Hunting in Idaho: 3 Things for Landowners to Know About Hunting on Private Property

Landowners in Idaho, especially those who recently purchased property in the state, may not be aware that unless their land is either cultivated or posted with visible no trespassing signs, hunters can shoot animals on their land without their permission if they have the proper Idaho hunting license and animal tag and are not in a prohibited season.

According to an article in the Coeur d'Alene Press, this is the case because a law requiring permission to hunt on private land would be challenging to enforce because some 67 percent of the land base in Idaho is public.

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However, there are some rules to hunting on private land. Here are three that landowners should know.

1. Hunters are Banned From Cultivated Land
A hunter cannot come into your backyard and shoot an animal. They also cannot hunt, regardless of whether a sign is posted, on your irrigated pastures or even your hay fields. Any part of land that is clearly cultivated and inhabited requires a hunter to get the property owner's permission, or it is considered trespassing.

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2. Post "No Trespassing" Signs to Keep Hunters Out
If you have a tract of land that hasn't been cultivated, but you still don't want a hunter to shoot game on it, you must post a sign stating it is prohibited on your property. If you don't post a legible "No Trespassing" sign at least once every 660 feet on trees or posts around the area you do not want people to hunt on, they can access your property without legal repercussion, according to the Coeur d'Alene Press.

3. Landowners Can Grant Permission to Hunt on Posted Property
Just because you post a "No Hunting" sign on your property doesn't mean you can't hunt it yourself or give permission for your friends to do so after you have posted the sign. It just keeps trespassers off your property.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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