Property rights, hunting heritage at play in North Dakota private land bill

Debate returned Friday to the North Dakota Capitol between landowners and hunters over private land legislation.

Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, introduced Senate Bill 2315, which he said would reverse the presumption that non-posted private land in North Dakota is open to access. The Senate Agriculture Committee heard the bill in a hearing that lasted throughout Friday, which drew fierce and, at times, forceful comments.

Erbele's bill would require hunters to obtain permission from landowners to access their property or be charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. The bill also would create a database of private land open to hunters. Similar legislation was defeated in 2017.

"The bill just states that all land will be considered posted. It's a private property rights issue," Erbele told the Tribune. "That's the message of it, recognizing that hunters are important to the economy of North Dakota and also to the welfare of our game resources, but this bill is really trying to seek to bring those entities together."

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/property-rights-hunting-heritage-at-play-in-north-dakota-private/article_1c00db00-356a-5cb8-9ffa-1ad46691f808.html