I called in an accidental otter catch...…...I told them I didn't have a freezer so it rode around in my truck for almost a week until they followed up. We did the paperwork, and as he was leaving-he saw a pile of deer hides in front of my garage door (I use to buy deer hides and now Im the area dumping grounds for them now that they are almost worthless.). He gets in his truck and immediately gets back out and asks me if they are all legal. I laughed held my arms up in an "I don't know" gesture and said "I couldn't tell you". He turned around and left......Dude, I reported a violation, we did what we had to do, OK now. It left a thorn in my shirt, what did he want me to say other than what I told him?

.... be grateful it was only one .... they run in breeding pairs here, almost like they mate for life

... ( sorry swampwolf) lol

I knew a lady taxidermist who had a few game wardens show up at her shop, demanding to see a permit for every critter on her place. She just handed them the box of what she had and said "get after it".

Buddy got checked opening day of trapping season a few years ago by two young wardens. They told him he was a week early and was going to write him up. Ended up that they had last years regulations and they where wrong. Meanwhile the other warden is digging through his traps and gear without gloves. Asked him to stop as he had put in alot of time cleaning and waxing traps and didn't need them contaminated like that. Said he would gladly show them anything they wanted to see but just don't touch. They let him go without any further trouble but he did call it in to report how unimpressed he was with their performance. Hasn't seen either one since.

My brother just got sited for commingling, He had his own venison he also stored some work in and had two of his grandsons shoulder mounts with out tags in the garage he works out of. Plain stupid!

In my 32+ years trapping , fishing and hunting, alot on public land, I've only come across maybe 7 or 8 and all they have ever ask is to see my licenses and to make sure my shotgun would only hold 3 shells. They all seemed like good guys.

I did have one on the reservoir ask me if we caught anything. I said no we just started ,then I asked him if he caught any and he smiled and said I caught a few but one he caught was their birthday so he was a catch and release. I laughed my bu tt off.

About 10 years ago we were hunting bear and I came across a nice grey fox laying dead so I picked it up and carried it out to my pickup. As I was putting it in the bed a couple of wardens come flying down the road and got out to see if I had a furtakers license.
(in pa. you need a license for furbearers) I let them see my license and got a nice prime grey fox to boot.

Seems a real shame it took them a week to come get the carcass otter. Probably beyond salvaging at that point. And then they wonder why people “sss”.

When did this all happen? Trapping season has been over awhile now and deer hides at this point would be a puddle of goo.

Ive met some of both kinds , fortunately most 95% have been positive experiences and seemed like good guys just doing their jobs. If they come at me with attitude thats what they get in return. Have told a couple to get lost as I was in camp and didn't need a license or to talk to them just to camp. Have one that calls if he has something fishy happen in the area i trap just to see what or if ive seen anything out of the ordinary. The young ones all seem to have the mindset that we are all out to get away with breaking the law the good ones know most try everything they can to do things correctly and sometimes make a mistake.

Been hunting in the Black Hills for over 30 years never been stopped by a game warden local they all know me but the can see my license any day they need to.

I have been checked many times, always very cordial guys. A few years ago we got checked packing the first load of elk meat out of the blacks hills. I tried to convince him to go along and help pack out the second load, he politely declined. Last fall got checked antelope hunting, spent 15 min shooting the bull with him. We needed one more to fill our tags. He said he usually doesnt pass on a lot of info on to people about finding game, but since he enjoyed our time together he gave us some places to go and sure enuf filled the last tag shortly there after. I am sure there are plenty of jack wagons around, but I haven't experienced that yet.

Like they're really going to check a fellow LEO. lol

Jim

They do that on purpose cause they dont want to be bothered with all the paperwork,and so the next one gets tossed by the trapper.-Sad.

I have only ever had one bad experience with a game warden. Was in CO quite a few years back. Got bad enough when he threatened to arrest me I told him that was a fine idea to let a judge sort it out. He told me he was letting me go cause he liked my dad. When I told my dad about it he got mad too. Said that warden was no friend of his he thought he was a jerk too.

Only been checked a couple times hunting and fishing, always pretty pleasant. Had a great uncle that fished out of our camp as a kid got busted all the time for having too many brook trout, couldn't adjust to modern day creek limits. Lost his license twice in his 70s. I loved fishing with him when I was a kid because he gave me his extra fish and I always came back to camp with a full limit. Last time he got nabbed he had taken to slipping overage fish down his hip boots. Wardens came driving around the corner as he was emptying out his boots on the tailgate.

