Hunting in Vermont: 4 Things for Landowners to Know About Hunting on Private Property

Hunters have lots of options for hunting in Vermont, with more than 800,000 acres of public lands open for the sport. In recent years, wildlife officials hoped to open even more land for hunting with changes to the rules for accessing private lands.

Here are four things for landowner to know about hunting in Vermont.

ALERT: Should Obama Have More Control Over Guns? Vote Now

1. Hunting by Permission Only

Prior to 2013, hunters could access private lands as long as they weren't posted as no hunting, The Boston Globe reported. The new law softened this all-or-nothing approach by allowing landowners to post their property as hunting by permission only and introducing harsher penalties for violating this rule.

The change means that landowners have more control over who is coming and going on their property. Hunters are not required to ask permission to hunt on land that is not posted, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. But the department encourages this courtesy.

2. No Trespassing
Now that landowners have the choice to put up "Hunting by Permission Only" signs, landowners who do so should remove "No Trespassing" signs. The 2013 law means that if landowners chose to leave up "No Trespassing" signs, they are indicating they do not want hunters to hunt on their land at all.

VOTE NOW: Is Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin Doing a Good Job?

3. Right to Removal
Landowners also have two other privileges when it comes to hunter relations, according to the Fish and Wildlife Department. First, if they encounter a hunter on their land, they are permitted to ask him or her to leave the property immediately. This right covers any hunter, regardless of whether they were given permission in the past. Second, landowners can ask for proof of a hunting license from anyone who hunts on their land. Hunters must comply with this request or leave the private property immediately.

4. Vermont’s Landowner Liability Law
This law helps further protect the rights of landowners and relieves the landowner of any responsibility regarding personal injuries of the hunter granted permission to hunt without paying a fee, according to the Upper Valley Land Trust. In addition, the landowner is not responsible for personal property damaged while the guest is hunting on their land.

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

URGENT: Do You Support Obama's Plans for Stricter Gun Control? Vote Now

Related Stories:

• Hunting New Hampshire: 7 Things for Landowners to Know About Hunting on Private Property
• Hunting in Mississippi: 5 Things for Landowners to Know About Hunting on Private Property