Purple paint on trees in Morgan Monroe State Forest?

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  • The Bubba Effect

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    This past weekend I went mushroom hunting with my brother in Morgan Monroe State Forest. As I parked along Gose Creek Road (or goose creek rd?), above Deadman's Hollow, my brother pointed out that there were several trees along the road marked in purple by where we were parking. He said that in lots of places, purple paint on a tree serves as a "No Trespassing" sign and he was fairly adamant about it. I knew we were in the state forest, so I voted to ignore the painted trees and went mushroom hunting. We did not find many, but it was a nice day for a walk in the woods.

    Anyone have any idea what the purple rings painted on the trees in Morgan Monroe signify? I did not see any painted trees in the woods, but there are lots of trees tagged with metal tags, I assume part of a timber survey or study, as we ran into a guy from purdue one day doing that kind of work in there. The purple thing kind of got me though, as I looked it up and apparently in several states that would serve as a "no trespassing" sign, but we were definitely smack dab in the state forest.

    Anyone know what gives?
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Ive heard the rumor too. Not sure why you would see them there. Unless...

    Some pranksters are also aware of it and were just messing with you.
    You were on the edge of some private property and they too are aware of the "trick". Its my understanding in a lot of the state forests there are patches of private land within it.

    I still dont know why you wouldnt just buy some damned signs instead of paint. :dunno:

    ETA: Tinfoil time... or you found a spot with a big, productive patch of morels and some scoundrel who knows about the purple paint idea painted them to make you think you cant enter, thus staking his claim and preventing you from harvesting what he considers his morels.
     

    shibumiseeker

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    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    I still dont know why you wouldnt just buy some damned signs instead of paint.
    .

    I have 3.5 miles of property boundary. Every year it takes me about 20-30 hours before hunting season to walk the boundary, paint (blue paint, orange flagging) trees and posts, and staple up new signs. The Tyvex signs last about 2 years before they need replacing. The flagging lasts about 3-4 years, and the blue paint is 5-7 years. I spend the time, and about a hundred bucks in signs, paint, and flagging; and I still get the occasional yahoo who gives me the "I thought I was on state forest/HNF BS. You pass by a near continuous line of marking, and it really does take all three to make it obvious under all conditions. The blue is very visible in the daytime, the orange at dawn/dusk, and they both draw attention to the signs. On a rare occasion I've missed a year and half of the signs are down. It's also harder for yahoos who hunt neighboring properties to remove paint from a tree whereas signs are just target practice.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    In some states, purple paint is the same as a no trespass sign. If you're timbering your woods, you don't necessarily want staples and nails in your trees. I do not believe it carries the weight of law in Indiana, although a quick Google shows it was discussed by DNR a few years ago as an option.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    I have 3.5 miles of property boundary. Every year it takes me about 20-30 hours before hunting season to walk the boundary, paint (blue paint, orange flagging) trees and posts, and staple up new signs. The Tyvex signs last about 2 years before they need replacing. The flagging lasts about 3-4 years, and the blue paint is 5-7 years. I spend the time, and about a hundred bucks in signs, paint, and flagging; and I still get the occasional yahoo who gives me the "I thought I was on state forest/HNF BS. You pass by a near continuous line of marking, and it really does take all three to make it obvious under all conditions. The blue is very visible in the daytime, the orange at dawn/dusk, and they both draw attention to the signs. On a rare occasion I've missed a year and half of the signs are down. It's also harder for yahoos who hunt neighboring properties to remove paint from a tree whereas signs are just target practice.

    My friend Bernie tells me that means you have too much and need to share it with those less fortunate. :stickpoke:
     

    The Bubba Effect

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    The kicker is that I am as sure about it being part of the park as I am sure about most anything. I know there are patches of public land in some parks and patches of park surrounded by public land, but over the years, I have checked all types of maps of this area pretty hard trying to figure out where the tiny amounts of gold are likely to be concentrated and every map that shows the area shows this land being park land, plus this is part of the park that is heavily used by mushroom hunters and gold panners.

    I thought it was weird that someone would use markings in a state park that was a marking commonly used to denote "no trespassing". I have been on the other side of the hollow and found red paint marks on trees, in the middle of the woods and assumed those were marking showing the edge of the park/ beginning of private property, but these purple marks just perplexes me.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    The kicker is that I am as sure about it being part of the park as I am sure about most anything. I know there are patches of public land in some parks and patches of park surrounded by public land, but over the years, I have checked all types of maps of this area pretty hard trying to figure out where the tiny amounts of gold are likely to be concentrated and every map that shows the area shows this land being park land, plus this is part of the park that is heavily used by mushroom hunters and gold panners.

    I thought it was weird that someone would use markings in a state park that was a marking commonly used to denote "no trespassing". I have been on the other side of the hollow and found red paint marks on trees, in the middle of the woods and assumed those were marking showing the edge of the park/ beginning of private property, but these purple marks just perplexes me.

    Could also be logging markings.
     

    Vamptepes

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    Purple paint is trespassing. They passed that law a few weeks ago now. Are you sure you were in the right place? Quite a few people have property that butts up to the states property.
     

    The Bubba Effect

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    Purple paint is trespassing. They passed that law a few weeks ago now. Are you sure you were in the right place? Quite a few people have property that butts up to the states property.

    I am as sure of it as I am most anything. I have topos of the area and have hiked/mushroom hunted/ gold panned probably 20 or 30 times up that holler/hollow/valley.

    I was approximately at this location, and the paint markings I refer to were on the north side of the road: 39.348552, -86.440147 . Approximately because I can not say exactly where on that road I was, but I would say that lat/long is within maybe an eighth mile either way.
     

    Leadeye

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    .
    My friend Bernie tells me that means you have too much and need to share it with those less fortunate. :stickpoke:


    Don't poke the bear.;)

    I have the same issues, wind tears signs off of trees so I use a combination of paint, surveyors tape and signs. It still requires patrols, this Wednesday my wife will be out at dawn driving along the trails to discourage turkey hunters. I've never understood why people would hike half a mile through good turkey habitat in the HNF just to hunt on my place.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Don't poke the bear.;)

    I have the same issues, wind tears signs off of trees so I use a combination of paint, surveyors tape and signs. It still requires patrols, this Wednesday my wife will be out at dawn driving along the trails to discourage turkey hunters. I've never understood why people would hike half a mile through good turkey habitat in the HNF just to hunt on my place.


    If the turkeys are anywhere near as smart as the deer, they know where the public land is and vacate it and hide in the private sections where it is safe during hunting season. :):
     

    Alamo

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    In some states, purple paint is the same as a no trespass sign. ...

    In deference to Kirk's Third Law, Texas's criminal trespass law is in Penal Code Section 30.05, and it provides that notice may be given by:

    (D) the placement of identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts on the property, provided that the marks are:
    (i) vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in width;
    (ii) placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground or more than five feet from the ground; and
    (iii) placed at locations that are readily visible to any person approaching the property and no more than:
    (a) 100 feet apart on forest land; or
    (b) 1,000 feet apart on land other than forest land;

    Morgan-Monroe State Forest is a long way from Texas tho, don't think you were that lost. :)
     
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