"Gun On Premises" Signage

[Old TexMex]

"My blue heeler is Catholic" was a sign on a neighbors front gate. He didn't like the guys distributing "Watchtower". Worked for him.

 

[ken158]

You should have noted what state you are in so we guys could consider a response based on that PC knowledge - but I don't think any signs about guns does anything for you. Kind of like CCW, nobody's business but mine. I'm ok with no trespassing signs and currently use them on rural property.

 

[sniper]

In my former business, we heard frequently from law enforcement people; "When you have a home burglary, it will probably be someone you know or someone that knows them!"
Family members....yes, sadly, it happens more often than you would imagine, and is excluded under most Homeowners' Insurance policies...friends, friends' wives or kids...and which of us hasn't shown our grandkids our guns, taken them shooting and/or enjoyed working with them in our shop?...who have seen you proudly showing off your belongings, workmen who have access to your home, and can "scope out" the premesis while "doing their job" can be suspect, but, while a little paranoia can be a good thing, it can be carried too far. "Ostentatious display" (open carry) even if legal, is a very personal thing, but perhaps not the wisest choice in all situations.
Access to my shop area is access to our heating/air conditioning/plumbing/ laundry areas, visible to any repairman who looks around. Covering reloading equipment, components and ammo storage so they are not readily identifiable, may be all that is possible. When I was young and dumb, I had a garage sale...in my garage...which allowed low lifes to enter and scope out my tools and other items. So, guess what? A week later, we had a burglary. Fortunately, my insurance covered the loss, but unfortunately, I got an inexperienced adjuster, who got confused, and sent me two of everything that was stolen. I called, and told her it was too much, and I didn't want anything except what was taken, and she was flustered, and told me "Just keep it!" Like in Boxing..."Protect yourselves at all times!"

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I can't speak to the current laws, but it used to be in some states the presence or absence of No Trespassing signs determined the difference between simple trespass and criminal trespass charges.

That is quite correct. You need to know what your state's law is with respect to such signs.

It is EXTREMELY rare to see "No Trespassing" signs in urban areas or even typical, residential suburbs. At least in my experience. It is very common to see such signs on property in rural areas.

Texas has interesting rules on this - I am only familiar with the purple paint system here but it might exist elsewhere:

Trespassing
How can I properly post my property?
Section 30.05, Texas Penal Code, provides that a person commits an offense if the person enters or remains on property of another without effective consent, and the person:
•had notice that the entry was forbidden, or
•received notice to depart, but failed to do so.

"Notice" means: an oral or written communication by the owner or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner; or fencing or other enclosure obviously designed to exclude intruders or to contain livestock; or a sign or signs posted on the property reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, indicating that entry is forbidden; or the placement of identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts on the property. If purple paint is used, then the purple paint must be vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in width; placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground or more than five feet from the ground; and placed at locations that are readily visible to any person approaching the property and no more than: 100 feet apart on forest land or 1,000 feet apart on land other than forest land.

Additionally, the visible presence on the property of a crop grown for human consumption that is under cultivation, in the process of being harvested, or marketable if harvested at the time of entry is considered "notice" that entry is forbidden.

(c) Texas Parks & Wildlife 2019

The point of the purple paint is that posting "No Trespassing" signs all over rural acreage creates a visually unappealing situation PLUS it is expensive and such signs do eventually fall, etc. But if the property is properly posted in conspicuous places, especially at ingress points, then the property owner can use purple paint on fence posts or trees to give effective notice.

So, that said, and I still don't know what kind of property we are discussing, or where, but if the rules are similar to Texas, I would not hesitate to recommend a "No Trespassing" sign to give third parties notice that their presence is unwanted and banned = criminal trespass if they come inside the property line.

I would never post any sign about guns. Not funny ones, not threatening ones, none of that. Let it be a mystery and a surprise.

Dog signs are mostly there for the property owner's benefit - if a dog attacks someone on the property the owner can say the visitor/intruder was warned. Arguably, it might keep intruders from trespassing.

 

[Narragansett]

I would not put anything. Certainly I would not advertise that I had a gun (s). If i really felt the need to put anything, it would be simple like" There is nothing on this property worth risking your life for", and let the potential perp figure it out for themselves

 

[DrDoctor]

We've never put any bumper stickers on any of our cars. When obummer was running for his 2nd term, I saw a car with an obummer sticker on the back with the rear glass broken out. Apparently someone didn't like the political bent of the car owner, and expressed such. Plus, we don't think putting a dozen stickers on the back of the car makes any sense – who'd be interested in our points of view – we certainly aren't interested in theirs.

Per the state police, since we live on 1+ acres of land in a "semi-rural" area, we have to have a no-trespass sign on at least 2 sides of the property, so we've got 1 on the back of the house, and 1 near the corner on the front of the house. The reason for the signs is as mentioned – to differentiate between simple trespass, and criminal trespass (the presences of the signs make it criminal trespass). The statutes pertaining to such signage is very similar to those of Texas as explained herein, with the exception of the purple paint. Other than signs, fences, barriers, visible land usage, that about it.

