Purple Paint On Trees

[AugieTN]

What does the purple paint on trees mean? RVers, if you see purple paint on trees, stay away

 

[rootabaga]

You learn something new every day…
Not sure why they’re focusing on RVers since everyone else should know to stay away as well!!

“Purple paint statute​

In 2012, the Missouri state legislature passed the purple paint statute. It allows Missouri landowners to mark trees or fence posts with purple paint as a warning to would-be trespassers.

The paint works much better than a “No Trespassing” or “Keep Out” sign. Why? Because signs can be removed or destroyed. They can weather and fall off. Then, trespassers can claim the land was not marked. The landowner has no proof of when their sign is gone. So, they paint a purple swatch on the trees marking the property lines. It’s much more difficult to remove a tree than a sign!

Another reason purple paint is used to mark property lines is to protect the owner’s trees. Nailing a sign into a tree can damage the outer layer of wood and/or introduce disease. Nailing signs year after year can take a disastrous toll on the trees. So, purple paint it is!”

 

[AugieTN]

I was surprised how many other states follow the purple paint rule:

.....The purple paint law for marking property isn’t just a Missouri curiosity. The law is also currently active in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.......

 

[ocnbrze]

pretty soon they are going to paint rain.......LOL

 

[nickdalzell]

The only time I've seen a painted tree is when someone paints a big 'X' on it before chopping it down. Otherwise it's often a graffiti tagger. I don't see how anyone would recognize purple paint on a tree as a 'no trespasing' sign though. I'd have to google it myself if I came across it as it'd be a mystery to me. Guess I'm happy to not have hiked near one!

I live in rural Kentucky, and if you are on someone's property and missed the many signs they place, (and there are many) you'd know when you'd hear gunshots in your general direction! Rural KY is full of trigger-happy deer hunters and many of the wooded areas are owned by the Fish and Wildlife dept, and are often used by hunters. While the signs might sometimes say 'no hunting' it often means 'these are MY deer to hunt, not yours!'

Basically if you are in any area with a Confederate Battle flag flying, or see trailer homes with 'gun ports' where there used to be windows, stay out!

 

[AugieTN]

It looked more blue than purple. I'm guessing it means no trespassing. It's a lot close to me in Tennessee

 

[olbriar]

I've never seen any such markings here. Maybe it is marking the trail for the deer. Signs posted forbidding hunting and or fishing as well as no trespassing is the norm here. Maybe I've not in the right woods but I've never seen tree wrappings. Google provided this:
What is the purple law in Kansas?


The law allows landowners to put up signs marking their land as being open to hunting, trapping and/or fishing through written permission only. The law says landowners may opt to use purple paint instead of posting signs on their land, according to the Kansas Legislature.Nov 3, 2023

 

[AugieTN]

.....twenty-two states do recognize a purple paint law. These states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. This means that landowners could indicate that their land is off-limits if they paint the trunks of trees near the perimeter of their property purple.......

 

[nickdalzell]

I feel for anyone who is out of the loop though. Nobody picks up books of law and tries to find any new law that shows up, just like how nobody bothers to read EULAs. Who would? It is all in legalese. I mean how is anyone going to find this as a ''no tresspassing'' sign and not simple random tagging?