The Game Warden experience

[mallardchaser]

Great story:

the yankee sounds like a real peepee...I would have been a smart ass too, sometimes you just can't resist...

[oxberrylou]

seems like with the feds your guilty until proven innocent.

[msdawg]

Wish I could have been there for that. Some guys put on a gun and badge and it causes an allergic reaction to their heads...they swell up and don't get proper blood flow to the brain..then they really can't think!

[CaptnT]

That was a good read Duckmen, especially the part about not having plugs in, you threw me off there!

I was checked head to toe this year, the first time since 1995. An old veteran showing a rookie, so he decided to show him everything. Check our shell boxes, in the fuel area of the boat, under the sink, livewell. I think they were disappointed not to find anything illegal, because the guy I was with was cited by the warden before and had beat him in court. (I did not know this until after we had been checked) Another reason that "former hunting buddy" won't be back in my boat.

[GulfCoast]

I use to hand my oldest 682 Beretta to the warden at the ramp and ask him "Ya wanna check my plug, too?" He always thought it was funny! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[NOHERE]

Sounds like you held back a little, have you seen your warden friend since??

[judge jb]

understand that these NEW boys is coming thru a different school than the older wardens... i kinda like the old book myself... they are gun-ho and as i once said, to look like an idiot is one thing, but to open your mouth and confirm it is another...... these young whipper-snappers is our law as we know it in the future.... some settle down with age and some get worse.... we just have to adapt and kick their momas ass... that wasn't nice... just hope you have a Judge to go before and understand... they ain't always right....


judge jb

[mallardchaser]

There are plenty of good fed wardens out there. Wildfowler and I were checked last week by a hell of a nice guy, Frank..I have been checked by him in the past..He alway's "sneaks" up to the hole and listens and watches for a while before checking you..
He even kept his head down as some ducks were coming over..If you play by the rules , you don't have to worry about the warden.

[MSDuckmen]

Let me tell you about an incident with the Federal boys you might get a kick out of.
As many of you know you have to have your gun cased to travel on WMA’s in Mississippi. That means that if you’re moving in a boat or vehicle that your gun must be in a case of some kind. (Remember that.)

This was during the Youth hunt and I had carried a young man that was the son of a friend of my wife’s.
This young man has duck hunted with his uncle (a Doctor in Grenada) but has never in my opinion really hunted. He has only been to the duck camp with his uncle and they are driven to the hotel blind at 6:00am, picked up after the hunt, as well as having breakfast delivered to them in the blind at 8:00am by the cook.
It was a real eye opener for the youth when I woke him up at 2:30am and said let’s get a move on so we can be first in the hole.
We moved through the marsh in the dead of night with nothing more than a headlight and I weave through tupelo gums and Cyprus trees like a snake. He never said a word just soaked it all in. We arrived at the spot by 3:30 am and put the dekes out, laid back and watched the stars, only thing out of his mouth was this was the first time he had been up this early. I told him if he hunts with me it wouldn’t be his last. (He smiled).
There were many sounds being made such as beaver slapping their tails and nutria’s screaming in the dark and he would ask on occasion what that was and I would explain.
Later as the sun just started to light the sky I asked him if he heard that? He said heard what? I said listen? …. Did ya hear it? He said no what was it? I said DAWN CRACKING. (About this time he was thinking I had lost it but I found it pretty funny.)
Morning came and the ducks flew, I let him do the shooting and I backed him only when he winged them down and they needed finishing off.
We headed out short a bird around 10:00am and since I teach hunters safety courses I make sure all the little things are taken care of like life jackets, guns cases, and such.
On our way out we stop briefly at a beaver damn so the he could watch the monster size beaver up close, In the distance I notice a vehicle parked next to mine and after a brief stay we moved on to the launch. There waiting was one of the Local Federal boys that I have known for several years and a New guy that I have never seen before. After a short greeting with the local he asked how we did and the young man showed him his ducks with pride.
This is when the fun started. I have know the local Fed’s for years and they normally check us once maybe twice and from then on only stop and ask us how we did and shoot the breeze a bit. This new guy was a Fed from Ohio, According to the Local he was there to show them how to check hunters. (Go figure)
He asked me for my license, permit, stamps and the like. He had never seen a lifetime license and questioned that right off. Next because I don’t sign my name across the middle of the stamp (I save the stamps and sign across the bottom) he wanted me to resign it and I refused. He talked with the local and they said that would be fine and asked for the Young mans license that was with me. I told them he has no permit and no license but does have a hunter’s safety card and is only 13 years old. This threw the new guy cause he didn’t know that a kid could hunt without a permit and I had to pull the WMA brochure out for him to see the regulations. Hehe
Insulted he decided to question me on why we stopped out in the marsh and wanted me to confess to hiding ducks. I asked him why would I hide ducks I could have simply called them mine, (we were still short 7 birds from a two man limit) He then tried to tell me it was youth season and I couldn’t shoot, only the youth could. (NOT). I again pulled out the brochure and showed him that I was legally able to shoot birds right along side of this young man and why are you being a butt?
Wrong thing to say.. (Foot in mouth and pissed off Yankee). He searched every Item in my boat including my thermos bottle. Questioned me on why I don’t have a decal on my boat showing the year it expires.
I nicely explain to him that you are not required to have the decal only the card in your possession. He talked with the local and they agreed. (About this time the local Fed was smiling at me and shugging his shoulders) The new guy asked to see the our guns since we had already put them in the back of my truck bed and asked it we were sure they had plugs and I told him that we don’t use plugs. (Joking I said why would you want to plug your gun? Can’t shoot a gun with a plug in it) he didn’t find it funny and found it less funny when he found we were both shooting over and under guns.
Next was the shells .. Yeah he had to inspect those to. It baffled him when he found reloads in my box and was upset cause he didn’t have a magnet to check them with. I offered him one out of my truck but he wouldn’t take it and the local gave him one out of his truck.
Next comes mistake number two. (I asked him why he wouldn’t us mine and if he thought that maybe mine would stick to lead?) He took that personal and told me I had a smart mouth and I told him at least something was smart about me what was his excuse? Now this really pissed the old boy off and he had the local to sit me down in their truck while he talked to the youth and finished checking the kids and my shells. The local asked me what I thought of our northern lawman and all I could say is he must think he is Barney Fife, The local bellowed out a laugh which broke the concentration of our northern friend. He lost his place with the shells and had to start all over again.
Now boys the local knows of my web site and I told him I was going to put this experience on it. He said well do what ya must but please don’t put no names with it and that is why I haven’t but I know many of you boys know this local, always wears a baseball hat and if you do please ask him about this it was a hoot.
After all was said and done they went own their way but I sure would have liked to have been a fly inside that truck to hear what he had to say about us.
I asked the kid what he was saying to him while I had to go to the truck and he said he was asking him again why we stopped and if we hide birds and did I shoot any, etc etc etc.
I asked the kid if he was all right with all this and he just laughed and said yeah that was fun, I ain’t never been check by a game warden before.
I told him as long as your legal you never have anything to fear from those men. Play by the rules.
He said yeah I will (with a big grin)