So your Great Uncle was a poacher is what you're saying.

Not a very good one by the sounds of it,lol.

Of trout yes. Luckily I wasn't responsible for his actions. Seeing him lose his license was a eye opener and is part of the reason I'd never, ever break a fish and game law.

If it wasn't for poaching, there is a lot of people that would have had no meat in the not so distant past. In the depression people ate owls and possums even. Deer didnt have a chance in farm country. Whatever tactic that worked was used. Big seines in creeks, automobile headlights for deer at night. Dynamite in deep water holes in winter, and catching whole coveys of quail by hand in sub zero weather.

I suspect most of us come from a long line of past poachers.

Yup. My Grandma says one of their chores as kids was hiking down to the brook with her brother and catching a couple stringers full of brookies for the table when the meat ran low before hunting season and fall slaughtering. I think habits were formed that were hard to break. Not that it's remotely excusable.

Met some that were jam up people, and some that I wouldn’t pee on if they were on fire.
Had a local that was determined we were baiting ducks.
Day 1 (Friday) he checked us. License, shells, plugs, birds, etc...
Day 2 (Saturday) Checked all of the above then demanded that the pond was baited because of the corn husks in the pond. (Pond was next to a corn field and farmer had mowed it) What made it worse was we had just shot into a flock of geese and had one sail on us. After the dog retrieved the downed birds, we walked over the dam to see if we could find the goose. As I was topping the dam going over he came driving up and almost ran over my son and his friend who had gotten back into their layout blinds. He told my son I could run if I wanted to but he would catch me. Guess he got real embarrassed when I topped the dam coming back with a goose in hand. It was then he went off about the pond being baited.
Day 3 (Sunday) He showed up with 2 other GW and all put on waders after they got out of the truck. They told us to unload our guns and lay all our ducks/geese out in the open. (We were nowhere close to a limit) They then proceeded to wade out in the pond and start raking the bottom with long nets and one was pulling in my decoys one by one and smelling them. It was quite amusing as the other two wardens were explaining the grass they were taking up was seeding out and that’s what was drawing the ducks in. It got even better as the main GW (ours) got towards the channel he knew nothing about. My son leaned in and said you reckon we ought to say anything? I said, Nah, experience is one heck of a teacher. And about that time he floated his hat. Oh yeah, after day one I started videoing on day 2 and day 3. After they found nothing and checked everything all over again. They left.

Monday morning I called and found out who is Supervisor was and demanded a meeting with him and his boss. He couldn’t make it, but his boss met with me. I showed him the videos and even pointed out the other GW saying we had done nothing wrong and it was just grass the divers were feeding on.
Never saw that GW again that year.
And what’s makes it even funnier is this pond was off a major road and could be seen easily. In fact we watched him watch us every morning. Even had shots going off way before shooting time near us and you could hear in in the video with me videoing my sons phone to show the time and his just sitting on the highway.

In his defense, someone that knew we abided by the law, had called in anonymously and reported a baited pond, lol. His fixation with us left everyone else free to shoot away.

December 2018.

Black Hills wardens have no clue about that Jimmy boy was the point the local is obvious.

A guy i work with had the warden check his line 2x a week for about 3 weeks until he called in trapper harassment complaints to his supervisor. We haven't seen him since

A guy i work with had the warden check his line 2x a week for about 3 weeks until he called in trapper harassment complaints to his supervisor. We haven't seen him since

Apology accepted.....lol

We run mosltly alone here in south Ga. Especially during this corony virus outbreak.

Although you may see two trucks show up....lol

I think you are correct Danny. Trappers and many GWs too.

I still run into people back home that cant believe i was hired as a GW...lol. Been 25 years and counting now.. to this day i havent seen anything that has surprised me or that i was unfamiliar with....its been a fun ride.

Btw...for those that get aggravated with GWs please dont burn down or loot your own neighborhoods or hunting areas....

Im too lazy for looting or arson...….I always remember the Chinese proverb " when going after revenge, always dig two graves".....