As for the dog sign – my dad had a dog sign in the window of his garage, and he didn't even have a dog. The state police patrolmen advised doing the same thing, regardless of dog ownership, and we've had a dog sign in our garage window ever since we moved here 20 years (wayyy toooo longgg) ago.

 

[DevilDog72]

I have my security signs up. Have thought about a sign that reads " The locks are for your safety, not mine"

I would not post any sign about guns in the house at all.

 

[Ziggy2525]

Putting up signs that you have guns on the property or in your vehicle is just stupid.
...

You seem to be on the fence about the whole gun sign thing.

 

[shouldazagged]

Friends of mine used to have a big, handsome Bouvier de Flandres, the Belgian sheep dog that looks like a small silvertip grizzly. He was a sweetheart, but had a bark that would wake the dead from five years ago. He used it to greet visitors.

They had a sign on their driveway gated that said "Trespassers will be eaten." Never had a problem.

As for gun signs and stuff like "If you can read this you are in range", no.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

A friend of mine lived on acreage big enough that you had to call the house to get the gate opened which allowed access to the 500 yard long driveway. Next to the gate was a target mounted in framed Plexiglas/Lexan with a five shot 7 inch group of .30 caliber holes in the X/10/9 rings. Noted on the target was "500 yards" signed by my friend, the range master, and two witnesses. He never had any problems. [emoji848]

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

 

[Wise_A]

I have my security signs up. Have thought about a sign that reads " The locks are for your safety, not mine"

I would not post any sign about guns in the house at all.

Not to pick on you, DD--there are a lot of guys posting this sort of thing.

Just sayin'--if you've got a novelty "Bad things happen to intruders" sign, you may as well have a gun sign.

Also, reposting from the other thread because somehow it's been made relevant again.

Man Surprised to Find Unsecured Firearms Stolen From Truck Plastered in Cringey Gun Stickers - Pew Pew Tactical

 

[Muss Muggins]

Also, reposting from the other thread because somehow it's been made relevant again.

Man Surprised to Find Unsecured Firearms Stolen From Truck Plastered in Cringey Gun Stickers - Pew Pew Tactical

But you didn't read the whole thing, right?

Disclaimer: This is a satire/parody post, which may or may not use actual names in quasi-real and/or fictitious narration. So try not to get too (put off) about it.

 

[Wise_A]

I didn't have to. They have this nice picture right at the top:

And also, in case anyone still wasn't sure:

"I can't believe it – all eight of my Glock 21s and both of the AR-15s I had stashed under the seat – gone, just like that." Heston says he's kept guns in his truck for years without issue, noting that the Gadsden flag emblazoned across the rear windshield "specifically requests the opposite of this."

You're getting a little desperate, Muss.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Where I'm from, there's a lot of trucks that look just like that. I don't know what the last statement means . . .

I didn't have to. They have this nice picture right at the top:

And also, in case anyone still wasn't sure:



You're getting a little desperate, Muss.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Over 20 years ago a rancher friend of mine (here in Colorado, an open range state) was having serious problems with trespassers using ATV's, tearing up his pasture land and scattering his cattle. Asked me for some advice on how to deal with the problem.

I advised him to post his land conspicuously. He told me that he had NO TRESPASSING signs everywhere there might be any adjacent public access.

I suggested that he change his signs, using "KEEP OUT, RIFLE RANGE IN USE" signs instead. After a few incidents in which trespassers complained about someone shooting near them (while they were trespassing on posted property) the problem ended.

You just need the proper signs, and the self control to avoid hitting any of the little turds entering your property without your permission.

 

[joeintexas]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly. Back on the farm we had a nice crop of pheasants, hunters would come from town and literally shoot birds in our yard. We had signs saying No Hunting, didn't phase them. My dad put up signs saying Hunters Welcome, $100 per day per gun. Miraculously the front yard bird shooting stopped. Sad thing was, we even had a gate they had to open at the end of the lane to get access to the property with a sign on it.

 

[DrDoctor]

You know, it's a sad situation when people feel they can come onto anyone's property without the property owner's permission. But . . . it's totally different if someone comes onto their property uninvited. Two phrases come to mind – 1) "do unto others before they do unto you"; and 2) "you just can't fix stupid". Sad, but oh so true!!!

 

[oldIrish]

DD,

you've posted two threads that have been both entertaining and informative. From what I recall of the first one,
both you and your wife had taken steps to balance out what you thought were areas where you felt vulnerable.
Post your "No trespassing" signs and quietly go about putting the other practical solutions in place.
Sippy Wallace had a great line in one of her songs...
"Women be wise, Keep your mouth shout, don't advertise your
man" Seems this can be applied to many areas of life.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I love it when hunters tell me the "property owner" gave them permission to hunt..... on my property.....................

Must be having memory issues ..... cus I don't remember giving them permission.....in fact I can't ever remember seeing them before!!!!!!

 

[LPD256]

Where I'm from, there's a lot of trucks that look just like that. I don't know what the last statement means . . .

Muss-It's obvious this is a parody. None of my friends that drive Dodge Ram duellies would be caught dead in a Chevrolet hat.