North Dakota posting & trespass law

Posting and Trespass

  • Only the owner or tenant, or an individual authorized by the owner, may post land by placing signs giving notice that no hunting is permitted on the land. The name of the person posting the land must appear on each sign in legible characters. The signs must be readable from the outside of the land and must be placed conspicuously not more than 880 yards (one-half mile) apart. As to land entirely enclosed by a fence or other enclosure, posting of signs at or on all gates through the fence or enclosure constitutes a posting of all the enclosed land.
  • Hunting on posted lands without permission from the owner or tenant is illegal and punishable by suspension of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for a period of at least one year.
  • Hunting on posted lands without permission can be prosecuted even if the land is not posted to the letter of the law.
  • Any person may enter upon legally posted land (without a firearm or bow) to recover game shot or killed on land where he/she had a lawful right to hunt.
  • It is illegal to hunt in unharvested cereal and oilseed crops, including sprouted winter wheat, alfalfa, clover and other grasses grown for seed, without the owner’s consent.
  • It is illegal to deface, take down or destroy posting signs.
  • Failure to close gates upon exit or entry is a criminal violation punishable by forfeiture of hunting licenses.
  • It is illegal to hunt upon the premises of another within 440 yards (onequarter mile) of any occupied building without the consent of the person occupying the building. This does not prohibit hunting on land owned by neighbors (private or public) even if the land is less than 440 yards (onequarter mile) from the occupied building.