How to deal with game wardens?

[thinhorn_AK]

They're people just like you and me, trying to make a living and to protect the very resource were all out their trying to hunt, fish, and trap.
Give them the respect they deserve.

Sometimes respect is a 2 way street. I was on a spring caribou (snow machine) a few years back with a few other people. I can’t remember but I think we were entitled to 2 each by law. We didn’t have any yet but had found a herd of caribou.

Warden circles us for like 10 minutes scaring off all the animals, then lands and messes with us checking tags, IDs and shit for a solid 30 minutes. We had t even shot yet. Thor caribou were long gone by the time he left.

Of course we found them later but we could
Have been on our way home by the time he quit bothering us.

 

[Sawitrightoff]

Wardens…… have a job to do, so if I see one coming I unload my gun, …..

That may make the encounter go SO much quicker. I once watched a body cam footage clip, and the warden didn’t know how to unload a Browning A-5 semiautomatic shotgun. One of the most popular, and easily operated guns of all time. Not having a clue, he proceeds to try and dig the shells out of the magazine tube with his finger. Gives up and hands it to his buddy. C’mom, what qualifications do they need for that job, that aren’t important enough to include in their training class.
.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have great concerns in states where the game wardens are partvof the stste police. At least on the tv shows they seem to dance on the edge of entrapment and are overly aggressive. That and the state residents appear really stupid.

I really feel they should be the most aggressive in cases where the meat is wasted.

 

[ClearCreek]

So how is it that the people posting on this thread can remember the one or two times they had, what they consider, a negative encounter with a game warden; and they can remember almost verbatum what was said during that encounter, even if is was 20-30 years ago.

But, they can't remember how many fish they caught just 2-3 hours prior to being checked or when they bought a boat or ATV or when they moved to a state to establich hunting and fishing residency?

That seems odd to me.


ClearCreek

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Anybody from WA ever encounter a GW with the last name Kram, first name Mister (according to him)? This may be a few years ago, mine was 1997.

 

[mtwarden]

So how is it that the people posting on this thread can remember the one or two times they had, what they consider, a negative encounter with a game warden; and they can remember almost verbatum what was said during that encounter, even if is was 20-30 years ago.

But, they can't remember how many fish they caught just 2-3 hours prior to being checked or when they bought a boat or ATV or when they moved to a state to establich hunting and fishing residency?

That seems odd to me.


ClearCreek

If you haven’t had a bad encounter with a game warden, you’re not a manly man.

 

[Pharmseller]

I got checked once, here in Oregon. Turns out I had hired his brother into a really good job (recognized the name tag), we chatted and I was on my way.

 

[KenLee]

Did a ton of work with them on access programs,in the 90's roads, gates fences, sign in kiosk's, etc. Most all the guy's we camped with for days or weeks were very interesting to say the least. All good people with lots of good stories. I can honestly say , never had a problem in hunting several different states for over 40 plus years. I think it is a tough job with low pay in most places. I know in my home state they offered me a job as a field mechanic/welder for just over $10 bucks hour in 1990. Union scale at the time was well over $30 plus. Long hours and low pay just saying.

State benefits and retirement plans are pretty cushy though

 

[KenLee]

Yeah being a murdering scumbag is a way to go through life

Shows a lot about a persons character if they’re okay with that

Technically a manslaughtering scumbag.

 

[KenLee]

Examples of Probable Cause (Inferred)

• A warden sees hunters near a "No Hunting" sign with fresh game and no licenses.
• A boat operator is fishing with illegal gear (like a gill net).
• A vehicle smells strongly of freshly killed game, but the occupants have no tags or licenses.

I would pretty strongly disagree with #3...unless a K9 is present and then...the handler would have to justify that the K9 is trained SPECIFICALLY to smell and detect game and present with an alert very specific to the presence of game (which dog isn't??)

But again...NOT a lawyer. Or Warden.

May he with badge huff gunshot quail that have been toted in the vest all day at 80 degrees.

 

[KenLee]

In my experience they are to be feared in the SE and welcomed out west.

Out west? I wish I had seen one patrolling after I observed someone doing their best to turn up a large muley I had been watching in WY they day before season opened - while that person, and the rest of their party, had rifles and tripods out.

Helped some near Casper stock fish in a pond one day, said they were doing a swap with Nebraska to study fish species viability.

My one encounter in CO my buddy had made a mistake in tagging evidence of sex on a bull elk (after I clearly told him how to do it) but the guy was cool about it. He did push a bit and want to see the kill site. When I explained to him where it was, and he saw our waypoints on OnX, he expressed his disbelief in us not having horses, and then he left us alone lol.

