Security Tips For Rural Property
Security for a rural property. It’s a bit different than home security for a typical suburban home. Lets talk about security tips to secure your rural property.
Many of you reading this may live on a rural property. And many of you may have significant acreage too. But what are the ways we can secure all that property? At least to a reasonable extent…
Why do I need to do this? Well, for a number of sensible reasons. Here’s a few…
- A long and winding road to a rural property might be attractive to people looking for a spot to “party”.
- Hunters, and even poachers, looking for a place to hunt (e.g. those without permission).
- The criminal element looking for a place to rob.
- Nosey people who want to see what’s down that private road.
- Homeless or Immigrants looking for a ‘tent city’ spot, so to speak.
- Post apocalyptic hordes.
Okay, you know all this. The reasons why its a good idea to secure your rural property as best you can. So, what can we do about it?
Tips To Securing A Rural Property
I will use some of my own examples what I have done, or do, to bolster the security of my rural property setting on ~30 acres. My private road is about 1/3 mile long. You cannot see any buildings on the property from the main road. However, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
Driveway Alarms
I only have one access road in. Others of you may have more than one. I recommend a driveway alarm for any access road. This will alert you whenever a vehicle comes down your road. I’ve written about this, and will link the article.
To summarize, I do have two driveway alarms. One is further up the road compared to the other. When the first one chimes, I wait to hear if the second (closer) alarm beeps – indicating further intent to come all the way in to the property. Usually, it’s just a delivery, or someone we know. But not always…
And, it provides great peace-of-mind during the night. Although it can be annoying if our snow plow guy comes at 4 in the morning after a snowstorm!
[ Read: The Best Magnetic Driveway Alarm With No False Alarms ]
[ Read: Wireless Driveway Alarm Up To Half A Mile Range ]
Lots of Security Lights
Not just one. No way… More! Lighting up the night is a huge deterrent to anyone coming in to your rural property at night. No one who’s ‘sneaking in’ wants to be lit up like that.
I have a combination of solar motion lights and conventional AC-powered motion flood lights. Upon driving down my rural private road at night you will first be lit up by a particular solar motion flood light mounted up on a particular pine tree. It is very surprising to anyone who doesn’t know its there, because you’re in ‘the woods’ and all the sudden you’re bathed in light!
You can be quite creative and mount them nearly anywhere.
[ Read: Solar Motion Lights for Home Security – Mount Them Anywhere ]
I am a huge fan of the RAB Stealth motion flood light. They are mounted on all sides of my home. On the garage/shop building too. Since I ran underground power out to my chicken coop area, I also mounted a few RAB’s over there too.
Needless to say, if you decide to drive up to my rural property at night, you will be lit up along the way.
[ Read: RAB Motion Sensor Lights – Why They’re Best For Home Security ]
Security Cameras
The sky is the limit when you get into security cameras. There are all kinds and many unique attributes. The prices range from cheap to crazy expensive. The methods of connectivity are many. It depends what you’re looking to accomplish.
For me? I simply want to see what’s going on out there. And with the ability to monitor from a remote location. I’m not going to get into all the details. But my primary is an outdoor high resolution (4K) dome camera. It will record and alert (via a number of ways) when there’s activity.
Example: Let’s say the driveway alarms start chiming. Let’s say I’m in my office on the other side of the house. Instead of getting up, I can tap an App on my phone and instantly see what’s going on out there. Yup, it’s a UPS delivery.
There’s lots to discuss regarding security cameras. Note to self: I need to write some articles about it.
Rural Security – Walk Your Property Looking For Clues
What clues? Well, let me explain. I make it a habit to both walk and ride (4-wheeler) my property. Some of it is nearly inaccessible due to very dense forest (the black bears love it). I’m in a mountainous region with a combination of terrain. Open fields and woods.
I enjoy tracking. It’s fun. What am I looking for? Animal tracks. All sorts. I’ve come to know where the many various trails are that they have made for themselves. What I don’t expect to find are human tracks or signs of human. But if and when you do, well, it’s time to figure out why they’re there. Is it a security problem?
