The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 10 : Conservation and Development

Chapter 119 : Private Preserves, Propagation Farms, Private Ponds, Refuges, and Shooting Grounds

• § 5201. Notices; posting

  (a)(1) An owner, or a person having the exclusive right to take game upon land or the waters thereon, who desires to protect the owner’s land or private pond or propagation farm over which the owner has exclusive control may maintain notices stating that:

  (A) the hunting, trapping, or taking of game or wild animals is prohibited or is by permission only;

  (B) fishing or the taking of fish is prohibited or is by permission only; or

  (C) fishing, hunting, trapping, or taking of game or wild animals is prohibited or is by permission only.

  (2) “Permission only signs” authorized under this section shall contain the owner’s name and a method by which to contact the property owner or a person authorized to provide permission to hunt, fish, or trap on the property.

  (b) Notice signs 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. Notice signs shall be maintained at all times. Notice 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 posting shall be valid and enforceable for 365 days after the date the posting is recorded. 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 and recorded as provided in this section shall be enclosed land for the purposes herein. Accidental or unintentional deviations from the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall still be deemed effective to prohibit or permit by permission only hunting, fishing, trapping, or taking of game or wild animals if the notice signs would lead a reasonable person to believe that hunting, fishing, trapping, or taking of game or wild animals is prohibited on the land. Property owners with actual notice that their notice signs deviate from the requirements of this section shall take reasonable steps to ensure their notice signs comply with this section. (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; 2013, No. 78, § 20; 2015, No. 145 (Adj. Sess.), § 16; 2025, No. 90 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 30, 2026.)