How to Legally Discourage Hunting on Your Private Property

Your property is your own, and you have the right to keep hunters from hunting on it if you are against the practice or if you simply don't like strangers walking across your land with guns. Of course, you must do this legally and with respect to federal, state and local ordinances, or you could risk criminal or civil prosecution yourself. Following are a few tips on how to legally discourage hunting on your private property.

Fence Your Property

The most obvious way to legally discourage hunting is to fence your private property. Wire or wooden fencing will alert hunters to the fact that they are about to enter a restricted domain, even if you haven't posted signs. Furthermore, a fence makes it more difficult for people to gain access to your property, and most people won't bother with hopping it or trying to find a gate.

Know the Signage Laws

Many states in the U.S. have laws pertaining to the type, size, color and graphics of signage for private property. To legally discourage hunting, you'll need to follow those laws, or you forfeit your right to enforce trespassing ordinances. For example, some states require that signage be at least a certain width and height, and some must be orange or red in color to attract attention. Still other laws require that signs be placed a certain distance apart.

Make it Obvious

Regardless of state laws, an ineffective sign that no one understands will not discourage hunters from accessing your private property. A sign that says NO TRESPASSING is effective, but you might also want to post signs that prohibit hunting in particular, such as a gun with a line through it like a no-smoking sign. You can purchase these from novelty shops or hunting stores on the Internet or in your local mall.

Know the Penalties