game wardens

marksmen · Sep 6, 2004

I am all in favor of having them, but i was wondering if they ever start to annoy people. I have been checked 5 times in the last 2 years. He has never had to write me up. The most he has ever told me to do was to quit hunting about five minutes earlier. This guy has gotton so bad that he knows me from the many times he has checked me. Like i said i am all for the law but when does it start to get to exsessive.

264Magnum · Sep 6, 2004

i've dealt with them a few times, never had a problem and never was annoyed. they usually just stop by the camp to bs for a minute and wish us luck for whatever we're hunting.

the turkey i got last fall was thanks to a warden. he told me had just seen a large flock from the road so my dad and i went and got 'em.

RELH · Sep 6, 2004

Marksman;

Sounds like he is doing his job making sure you are not violating game laws. Also sounds like he may have gave you a break instead of writing you a ticket for hunting past the legal time. Most state game laws allow their wardens to make contact with hunters in the field, without seeing a violation first, in order to check their firearms, license, and tags and any game they may have with them.
If the wardens did not do this, it would be hard to catch alot of the violaters that they do catch.
Next time you see him, offer him a cold drink, not alcohol, and try to make a friend out of him. He may end up giving you some information where that "big one" is hanging out. I have had several wardens in Wyoming tip me off where I was able to fill my tag.

RELH

dakotakid · Sep 6, 2004

You'd do yourself a favor to be kind and curteous to this fellow. If you arent breaking a law then stopping and talking with the guy will only be to your advantage someday. Wardens can give out THE best tips on where the game is at. And come that day when you find someone else doing the wrong thing you will have established a good repoire with the warden.

Mike

MrBaitnFish · Sep 6, 2004

unless you live in Utah where you are guilty until proven innocent, and I have yet to met a helpful warden in Utah who knew $hit. Of course I'm only speaking for the ones I've met, I cannot speak for all of them. There might be one good warden in the state. I can't believe the difference in attitude and helpfulness of the Arizona wardens compared to the jerks I've met in utah. Night and day difference. Has anyone else noticed a difference in Wardens when crossing state lines?

Benado · Sep 7, 2004

The few game wardens I've met in Utah have been jerks to me. Once I was ice fishing and the same game warden check me three times during a 5 hour stretch! Same thing too, "let me see your license-just checking, you know". By the third time he was calling me by name before he looked at my license. Maybe my license was going to expire sometime that day and I didn't realize it! On the other hand, we met some game wardens when I was fishing over in Colorado and they told us that we were fishing in the wrong spot and pointed over to the "honey hole" where we proceeded to catch numerous northern pike.

excaliber · Sep 7, 2004

Years ago while goose hunting we were checked out in the field by a game warden. He came right up to us while we walking out . He checked our ducks and geese and we were legal.

My very young 8 month old chocolate lab grabbed him around the leg and started humping his leg. The Warden replied" I know screw the Game Warden.

We thought it was pretty funny and were laughing big time.
Now this same guys checks those guys everytime he sees them even though he knows they have licences and permits.
He has scared away birds that were working them on several occasions. He insists on checking them while they are hunting and always at the peak morning times.

All he has to do is wait at the truck he can see them pefectly with his binos. One of the guys complained to the wardens superviser and he was pissed.

Now the Warden carries a vendetta. There is a difference between doing their jobs and just being a rude figure of authority.

B_F_E · Sep 7, 2004

Yes Colorado, Nevada & Wyoming officers have been very good to me.

The differance is because all Utah officers must graduate form "Prick school" prior to being considered to become a Utah game warden, If at any time durring thier training, they are caught treating people civilly, then that canidate imediatly fails the program & must look to another state if they wish to be a game warden.

RuttCrazed · Sep 7, 2004

You guys were actually checked by a warden in Utah?

Rut

Boman · Sep 7, 2004

I've never had a problem with a warden here in Colorado or in Kansas. All have been at least somewhat friendly if not very friendly. I've had a few check me a couple of times within a couple of days. I don't have a problem with them, they're just doing their somewhat thankless job.

2pointer · Sep 7, 2004

I am with ruttcrazed, I have not been checked by a warden in over fifteen years in Utah. I have seen them a few times over that time but have not been checked. I did get checked a long, long time ago while I was elk hunting. They were very nice and just checked my tag. I did not realize until I got home that night that I had a any bull tag and had thought I bought a spike tag. I was in a spike only area. I am very glad that the warden did not notice.

I am glad that they are there. I think that with out them that a lot of people would hunt year round totally unchecked. They serve a purpose as far as I am concerned.

2 pointer

Weasel · Sep 7, 2004

If you ever get written up for a violation in Utah, check the laws carefully before going to court. You may have been written for a violation that doesn't exist. Ask 10 wardens the same question and get 10 different answers. The judges won't set you straight either. It's up to you to show up in court with proof that you weren't breaking any laws. The fact is, Utah wardens make up law as they go.

kilowatt · Sep 7, 2004

Except for the "fat" warden who works out of Salina. Use to come in through the back door each morning at the local cafe wearing "flip-flops" as if he was on the beach.
Complained that his Boss was out to get him for not doing his job. What a loser.

