Rules of the Road

The ubiquitous, all-too-common, Posted sign

   Well, guess what …”Posted” means posted. Would anyone go to the trouble of buying signs, making signposts and boards, hiking around their property to put them up, and not mean it!

   Often such landowners have had a bad “run in” with a hunting party, ATV-ers, a group of unknown picnickers or picture takers, or an especially vocal fisherman. Or it may simply be that they do not want strangers, including geologists hunting for oil or gas, timber buyers, etc. hiking around their land. Sometimes it is a group of tourists who have the mistaken notion that Potter County is all state land and, therefore, open to all to do whatever they please. Whatever the reason, they are perfectly within their rights to make their land off limits.

   The landowner’s responsibility is to make sure the signs are visible, spaced close enough to avoid confusion, kept in good repair and, strictly speaking, signed, so that the public knows who is doing the posting. Old, tattered signs suggest that the posting is not enforced. Sometimes confusion occurs with a change of ownership. The new owner may not re-new the signs, but simply leaves the old signs up to save money with the result that in time it looks like the posting is not enforced.

   Occasionally, the signs themselves may be misleading. There is a stretch of the Middle Branch of the Genesee that for years was readily accessible from state route 449 (Gold to Genesee, Pa.). Indeed, at one time it was managed water and 15 years ago I found some very good fishing there. Recently I returned to find that it had been posted…not with the usual paper signs, but very expensive large metal “deer management” signs indicating some serious intentions and deep pockets.

As I drove past sign after sign, I wondered why a solo fisherman couldn’t slip down to the stream. And then I spotted a double posting; an additional sign permitted fishing, walk-in only. Mystery solved.

    Perhaps the “Fishing Permitted” signs were an after thought, which accounted for their spacing (one of these for about 10 of the other).

    But this illustrates a practice all too common here in Potter County. And it is the use of the “one size fits all” posting sign readily available from local print shops and other vendors, such as Ed Easton’s, Potter County Outfitters. I often fish on posted property having talked with the landowner first. Invariably, he or she will explain that they have no objection to having responsible fishermen on their property. What they don’t want are hunters and ATV-ers, etc. But they cannot purchase a universal posted sign that specifically permits fishing. Instead they have to buy a separate walk-in sign for these folk.

    Actually the solution for these people is fairly simple: before putting up the signs, simply black out “FISHING” with a magic marker:

    Admittedly, upon close reading, this does not completely solve the problem. But at least the intention is clear. And it may have to suffice until the sign people design something more suitable to the intentions of the landowner.

    So, having gotten onto the landowner’s stream, what ARE the responsibilities of the visiting fisherman. We are familiar (or should be) with the mantra: “Leave nothing but your boot prints when you leave.” This means, fundamentally, no trash: no cigarette wrappers or butts, no cans or bottles, no packaging materials, no underwear (yes, I have seen it!)..... nada, left behind!

    It also means no boom boxes, no driving across the farmer’s fields, no stampeding of his stock, no blocking of his driveway or other access roads, no leaving gates open or breaking down fencing, no sampling his orchard. Leave it as you found it. It goes without saying that the same rule applies to publicly held land; break the rule and you are simply fouling your own nest, so to speak.

    All well and good, but there may be much to be gained by actually seeking out the landowner, if for no other reason than to thank him for keeping his stream open. And keep your eyes open as there may be times when you are in a position to help the proprietor.

    Guy Dunn was an interesting, hard working old farmer at Seven Bridges and a big supporter of the local athletic teams. But his fences weren’t always in the best repair. I finished fishing a stretch in one of his pastures one evening many years ago only to discover upon arrival at the car that a couple of his cows were wandering in the middle of Route 49.

    I immediately drove to the closest residence and informed the head of the house, who chuckled, “Oh, that Guy. He and his damned cows!” And made the telephone call up to the farmhouse.

    Several years ago on the upper Allegheny River, I was accosted by an angry old landowner for "fishing on his property." No "Posted" signs were visible, so I asked him why. "I'm trying to set this section of the stream aside for the kids," he replied. (I completely sidestepped the issue of legality on this one!). After reassuring him that by releasing what I caught I wasn't going to harm his project, we finally got around to names. When I gave him mine, he responded "Not Prof Dewey"s kid." I nodded. "Hell, I remember you when you were no bigger than (deleted)." It turns out that Mr. Angry was a former student of my dad. Needless to say, I was invited to fish anytime I wanted, and Mr. Angry would even take me to his private pond.

    I suspect there are a great many “good” stories about fishermen and landowners that don’t become common knowledge. These happen because the fisherman takes the initiative to get to know the landowner. I try to make sure that they know what my vehicle looks like. It doesn’t hurt to send a Christmas card or to drop off a couple of trout. Or, take some time to talk to and show his son or daughter how to fish.

    It’s OK to be a visitor, but it’s better to be a welcomed visitor.