We have one in SWGA that also runs a WMA, this guy is jam up. He puts in some serious hard work and is as fair as anyone I’ve ever met. I even called in and had to brag on him. His boss informed me he had already been put in for some award but he’d pass on my Kudos.
Started putting in for Youth Hunts down there when my son was real young and he shot his first Wood Duck there and since that first time, any hunt we were drawn for that GW has went out of his way to help. I even rode around with him on his golf cart passing out water and even donated shells to some kids that were running out on some of the dove hunts. His dove shoots were always a success. When you got 9 and 10 year olds limiting out on dove, then you have a heck of a field. This guy was the type you’d go out of your way to help.
Not sure where you are Swamp Wolf, but the GW that runs River Creek is who I’m referring to.

... I’d usually call this out as rabbit ranger asskissin lol..... but I sure hope it’s swampwolf.... seems like a good ol boy either way

Apparently you didn’t see my other post, lol!

Obviously the jig was up DUH they do have "special investigators" that kinda check in once in while... Not just the same 'good ol boys' course I spose it matters how far north or south and the degree of inbred the jurisdiction

last thing I want in my hip boots a dozen puny slimy trout, what people will do?

.....sorry, I tend to scroll on past the novels lol

I was at a PA bear check station one time with a bunch of people around. I wanted some clarification on what seemed like a gray area in the regs. I asked a group of wardens standing together if it was legal to hunt coyotes on Sunday while bear season was on "Sunday break". They all looked at each other and one warden piped up and said, "Yes it's legal... but i don't think you should." That got quite a few odd looks from the crowd.

"Black Hills wardens have no clue about that Jimmy boy was the point the local is obvious."

Wow, you got me stumped there, Law Dog. What are you trying to say? The last part of that sentence loses me completely.

Responding to the first part of your statement, which I think I understand: Sure they might not know you by sight, but once they check you out, you telling me that don't take into account that you're a fellow LEO?

Are you saying LEOs don't give special consideration when they find out the person they cited or arrested is a brother LEO? I bet it happens plenty.

Jim

Have met mostly good game wardens but there are a few bad eggs as well.

First of all, learn to use the quote feature dipstick Jimmy. Your postings on this thread are an incoherent jumble of nonsense. Maybe go to bed and sleep it off?

Second, have you decided trolling individual members is more satisfying to you than trolling the entire forum? Maybe a better question would be, who whizzed in your Wheaties?"

What's your issue dude?

In fifty years of hunting, trapping and fishing I've had maybe twenty or thirty encounters with wardens. Nearly all of them have been positive. My local guys no me and have been to my house to return stolen traps. The reason for most of the encounters are trapping related, trespassing dog walkers going where they have no permission and shouldn't be. My local guys have gone to bat for me in court.

Im an hour east of River Creek.

Also, you may not know but GA DNR is divided into several divisions. The guys that manage our WMAs work for Wildlife Resources Division. Us GWs work in the Law Enforcement Division. If the guy at River Creek manages the area and the hunts he is a wildlife technician and not a GW. Up until August 2018 many of those guys were POST certified and carried bages and guns but not any longer. All DNR LE is now under the LE Division. We all wear gray shirts and drive black trucks.

Btw, been trying for 6 years to get picked for the River Creek turkey hunt. No luck as only 5 per year are drawn. Not really sure why i bother as ive got access to private birds around home. Just thought id add a "plantation" gobbler to my list...but maybe not.

I’ve never put in for an adult turkey hunt, all Youth hunts for my boys. Only got drawn once for turkeys and we were done the first day. Hardest part back then was deciding which bird to go after.

And yes, he did have a badge and gun. I didn’t know if he was a GW or ranger maybe. Still one heck of a guy.

Killed my biggest spurred Eastern to date on Chickasaw and rode that place for an hour trying to find someone to take my picture, lol. Told my wife if I had been duck hunting I would have run into 3 road blocks getting out of there!!

When I was a kid I had a CO stop and visit me in the spearing house a few times. Would sit down visit and even play the decoy when he was there. I got along real good with him for many years. Now he has retired and I don't think I will ever see another CO that I respect as much as I did him.

