I have questions about security of land/site

I tried searching for any threads or posts but not sure if I did it correctly.
I am trying to get some ideas or suggestions on providing security, on a piece of land that you may not be on for weeks at a time.
I have 4 1/2 acres in an isolated area, but it still is known to the locals that live in the area, and, I just saw new neighbors up the hill about 1,000-1,200 foot from me.
The have moved in in the past 60 days or less.
The first time I was on the land was March 1st, then this weekend again on Saturday, May 16th.
I was surprised to see a modular home, and a bulldozed road along the side of the mountain.
But, be that as it may be, i am concerend about moving anything on to the land without some sort of protection....
I thought about a couple of dogs, but they have to be cared for, fed and watered....
I considered cameras and a recorder, but the tapes (VHS) or dvd's would have to be changed often, and the system on a solar unit to keep it working...
I have seen a few places where some idiots decided to shoot holes into everything they saw up there.
Luckily, they weren't too close to me, yet.
Fencing the land was 1 option, but the prices are a bit much!
$1,500 for the fencing, and another$1,200 for the "T" posts.
I plan on going up every 2 weeks or so, and do as much work as can be done in 2-3 days at a time....I have to haul water in right now, and that alone is a bear to deal with...

My last visit, I took along 3 others, my son, a friend/nurse, and my son's girlfriend...
WE won't be making that mistake again!
All I heard was squeals every few minutes about bugs, bees, and caterpillars!
Then the complaints began: it's too hot, there's no shade, it's windy, it's too cold....I thought they knew we were in the desert, surrounded by mountains! My mistake.
I did learn something...not all people are interested in firing a bariety of weapons we took along for a brief course....
And NOT all people, (regardless of what they say about their infinite skills as a great cook) can cook even basic beef and noodles!
I mean how hard can it be?
Boil water, add noodles, cook until tender, add canned beef, with gravy already in the can!
Then, despite taking along 2 (redundancy is good!) Porta-potti's, they couldn't sit on them!
One was expensive complete with water tank and flushing system, the other was the basic bucket, bag, and seat with lid combo!
A great time was had by all!
LOL!
So, I am trying to determine the "best" method of preventing vandalism and theft until I get everything moved in on the land...
OR, I'll have to try to do it all in one day! ( not likely!~)
Let's see, I have to go and rent a Uhaul, drive to storage and load it, go pick up 1 of my trailers and hook-up to the Uhaul...Then have a second driver with another vehicle, tow another trailer....Then make arrangements to have a water tank and water delivered..
Yikes!
It's a logistical nightmare!
I have 3 vans, 2 with tow bar/hitches, and I'm the only licensed driver in the family!
( I have tried, but they ignore my complaining on that issue...I think it's fear! I can't understand why....All the drivers here are so safe!)
Bill

 

Take a small gift, and go introduce yourself to your closest neighbors. Access their respect for the land, what are they doing with their place, do they seem to be your kind of people, do you get the impression that they can be trusted, etc etc. Consider whether or not to ask them to keep an eye on your place. If so give them a contact phone number for getting hold of you. Offer to watch their place when you are there. Go meet the sheriff. Describe your current land owner / absentee living condition. Ask him to please keep an eye on your place. Give him contact information. Ask him about your neighbors. Specially those who have been around for a long time, and in his opinion can be trusted. Meet and greet those neighbors as well, and ask for the same favor as your new near neighbor. Give the same contact info. Consider a hidden and camoflaged digital game camera. Check it each time you go to the site, and change the batteries religiously. That's about all i can think of off hand. Good luck!

 

Thanks!
I do have 2 camo cameras, but they are the older film types, and use that darned flash, which is a giveaway to their location...
I intended to meet with some of the locals and see what I could glean from them about keeping the areas for all of us secure...
The new folks have a very nice home up there, and I'm sure they'd appreciate anyone keeping an eye on their place as well.
Since the area is so far isolated away from town, not may people go out to that land...maybe a hunter or some kids on atv's/atc's.
I was considering running 2 fences parallel to each other with about a 5 to 6 foot "open" area and get a couple of dogs to 'patrol' the land...
But dogs need care and fencing is so darned expensive today.
( I even considered hooking up a passive motion detector and wiring it to a recording of a big dog barking that would playback when something came close to the site)
Now I have to get back up there (158 miles one way) and set up some things, as well as trim/cut down some trees which are in the boundary lines of the land...
I hesitate to do that, but, if I am going to get an accurate measurement for the proprty and do any fencing, I may not have much of a choice...
Those Juniper trees are not so tall as they are wide and bushy!
And they're everywhere! Really so thick in some places I cant see thru them and other places I can drive my big van thru! (I saw the scratches last night on my van, sheesh, the branches on them are gnarly!)

 

i think making friends should be the first option,keep a low profile with your preps until you know where they stand.they may be ok.
trust but verify.

 

New guy appeared....has a wife and a baby...he's a strange sort...wears a straw hat like the Amish, and carries an old double barreled 12 gauge...Not what you might call friendly by any means....Starting some sort of Church on the top of the westernmost side mountain.....Yeehaw!