Originally Posted by sykerocker
However, should he decide to sneak on the property and set up, he's going to find himself staring down the double barrels of a 20-gauge, and run off the property - and I will consider it entirely optional on my mood to return his bike, tent, etc.
The difference is the respect he's just shown me. Whether he's willing to ask to use my property, or just taking the attitude that it's his for the night.
Hey if that is the law in your part of the world and you are within your rights to do so - fill your boots.
Personally if it was my property and a touring cyclist setup a tent and intended on sleeping quietly on my property before moving on in the AM I would not threaten them with a deadly weapon and potentially steal their gear. Especially if I would be happy to have them camp right near or in my house.
Not everyone who camps without asking permission is disrespecting the landowner. Perhaps they didn't see the house if the land is heavily wooded. Perhaps they are shy and didn't want to disturb the landowner. Maybe it was late when they arrived and they were bagged so they just wanted to crash.
The sign of someone disrespecting the landowner is a camper who trashes the area he is camping, leaves garbage, makes noise, defies you if you find him and politely ask him to leave. Even in that case I wouldn't pull a weapon on him unless he physically threatened me - I'd just call the police. I'm a ret'd army officer so I'm not against the use of force when appropriate, but not asking permission to camp on a large wooded property isn't one of the situations I'd classify as appropriate for threatening physical violence.
I've camped on people's property several times without asking. I've always left the campsite untouched and in some cases taken garbage with me that was there when I arrived. If I had been discovered and asked to leave I would have. If I was discovered and had a shotgun pointed at me I'd leave - shaking my head at the paranoia and fear that pervades parts of the world.
To each his own I guess. At least you didn't say you'd shoot the no good trespassing touring cyclist while he slept in his tent - we have to be thankful for small mercies.