Game Wardens 2

I decided to start another thread about game wardens because of something that happend this past weekend. My brother and I lease two seperate pieces of my step mothere's land, each haveing our own club. But our land is close to each other and even touches at one corner. Anyway, Sunday he calls to tell me that the wardens were on his lease this weekend checking all his hunters. They actually walked up on them while in their stands. They, as we do, follow all the rules so there was nothing for the wardens to "catch" them for. One hunter was given a warning because his orange vest was "too faded." He was told to get another one beacuse it was faded. I guess I missed that in the regulations?

The wardens proceeded to tell all of them that they had been on the property earlier in the week, had located all their stands and had GPS'd them. While they did not find any signs of baiting or any other wrong doing they informed them that they "know where they all hunt and they would be back."

Now I don't have a problem with game wardens checking on hunters or walking their land but if they find nothing why would they visit them during their hunt and disturb their hunt. These guys all drove down from Atlanta, got up before the sun so they could be in their stands and not run off any deer and here comes somebody running off their game. This is just not right.

For the guys in my club, keep this in mind. While we have not seen them on our lease, and while we obey all the rules, don't be surprised if you have your hunt ruined by a game warden walking in on you. And check those vests for fading!!!!!!!!

If you ask me that borders on harrassment. I have seen officers wait close by vehicles and such but never heard of one coming into the woods to check a hunter. Were the DNR officers wearing their hunter orange? I think it is funny that we have to wear it at all times in the woods but I have yet to see a DNR officer with any hunter orange on at all.

It is hard for them to sneak up on you if they have on their orange!

I agree this is harassment! If they walk all over my land and find nothing wrong then move on to some other land. If you are coming to my stand just to see if I am wearing orange, or hunting without a liscense then wait at my truck until I come out. It is not right for them to ruin my hunt!

yes, that sounds extreme to me and not hunter-friendly.

IMO, unless a warden has a valid reason to suspect illegal activities are taking place, he shouldn't roam the property looking for hunters to do something as mundane as a license/orange vest check. if you're going to do that, you hang out at the hunter's truck or just inside the woods waiting for them to come out. you sure don't go looking for him and ruin his hunt.

i was fishing one time at the evans county PFA a few summers ago when the warden showed up in his truck and small boat in tow on a trailer. i was completely legal with license and WMA stamp, registration numbers, life vests, and i was catch/releasing that day so i didn't have to worry about creel limits. i was the only one fishing that day and i was on the far side of the lake.

after about 10 minutes, he got out of his truck and started waving at me. once he got my attention, he started motioning for me to come to him! yes, i was a little ticked about this. he had a boat, and heck, he had time as well! he could have hopped in his boat and come to me, OR waited me out if he just really needed to check out my license. wasn't like i could escape! instead, i had to drop everything and come to him. i was only running a trolling motor so it wasn't a quick 3 minute trip to him!

he was a nice guy and i know he was doing his job. but, i felt he could have taken an extra step and been a little more user-friendly instead of me having to use my limited fishing time to drop everything and come to him.

He Want Find One Of My Stands I Take A Portable In And Out Every Time And Rarely Sit In The Same Tree Twice.i Can't Believe That A Warden Would Come To A Stand And Check Your License If He Has Been On The Tract And It Was Clean.thats A Waste Of Our Tax Dollars.

Randy said:

The wardens proceeded to tell all of them that they had been on the property earlier in the week, had located all their stands and had GPS'd them. While they did not find any signs of baiting or any other wrong doing they informed them that they "know where they all hunt and they would be back."

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As some may recall, time and time again, I've defended the profession and am very thankful for the job they do. However, if exactly as stated above, THAT is a ridiculous waste of time on their part! You must hunt in a poacher free county or those boys get paid by the hour. SURELY they could have been doing doing something more productive...
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil

Down here in south Ga, game wardens don't walk up on you while you are in the stand and that's probably a good thing considering some of the trigger happy people around here. I have no problem being checked, but don't ruin my hunt by stinking up the woods and causing general disturbance. At least wait till I come out of the woods before checking.
BTW, why in the world would you want to walk up on somebody sitting in a tree that you know is armed? : I doubt that job pays enough to get me to do that.


Jim M.

You know what would be really funny? throw corn out on at least two stands that no-one intends to hunt and put a dummy dressed up in camo in the stands with no orange.

