Fish and Game Addresses Private Land Access

JEROME, Idaho – With big game hunts approaching this fall, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is reminding hunters about the critical nature of respecting private lands.

Hunters often have to cross private land to access publicly-owned land to hunt in their respective units, but the department said hunters shouldn’t take this privilege for granted and there are several things they need to remember when accessing the lands:

• Always ask for permission to hunt on private land, and, if you’re unsure if it is acceptable to cross private land to access public land, ask first! Idaho trespass law specifies that “no person shall enter or remain on private land to shoot any weapon or hunt, fish, trap or retrieve game without written permission or other lawful permission.”
• If access is granted by the landowner, hunters should stay on designated roads and trails.

The department offers the Access Yes! program, which is an effort to improve land access for hunters while building relationships with private landowners. It said in a news release that hunters need to be aware of any landowner requirements or restrictions when going onto private land:

By acting responsibly and respecting private property, hunters will help to ensure access to private property today, and into the future.

You can see what the Idaho Department said about the trespassing laws by clicking here.