Posted Land

Under 10 V.S.A. § 5201, as part of posting one’s land, a landowner must annually record the posting notice in the Town Clerk’s Office. The recorded notice must state how many acres are posted, the location in town, the date of posting, and must be signed by the landowner. The recorded notice is then recorded and is open to public inspection.

Notices/Posting

(a) An owner, or a person having the exclusive right to take fish or wild animals upon land or the waters thereon, who desires to protect his or her land or waters over which he or she has exclusive control, may maintain notices stating, if he or she wishes to prohibit the taking of game and wild animals, that shooting and trapping are prohibited, or, if he or she wishes to prohibit the taking of fish, that fishing is prohibited, or, if he or she wishes to prohibit the taking of fish and wild animals, that fishing, hunting and trapping are prohibited.

(b) Notices prohibiting the taking of wild animals shall be erected upon or near the boundaries of lands to be affected with notices at each corner and not over 400 feet apart along the boundaries thereof. Notices prohibiting the taking of fish shall show the date that the waters were last stocked and shall be maintained upon or near the shores of the waters not over 400 feet apart. Legible signs must be maintained at all times and shall be dated each year. These signs shall be of a standard size and design as the commissioner shall specify.

(c) The owner or person posting the lands shall record this posting annually in the town clerk’s office of the town in which the land is located. The recording form shall be furnished by the commissioner and shall be filled out in triplicate, one copy to be retained by the town clerk, one copy to the commissioner and one copy to be retained by the person having the right to post the lands. The forms shall contain the information as to the approximate number of acres posted, location in town, date of posting and signature of person so posting the lands. The town clerk shall file the record and it shall be open to public inspection. The town clerk shall retain a fee of $5.00 for this recording.

(d) Land posted as provided in subsection (b) of this section shall be enclosed land for the purposes herein. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1967, No. 302 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 20, 1968; 1979, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 11.)

Posting land to prohibit hunting and/or fishing is not the same as “No Trespassing”. Please contact the Vermont State Police regarding rules for No Trespassing. 10 V.S.A. § 5201.