Posting Land/Handling Trespassers and Neighbors

[aanderud]

All that means exactly squat. Just because the plat map doesn't do the legwork for you doesn't mean that you now have the right to enter any unposted property just because you were too lazy to put in the time to find the owner and seek permission.

You obviously can't comprehend much, or you'd notice that I wasn't talking about being "lazy" -- I was simply providing ONE example of where the plat map isn't sufficient for me to gain access, especially on a spur of the moment outdoor recreation activity. I'm sure there are 100 other examples, I provided but ONE, and you are trying to refute it by calling me lazy.

Maybe you're much smarter than I am. I doubt it -- I'm smarter than the average bear. But, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt just this once. How, exactly do you get written permission from a Post Office box on a Sunday afternoon, to access unposted private non-agricultural land? You said I was being "lazy" by not doing "the leg work", so I'd like to know how to not be lazy in the future. Remember again that this is SPUR OF THE MOMENT. So anything that requires me to mail a letter a week earlier is off-limits.

Hypothetically speaking -- Let's say it's Sunday afternoon, and I find some land that's not posted which I really want to recreate on. I might have even asked several neighbors who live near the land and nobody can tell me a phone number or address for the owner. The owner is listed as a PO box in the plat map. I'm sure you have a solution that guarantees that I can get a response within minutes (not hours, as sundown might be just hours away). If you cannot (and I assume you can't), I'm going to rely on my current legal access as provided by the statutes.

Regardless of whether you can come up with a magical alternative or not, you're COMPLETELY WRONG in saying I don't have the right to access non-posted land. Of course you being wrong is nothing new, and I'm sure you're used to it (all of us make mistakes, right?). Fact is, we (you, I, and any other Minnesotans) have the right to recreate on PRIVATE land, as long as it is not agricultural and it is not posted. It's in the statutes. Has been for a LONG time (maybe forever). That's the whole point of my rant here. I was trying to inform/educate you and apparently a bunch of others who don't think or don't know that the right exists.

I don't know if you have a reading problem, a comprehension problem, or just want to argue. If you read the statute, there should be NO QUESTION that we have the RIGHT to enter private property, yet you stated the EXACT OPPOSITE in your post. I won't bother linking back a few posts where you can read the exact copy/paste text out of the statute that says the state not only ALLOWS it, but they ENCOURAGE it.

Not sure where you get your information (must be some idealized perception of private property law), but I'm providing valid statutes here (not opinions). If you have a problem with it, don't argue with me about it, and PLEASE don't call me 'lazy'. Try to get the law changed or something if you want. I'm simply arguing what is LEGAL according to the state.

On a positive note, any landowner who doesn't agree with default publication of their land can privatize that land with simple signage. For the most part, "squatters" will only be recreating on unposted land...and any who try to do so on posted land can be prosecuted if the owner so desires.

[cherokee]

I think Minnesota should follow states like Missouri, Maine, Texas etc that allow a land owner to paint a post purple. Some states allow orange paint. This would make it a bit harder for those that tear down signs and trespass. This posting of signs every so many feet is a high maintenance issue and is subject to vandals.

After the election, I will be talking to my representative about this. I am sure it has been discussed in the past but I will bring this up again.

[Jameson]

Someone in this thread must be a professionally paid

and it's not the one giving us the written law.

[CaptainMusky]

So the argument of my 5 year old now applies to gaining access to unposted land? "But I really want to right now "! SMH

Aanderud, I don't care how "pretty smarter you are than an average bear" (nice grammar usage BTW you smarter guy you?) you think you are intelligence does not equate to common sense.

I don't care if you cite 1000 references if its too inconvenient for you to ask permission and do the legwork to find said landowner or you just have to do it right now darnit, those are reasons today's society is doomed. Entitlement.

[aanderud]

intelligence does not equate to common sense....

if its too inconvenient for you to ask permission...today's society is doomed. Entitlement.

Asking for access is only common sense -- I don't think I disputed this fact and I haven't argued against that. I've simply acknowledged the possibility that getting an answer (positive or negative) is not always possible. You choose to take the route that if an answer is unavailable, the land should be off limits. On the other hand, I'd choose to follow the law, which I guess we're 'entitled' to do. Difference of opinion, I guess. Go ahead and limit your opportunities artificially if you want, it isn't hurting anything.

[rkhinrichs]

a lot of counties have all their plat book information and boundaries online on google earth!!!! It is great. you can make out property lines with land features. Yes, google earth is not always the best but it is a good start.

[PurpleFloyd]

You obviously can't comprehend much, or you'd notice that I wasn't talking about being "lazy" -- I was simply providing ONE example of where the plat map isn't sufficient for me to gain access, especially on a spur of the moment outdoor recreation activity. I'm sure there are 100 other examples, I provided but ONE, and you are trying to refute it by calling me lazy.

[CaptainMusky]

Nice way to get personal while tooting your own horn. Sometimes there is a disconnect between IQ and common sense.I personally could care less how much of either you have but feel free to let the rest of the world know how you measure up.

I thought this was hilarious as well considering his immense intelligence failed to negotiate a grammatically correct statement before he could even spit out just how dang smart he is.

[delcecchi]

The law is a recognition of the fact that when wandering through the woods or driving down a road through the woods one cannot tell which parcel they are on unless the owner has marked it.

These days, maybe with the right documents and a good gps it is possible to tell but it certainly wasn't then.

And to all those "i'm going to swim in your pool or sit in your yard", recall that residential and ag land is already presumed to be posted.

[DTro]

I thought this was hilarious as well considering his immense intelligence failed to negotiate a grammatically correct statement before he could even spit out just how dang smart he is.

Gotta love how people exaggerate such simple statements and blow them out of proportion. I'm QUITE CERTAIN all I read was "smarter than the average bear". How does that translate any differently? I'll go a step further and say smarter than most bears (since I've spent considerable time with him).

The law is clear and concise and it makes total common sense as to why the law allows unposted land to be rereated on. Common sense people would understand the concept and if anyone is "lazy" it is those unwilling to put up a few signs and maintain them to keep unwanted people out.

[CaptainMusky]

Well Dtro I guess you missed the word "pretty" in front of smarter because he edited his post. True sign of a genius.

For someone thumping their chest and talking down their nose to others they better be sure their house is in order.

[DTro]

Don't care what I missed you took his statement and made it something it wasn't.

[CaptainMusky]

Made it what it wasn't? A poorly worded sentence with incorrect word usage? Yes it was.

[DTro]

Um, yeah...you took the leap from smarter than the average bear, to his immense intelligence.

And people wonder why things spin out on control. Buy a clue sir.

[CaptainMusky]

Not even worth a reply. Carry on.

[laker1]

If your old enough,you can remember when they made trespass laws the way they stand now. Much deliberation went on between Mn legislatures-DNR and agriculture farmers and land owners up north. Also hunters that hunt up north had input.

It was one of the most deliberate thought out processes I remember and it is working.

[MJ1657]

It blows my mind to read that there are people that would go onto other peoples property without permission.

[delcecchi]

It blows my mind to read that there are people that would go onto other peoples property without permission. [/]

If you are so anal about someone going on your property, please do us all a favor by letting us know by putting up some signs. If you can't be bothered, then it must not be a BFD.

[harvey lee]

I think Minnesota should follow states like Missouri, Maine, Texas etc that allow a land owner to paint a post purple. Some states allow orange paint. This would make it a bit harder for those that tear down signs and trespass. This posting of signs every so many feet is a high maintenance issue and is subject to vandals.

After the election, I will be talking to my representative about this. I am sure it has been discussed in the past but I will bring this up again.

This state will never go for the painting of the post idea.

MN wants it to be as easy as possible for everyone to access anyone's land no matter the cost to the landowner. They say let the landowner pay the fee or cost and spend their time doing the postings. That's the easy way out for the state.

Then there are those who simply will walk right past a NT sign or those who believe if it is not posted that they are welcome to come on in anyways. How anyone can think like that is beyond me, I guess they were brought up not respecting other peoples property, or they would ask.

Oh ya, the landowner lives a bit farther a distance than I want to drive to ask permission so lets go in anyways and if caught, we will say we could not locate the landowner.

In regards to accessing someone's land that you could not contact, no, no one is entitled to access. Maybe in ones mind they may but again, lack of common sense or respect.

No respect at all, period.

[brittman]

There is a big difference between accessing land that is not posted and choosing to trespass on legally posted land or unposted Ag land in MN. Some on here seem to want to tie the two together.

Let's look at the flip side of landowners posting "a little outside their boundaries" or placing posters or locks on gates on roads that provide access into public land. I have called the DNR onto both and aggressively pursued the issues with the COs management.

[MJ1657]

[motley man]

Post it so nobody can question it ! If you put signs on trees, put them over 8 foot up so they can't tear them down ! Posting is the easy and best way to solve the problem.

[motley man]

No need to get nasty on here about this people !

[delcecchi]

Do you post signs around your yard? Maybe someone should set a deer stand or camper or maybe run around your yard with ATVs and see how much you would like it. Not cool to use things other people paid for without permission.

We have close to 900 acres not all connected. Can you imagine the time and money it would take to post all of it?

Maybe we should have to hang a sign on our car or house we own so somebody doesn't use it without permission. Stupid

The law says that posting your car or house or yard or ag land is not necessary. You have 900 acres of non-ag land? What does it take to post it? ten signs per mile of border?

Maybe you should take it up with your state legislator if you find the requirement to post your non-ag land so burdensome.

[MJ1657]

Its Ag land. We own it and therefore nobody should be on it without permission. Key word we own it which means we bought and paid for it.

Write the check and you can decide who you want to allow on your property.

The reason that so many people are not allowed to hunt on private property is because so many trespassers ruined it for others.