signs of occupation require law enforcement intervention. No sense in backing into a buzzsaw. Bolting a stove down will make it even more inviting as a stopover point. Perhaps flying an American Flag while you are there will let them now the place is occupied and they should avoid it.....of course that doesn't work well with the country as a whole, does it? Perhaps a sign that flashes "Occupado" or something.....just trying to help...

Sounds like a nice peaceful getaway for the most part, wish I had something like it tucked away somewhere. Try to get to know the local Border Patrol agents and the local law enforcement as well.

[YWHIC]

IMHO, pulling up and seeing activitiy/signs of occupation require law enforcement intervention. No sense in backing into a buzzsaw. Bolting a stove down will make it even more inviting as a stopover point. Perhaps flying an American Flag while you are there will let them now the place is occupied and they should avoid it.....of course that doesn't work well with the country as a whole, does it? Perhaps a sign that flashes "Occupado" or something.....just trying to help...

Sounds like a nice peaceful getaway for the most part, wish I had something like it tucked away somewhere. Try to get to know the local Border Patrol agents and the local law enforcement as well.

I got the local BP hub and Sheriff on my cell already..

I figured also a fresh fence and LOTS of new NO TRESSPASS signs may also act as a deterrent..

I located some mountable Solar Spot Lights I may mount up.. high on the local telephone poles near the road also.. they are motion activated and self-sufficient not sure if I am going to mount any on the structure??.. still alot of questions.. I may also dig a shallow trench and lay some barb wire in it.. just beyond same new low fence..

try to leave only 1 easy way in/out may be a good idea also..

[PappaGun]

IMHO, pulling up and seeing activitiy/signs of occupation require law enforcement intervention. No sense in backing into a buzzsaw. Bolting a stove down will make it even more inviting as a stopover point. Perhaps flying an American Flag while you are there will let them now the place is occupied and they should avoid it.....of course that doesn't work well with the country as a whole, does it? Perhaps a sign that flashes "Occupado" or something.....just trying to help...

Sounds like a nice peaceful getaway for the most part, wish I had something like it tucked away somewhere. Try to get to know the local Border Patrol agents and the local law enforcement as well.

I got the local BP hub and Sheriff on my cell already..

I figured also a fresh fence and LOTS of new NO TRESSPASS signs may also act as a deterrent..

I located some mountable Solar Spot Lights I may mount up.. high on the local telephone poles near the road also.. they are motion activated and self-sufficient not sure if I am going to mount any on the structure??.. still alot of questions.. I may also dig a shallow trench and lay some barb wire in it.. just beyond same new low fence..

try to leave only 1 easy way in/out may be a good idea also..

Before mounting anything to a phone pole, check with who ever owns the pole.
If it's owned by a phone co.
they may not allow you to mount anything to their pole.
You might show up some day to find all your stuff gone.

[YWHIC]

Before mounting anything to a phone pole, check with who ever owns the pole.
If it's owned by a phone co.
they may not allow you to mount anything to their pole.

was tossing ideas out there.. not planning on agravating the electric company anytime soon.. I may need them..

[WildBill]

In addition to leaving the door unlocked, I would suggest setting up a cot, and keeping a case or two of bottled water, a can opener and a few cans of food. I would also put a plaque on the wall that says "Home Sweet Home". That way your building is a "habitation."

[Sidro]

You might want to forget the woodstove idea. Any type of structure in that area will be used by people passing through. If they use it for cooking or heat and have to run for it, they just might leave a fire going with the result of it dropping hot embers out and destroying your property.

I have friends in that part of the country that have a remote line camp on a ranch. Always locked and windows boarded up. Stocked with food and water until the last few years when traffic from across the border started breaking in and using it as a way station. Nothing but problems from that time on.

Preventive measures by you to keep anyone out will most likely antagonize certain people with the likely result of your property being destroyed. Not trying to dissuade you in any way about your property, just passing on information related to me by friends in that part of the country.

[gemini]

[quote="Scott Murray"]........... Illegals broke a window to get entry. It must have been a regular stop on their route. Unless you're able to do a real good job with your physical security, I'd suggest you just leave the door unlocked. It will avoid the damage they'd do breaking in. And it doesn't sound like there'd be anything for them to steal.........

Good advice. The last few years I've been hunting in S. Tx. Illegals walk through the lease on a regular basis. The remote ranch hand shacks are left unlocked
to prevent damage from the illegals breaking in. Illegals are looking for temporary shelter and water (they leave a lot of trash and old clothes
on the ground). Usually they will try to avoid you, but it's certainly smart to be on alert.

Edit: What Sidro said.... beat me to it....

[WildBill]

I checked out the website for the Weekender Rancher. Pretty nice.

This is getting OT for property defense, but I am thinking that a wood stove is not a good idea. Not just for safety reasons, but in such a small building, I would think that firing up a wood stove would make it unbearably hot. Probably a propane stove would be a better idea for cooking and a kerosene heater for warmth.