Watching the watchers! Gonna have some fun!

[Desertdog]

Arm yourself real good, have a friend, or two along, dash mounted camera, plus one facing behind. and go for a drive and see what is down there.

[Declaration Day]

Arm yoursel real good, have a friend, or two along, dash maounted camera, plus one facing behinds. and go for a drive and see what is down there.

Buy a set of night vision goggles and a set of these:  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/455824-REG/US_NightVision_000137_HMMWV_Blackout_Infrared_Headlight.html

I've been meaning to do this for quite some time with my ATV, but preferably cheaper.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Optics reflecting and giving away your position is one of the first things a person out there should learn.  Maybe a hint that they're not pro at whatever they're trying to do.

Not that I'd underestimate anyone.

Exactly my thought on that issue.  I don't believe it is a "professional" although I have run across some highly UN-professional folks in my time.  Last year we had some dogs running loose in the area, but I discouraged them from being on our property and haven't seen them since.  When we came out 3 months ago to stay awhile we had a path across the lower corner of the property from some four footed animal, too large to be coyote and not a cat, so apparently a canine of some description.  The neighbors around the mesa used to have a wolf mix, but we haven't seen or heard it in about 6 months or so.

As to what I intend to do with any information I gather is hugely premature at this point.  The fact that we have a place off the grid does not mean old west shoot outs, or vigilantism.  When I have gathered whatever information I can, I will sit down and analyze it and then make a decision.  Some of what has been offered for advice is useful.  And some borders on ridiculous.  I will let you folks know how it plays out.  I wish I still had horses at this point simply because they are far better "watch dogs" that dogs are.

With the number of new or nearly new vehicles we are getting, and the speed they are driving, I wonder what's "cooking" in the neighborhood.  I think I will start recording some plate numbers for future reference.  Until something happens,  duh, that's all folks.

[kgbsquirrel]

I wish I still had horses at this point simply because they are far better "watch dogs" that dogs are.

Huh, really? Could you explain this for the uninitiated please (I haven't had the opportunity to ride or even be around horses since I was like 8.).

Edit to remove unintentional smiley.

[Balog]

Horses are very alert and quick to let you know when something is hinky.

[never_retreat]

So I'm guessing you don't get enough rain to keep a moat full and gators hungry?

This definitely requires more recon. If they are of the very unsavory type you might only be an glitch in there plan.
If they think your house was empty/abandon they might be thinking about using it for a meth lab or grow house.
Whats better than a grow house? One that they don't have to buy.
And being in the middle of nowhere is even better for their plans.

The times of day you are seeing it is quite odd also. Sounds like lunch break and after work for the looker.
The average criminal usually won't keep to a schedule like that.

[RaspberrySurprise]

They know your watching and have radioed the black helicopters  . 

 Seriously tho I hope it's nothing serious and you can deal with it properly......good luck.
  Keep us posted as too what you find and how things go.

They're not black.... they're dark green.

[Balog]

That's Rev's line.

[Mabs2]

Edit to remove unintentional smiley.

8)

[Grandpa Shooter]

Horses are very alert and quick to let you know when something is hinky.

Balog is correct.  Horses quickly become possessive of their territory and are alert to what "is not right" with their surroundings.  A person who bonds with their animals, which includes horses, and pays attention to the animals, learns to pay attention too.  Back when I had 40 acres and had horses, we also had a pair of nesting Ravens.  Anytime something was amiss they would fly over the house and yell at me.  I quickly learned they were telling me something I needed to know.  My wife at the time had a little PIA Pomeranian that would get out of the acre fenced around the house and the ravens would let me know where he was.  I considered not going and getting him, but it is not my nature to deliberately let harm come to any animal.

I have been doing some building on the property and it could be someone checking out what I have, but we have been away for months in the past and nothing has been disturbed.  A guy came up my driveway from the dirt road 2 days ago supposedly looking for the folks around the mesa from us, and looked like I was thinking of doing him harm when I turned quickly.  I had the generator running and so did not hear his car.  That is the first time anyone has done that.  I will be putting a gate in ASAP.

I am hoping that nothing is going on, but will do some checking around.  The valley we are in connects to a couple more south and west of us, and I think there is a dirt road which heads off in a southeasterly direction, but usually the gate is closed and inaccessible.  I have not done a lot of exploring of the roads other than by satellite mapping and they are not updated maps.  It may be that folks are developing homesites further back in than we are and I just don't know it yet.  I will soon.

[jdoc]

They're not black.... they're dark green.

