2006 Minnesota Statutes

97B.001 TRESPASS.
    Subdivision 1. Agricultural land definition. For purposes of this section, "agricultural
land" means land:
(1) that is plowed or tilled;
(2) that has standing crops or crop residues;
(3) within a maintained fence for enclosing domestic livestock;
(4) that is planted native or introduced grassland or hay land; or
(5) that is planted to short rotation woody crops as defined in section 41B.048, subdivision 4.
    Subd. 1a. Outdoor recreation definition. "Outdoor recreation" means any voluntary
activity, including hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, hiking, camping, and engaging in winter
sports, which is conducted primarily for the purposes of pleasure, rest, or relaxation and is
dependent upon or derives its principal benefit from natural surroundings.
    Subd. 2. Permission required to enter agricultural land for outdoor recreation purposes.
Except as provided in subdivisions 5 and 6, a person may not enter agricultural land for outdoor
recreation purposes, without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee.
    Subd. 3. Remaining on land prohibited after notice. Except as provided in subdivision
6, a person may not remain on any land for outdoor recreation purposes after being orally told
not to do so by the owner, occupant, or lessee.
    Subd. 4. Entering posted land prohibited; signs. (a) Except as provided in subdivision
6, a person may not enter, for outdoor recreation purposes, any land that is posted under this
subdivision without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee.
(b) The owner, occupant, or lessee of private land, or an authorized manager of public land
may prohibit outdoor recreation on the land by posting signs once each year that:
(1) state "no trespassing" or similar terms;
(2) display letters at least two inches high;
(3) either:
(i) are signed by the owner, occupant, lessee, or authorized manager; or
(ii) include the legible name and telephone number of the owner, occupant, lessee, or
authorized manager; and
(4) either:
(i) are at intervals of 1,000 feet or less along the boundary of the area, or in a wooded area
where boundary lines are not clear, at intervals of 500 feet or less; or
(ii) mark the primary corners of each parcel of land and access roads and trails at the point
of entrance to each parcel of land except that corners only accessible through agricultural land
need not be posted.
(c) A person may not erect a sign that prohibits outdoor recreation or trespassing where the
person does not have a property right, title, or interest to use the land.
    Subd. 5. Retrieving wounded game. Except as provided in subdivision 3, a person on foot
may, without permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee, enter land that is not posted under
subdivision 4, to retrieve a wounded animal that was lawfully shot. The hunter must leave the
land immediately after retrieving the wounded game.
    Subd. 6. Retrieving hunting dogs. A person on foot may, without permission of the owner,
occupant, or lessee, enter private land without a firearm to retrieve a hunting dog. After retrieving
the dog, the person must immediately leave the premises.
    Subd. 7. Taking with firearms in certain areas. (a) A person may not take a wild animal
with a firearm within 500 feet of a building occupied by a human or livestock without the written
permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee:
(1) on another person's private land; or
(2) on a public right-of-way.
(b) A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm without the permission of the owner,
occupant, or lessee, within 500 feet of a stockade or corral containing livestock.
(c) A person may not take a wild animal on any land where the person is prohibited from
entering by this section.
    Subd. 8. Destruction of property; gate closing. A person may not:
(1) wound or kill another person's domestic animal;
(2) destroy, cut, or tear down another person's fence, building, grain, crops, live tree, or
sign erected under subdivision 4; or
(3) pass through another person's closed gate without returning the gate to its original
position.
History: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 1; 1987 c 149 art 1 s 40-42; 1996 c 301 s 1-7; 1Sp2001 c 2 s 117