Pin a note on them saying "tailhole"

Why don't we say enough is enough

and get together as a group and make the state legislature repeal the warden's unconstitutional authority to trespass on private property. If a land owner wants their land patroled by a government agency then the land owners can sign a formal permission slip giving the wardens permission to invade their property at will. It would not be any different than the note that we hunters must obtain. I do not see what the problem with this system is. It would be constitutional and preserve all private property rights.

Just a random point to think about: What if a warden gets hurt while snooping around your property. Who do you think they and the state are going to try to hold responsible.

P.S. I do not give a rip what the SCOTUS has ruled concerning "open fields". I contend that this is an illegal ruling because it is unconstitutional. So don't even try to use this as justification for allowing wardens to trespass.

Have herd of this

1 of them must have been ricky dempsey...

All I can figure is they are just trying to catch a few without their orange on. ALOT of hunters wears orange to and from the stand, but takes it off while on the stand. The liscense check is just done since they've walked up on a hunter I believe. Elsewise that could be done at the truck.

Just an opinion...

GB

sage954 said:

and get together as a group and make the state legislature repeal the warden's unconstitutional authority to trespass on private property. If a land owner wants their land patroled by a government agency then the land owners can sign a formal permission slip giving the wardens permission to invade their property at will. It would not be any different than the note that we hunters must obtain. I do not see what the problem with this system is. It would be constitutional and preserve all private property rights.

Just a random point to think about: What if a warden gets hurt while snooping around your property. Who do you think they and the state are going to try to hold responsible.

P.S. I do not give a rip what the SCOTUS has ruled concerning "open fields". I contend that this is an illegal ruling because it is unconstitutional. So don't even try to use this as justification for allowing wardens to trespass.

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I really wish one of you that seem to think this way would answer my question. HOW are they going to enforce the law from the road? HOW are they going to KNOW if you're obeying all the laws from the road. Again, it's a case of YOU BETTER ENFORCE THE LAW!!!!! just as long as YOU DON'T BOTHER ME WHILE DOING IT!!!! Telling a hunter that checked out he'll be back is silly. But to go onto private property is a necessity for doing the job.

Toliver said:

But to go onto private property is a necessity for doing the job.

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If that ever stopped, they'd be screaming inside of two years to have 'em back. Obviously impossible to enforce the law regarding free ranging game animals if you can't go where the animals are. :
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil

I would be personaly ticked if anybody includeing law enforcement walked up on my stand while I was in it or any time for that matter. Fortunately for me my experiences with Game Wardens have been pleasent and brief "can I see you license" "sure officer" "get anything lately" "nope" "Have a nice night!".

and these are the guys that want more of us to participate in hunting to pay THEIR salary. That ticks me off to no end. Just because you have a job in higher authority doesn't mean you need to be out harassing law abiding citizens. It's funny, I have seen so much illegal activity in the woods and these guys are out messing with guys who they know are not doing anything illegal.

The warden was in there off duty and the gun shop owner said the warden has around 1500 stand sites programed in his GPS.

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Ya'll will believe anything.



T

Do not believe everything that you hear. I am a Ranger in South Georgia. I sure hate it that your hunt was messed up. The way to handle it is to call the region office and make a complaint. I feel sure the region captain can solve that problem for you. If you do make a complaint please be man enough to use your name. There is no reason to come in on a hunter while he is hunting unless the ranger has reason to believe you are breaking the law i.e. he has previously found bait, possible hunting without permisson. To check license or vest is not reason enough. We do have the right to come in and check but it is NOT RIGHT. GOOD LUCK and remember we are not all bad. Also, remember that all the stories that you hear on us are not true.

Todd E said:

Randy,

Maybe his mentioning of the hunter needing to get a new vest was just a concerned person saying man that things faded and you ought to look into purchasing a new one.

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He was so concerned, he gave the man a ticket???

so concerned, he had to walk to the guys stand to
tell him???

What would Randy's club have to do w/ the club
they were checking anyway???

Gooblinghost, thanks for posting. I know they are some great wardens here in ga. Same as hunters, don't let a few bad ones, make you think were all bad. I do not think it is right w/out probable cause. I know I wouldn't be happy.


I hope 25 solictors call each of their houses tonight while they are eating dinner.

Duff,

Randy said they guy was given a "warning" not a "ticket".

ok, a warning ticket