It may be a long haul until November 2024 but you have a lot of time until then to enjoy your property.

Speaking of tree stands the previous owner used this property to shoot deer. He left this "stand" which his friend used, my grandsons enjoy playing in it when they visit. This was a few days ago.

I see so many trees on this trail that the blockage thing seems like a hard way to do this. A few minutes with a chain saw and it will be impassible.

ridewv,
I have a rusty old Carry On trailer, 4' X 8' and finally killed it a year or so ago when a wheel bearing seized. I'm going to weld up/grind the damaged spindle and replace the bad wheel bearings & hub.
It will never see road duty again, strictly for off road usage on the property.
The better half noticed some rough cut hardwood cribbing on the job site junk pile this past construction season. 4" X 4" by at least eight feet long. I scrounged about 35 of those timbers.
The plan is to build a post/beam structure on the old trailer and skin it with roofing sheet metal. I also have foam board panels I can use for insulation.
The picture you posted, that box blind appears to be about 4' X 4' footprint. I will do a 4' X 8' exterior dimension footprint and tall enough for standing, and a conventional peaked roof.
Lexan for a few inward swinging windows, and a door on the rear. It will make a nice hunting shack for a couple hundred dollars.
With a Mr. Buddy propane heater and a 20 pound gas grill propane tank, it will be an awesome place for rain/snow/cold hunting weather for two people.
My Pioneer will tow it around the property.
I have found through experience that a permanent fixed location hunting blind is rarely ever constructed in the "right" place.

As far as enjoying the property in the "off" season, that is the plan.
In 2023 we managed to get the interior field bushhogged, but getting there seemed like a ton of work.
The shipping container needs some shelving/racking so it is more user friendly.
I also plan on stringing electric power over to the shipping container this season.

With two motorcycles that "need" riding now, the work/play balance is also more difficult.

Yes it's about 4' square and complete with sliding plastic windows, multi color carpet, a swivel bar stool, and a urinal made from a plastic funnel with a hose running to the ground. The PO's "hunted" in comfort. Oddly there is no heater? Unless they carried a small portable one there with them.

Yes the rolling stock need attention too, with two motorcycles is one a trail bike that can be utilized on the property?

No, both are street bikes.
Harley Davidson Road King for touring, and a Yamaha YZF R3 sport bike for fun.
We ride the Honda Pioneer SxS and the Honda ATV recreationally at the property.
I'm at the age broken bones heal slowly, so no dirt bikes for me anymore.

I filed a claim with the power company for the cut/chipped trees and the additional property damage/destruction on 11/21/2023.
I was contacted by a power company claims adjuster eventually, on 12/14/2023, and they said don't call or email until at least 30 business days have passed.
Gotta investigate...

30 business days have passed since the last contact, so today I emailed the claims adjuster.
After an hour or so, I got an automated out-of-the-office email from the claims adjuster stating she was out-of-the-office and had no planned in-the-office return date.

There was another listed email for someone to contact if it was an urgent matter. DAMN STRAIGHT it's urgent! It's been six months now since the rural property incident.
So I sent another email. I did receive an email back from a power company senior claims adjuster based in the State of Maine.
Allegedly, an answer about the claim progress within a week.

If I don't hear back within the stated week, or I don't like what they say, I believe it's just about time now to go see my local county district attorney and start the process for filing criminal charges against the tree cutters/property destroyers. Aggravated criminal trespass, and felony property damage.
A few sets of handcuffs may speed up the progress/process a bit.

Big businesses that are self insured are expert at deny, delay, procrastinate.

I admire your tenacity! Good for you for protecting your rights and property.

Is this property in Maine?