[mississippi_duc_htr]

Well duckman that sounds like a story that happend to me last year. I had been hunting all morning long by myself, havent fired a shot had only seen a few mergansers. I got to the boat ramp along with a couple of other guys that were running a go devil motor on what looked like a 1956 v bottom boat. I had pulled out and chatted with them a few minutes, then I started to get my stuff ready for the trip home. Well the guys in green pulled up and out got a older and a younger C.O.. When he walked up to me he had that walk that let you know he was going to be a butt. He had his mirror wrap around shades on. He ask me if I had killed any ducks and I told him that I hadnt fired a shot all morning. Immediatly he went for the deke bags. He rolled the around and and started to pull the strings on them, I told him right quick that if he poured them out he would be picking them up and putting them back in the bags as I had about 60 dekes with me. He quickly dropped the bags and turn around to ask me for my liscense. I could just tell that pissed him off when I told him that about the bags. He ask me if I had my liscense I ask him which ones he wanted to see my Ms or Ar liscense. He asked in a smartaxx tone if I was toting any Ar. ducks I said not today but you should have seen me about 2 weeks ago. His face brightened red. Now normally I have the utmost respect for the laws and the officers, but this guy just had one of those attitude that he was the boss of the woods. anyway he checked them and handed them back. Then he asked where my gun was. I looked in the boat and told him in the case where it was suppose to be.( I still dont know how he didnt figure that one out). He walked around took my gun out of the case, now my shell belt was lying on top of it. Then he asked where my shells were. I told him in the belt that he just took off the case to get to my gun. He didnt seem to appreciate this remark either. he pulled every one of them out I was pouring coffee i my cup as I was confident that I was legal all the way around. I heard a shell hit the bottom of the boat and I told him to make sure and put it back in the belt. he did Then he walked back around the boat and looked @ my reg sticker. Then he asked me if I had my registation card. hmmmmm I said I havent ever been asked for that and I had been checked several times but I think I have it somwhere in my billfold. The last time I had seen it was when my wife had washed my billfold. I had taken all the contents out to dry and wasnt to sure I had put it back in there. I scratched around in there a bit and finally found it. I handed it to him he looked @ it for a second and he kinda smiled. He said do u know your reg. is expired. I immediatly informed him that it was good till the first of the year, according to the sticker. He said no sir you see right here where it says expiration date, I looked @ it and [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] uh oh yep went out last march. I began to feel a little uneasy then,but I kept my composer. I told him that I always though it went from year to year. Of course he informed me that I was wrong. I told him that Ihad been checked several time and nobody had ever asked me for my card. and I hadnt had it out since I got it in. I just got out of the envelope and put it in my billfold. I was telling the truth the whole time. Anyway he told me too wait right there and he would be back in a minute. He went and asked the other C.O. who was looking @ the other boat so in the meantime A friend of mine pulled up and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was I guess getting a ticket. He asked what for and I told him. He looked @ the sticker and told me that it didnt go out till the first of the year. [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] I told him not according to the card. Any way I asked the c.o. if I could go or what and he said nah gonna have too write ya for this. So he did. I called a couple of friends of mine that work for the state and asked them about him and they told me he never drops a ticket,Cause he trying tomake a name for himself. So I went and talked to the judge and expalined to him that it was a honest mistake and to see what he could do. He was a really nice guy, he asked me if. I had gotten a sticker yet and I told him that I left the ramp went and got a money order right then went to post offic and mailed it in. The judge asked to see the recipt and I gave it to him and he told me he would see what he could do but the officer would have too drop it. He told me that the fine would be 125.00 if it went to court, but he said that he would talk to the officer and see what he could do. He called me about 3 or 4 days later and told me that the ticket was dropped. [img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] I told him thanks and I try to follow the letter of the law your honor because I didnt want to have to pay a ticket and didnt want any trouble with the Officers or get a bad name with them either. I also told him that there's noway I would have made such a mistake over a 5 dollar sticker as to comapring to have to pay 125.00 fine if I had known it went by the card........I guess I got lucky this time.... by the way gonna have too send my money in this month. [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] .......... Great story duckman. Keep em honest!!!!!!
[img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: mississippi_duc_htr ]

