Purple Paint?
Whitetail Deer
Twice this week I have seen a reference to purple paint. It appears that it has something to do with marking property boundaries.
I have never heard of this before, nor can I ever recall seeing a property marked in purple. So what's the deal with purple paint? Is it a regional thing - West, Midwest etc.?
I believe you can read that as NO TRESPASSING. Only seen it in Missouri. Never here in Georgia.
What Sandman said for MO.
In La. it is usually Yellow--never seen purple--no set color I believe--
Ditto above.....we painted a property with blue this summer
Illinois also has a purple paint law. When you trespass it is legally the same as a no trespassing sign.
Yes, it means NO TRESPASSING. When the traditional signs are continually being torn down or distroyed, Kansas landowners can use purple paint to mark their property.
Has been in effect in Kansas for at least the past 10 years. Anyone hunting there other than the landowner needs written permission!
About 14 years in Kansas, as MDW says.
It means, basically, "access by written permission, only." That means the landowner does not have to press charges. If a game warden or deputy finds you there, without the correct papers, they can write you up.
The idea came from other states. Purple is used because it is a color not normally seen used in the outdoors.
Purple paint on trees, around fence posts etc appears to have become a 'universal no trespassing and/or no hunting sign' for landowners. Here in TX, we started briefing our IBEP students about Purple Paint Bands around posts and trees about 12 years ago.
If you do a Google search for Purple Paint Law and you'll see a number of references pop up.
At our cabin in Ontario, it's a red dot sprayed on a tree or post. They all seem about the same size, so I'm assuming "size matters"?
You would think a brighter color would have been chosen so that it could be seen from a farther distance. I know logging uses paint too but I would think white or maybe yellow would have been a better choices
That explains why so many NR still trespass when they come to KS....
LBshooter, you'd be surprised how well bright purple stands out against the browns and greens.
Hmm, that's good information to know about the purple paint. So it looks like the purple paint is mostly used in the Midwestern/Plains states, which explains why I never heard of it before. Thanks for the info.
You'll see purple in LA too.
In NC it means private property no trespassing.
It means your a Rockies fan in Colorado!
I've heard of purple drink.
In Virginia, a vertical blaze of aluminum paint, >6" high and >2" wide is legally a "posted" sign.
"Posted" property requires written permission from the landowner to hunt, fish, or enter.
A conservation officer (or other LEO) can arrest a trespasser without the landowner's request, or permission, for crossing a boundary marked in such a way.
Like writer said, it is a color not often used outdoors. Lots of other colors are used to mark things, including surveys and utilities.
Purple is the legal color in Arkansas too.
Curiosity got the better of me so I did some internet work to see what states LEGALLY recognize purple paint as a "No Trespassing" marker. So far, I found the following:
Maine, North Carolina, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas
Montana has an orange paint law.
A few other states (FL, LA) have tried to pass purple paint laws, but from what I've found the bills never made it thru.
Orange? really... that's crazy. In WI I believe even "No Trespassing" signs cannot be orange. Like it or not, people shoot signs. Someone shoots a 10" x 10" orange sign in the distance, and it turns out it wasn't a sign at all, it was only a small piece of a hunter that was visible from that vantage point.
No such law in Wisconsin, only a recommendation. Nuts are everywhere... BC
Yup. I saw it in Kansas. I like the idea. The purple paint is easy to see and lasts a long time. Also, folks don't shoot it and they cant take it down.
One thing: I'm told that it REALLY means hunting with written permission only. If you are in a purple area with the landowner, you can still get written up if you don;t have written permission. I don't know if that is true. But...
