PA game commission reminds hunters to obey "purple paint laws" during hunting season

HARRISBURG — As Pennsylvania's hunters prepare to return to the woods this fall, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is reminding sportsmen to be on the lookout for purple paint while they travel.

After a change in state laws in 2020, landowners may now mark their private property with purple paint on trees and posts rather than the traditional signage. The "purple paint laws" are meant to alert others that the upcoming area is private land and entering the property will count as trespassing.

The law states that landowners must paint the purple lines 3 to 5 feet above the base of the tree and should be at least 8 inches long and 1 inch wide. Additionally, marked trees and posts should be within 100 feet of each other.

With the exceptions of Philadelphia and Allegheny counties, the law is in effect over the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Hunters and trappers who violate these purple marks, trespassing signs or verbal commands indicating that they are on private lands are breaking the law. Their presence at that point is considered a defiant trespass, which can face up to a year in prison and $2,500 in fines.

The only exception to the law is for the purpose of retrieving hunting dogs. Owners are allowed to enter the property as long as they remain unarmed and go directly towards their pets. 

Additional game-law violations may also apply to any hunters trespassing and hunting on private property. 

Garret Roberts is the local Public Priority reporter for The Beaver County Times. He can be contacted at groberts1@gannett.com and can be followed on Twitter at @ReportedRoberts.