I'm retired and computer literate. I have all the time in the world to harass/pester the tree cutters/trespassers/property destroyers.
I have countless days invested now in an attempt to gain some financial compensation for my neighbor, my trees, and my property damage.
I've already involved the NYS Public Service Commission. (they regulate the public & private utilities, and the power company hates NYS PSC involvement in any power company business or problem)
I also had a face-to-face meeting with my State Assemblyman. (utilities also hate it when politicians ask pointed/probing questions)

I thought the smart way for dealing with this mess was to be my own advocate first. If or when that fails to be effective, it will be time to dig deep financially, and call my Lawyer.
When this mess first began in late summer 2023, I did have a lengthy phone consultation with my Lawyer.
So far, I am not at that point yet where I have to initiate a lawsuit.

We are talking a significant amount of money here. Low to mid five figures for the trees, property damage, and my neighbors gate expenditures.
I'm also looking at the "clock" for any statute of limitations concerns.
If my lawyer "Must" be involved, I will request reimbursement for that expense additionally as part of any potential settlement.

Location? Upstate New York, about 50 miles south/southeast of Syracuse, NY.
The State of Maine just happened to be the location of the senior claims adjuster who is picking up where the out-of-the office slacker left off.
The power company that is involved here sells/delivers electric power/natural gas over many northeast states. Including New York and Maine.

I've mentioned this previously, but when I was having trouble getting the power company to respond to a request to run power to my new shop, getting the state Public Utilities Commission involved generated near-instant results. Same day, actually. Emailed the PUC in the morning, got a call from the power company that afternoon.

Absolutely, the power company HATES the NYS PSC with a passion. When this happened in late summer 2023, all the power company did or said was we diddn do nuffin. Not us. Not our problem.
Go away, we don't even want to talk with you. Then I filed my complaint with the NYS PSC.
Within a short time, I had my first meeting at the property with all the involved parties sending representatives.

Getting those involved to open up their corporate wallets is somewhat more difficult and time consuming.

On February 22nd I received an email from the power company claims adjuster up in Maine, and he stated that that they were denying my claim.
The subcontractor tree trimming company categorically denied cutting the vehicular access roads in my woods, or doing any property damage.

When we had our first meeting at the rural property location last fall, the foreman running the crew of tree trimmers admitted cutting the vehicular access roads and doing the property damage.
His error was making that statement in front of sworn law enforcement personnel, and in front of NYS DEC Forestry personnel.
I also have a saved voicemail from the tree trimming company foreman stating his crew cut the "lanes" in my woods.

I didn't respond to that email for the claim denial.

The next day I reached out to our local County Sheriff's Department and told them that I wanted to press charges against the entire crew, including the foreman, for criminal trespassing, criminal property destruction, criminal mischief, and vandalism. I provided the Detective Sergeant at the Sheriff's Department with photos, documents and sworn statements.
I also told the Sheriff's Department that i wanted them to be the lead on the case, and not the NYS DEC Law Enforcement.
The County Sheriff is a local elected position, The NYS DEC LE isn't local, or elected.

Unfortunately, my personal belief was that the NYS DEC LE was looking out for his workload (minimal paperwork) vs looking out for me, the victim, and getting criminal convictions.

Earlier this morning I received a phone call from the claims guy up in Maine. He urgently wanted me to call him and set up a three way phone call for tomorrow. (power company, tree trimming assholes, and me)
I let that phone call this morning go straight to voicemail. I did not return his call and will not.

They already had a chance to pay my claim, and they chose the path of delay, deny, and lie again.
I simply don't care now if I ever receive a single cent.

The only thing that can put a smile on my face about this situation is arrests, trials, and criminal convictions.
If I have to drive to Albany for a sit down meeting with NYS AG Letitia James to get criminal convictions, i will do it.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
Location? Upstate New York, about 50 miles south/southeast of Syracuse, NY.

For some reason I thought you were up in the Oneida/Herkimer county area.

I am still working the issue with the easement tree trimming company and the electric power company.
I've given them a deadline, after which I will be forced to initiate a pair of civil lawsuits.

Yesterday, I went to the rural recreational property for a visit with one of my deer hunting friends. Just a walk in the woods for something to do.
I installed new batteries in the trail camera around the first of the year when we removed the ass pads from all of the stands and blinds, and took down all of the fabric pop up blinds.
Heavy snow destroys the pop up blinds and UV light eats up the ass pads, along with squirrels & mice.

