Yet farmers must utilize posting out of necessity. Farmers want people to stay off their crops and keep motorized vehicles out of their hayfields. Many of the things that the public takes for granted, like hayfields, to a farmer mean financial investment and livelihood. The hunter in the cow pasture doesn't intend to shoot at any of the cows, but the farmer has understandable concern for the safety of his expensive livestock. To minimize crop and livestock damage and loss, the farmer may resort to posting the land.
Posting is also a necessary safety tool for logging operations.
While the overwhelming majority of private forestland is open for public access, posting is often used in areas with active logging. Loggers themselves also prefer to work in a safety zone, free from stray bullets. The bottom line is that the taxpaying landowner may have current use compatible land uses that unlimited public access could disrupt or harm. Despite critic's claims that current use landowners should be made to allow public access in exchange for the tax treatment the land receives, numerous Cost of Community Services studies have demonstrated that current use land pays more in taxes than it costs the town in services. In other words, despite the reduced assessment, and corresponding lower property taxes, current use land pays it's fair share.