"How to survey your land" (Mother Earth News Article)

And, another along the same vein:

http://porch.com/advice/hire-surveyor-diy/

"Not only is it possible to survey your own tract of land, it can become an interesting pastime for you as a homeowner. While you can rent, borrow or buy the necessary equipment for a DIY survey, you can get a better understanding of the lay of your land by deciding to hire a surveyor. Instances where the results are intended to have ramifications outside your own curiosity require a professional surveyor."

Wow.

We were parked in a fellow's driveway yesterday while digging up a section corner monument a few feet off the side of a highway. He came out to talk when he saw what we were doing. He said he needed some surveying done. He simply needed a line from that fence going north on the east side of the barn to the north side of the pond then west to the highway. He was hoping we could do it before we left. He was serious. He assumed it would probably take less than an hour.

The more complex instruments needed for such work can be borrowed or rented from colleges, state agriculture departments, or blueprint companies (which supply professional surveyors). Other items can be bought inexpensively or improvised at home.

That's hilarious enough, and didn't want to spend the time reading the rest, but I confess I did. What a hoot!

I'm sure I could do my own brain surgery, but I'd like Nate's assistance, if he had the time .......................

"You may not be allowed to carry out this work yourself, since many jurisdictions recognize only licensed surveyors' reports for official purposes. A phone call or letter to the nearest Government Land Office will tell you whether or not this is true in your case."

Placing palm of hand on forehead and shaking head back and forth...

The folks who write these articles must be the same people who test for the presence of AC line voltage, with their fingers... with wet feet... on a VERY regular basis.

I would like to make the point that self-reliance is not such a bad thing. Not that this article is the best at teaching that in this case. When I was a young surveyor, I was called to task by more than a few wise old men (property owners/superintendents...) that new how to skin cats multiple ways. I think this is very true now of younger surveyors that radial stake compared to old school that occupied lines and worked parallel ,perpendicular and radial to lines on the ground and visualize checks by seeing spatial relationships in the same manner . On a side note, I visited a cousin that farmed a whole township of land in South Dakota; I was amazed at the amount of survey vocabulary a farmer used in everyday conversation. Such as the barn is about 3 rods off the road on the right you can't miss it. Or her house is two miles north and half mile east, you can‰Ûªt miss it, it is right after the center section fence. My point is that it seems that knowledge is becoming more specialized and less common knowledge is known by the general public. I personally like to think of myself as self-reliant but it is getting harder and harder with new technology. Good day, Jp

JP, it used to be that HIGGINS was a high school text book. EVERYBODY was supposed to understand the sectionalized land or PLSS system. I am not anti education. I am just seeing that the authors of this work are not going to help it alot....

N