The owner of a lakefront property gives verbal permission to 3 local sportsmen to cross his land each weekend during the summer of a given year for the express purpose of fishing. He has created what may properly be described as a(n)

The situation describes a scenario where the owner of the lakefront property grants verbal permission to a few individuals to cross the property for a specific purpose—in this case, fishing. This arrangement is best characterized as a license.

A license is a legal concept that involves granting permission to another party to do something on one's property that would otherwise be considered illegal or a trespass. It is usually informal and does not convey any interest in the property itself. In this case, the owner has given verbal permission, which aligns with the characteristics of a license, as it allows the sportsmen to enter the property temporarily and for a directed purpose without creating a formal or lasting right.

This situation differs from an easement, which is a more permanent right to use another’s property for a specific purpose and typically involves a written agreement. A lease, on the other hand, would involve a contractual arrangement for the rental of property, implying more formal and often longer-term rights. Encroachment refers to the unauthorized intrusion onto someone's property and does not apply in this context, since permission was granted.

Thus, the verbal permission signifies a license, making that the correct choice in this situation.