Landout Laws

You've received many responses, all offering good advice. Here's a
suggestion to get real info on legalities. If you are an AOPA member,
call them and make use of their member services, which include just
this type of legal assistance. If you are not a member, perhaps you
can convince an AOPA member to call and share with the group.

Lots of good information in this thread. I landed in a new cotton
field in which the plants were only 3 inches tall. The field was
planted on double rows so I carefully avoided hitting any of the young
plants. The Farmer came out with the usual assortment of kids and,
after exchanging pleasantries (carry a real dirty CAT hat for these
occasions), I pointed out that I had missed each and every of his
cotton plants. He looked me straight in the eye and said, "son with
the price of cotton right now it don't make a damm bit of difference"
and that was that.

Growing up on a ranch I have been on both sides of the trespass issue.
No matter what the law says you are an uninvited guest on the
property. Most ranchers/farmers have a long history of yeah who's
shooting off the road, starting fires, cutting fences, driving
recklessly, tossing beer bottles and your arrival can be labeled just
another chapter in this litany. Remember that most of these folks are
rather solitary, get few visitors, are rather wary of strangers and
like it that way, hence the choice of vocation. You should make every
effort to understand and overcome these obstacles with common sense
and the provision of respect for the person and the land. They do not
care at all that by landing in their field you just sank your chances
at a hero score in the Nationals or your a hot shot from the Big City.
Ask about the rain, ground, (pick some up in your hand), crop prices,
co ops, crop rotation, how long they have been at it and the best Cafe
in town. Of course there are some farmers and ranchers that fall into
the nutty category as well. Better yet, judging from their posts in
this thread, land with Chip Bearden and Chris.



(Chris OCallaghan) wrote in message . com...
You've received many responses, all offering good advice. Here's a
suggestion to get real info on legalities. If you are an AOPA member,
call them and make use of their member services, which include just
this type of legal assistance. If you are not a member, perhaps you
can convince an AOPA member to call and share with the group.