[Doc & Nash]

my one time to run into a GW was the one time when I did not have a State stamp, I tried to find one but there were non to ber had, He pulled up and needless to say the first thing he asked for was license and stamps, I told him that i had every thing but a state stamp and explained why but he still wanted to see it, so I pulled it out of nu wallet with a $5.00 bill wrapped around it signed across the front with STATE DUCK STAMP written across it, he got a chuckel out of it and let me go, and even told me where I could find a stamp. To this day every time I see him, He recognizes me and has never since then asked me to see any thing but a cup of coffee.

[captain duck]

Duckmen-sounds like you read the book "winning through Intimidation". Don't ever let em bluff you.About 3 yaers ago I came out of the brake and put my ducks in the back of my truck on Dec 26. The warden met me where our property meets the county rd.He checked me and began to write a ticket for the lead box of shells in the back of the truck he found. I then produced a box of steel and informed him I planned on dove hunting that afternoon as Dec 26 was the opening day of the 3rd dove season. He was disappointed his bluff got called.

[Meeka]

I guess the stories come out ok when you are within the law. When we first got our camp about 5 years ago and were new to the neighborhood, we got checked by the state boys about 8 times in one season. No tickets were written and no violations were found that I recall. I haven't been checked in the field since then, until the last week of this season.

I don't really mind being checked and I sometimes admire the effort they put in it - this guy did. The State boys have always been very cordial. This fed. did his share of walking.

Anyway it was real foggy and we missed our spot by about 100 yards and it was hurting us. We had only 3 Mallards and decided to move. Well, we moved in one direction and came to an old roadbed and I figured out we needed to go back the way we came to get to the spot. We reversed and immediately stumbled on a warden in neoprene. He was ok and so were we as far as attitude. He checked our guns and licenses. Note we had killed a four person limit the day before. We went on our way and he went off looking for another group, he said.

We found our spot and commenced to killing a few. After a while it got slow and Lerch crossed over into the woods to look for a cripple. He took Meeka and another dog and they "flushed" the warden. Again, there were no unpleasantries, but it illustrated that the man will follow you around and watch and listen. We figured he was following us the first time that morning and suspected we were trying to hide something. Maybe was just seeing what we were up to.

I'm not criticizing, just remarking. If I was him, I'd probably stay in the woods too, not the truck. That way there is a little challenge; like hunting.

[Unkljohn]

Sounds kinda like the guy that checked us the last weekend. We only had 5 ducks, and 1 of em was shot up pretty good. He looked at the ducks then said"You shot hell out of this one didn't you, I need to check your shells" I said "well sure he's shot up that's what happens when they try to land in my dekes, here are my shells" He then unloaded the backend of my truck 4 bags of Dekes,2 blind bags all sorts of S$$$ checks my license and stamps, then says "ya'll have a good night"
My buddy stayed in the truck this whole time. As we were pulling off from the road block he looks at me and says" Thank god they didn't ask to see my license and stamps, I left them in my wallet in my truck!!!! [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] That is the only time I've ever been checked.
JT