 My My aren't we a picky one  .

[sanglant]

GS, if your computer can run it. http://earth.google.com/ is updated pretty regular. it really has an effect when i load up somebody's home for the first time. most people have no idea how close in a satellite can get. i have seen my cay sitting at stores on it before.

[KD5NRH]

I've been meaning to do this for quite some time with my ATV, but preferably cheaper.

Any set of homemade LED headlight plans, and a Google Shopping search for IR LEDs should get you set up.
Try a few of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14061

Balog is correct.  Horses quickly become possessive of their territory and are alert to what "is not right" with their surroundings.  A person who bonds with their animals, which includes horses, and pays attention to the animals, learns to pay attention too.  Back when I had 40 acres and had horses, we also had a pair of nesting Ravens.  Anytime something was amiss they would fly over the house and yell at me.  I quickly learned they were telling me something I needed to know.

All of them, or just the ravens?  When the horses are flying over the house, you don't want to know why.

[AJ Dual]

I predict that in about 3-4 days, Grandpa Shooter is going to scare the ever-loving hell out of some poor bird watcher... 

Or get in a shoot out with some meth cookers looking for a remote place to set up a lab. 

[Desertdog]

Geese make a lot of noise if somethig/someone comes around, have rich, big, eggs, will eat the grass, but not leafy plants, and ferlize the area at the same time.

[MillCreek]

I predict that in about 3-4 days, Grandpa Shooter is going to scare the ever-loving hell out of some poor bird watcher... 

Or get in a shoot out with some meth cookers looking for a remote place to set up a lab. 

I also wondered about the bird-watchers or the landscape photographers.  I have done a lot of landscape photography, especially early in the morning when the light is just right.  The sunrise shots are always going to have glints off the lens. 

[Bogie]

Coupla-three things...
 
Camo is good. Blend in. Don't be seen. Can be hard if they have dogs, or you have dogs with you. Distance makes this easier, along with a change in elevation - people don't look up or down a lot.
 
Patience is better. Don't move until you know what you're facing, and ALL of what you're facing.
 
Commo is best. If you have problems with nasties, you'll want backup on the way. Preferably BEFORE the problems commence.
 

[Tallpine]

I have been doing some building on the property and it could be someone checking out what I have

County tax assessor...? 

[230RN]

^ We think alike.  I was also thinking building and zoning to check on building permits.

Probably nuthin'.  Possibly somethin'.

Glad you're preparing for the possibly part.

[Hawkmoon]

... I am gonna play spook and see what I can discover about the watcher, and the dogs upset about what ever is up on the mesa.  It will be just me and the dogs, so setting up a watch station that will cover both points of interest should be easy.  I have had my eye on a couple of good watch stations for awhile now, so I will develop them and see what is to be seen.  I brought my spotting scope over from the cabin so I should be able to see quite well.

I don't like things that go bump in the night, or being followed or watched, so it should be a fun week!

I trust it goes without saying that you'll be armed out there.

Do you have a digital (or film) camera with a good telescopic lens? Depending on who you see out there and what they're doing, some photographic documentation might be invaluable. Digital pics, of course, can always be cleaned up electronically, so any digital with optical and electronic zoom capabilities would be infinitely better than just the spotting scope.

[BlueStarLizzard]

i would get a mule or a llama before i got a horse for an alert system... or maybe i've just been around too many thouroughbreds... 

Optics reflecting and giving away your position is one of the first things a person out there should learn.  Maybe a hint that they're not pro at whatever they're trying to do.

Not that I'd underestimate anyone.

ever thought of just waving and using a bullhorn to shout "HOWDY NAIGHBOR!".

 

[Harold Tuttle]

I see what you did there

[gunsmith]

All of them, or just the ravens?  When the horses are flying over the house, you don't want to know why.

I had a dream once, I was back in Ireland and was with a group of folks in Cork & we were watching horses with wings fly around.
We thought it was really cool but then it became obvious that its not a good idea to stand around when horses are flying, if you think birds are dangerous to car windows....

[Tallpine]

I had a dream once, I was back in Ireland and was with a group of folks in Cork & we were watching horses with wings fly around.

Yeah, and I bet you pulled the cork too 

[freakazoid]

I had a dream once, I was back in Ireland and was with a group of folks in Cork & we were watching horses with wings fly around.
We thought it was really cool but then it became obvious that its not a good idea to stand around when horses are flying, if you think birds are dangerous to car windows....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRxHEyhYFKU