Hunters, anglers and other sportsmen and women should be aware of Idaho trespass laws before they head into the field. Trespass laws changed in 2018, and even though that feels like forever ago, it's still worthy of a reminder. Here are some basic things to remember:
- You need permission to be on private land.
- It’s the responsibility of the hunter/angler to know if they’re on private land.
- The laws affecting how landowners must post their property changed in recent years.
- Fines have been stiffened for trespass violations.
“Trespass laws changed in 2018, but the core philosophies have not,” said Chief Greg Wooten, Idaho Fish and Game’s Enforcement Bureau. “It’s still the sportsman’s responsibility to know when they’re on private property and obtain permission to be there.”
Hunters, anglers, trappers and other people should know that land is private, and they are not allowed without permission if:
- The property is associated with a residence or business;
- Or cultivated;
- Or fenced or enclosed in a way that delineates the private property;
- Or unfenced and uncultivated but is posted with conspicuous “no trespassing" signs or bright orange/fluorescent paint at all property corners and boundaries where the property intersects navigable streams, roads, gates and rights-of-way entering the land and posted in a way that people can see the postings.
Note: If private property adjoins or is contained within public lands, the fence line adjacent to public land should be posted with “no trespassing signs” or bright orange or fluorescent paint at the corners of the fence adjoining public land and at all navigable streams, roads, gates and rights-of-way entering the private land from public land and posted in a way that people can see the postings.
