# Posting Land



## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

steve myers said:


> So if someone is in my yard hes fine,I don't have it posted?In our area with crop fields you don't have to post it and they can be prosecuted for trespassing.Your area I guess CO"s see it diffferent.


Farm land does not have to be posted, private does. Reread the law it's in there.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

How hard is it to look up a map of public land in the county in question? But also a land owner should post their property. Especially butting up to public. And roads. Just easier to tell it's not public.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I have 2 miles of perimeter and only one sign and don't have a trespassing problem. I guess it how you word things.


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## steve myers (Dec 29, 2000)

ibthetrout said:


> Farm land does not have to be posted, private does. Reread the law it's in there.


You read it if it's a fenced woods it's same as posting it ,first time on property you can prosecute and we have like I said


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

jiggin is livin said:


> How hard is it to look up a map of public land in the county in question? But also a land owner should post their property. Especially butting up to public. And roads. Just easier to tell it's not public.


That would take a little effort!


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

Luv2hunteup said:


> I have 2 miles of perimeter and only one sign and don't have a trespassing problem. I guess it how you word things.


You a Bad Man!


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

Haha I love the sign!!

What's the other one? Something like, "NO trespassing, violators will be shot on sight, survivors will be shot again" Lmao


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

The classic "Warning Trespassers Will Be Violated, repeatedly "


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

plugger said:


> The classic "Warning Trespassers Will Be Violated, repeatedly "


Another good one!!


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## Rasputin (Jan 13, 2009)

Luv2hunteup said:


> I have 2 miles of perimeter and only one sign and don't have a trespassing problem. I guess it how you word things.


I'm in the market for signs like that! Source? I have 4 miles of border and its a full 
time job replacing the signs that get torn down! I think thats called a loophole. Tear down the signs so you cant be prosecuted because there are no signs. Beauty


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

Just figured I'd share this as it pertains to the conversation. I was just reading through the reports.

" CO Larn Strawn received a RAP complaint from a father and son who arrived at their private land hunting blind in the early morning of the Liberty Hunt only to discover other hunters already there. The CO arrived and conducted an investigation. During the follow-up, the CO discovered the man had not posted the property and was aware his old no trespassing signs had been torn down sometime before the fall of 2012. Unfortunately, although he owns the property, by not having it posted no one could be charged for trespassing. The CO discussed the recreational trespass laws with everyone involved."


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## Magnet (Mar 2, 2001)

jiggin is livin said:


> Just figured I'd share this as it pertains to the conversation. I was just reading through the reports.
> 
> " CO Larn Strawn received a RAP complaint from a father and son who arrived at their private land hunting blind in the early morning of the Liberty Hunt only to discover other hunters already there. The CO arrived and conducted an investigation. During the follow-up, the CO discovered the man had not posted the property and was aware his old no trespassing signs had been torn down sometime before the fall of 2012. Unfortunately, although he owns the property, by not having it posted no one could be charged for trespassing. The CO discussed the recreational trespass laws with everyone involved."


And that is what's wrong with the system. Whatever happened to "ignorance is no excuse for the law"? I'm in favor of an "It's closed unless posted open" law. Some other states function this way and it works great.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

There are other sign options.


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## kenn1320 (Aug 6, 2004)

jiggin is livin said:


> Just figured I'd share this as it pertains to the conversation. I was just reading through the reports.
> 
> " CO Larn Strawn received a RAP complaint from a father and son who arrived at their private land hunting blind in the early morning of the Liberty Hunt only to discover other hunters already there. The CO arrived and conducted an investigation. During the follow-up, the CO discovered the man had not posted the property and was aware his old no trespassing signs had been torn down sometime before the fall of 2012. Unfortunately, although he owns the property, by not having it posted no one could be charged for trespassing. The CO discussed the recreational trespass laws with everyone involved."


