Do You Know What Purple Paint on a Fence Post or Tree Means

[HeliSniper]

If you live in Texas or some surrounding states, you may have seen a post or pole on the edge of someone’s property spray painted purple. This isn’t just a choice in lawn decor, there’s actually a reason for it that you may not be aware of. According to the Purple Paint Law, states like Texas allow landowners to paint a fence post or pole on the edge of their property purple to signify “No Trespassing.” Why no signs? Some landowners might have signs, too, but inclement weather has a tendency to knock those signs down. Painted posts convey the same message without the fears of being knocked down.

The Purple Paint Law isn’t just in place to keep landowners safe and their land or cattle intact, it’s also meant to assist busy farmers who cannot possible monitor a large spread of land. As any Texan understands, it’s incredibly difficult to constantly keep an eye on their property’s boarders, especially if the owner has a full day or owns several acres. It’s just too much work for anyone to do on top of farming their land or managing their cattle. So farmers and lawmakers alike trust that civilians will recognize the meaning of a purple post and keep clear of that land.

So if you’ve accidentally wandered beyond a purple painted fence or gate, you’ve broken the law. At least now you know what it really means and hopefully it will keep you from wandering past this point again.

A number of states utilize the Purple Paint Law in order to signify “No Trespassing” – it may be your state has this law in place without your knowledge.
-Texas
-Illinois
-Missouri
-North Carolina
-Maine
-Florida
-Idaho
-Arkansas
-Montana
-Arizona
-Kansas

Stay Safe.......

 

[Ripley1046]

I've known about this, but it is definitely good to have posted for those that are unfamiliar.

 

[HeliSniper]

Yep, I grew up raising cattle, but this only started in'87. Did you know if one of your head of cattle got out and was hit by a car that it is the owner of the livestock's responsibility. We were always fixing fences.....
But if it happens on Farm to Market road like FM2223, then it is the vehicles fault.

 

[MA_Trooper]

Yep, I grew up raising cattle, but this only started in'87. Did you know if one of your head of cattle got out and was hit by a car that it is the owner of the livestock's responsibility. We were always fixing fences.....

That depends greatly on the road classification. A friend hit a neighbors cow on his way home on a RR and after some back and forth with the county and his auto insurer the insurance company covered the cow under property damage. apparently FM and RR in Texas are considered open range (thats not the real term) but where the rancher owns or leases consecutive plots separated by a county/state maintained road the rancher is not obligated to fence the road line. It took some time and finding the right people who understood the complex ambiguity of the regs but his insurance company picked up the tab.

 

[HeliSniper]

I believe there is a endless supply of funny and strange anecdotal stories about cattle, roads, and Texas. The funniest part about them is they are usually true.

 

[MA_Trooper]

The cow may have died, but it won the war. Totaled his M1008. On the bright side, he now has a parts truck for his new M1008

 

[HEYElliott]

Interesting that its purple in those states. In Ontario (Canada) its red, and it symbolizes the same; "no trespassing" primarily for agricultural areas but also on larger plots of land where fences or constant signage would be impractical.

 

[BlueLineOverland]

Private property keep out or they shoot...… at least that's what it means in Arkansas LOL

 

[David C Gibbs]

If you live in Texas or some surrounding states, you may have seen a post or pole on the edge of someone’s property spray painted purple. This isn’t just a choice in lawn decor, there’s actually a reason for it that you may not be aware of. According to the Purple Paint Law, states like Texas allow landowners to paint a fence post or pole on the edge of their property purple to signify “No Trespassing.” Why no signs? Some landowners might have signs, too, but inclement weather has a tendency to knock those signs down. Painted posts convey the same message without the fears of being knocked down.

The Purple Paint Law isn’t just in place to keep landowners safe and their land or cattle intact, it’s also meant to assist busy farmers who cannot possible monitor a large spread of land. As any Texan understands, it’s incredibly difficult to constantly keep an eye on their property’s boarders, especially if the owner has a full day or owns several acres. It’s just too much work for anyone to do on top of farming their land or managing their cattle. So farmers and lawmakers alike trust that civilians will recognize the meaning of a purple post and keep clear of that land.

So if you’ve accidentally wandered beyond a purple painted fence or gate, you’ve broken the law. At least now you know what it really means and hopefully it will keep you from wandering past this point again.

A number of states utilize the Purple Paint Law in order to signify “No Trespassing” – it may be your state has this law in place without your knowledge.
-Texas
-Illinois
-Missouri
-North Carolina
-Maine
-Florida
-Idaho
-Arkansas
-Montana
-Arizona
-Kansas

Stay Safe.......

This is a very hot topic in Idaho, having had some bad "Out-of-State" actors, purchase old tracts of Plum Creek timber lands and wall it off, right in the middle of a Hunting section. In Idaho - the Color is ORANGE, not Purple.
Previously, the law required that landowners place No Trespassing Signs or orangepaint every 660 feet. ... The fear, however, is when the private property laws are coupled with Idaho's new “stand your ground” law.Sep 24, 2018

Stay Safe!