Have you found trash in a particular area? Signs of another ATV or vehicle?
As opposed to ordinary security, when it comes to SHTF security on a rural property, know the various ways that others may approach. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve got one road in. However, what about the other directions? For me, there’s no way another vehicle could get in. Unless you had a logging Feller-Buncher and Skidder (lol). And for anyone on foot, given the forest, and a river (and a swamp way down below) in the way, there’s really not another practical way in. However, everyone’s rural property is unique. So just be aware of the various ways of access (even on foot), and focus more resources in those areas. Have a plan.
Signage
I don’t go all crazy in this area. Signs. However I’ll tell you what I do, and my plan.
There are all sorts of signs for Keep Out, etc… each with their own level of threatening or intimidating language. To each their own. Here’s what I don’t want to happen… the locals thinking I’m some kind of (fill in the blank) for posting all sorts of aggressive signage. I’m more of a ‘gray man’. I fit in, contribute, and volunteer to my local community.
However, I do have adequate signs in my possession. If-and-when I feel it necessary, I will post them.
What I do have up for signs right now are “24 Hour Video Surveillance” on the road, and “Video Security System” up by the house. No One with ill intent wants to be on video. Excellent deterrent. I’m sure that kind of signage makes sense to any local. Common sense security in a rural location. Rather than signage indicating that trespasser’s are going to blasted into oblivion.
Rural Security Dog
I don’t care what breed of dog, any dog could be a deterrent. Certainly a ‘scary’ looking big dog will be more ‘scary’. However even my little mini Dachshund can bark surprisingly loud! And they can hear someone coming even while in the house – when you don’t hear a thing.
Many years ago, one of my dear dogs was an Akita/Shepard mix. This dog was a security dog for sure. His name was Bandit. Here’s a picture…
Drone For Security
A few years ago I bought a small drone. It’s the dji Mavic Mini. I self-justified the purchase, because I wanted a drone. What fun to launch it and fly around my property to look and see. This could come in handy from a security perspective. I can easily fly out to the main road, and look around. Or any other potential access areas. I think the furthest I’ve flown this particular drone is a little over a mile away.
You can see what’s going on in live-time, and, record everything as you fly. Play it back afterwards on a big screen for more detail (for example). Fly time on this one is almost 30 minutes. Depends how you fly it. Anyway, it’s another interesting tool for rural property security.
There’s a learning curve, and FAA rules to know and abide by, but it’s fun too. You don’t need to register it with the FAA if it’s under 0.55 pounds (250 grams) in weight. My Mavic Mini just squeaks in under this weight.
Security Gate
Lots of people have a gate on their private road into their rural property. Especially those who are seasonal. It’s an obvious effective means to keep a vehicle out of your property. However, one must consider the “what if” there’s a fire and how are they going to get in if they need to – if it’s locked (just one example).
A gate can be effective for normal use in-and-out of the property too – if you’re willing to get out and open / close it every time. Even if it’s closed but not locked, it’s going to deter most anyone from exploring down your road.
Weapons of Last Resort
Do you live rural? Then you probably have several (or more) guns. They are tools, and they are for sport. I use them both ways. There’s enough land here to have my own pistol range and 100 yard rifle range. It’s simply fun to shoot, though I wish ammo cost less (glad I stocked up before the crazy ammo shortages and prices).
Varmint control. Protecting your homestead chickens. Hunting. You name it. All sorts of choices here, as well as ammo. One thing that may be uncomfortable to think about is/are your weapons of last resort. In other words, for a worst-case scenario defending against 2-legged creatures. Most all of us probably have at least one of those most popular sporting rifles on the planet – you know, that one…
Though not for everyone (given the expense), have you thought about force-multipliers for that? Such as a helmet-mounted night vision device (e.g. PVS-14) to ‘see’ the laser emitted from something like a Holosun laser illuminator? (for example)
Anyway, lets hear your further thoughts on security for rural property…