How to deal with game wardens?

[huntineveryday]

My grandma owned some dry creek bottom that I always liked to go walk the last day of Pheasant Season, more for the memories than anything, but usually would see birds. One year I pull in to hunt it, and there's a pickup with out of county plates parked in the edge of the field. I glassed the creek and saw two hunters walking out with a dead turkey. I parked behind them to block their exit as they walked up. Granny had said no one else should be out there, but she wasn't sure if my uncle had given anyone permission (he rented the ground).

As the hunters walk up, one approaches my pickup and I ask who they were and if they had permission to hunt there, who they had talked to, etc. They said they had talked to my uncle and he had told them to shoot all the turkeys they wanted, which would track. Then the guy made sure that I knew that he was the game warden for the area (he was, I recognized the name he gave me, just hadn't seen him before that). As I backed up to let them leave, I did chuckle a little at the fact that I got to pull a bit of the reverse card on the game warden and had grilled him a little.

I'm still pissed at myself for not asking to make sure they had a permit to be hunting that turkey...

 

[Speaks]

I don't think citing someone for an inoperable machine that is clearly stored would even count as a technical violation. They are inoperable. I would question how he would explain that in court; comes across more as attempting to cover his own rear end after the fact so he doesn't have to explain himself to the judge

Yea the one I turned around down on the road were technical violations, the two in my barn were 100% not any kind of violation technical or otherwise. I think he knew I lived a few hours away and was unlikely to show up and contest the citation though (which is likely true). I am glad he changed his mind, really dont know if it case a cover his add thing or what.

 

[3325]

I don’t break a law so I have nothing to hide.
I always answer questions with questions.

1. May I see your LEO Credentials?
2. Where did you park?
3. How long is your shift?
4. Can I check your sidearm to make sure it’s safe?
5. You arrested anyone?
6. Can I see your feet?
7. Does your supervisor know where you are?
8. Etc. Etc.

Bovine Scatology

 

[Dogone]

Many years back as a kid I was bullied in to a false confession of a game violation. Got a lawyer and had a conversation with warden and his supervisor. Warden was a jerk and we walked out. Got a call from the supervisor asking to have a one on one meeting. Lawyer ok’d it.
Told the supervisor exactly what happened. Game warden lost his chance at a BIG promotion. Ran across him years later and he was still just a Po dunk warden.
Charge was dropped btw.

 

[go_deep]

Had a Warden ride around in my personal truck all day yesterday on the trap line.
Great person, happy to have had them along for the day and some great conversation.

 

[oldskool67]

Hunter safety education was made mandatory in 1970 due to high accident rates. The political climate at the time was much more conservative than today, and the program has been extremely effective - accident rates have hovered near zero in the decades since. Save your hate speech for facts, if you have any.

“ hate speech?” Oh boy

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Bovine Scatology

Possibly. But you don’t have to answer their questions and they don’t have to answer yours. I just happen to have been friends with the brown shirts where I live. Part of the advantage of living in bush Alaska. I also know I can’t break the law and get away with it.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Please video the next time you do this. It's really easy to post things on the Internet, but I find it REALLY hard to believe you ask an officer wearing a badge for their "LEO Credentials", where they parked, or to check their sidearm. Come on, check their sidearm? That's probably the single best way to escalate an interaction with any LEO. Maintaining control over their firearms is one of their highest priorities. Do you really expect folks to believe you poke that particular bear?

It’s all about the tone of voice.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Yeah I’d recommend not doing this

Everyone should try it. It’s all about body posture and tone of voice.


In all seriousness, I’m friends with the brown shirts and I don’t mind talking to them. I also know if I was to encounter them in the field it’s because of an emergency or when I’m returning to the boat launch or when I’m launching.



8 years ago, we were approached by a brown shirt. He was glassing us and rode up on us in a snowgo that looked like a village snowgo. I guess it was his undercover snowgo. He asked for our license. I couldn’t find mine. And he’s waiting and I’m like…I am not hunting. He’s like, you aren’t? So why do you have that rifle. I’m like bear defense (this was 3 days before Christmas). He just looks at me and I’m like, for real. Then I’m like…or just because I can. My partner had his license. We were good. Then I found my license (i had moved it to my inner pockets). I’m like, I guess I’m hunting now. We all laughed.

