Frustration For New York State Landowners! Here’s The Raw Truth

I’ll never forget the days when we were kids helping my friend’s father post his property. The amount of gear we had to carry into the woods felt like we were preparing for an expedition. But even back then, New York State was very clear about the rules and regulations for posting land and protecting it from trespassers as best as possible.

Trespassing Spikes During Fall and Winter

We’ve entered the time of year when trespassing becomes one of the biggest outdoor issues across New York State. Whether it’s hikers wandering too far, snowmobilers cutting corners, or hunters moving onto property they shouldn’t be on, trespassing seems to be happening everywhere. For landowners, it can be one of the most frustrating problems to deal with.

Sometimes, people simply don’t notice the posted signs. Other times, they assume land is public when it’s actually private land someone pays taxes on, maintains, and has every right to protect.

Old-School Posting: A Childhood Memory

Thinking back to when I was a kid, I remember those long days of either freezing cold winter mornings or scorching summer afternoons when we tried to tackle all the posting in one day. Circling around 250 acres with all that gear was exhausting for us kids.

It always started the night before heading to camp. We’d cut the right size plywood backers, staple on the posted signs, and spray the edges with bright yellow paint so they stood out in the woods. It was a full assembly line of grown men sipping beers, smoking cigars, and crafting posted signs exactly the way they wanted them.

New York Posting Requirements

You don’t necessarily need handcrafted signs these days, but you do need to follow New York’s posting standards. Beyond the well known “660 feet” guideline, there are other requirements many people don’t realize.

Because I was the smallest kid, I was always assigned the branch cutters or the Sharpies. Now that I own my own property, I understand why we did what we did. The clear, visible, properly marked signs matter if you want to keep trespassers off your land. (Or at least try to)

What Your Posted Signs Must Include in New York State

When posting land in New York, your signs must clearly show: "Signs must be a minimum of 11 inches by 11 inches. They also must bear the name and address of the owner, lawful occupant or other person or organization authorized to post the area".

Every Type of Posted Sign Exists

Over the years, I’ve been on countless properties while hunting, hiking, and camping. I’ve seen every variety of posted sign imaginable. From old tin signs to plastic signs, paper signs, homemade wooden signs, and everything in between. No matter how fancy or simple they were, as long as the sign stood out, I respected it. It meant someone owned that land, and I wasn’t allowed there unless I had permission.

Keep Scrolling For Assistance From New York State

Need Help? DEC Can Assist Landowners

For landowners, the New York State DEC can help make things easier. They even offer “Ask Permission” sticker signs you can add to your posted signs. These help encourage communication rather than confrontation.

"For the landowner's convenience, the DEC provides, free of charge, small ASK permission stickers that can be attached to posted signs to provide a visual indicator that permission for access may be granted upon request".

And if you plan to hunt on property you don’t own, make sure you always ask for permission and get it in writing. Know when you can hunt, who you’re allowed to hunt with, and that you are fully authorized to be on that land.