Wow I just drove 1.5hrs along 96 & 69 and only saw (2) properties posted. I had no idea so much land was open to hunting. I can't believe I limited myself all these years to land I had permission on. I know for sure none of the high dollar subdivisions over in oakland county that have big bucks are not posted, so must be open to bow hunting. Heck nobody down my road has their yard posted, so I can ride my quad until asked to leave and I can't be ticketed unless I don't leave? 

On a serious note, we should all gather on the governors yard and protest till this law gets fixed. If you claim you thought it was public and you can't show the Officer a public land sign or other reasons that led you to believe its public, than you get fined!


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

kenn1320 said:


> Wow I just drove 1.5hrs along 96 & 69 and only saw (2) properties posted. I had no idea so much land was open to hunting. I can't believe I limited myself all these years to land I had permission on. I know for sure none of the high dollar subdivisions over in oakland county that have big bucks are not posted, so must be open to bow hunting. Heck nobody down my road has their yard posted, so I can ride my quad until asked to leave and I can't be ticketed unless I don't leave?
> 
> On a serious note, we should all gather on the governors yard and protest till this law gets fixed. If you claim you thought it was public and you can't show the Officer a public land sign or other reasons that led you to believe its public, than you get fined!


You cannot go on the Gov's yard, he has it posted:lol:


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

Hey, I'm not saying I agree, just saying I found a report that reflected the question. However, I do feel that posting property would just be the easy way to avoid trouble. 

Also the way I read it, if land is posted as no hunting, then the land is illegal to hunt. Even if you own it. I may be wrong on that but that's what I get from it. Just another thought. 

I wouldn't mind changing these laws to be better worded.


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## hawgeye (Mar 3, 2011)

I like the sign I saw on the bubba teeth show, "If you can read this your in range" lol


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## Alan Michaels (Mar 21, 2014)

About 7 or 8 years ago we hunted a piece of state land that was clear cut and the adjoining property owner had a sign on every tree.
They sold that property and the new owner had a survey, there was a 100 ft by a half a mile of state land that had been posted by the previous property owner. The state had never performed a survey and just stayed away from the true property line when they cut the trees.
Just don't assume the edges of the clear cut is the property line, look for the stakes.
About 4 or 5 guys moved right into the standing trees and squeezed us out.


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## fairfax1 (Jun 12, 2003)

Several years back in a thread very similar to this one a UP CO who used to post here responded to an inquiry of mine via a PM. Because it was a PM I will not post his name. If he recognizes his very credible advice and observations then maybe he'll jump in on this current thread.
.........................................................................................

_"I have handled several cases. All of these cases were referred to be by individuals like yourself that owned land and was tired of people using it. 

2 types of trepassing exist. The first and most common is recreational. In this case someone enters your land for recreational purposes. 
The law states that to meet the criteria to enforce this violation your land must be posted at every possible point of entry or be farmland or a woodlot adjacent to farmland. As for the sign posting at every point. I use this as a rule of thumb. If I am looking at your land and I can see a sign (even if I cannot read it) then the law will apply. For farmland and adjacent woodlots they are what they are.

For criminal trespass to exist you must have contact with the violator. They must have been told in person that they are trespassing and not allowed on your land. This can either be catching someone on the land or telling someone who asks to use it no. Basically if you catch them or tell them to stay off and they don't or if you catch them and tell them to leave and they don't, they are in violation of this law.

Trespassing severly erodes recreational opportunities for everyone. Here in the U.P. it is more common for recreational vehicles to trespass rather than hunting only because of all the state and federal land here. I have dealt with 4 courts and prosecuted individuals in them all. The court showed no mercy in my cases and repeat offenders lost their hunting licenses for 1 year. Fines can range anywhere from $150.00 to $500.00. If the land or property is damaged or destroyed then the reimbursment amount is also added on. 