The key to interacting with LEO is really to not be a dick. If they are acting like a dick, I don’t mind being a bit more standoffish, but I also know I’m not breaking any laws.

 

[Yoder]

Game Wardens are hunters. They are hunting you.

 

[BuckSmasher]

All good here. Ive had just a couple of interactions hunting. My dad worked for the SDGFP as a pilot and while they mostly did predator control, he did fly during the seasons looking for game violations, and would vector the game wardens in if he saw something he suspected. He also occasionally flew at night looking for spotlighters. That said our game warden lived just up the street and we grew up with his kids. He was tough, but as long as you werent blatantly doing anything illegal he gave you the benefit of the doubt. His son that is my age is still a game warden and is highly regarded.

Only other interactions were on the water. We got nabbed once for standing up in the boat while underway, rough water with a lot of debris so we were looking out for it. Don't think we got a ticket. Also had several safety checks at the ramp. No issues there either.

Have also gotten some good hunting tips from CO's in Colorado too.

Standing up while underway is against the law? How are you supposed to do it in a center console with leaning post?

 

[mtwarden]

Standing up while underway is against the law? How are you supposed to do it in a center console with leaning post?

Especially in a jet boat, where in many waters dodging rocks is the most important navigation you’ll do

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

2 interactions- Just bought a jon boat as 21 year old college student and went to the closest lake and put in. As soon as I got on the water, boat comes right up with two wardens. Ask to see my Boat registration card or whatever its called. I told them I had no idea what they were talking about and I had just bought the boat today. They could have gave me a 100 dollar ticket and didnt. I continued on my maiden voyage.

Walking out from fishing, encountered one coming into the fishing area. He asked to check my fishing license and I showed it to him on the phone app VA has. He asked which vehicle was mine at the parking area and I told him. He said OK and that he had run the plates of the cars in the lot. Didnt know they did that, but good knowledge to have. Chatted a little about the fishing and went on our ways.

Both interactions were decent and respectable. Seemed like good guys.

 

[KurtR]

Especially in a jet boat, where in many waters dodging rocks is the most important navigation you’ll do

I dont think that is a law in Sodak any more if it is they dont enforce it as i have stood up and looked over the wind shield and passed the wardens when it got a little western on Oahe and not to many jet boats out here

 

[KenLee]

Goo

This is worth a look or three ...

South Carolina "night hunting" ....

SC hunter suing DNR in a civil suit for wrongful arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and defamation.

Good guy arrested. I’ve had him and Dad kill yotes. The wardens are scum.

 

[MallardSX2]

Goo
Good guy arrested. I’ve had him and Dad kill yotes. The wardens are scum.

Wow. This doesn't surprise me at all.

The guy should have done a better job of exercising his rights though.

 

[KenLee]

Wow. This doesn't surprise me at all.

The guy should have done a better job of exercising his rights though.

The boot lickers on here can see what cooperation gets you here. Wardens lie, cheat, don't know the law, and get creative with body cams.

 

[IdahoElk]

We only have a few that patrol our area and they are part of the community, If they were d!cks they would have a hard time living here seeing how many hunters and fishermen we have. I've only been checked once ice fishing and it was positive.

 

[KenLee]

Wow. This doesn't surprise me at all.

The guy should have done a better job of exercising his rights though.

Watch til the end. DNR lawyer is a smart ass about probable cause...after wardens were wrong about law forbidding what Defendant did. Every way they stated he broke law was wrong, so how did they have probable cause?
Of course, DNR lawyers are engaging in discovery abuse. I expect a nice $ sanction by Judge.

 

[philos]

The boot lickers on here can see what cooperation gets you here. Wardens lie, cheat, don't know the law, and get creative with body cams.

Hey Ken,

Since I am a fellow South Carolinian, I wanted to respond here. I’ve had interactions with wardens here in SC and other places and most were very friendly and didn’t strike me as bad elements. I was guilty of a boating violation here in SC once and I only got a warning-and the guy was super nice. I also was guilty of a minor infarction in Wyoming and only got a warning there as well.

I don’t doubt there have been some guys wearing the uniform that were not good guys but the generalization that all or most are bad is just wrong in my opinion and experience.

Southern game wardens deal with negative stereotypes similar to Southern lawyers-I feel sure you had had to deal with that at some point-and everybody knows you are one of the good guys.