"No Trespassing" signs are posted all along the property, which has one gate and a thin line of wire blocking off the land. But the one thing that really catches people's eyes is a relatively large, very visible sign reading, "You Will Be Shot On Sight."

The sign has created a lot of buzz in the county, particularly from parents whose children ride their school buses past the sign each weekday. Although it doesn't appear to be a heavily traveled route, the residents said their children feel unsafe passing the sign while heading to and from school.

"The sign to me is a little bit too strong-worded. I feel you could put a warning out without saying you're going to get shot, so that scares me," said Sally Poe, of St. Clairsville. "I would not let my granddaughter be on the bus that would go down into that area. I would pull her off."

Some residents said they understand why the sign was put there to begin with. One person said that people constantly dump their junk on that property and the owner was tired of it happening.

Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said he has seen several similar signs throughout the county and they are legal.

Thompson said the threat is not directed to any one person and said the property owner is just making a statement.

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