But meanwhile in Alabama, the game wardens will plant bait on your property and then turkey hunt it themselves...

No lies detected

 

[KenLee]

If you aren't breaking any laws you won't get a citation...

That's funny you think wardens actually know the law.

 

[Serrano]

A friend and I were stopped by a Deputy Sheriff for shooting a deer inside city limits (We weren't). He turned us over to a fish cop for the tickets. The tickets said I shot inside the city limits. Shouldn't that be the deputy's jurisdiction?

They mailed me notice I could pay ~$175 without appearance or risk $299 and 6 months jail.

When I appeared at court, they changed the charge to shooting within some distance of a dwelling. The judge told the prosecutor and me to come to a plea bargain.

The prosecutor, the fish cop and I went in the hall. The fish cop had no idea where I shot so they called the deputy. The deputy showed a map to say where I was. I said I was near the river and the deputy agreed. We looked at their map. It had no river. I showed them my map and the spot I was near the river. It also showed the area of the deputy's map. It was far away from the river.

The prosecutor went to the judge and dismissed the charges.

I never hunted there again even though it was a pretty good spot. That's probably what the deputy wanted anyway.

 

[Phaseolus]

That's funny you think wardens actually know the law.

There must be a vast difference in the types of wardens between The South and out west.

 

[Speaks]

I will treat any interaction with any kind of law enforcement as hostile and potentially deadly and assume anything they say is a lie. The vast majority of the time none of those things are true and the officer is a good buy but I dont know that. I will still be extremely polite, respectful, and even friendly but I will never assume for one second that he is doing the same even if it seems so. I will politely give truthful though brief answers to reasonable questions.

If ever asked to search anything I will state very clearly that I do not consent. If they have the right to search they will do it anyway and I will not try and prevent that, just simply and calmly state my lack of consent.

I am not saying we dont need game wardens or any other type of law enforcement, its a necessary function. But I will not voluntarily interact and if I have to interact I will keep it short and professional.

That said I believe all of my interactions with game wardens and most with police have ranged anywhere from fine to pleasant.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I only refuse to talk to them when I am breaking the law. Otherwise I have a polite, cooperative conversation with them.

 

[Twisdom]

Let them do their job with min reason.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I will treat any interaction with any kind of law enforcement as hostile and potentially deadly and assume anything they say is a lie. The vast majority of the time none of those things are true and the officer is a good buy but I dont know that. I will still be extremely polite, respectful, and even friendly but I will never assume for one second that he is doing the same even if it seems so. I will politely give truthful though brief answers to reasonable questions.

If ever asked to search anything I will state very clearly that I do not consent. If they have the right to search they will do it anyway and I will not try and prevent that, just simply and calmly state my lack of consent.

I am not saying we dont need game wardens or any other type of law enforcement, its a necessary function. But I will not voluntarily interact and if I have to interact I will keep it short and professional.

That said I believe all of my interactions with game wardens and most with police have ranged anywhere from fine to pleasant.

Lighten Up Francis....."as hostile and deadly...." a bit much.

 

[betelgeuse]

Game Wardens ?

Don't bend over in front of them.

 

[Speaks]

Lighten Up Francis....."as hostile and deadly...." a bit much.

Police are trained to face all interactions as if they could be hostile and deadly and it seems prudent to think about it the same way. By this I dont mean the LEO has any intention to do anything bad or even dishonest, they most likely do not.

But when the goal of the interaction is to find an infraction to punish you for that is hostile in nature. Keeping in mind with anything you say that they might use it against you if given the opportunity is prudent.

And the deadly part I absolutely stand by though likely was not intending like you think. Approaching any interaction law enforcement is looking for potential threats and for good reason. They have means and ability to very quickly react with deadly force to a threat. There is no other interaction short of with a criminal that carries this dynamic. There is no other interaction where if you unthinkingly reach somewhere that makes them feel threatened that you can be shot and have that be ok.

This does not mean be a dick to the LEO, in fact the opposite. Keep your hands in view, if hunting unload and keep actions visibly open. If reaching for a license tell them that is what you are doing etc.

For all you know when they stopped you they think you might look a little like a person they are pursuing and although you have no way of knowing this they are on very high alert. Then you reach for a wallet quickly and suddenly things are escalated.

Anyway, be overly polite and respectful, obey direct orders, be as unthreatening as possible, and do not consent to anything other than providing ID, license, etc. Most are great guys, some are not, you dont know which is which.