Mike, I never said you took a stand on anything. You also singled me out instead of just posting your take on the issue - are you a lawyer offering a legal opinion or just stating your interpretation? What was your point to bring up the fact that you weren't "technically illegal" if not to imply it was somehow ok. I think the information in your follow up replies were much more pertinent to the issue then the fact that "technically you are not illegally" trespassing if the property is not posted where you choose to enter it. Not knowing whether you were going to add anything to it, I felt compelled to make my post as I felt your original reply could be construed as an ok to trespass if the property was not "posted" because it was not "technically illegal". Furthermore, I will do some more checking with my lawyer, as the section you were quoting was for "criminal" trespass. I was under the impression from (verbal discussions with a lawyer) there were two statutes for trespass - one for " criminal" trespass, which applied to posted property or repeat offenses and another for regular unintentional & first time offenses on non posted property, with "criminal trespass" carrying heavier penalties & fines. Aside from all of that it is more than just practical to knock on doors, IT IS ESSENTIAL, if you want to promote our sport. Think about if you owned a pond or property with water flowing through it. Would you want any and every stranger fishing it? Putting you at risk for possible law suits if they get hurt? Possibly damaging the property or the resource? I know people tend to think of a stream and the fish that swim through them being more public domain then a pond or lake. The other issues, besides who owns the fish or wildlife are still relevant. Unfortunately too many people feel " Asking permission is fine, but I'd rather not wake somebody up if I don't have to. I fish so many different places, if I get left a note, I don't fish there again unless I ask permission. If I don't get a note, it's game on. No one wants to chase you upstream through the woods. People are too lazy out in the country to waste time with you. usually put cell number in car window and note says went canoeing/fishing. " I guess they were just too lazy to post a sign every 10 feet around their properly too. When you go seeking permission and you get screamed at, treated rudely, or the dogs are turned loose on you, remember the property owner may not have been just another ahole but just tired and annoyed of wasting his time chasing all the other trespassers before you. Terrydodge, I agree with scot, you have nothing to be sorry about, and bterril I am not trying to pass judgment on you either. I am just trying to make a point. I like to think most people are fine ethical sportsmen who just really do not think about the ramifications of their actions or put themselves in the property owner’s shoes. They tend to focus on things like "they" are "only fishing or canoeing", "they" would never sue if "they" stumbled down a creek bank and broke something or worse, "their" family would never sue if somehow they drowned or got killed on the property, "they" would never leave trash, damage the property, or resource". We all know from experience, there are plenty of "theys" out there that don't fit in this category. I hope you understand where I am coming from. I would never let someone bully me out of fishing some place I have a right to be but I will always do the leg work first and know I have that right, or seek permission first, and respect the property owners rights and decision to allow or refuse access as I would like to think any member of the ISA would do.