Brian

searcher · Sep 7, 2004

I have been checked 4 times in past 3 years in Wyoming by 4 different game wardens. 3 of the 4 seemed like really nice guys. One did clam up when I started to ask questions about accessing certain spots. Another just seemed bothered when I tried to ask him a question about the deer population.

shotgunjim · Sep 7, 2004

I have never been checked while hunting. I have been checked while fishing lots of times and the wardens were nice, except last year ice fishing on Strawberry. I went with a guy who has Athsma. He's sucking on his Athsma inhaler all day long like he does every day. We notice a truck pull up next to my truck but nobody ever gets out. For 5 hours the truck sits there. Until we get back to my truck. Then she gets out, its a Utah warden. She walks right up to the guy with Athsma and says " I watched you smoke Pot all afternoon and it's right there in your shirt pocket, please pull out whats in your shirt pocket." The guy reaches in his pocket and pulls out his inhaler. She does't beleive him because she is never wrong, she's Wonder Warden Bit(h. She accuses us of not cooperating and calls for backup. An hour later a Utah highway patrolmen shows up, he is somewhat cool. We give him permission to search our stuff and us, he does and finds nothing. He then says "you can go now." Then warden b1tch says " he must of ditched it on the walk in." Thats when I lost it and told her what I thought of her and had to be restrained by the Patrolman. So if you're ever at Strawberry and get checked by a female warden be careful she is a stupid 8itch. I hope she reads this, I'am still pissed over that.

FALCON · Sep 7, 2004

I live in Washington and have had good luck with the wardens. I look at it this way, I have nothing to hide, so please at least ask me if I have my tags, etc. There needs to more enforcement out in the woods, so I appreciate a guy who is doing their job.
Of course there is always a couple of bad apples out there with
power trips, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting up with one.

AZbomb · Sep 7, 2004

In AZ I've met quite a few. All but one in unit 32 was cool. They do their thing, check licenses, tags, guns, etc. No problem. Even during dove season, when the worst of the worst hunters are out, they've been cool. The guy in unit 32 tried to get a rancher to file a complaint on trespass on us in a very confusing property area. He didn't. The rancher stopped by our camp later and said "no way I was gonna file a complaint just 'cause that jerk wanted me to." So I guess he'd had dealings with him before.

rost495 · Sep 8, 2004

Always are some with something to prove. Here in TX I've had positive experiences with all but 2.

One gave everyone a ticket because one idiot shot 2 dove out of season during a quail hunt. I'm still upset that I was young and dumb and didn't fight it. After all it was by association. Just like they don't want you to think of all wardens as bad because of a bad experience. But hindsight......

Other one was new and local. Wrote DWI, MIP, PI, speeding tickets, expired inspection etc..... WAY overboard in my books but totally legal. And he never treated me badly as I never broke the law. I was aggravated once when he(worked in a gun shop part time) sold me my yearly license and then a few hours later demanded to see it. But he had the right.

All in all they do a 24/7 thankless job and I appreciate everyone of them(innocent until proven to be an #####) unless there is a good reason. Thanks for all the hard work!

Jeff

D-Bone · Sep 8, 2004

In 15 years of hunting in Utah, I have only been checked once. The game wardens do stop by our elk camp every year to shoot the bull. They seem to be pretty nice and have recommended good areas to hunt. I hear you need to watch out for the Strawberry ones though, they are on a rampage...especially with the new fishing regs. I am glad we have them though to crack down on the poaching rednecks.

D-Bone

marksmen · Sep 9, 2004

every time i have been checked it has been on my own property. That is what drives me mad. He always seems curtious, but i wonder why he doesn't go somewhere with more hunters. Everybody that hunts out my way for dove, deer ect. are all family and maybe there are only three of us hunting in a 50 square miles. oh well, as long as they don't start acting like asses i am okay

muleyman · Sep 9, 2004

About 10yrs ago I was rifle hunting in eastern oregon. My buddy and I decided one afternoon to take the four wheeler down the road to a fence line that we wanted to walk. We were stopped by a warden. He asked to see our tags, then asked us to step away from the ATV and put our guns down. He picked up my gun and took the clip out and removed the shells that were in it. He gave us this long speach about fair chase and that we were braking the law by having shells in the clip (none in the chamber). I didn't know that. I thought he would let us go, then he came back with a $150 fine for each of us.

The next yr we were in the same area, and a " no fire" had been set for the unit we were in. It had been in the 80-90's. The 4th night the weather changed and it snowed 4 inches. We thought it would be o.k. to have a fire. The same warden showed up, remembered us from the year before. He gave all of us in camp a $100 ticket ( 8 people total )!!! He said that the fire restriction had not been lifted. We arrgued that it snowed and the weather report had said snow for the next 2 days. What a bunch of crap!! I guess we live and learn.