My experiences with wardens while living in Kalifornia (40 years worth) have been mostly unpleasant. I'm not perfect mind you, but no citations either. In general, they are of the "guilty until proven innocent" mindset. A camo hat and a pick up is reason enough to pull you over and search your vehicle for game, loaded weapons, etc. If you ever watched the Wild Justice program from 10 or so years ago, that about sums it up. And if you are predator hunting, or trapping in the old days, look out! The state officials, right up to the governor, put any predators, especially lions, on a God-like pedestal, not to be molested in any way. I have witnessed 3 wardens show up at the annual "Coyote Roundup" dinner in No. Calif, which is similar to a Ducks Unlimited type event, to remind everyone that the political tide had shifted concerning the killing of predators, and that they would be out in force during the 2 day hunting event, which takes place mostly on private property, to aggressively make sure that all laws were being followed. To my knowledge, no lawbreaking had ever resulted from the event. I understand now to get a depredation permit for a marauding mt. lion, or have the govt. trapper take care of it for you, requires a "3 strikes" hurdle to be met. Proven? by one of their wardens or biologists that that particular animal has destroyed your livestock on 3 different occasions, and may pose a future threat! And then, they will consider granting the permit.
Sorry for the rant. I could go on and on. Fortunately I was able to leave that state, and I haven't looked back.

Ive had only one crabby pants Old warden check me in 33 years. That was in WI.

May try Silver Lake and go ahead and use up my priority points this time.

State used to call us Rangers but now we have transitioned to the proper name of Game Warden. We still have some trucks that say Ranger on the front fenders but most have Game Warden now. Was a long time coming in that name reference. Public always confused us with Forestry Commission rangers or Park rangers.

Our Wildlife Resources folks mostly drive green trucks with just the WRD logo on the door.

Ive nver hunted Chikasawhatchee but know a lot of folks around here that have, esp for deer.

Probably a good decision to leave that left coast state...

If you read it right I have never been checked in the Hills Jimmy is what I said. If I see a local CO I am already digging for my license or ask if they want to see it I offer and would like the same done for me that way. Don’t forget they can run you without you knowing it by name. I can ask the lady at the desk at GFP when was the last time I applied for a tag and she can look up every tag and license anytime she wanted.

Like always your making it into what it’s not that’s why your so loved. The last Federal Warden we stopped to talk to ( waiting to pick up his kids at the bus stop) never asked for our licenses. We did ask if we needed to case our guns on a road that cut across Jewel Cave for only 200 yards, he said no but he would give us first bid on our guns and vehicle if were caught out of the vehicle.

I was checked by a CO about 25 years ago that turned into lifetime friends. Sometimes its what you make of it.

City cop here shot a goose in a area that did not open yet the boundary was a mile away that was open, he called himself in to the GFP, his wife is a game warden so that was embarrassing.

Just curious, James, do lawyers give each other 'special consideration' when it comes to legal matters? In my experience, they all seem to 'go for blood'.



Charlie

Why do sharks not attack lawyers? Professional courtesy

Charlie

Charlie the COs know me here because I work with them on kids programs and ADC when they ask me for help. I have had a license every year for the last 40 years, James is just lawyering it up with his games.

Nothing too bad for me. Here's a funny story. My cousin and I were gonna deer hunt together in the afternoon. We were standing by our trucks with our guns laid on the ground, I caught a glimpse of 2 Ford pickups between the buildings (with them little round hub caps all the Warden trucks had in the 90's) come flying up to us. Two guys get out and ID themselves as wardens(not local ones). One asks for our licenses and if we had any deer. We said no we were just heading out. The other Warden comes yelling while dragging a deer "I've got one here with no tag on it "!!! I'm looking at my cousin, he's looking at me and the Warden looks at us shaking his head and said "you boys have a nice day " and turned around and loudly said to the other Warden " You dumb %#@$^& that's my truck!" He pulled that deer out of his truck with no tag. I always wonder how that conversation went

Last time I was checked by a warden I was wade fishing in a river. I saw the guy in some of the brush along the shore.
Seemed odd someone out in the brush.
When I looked again he was gone.
I looked around and spotted him closer and more downstream to me.
At that point I thought what the heck. So I stopped fishing and watched the guy.
When he realized he was spotted he walked out of the brush and ID himself.

At first he was a bit of a A-hole. I wondered what he thought he'd catch me doing.
I was fly fishing, so no live bait, one line, one hook, season is open all year round, limit is 5 and 5 Trout is handful. They average approx 24".
Anyways I always catch and release so I never worry about limits or size restrictions.
I asked what he thought I was doing that he was sneaking up on me.
He said he was concerned about snagging primarily.
I laughed at that.
I told him he should be watching the guys that fish using spinning tackle. They are the ones that try to snag fish.
I guess he didn't know better.