>>1732379>As far as I know we are not allowed to trespass on private property to fish or to hunt.The reason it works here is that we have a fairly narrow definition of legally actionable "trespass," to begin with, in that trespassing on unenclosed land isn't actionable without prior warning. If someone puts up signs (which is legally considered a form of enclosure) and you ignore them, or if they order you off the property and you don't leave (or you return later), then it becomes actionable. But if you traverse someone's land which isn't duly posted, and the owner doesn't ask you to leave, there's no crime (nor is there any cause for civil action, unless you caused damage). Hunting, fishing and foraging for wild plants are all allowed as an extension of the same principle (you do need explicit landowner permission to set traps, though). Again, I think we're unusual even in the U.S. on this point.
The whole waters of the state thing is massively confusing here, too. In theory, under U.S. law, the public has a right to use navigable surface waters, but the stream/lake bed underneath the water may be private property (so even though you can use a boat, you may not be allowed to wade, and dropping anchor or even hitting the bottom with an oar or paddle might technically constitute a trespass). Furthermore, the definition of "navigable" seems to vary from state to state.