The trail camera had around 90 photos, at almost 4 months duration.

This buck has some type of genetic issue, or physical damage done to the right side of his rack. If we see him with the deformity again this coming fall, he will become a cull buck.

01040017 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The bushhogged interior field has attracted other visitors. This past winter season, we have had far less than what is considered normal for snowfall.
I only used the Kubota one time this past winter for snow removal at the house.
Bare ground, especially in the rural location at the end of February, is highly unusual.

02270057 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The grass has really grown in height and "greened up" nicely in the three plus weeks since this photo was taken.
Last fall, I was not convinced that bushhogging the interior field would prove to be a productive food plot.
We didn't plant anything, it's just the native grasses that flourished after bushhogging the 20 + year accumulation of goldenrod/weeds.

Now, I have zero doubts.

03310077 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Make sure to know of any statues of limitations on filing - you want it submitted with plenty of time.

I wish you the best. Find a lawyer who can hurt them financially as much as possible and paint them in the worst light possible. Make sure it is all covered in the news media.

After nine months of dealing with the power company and easement tree trimming company myself, yesterday I hired my lawyer.
She grew up in a small rural town about twenty miles south of my location.
She's young, aggressive, and I assume has law school loans that require repayment.
She has enough real world experience to be effective.
Talking with her yesterday, she holds a NYS Concealed Carry pistol license.

We will be suing the power company for attorney fees, court costs, professional witness expenses, my property damage claim, and punitive damages.
Since I am paying the lawyer, she is not working the case on a contingency basis.
All funds recovered goes to me, she gets her billable hours.
I wanted the lawyer to have a financial stake in the recovery of punitive damages.
So I told her to write up a contract between her and I, she will get 40% of any recovered punitive damages.
Her share of punitive damages will pay off the shiny new Jeep vehicle that she drives.

Let the fun begin! It will be a lengthy process, likely longer than a year.

Due to this matter being a civil case, there are not any real statute of limitations concerns.

Bad publicity for the power company and the easement tree trimming company?
They will get it by the truck load.

Good luck with your case, hope she gets her jeep paid off LOL...

I consider myself a fairly decent judge of someone's character.
But this time, I wasn't even close.
I hired my lawyer back in May, she didn't do anything on my case in two months.
She did however get several vacations.
Several weeks ago I sent her a text and inquired about progress. She responded that I should find a new lawyer. Someone that would meet my standards of lawyer/client communication. OK by me.
She said she would get all my documents together and write me a check refunding all my money. That's a pretty good indication of zero billable hours.
She stated she needed a day or two to get things put together.

Yesterday was two weeks. No contact, nothing.
I set her a text yesterday morning giving her 48 hours to get my documents together, and she would now need to provide a bank issued certified check for my refund, and deliver everything to my home.
I told her if she didn't meet my deadline, I would turn her in to the Bar Association, and the Unified Court System, for theft/misappropriation of client funds, fraud, and delay of litigation.

Yesterday evening she texted and said she was on her way to my home and had a certified bank check and all my documentation with her. She wasn't a ray of sunshine when she arrived.
I did ensure I had a witness for the exchange of the documents and bank check, and it was civil.
I deposited the bank check today.

So I'm back to searching for a new lawyer for this matter. I will now go to the nearby county with four or five times the population, and likely ten times the quantity of lawyers compared to here.
It's very odd here in my county. It's almost like there is a orchestrated system in place to keep this matter out of a courtroom.

I got my new lawyer hired yesterday. It appears that he has previous experience with successful lawsuits against the power company for similar shenanigans.
His proposed timeline is also more aggressive.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
I got my new lawyer hired yesterday. It appears that he has previous experience with successful lawsuits against the power company for similar shenanigans.
His proposed timeline is also more aggressive.

Sincerely regret the personal travails, but greatly appreciate and enjoy the updates. Godspeed and Good Hunting in your continued journey for justice!