Purple Paint Law

Mennoniteman

Well-Known Member
PA just made their Trespassing Enforcement and Penalties much stiffer, and now they just passed HB1772 otherwise known as the "Purple Paint Law" saying that purple paint marks on trees or posts on a property which are legally the same as No Trespassing signs.

Since this is new to us, I'm curious, if your state has this, do you use it, and how well does it work compared to No Trespassing signs?
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I was born and raised in SW PA. I now live in SC. We have the purple paint in some areas here and it supposedly works well. I have never been involved in a trespassing case here though. We did have a problem in PA with trespassers until we caught and prosecuted a couple. We got the State Police involved, the people were warned, by those SP, and we caught them again. Then it became criminal trespass and they were fined $750 each with the warning that the next occurrence would entail jail time. I called a friend here that does have posts painted around his property and he claims that it stopped all the "good" neighbors from sneaking onto his land. Now he is fighting jack-lighters in his back pastures.
 
Here in Mississippi it is your responsibility to know where you are at the entire time. We paint property boundaries with bright blue paint. Even though the law is on our side it is hard to get any law enforcement officer to actually do anything unless you are willing to do the majority of the paperwork and only then photographic or video proof is almost a must have for it to stick.
 
New here in Indiana, just starting to see more of it. In MO it's a long-standing law and is as recognizable as a sign to the locals there. Same effectiveness, or lack thereof, as a sign.
 
In Maryland:
 Vertical paint marks at least 2 inches in width and 8 inches in length must be centered at least 3 feet, but no more than 6 feet, from the ground or water surface.
 The paint must be an oil-based bright blue.
 
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Texas requires purple paint or No Trespassing signs within a certain distance of each other to be legally posted. I think that’s idiotic, the burden should be on the trespasser, not the landowner, IMO. An honest person should know beyond a doubt where he is and if he belongs there. If he doesn’t he should stay the hell out, and the landowner should not have to go through the time and expense to post signs or paint trees just to keep a poacher out. I hope that’s not too ambiguous, if it is I’ll try to be a little more clear next time. :D
 
In Kansas a game warden told me it really isn't as full proof as landowners think as it means No hunting,fishing,trapping without permission but doesn't cover any other reason that someone might trespass
 
In NC the law requires No Trespassing signs every 200 yards or purple paint every 100 yards. Most of my border is posted at a much higher rate. I've hauled paint to remote parts of the property but I still like the signs. Even the signs don't seem to bother those willing to ignore them. I try not to worry about it too much when I'm 4600 miles away but...it would be nice if grown men and women respected no trespassing signs....and/or paint.
 
Texas requires purple paint or No Trespassing signs within a certain distance of each other to be legally posted. I think that’s idiotic, the burden should be on the trespasser, not the landowner, IMO. An honest person should know beyond a doubt where he is and if he belongs there. If he doesn’t he should stay the hell out, and the landowner should not have to go through the time and expense to post signs or paint trees just to keep a poacher out. I hope that’s not too ambiguous, if it is I’ll try to be a little more clear next time. :D
I agree Drycreek. And a note--signs do not keep poachers out here but they do help make the ticket stick.
 
It is almost like the old QDMA no trespassing signs. It was like it was an calling card telling folks you have good hunting. It seems the more I do to post our land the more issues we have. I'll have to find the picture. I have one particular neighbor that runs my woods during turkey season. So much so he has a ladder on his side of the line he uses to cross the fence.
 
It is almost like the old QDMA no trespassing signs. It was like it was an calling card telling folks you have good hunting. It seems the more I do to post our land the more issues we have. I'll have to find the picture. I have one particular neighbor that runs my woods during turkey season. So much so he has a ladder on his side of the line he uses to cross the fence.

Yep, that's definately a problem. But...I've been told by our county sheriff that tress-passing violations won't hold up in court if the property isn't legally posted. As others mentioned, it's BS that a landowner is required to do all the work.
 
PA just made their Trespassing Enforcement and Penalties much stiffer, and now they just passed HB1772 otherwise known as the "Purple Paint Law" saying that purple paint marks on trees or posts on a property which are legally the same as No Trespassing signs.

Since this is new to us, I'm curious, if your state has this, do you use it, and how well does it work compared to No Trespassing signs?
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Thanks for this information. Will use this method for our Pa side going forward. I don't think it will change trespassing issue but will keep signs from being torn down.We completed our 35 year in a old school Pa deer camp.Good year with a number of what we consider quality bucks for our part of 1B.Observations from two weeks of hunting. Bigger bucks each year,reason number 1 is trigger control not only by us but neighbors as well.Three bears seen with a good one taken by neighbor.We may consider hunting next year.Fishers,beavers continue to increase.Coyotes about the same.Grouse numbers way down to almost nothing.Will issue final report since we have a bonus weekend on our Ohio side and flintlock in Pa
 
Yep, that's definately a problem. But...I've been told by our county sheriff that tress-passing violations won't hold up in court if the property isn't legally posted

This is the way it is in NE. Basically one can get away with trespassing one time as long as it isn't posted on each corner of the property no trespassing. What a crock of chit. The perps get a written warning and then the next time they get the citation.
 
This is the way it is in NE. Basically one can get away with trespassing one time as long as it isn't posted on each corner of the property no trespassing. What a crock of chit. The perps get a written warning and then the next time they get the citation.
Putting a poster on each corner of the property sounds like a small thing. We have to have one every hundred feet. That's why the purple paint is such a time and money saver.
 
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