I have been given pictures of trespassers and prosecuted off of that and I have also been told "john doe" was on my land and the landowner's recognition was enough for me to prosecute as well. I hope all this helps."_


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

steve myers said:


> You read it if it's a fenced woods it's same as posting it ,first time on property you can prosecute and we have like I said


First, farmland dont need signs. Wild land does. BUT,,,EVEN IF you catch someone the DNR wont prosecute unless THEY catch him on your land. EVEN if you take a picture. No ticket.

Pretty lame laws.

I sold my hunting land, trespassers pissed me off so much.


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## MERGANZER (Aug 24, 2006)

Pretty much akin to grand theft too!

Ganzer


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

When the same dogs show up year after year 
it is better then SSS.


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## Tracker83 (Jun 21, 2005)

Turning the dogs over to animal control is akin to grand theft? That's where every unleashed dog wandering around posted private property belongs.


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## MERGANZER (Aug 24, 2006)

Tracker83 said:


> Turning the dogs over to animal control is akin to grand theft? That's where every unleashed dog wandering around posted private property belongs.


 
No, taking collars worth a great deal of money does. It also doesn't make sense to take off the very thig that will allow the owner to find the dogs and remove them.

Ganzer


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

MERGANZER said:


> No, taking collars worth a great deal of money does. It also doesn't make sense to take off the very thig that will allow the owner to find the dogs and remove them.
> 
> Ganzer


Exactly. 

That just really pissed me off. Last time I checked dogs can't read property signs. Believe me the owner wants their dog back way worse than you want them off your property. All i can say is thank your star's that gps collar didn't bring me to your house without my dog being there. I'll leave it at that.


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

When I get the same dogs on my property more than once they are going to the animal shelter. Since doing this they have learned there lesson and have not been back in 2 years. 
You are one of those computer tough guys hey. It works for me. I don't care what you think.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

grapestomper said:


> When I get the same dogs on my property more than once they are going to the animal shelter. Since doing this they have learned there lesson and have not been back in 2 years.
> You are one of those computer tough guys hey. It works for me. I don't care what you think.


Wrong.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

...


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## Honkkilla59 (Dec 12, 2013)

jiggin is livin said:


> Exactly.
> 
> That just really pissed me off. Last time I checked dogs can't read property signs. Believe me the owner wants their dog back way worse than you want them off your property. All i can say is thank your star's that gps collar didn't bring me to your house without my dog being there. I'll leave it at that.


Your right the dogs can't read but what about the ahole owner! My friend has had the same problem with the same idiots for the last couple of years but they continue to start thier dogs on private property where they don't have permission to hunt.
This is a 6 sure mile area and they don't care and neither does the law, my friend has thought about taking a couple of the dogs to the next county over and letting g them start over there!
Just wondering if the gps will lead the owners to them?


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

Honkkilla59 said:


> Your right the dogs can't read but what about the ahole owner! My friend has had the same problem with the same idiots for the last couple of years but they continue to start thier dogs on private property where they don't have permission to hunt.
> This is a 6 sure mile area and they don't care and neither does the law, my friend has thought about taking a couple of the dogs to the next county over and letting g them start over there!
> Just wondering if the gps will lead the owners to them?


I could kind of be OK with that. At least the owners could find it. I agree it would be frustrating. But what the other guy said was 10x worse than trespassing. I'm not condoning trespassing by any means. But being a dick will get you in trouble fast.


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## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

Honkkilla59 said:


> my friend has thought about taking a couple of the dogs to the next county over and letting g them start over there!
> Just wondering if the gps will lead the owners to them?


Take the dogs and leave the gps collars with a ransom note..........


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## 12970 (Apr 19, 2005)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(sf....aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-324-73301

Newaygo1


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## sethreign (Mar 9, 2015)

I realize this is a hunting forum, but another primary reason for posting land is for liability reasons. If someone were to get hurt on your land while trespassing and decided to sue you and you did not post it, then you will have a more difficult time defending in court. Luckily, I don't have first-hand knowledge, but was strongly advised by my insurance agent to post the 40 acres we purchased in the UP for this reason, so I will trust this advice. Sad...but true.


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