Purple Paint Law enacted, beware of squirrels

Brian DeNeal

Starting Jan. 1, 2013, Illinois landowners may use 8-inch purple paint stripes in lieu of "no trespassing" signs. The purple stripes on trees or posts no greater than 100 feet apart give visitors warning their presence is unwanted and they are facing prosecution for trespass by crossing that purple line. But there are squirrels to consider.

Starting Jan. 1, 2013, Illinois landowners may use 8-inch purple paint stripes in lieu of "no trespassing" signs. The purple stripes on trees or posts no greater than 100 feet apart give visitors warning their presence is unwanted and they are facing prosecution for trespass by crossing that purple line.

I'm all for the idea, but there could be problems. Just ask the charter members of the River to River Trail Society who sometimes used blue paint to mark an "i" on trees to mark the trail. Squirrels developed a taste for the paint and relished chewing the markings away.

Cows eat paint like potato chips.

Landowners who choose the purple paint method should be aware of this squirrel problem and check their paint marks periodically. Otherwise, they may be in court listening to the defendent say, "Honest, Judge, I didn't see no signs, nor paint neither. Must be them squirrels chewed it off."

Until Jan. 1, 2013, landowners will still need "no trespassing" signs posted. Alternate messages might be "Keep off!" "Stay off my land!" or "If found here your soul will belong to God, your body will belong to (insert landowner's name)!"

The entire seven-page Purple Paint Law is here.