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Thread: Game Wardens

  1. #1
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Default Game Wardens

    I have been sitting here watching a show about game wardens in Texas.

    I have known several game wardens over the years and it can be a tough job and they develop a tough disposition, knowing that almost ever time they stop a person to check license or procedures that person is going to be armed.

    On this show they have a suspect barricaded in his house. On homicide shows, robbery investigation shows or any other police show they would call for the swat team.

    What do these guys do?

    They call for a third game warden and kick the door down!
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Yeah....had some experience as MF was a Forest Ranger and Deputy Warden.
    They are asked to do a lot of things many LEO's wouldn't do with out a lot of back up....these days.

    Saw him walk into a group of about 20 guys standing around on posted property, land belonged to the paper company, but they had decided to post it for their own use.

    Also to check licenses and rifles.....couple of which were leaning against vehicles in plain sight (ticket).

    I was leaning out the passenger door of his 1952 Chevy hunting car, and was told to load up the Win '94 .32 special.....as back up.

    Ended well..... with several ticket written...and posted signes removed......and I didn't have to shoot anyone.
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    Senior Member Manwithnoname's Avatar
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    I suspect just like any other profession in which a person is put in a position of absolute authority there is going to be some that are just bad apples. Yep, they have a tough job. During hunting season everyone they come across is armed and usually with buddies and even not during hunting season they are in remote locations with any kind of back being far enough away you may as well say they have no back up. That being said, all but one experience I've had with wardens has been peachy except one. Flat out, he was a jackass!!

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Ran into a warden that I had grown up with in another city 200 mile away.

    He was older, and basically a bully to younger kids.

    Well, after he remembered my name....and asked me about it....I just said that, "Yeah, we know each other and seems you turned into a professional."
    He said "Professional what?"

    My buddy thought we were both going to jail after I expressed my thoughts on the matter.....LOL

    On the other hand, "Jennifer", was a lady warden in our area, since had move on and up....but was a member or our Ducks Unlimited Committee.....Took care of the Green Wing Raffles at dinners (kids stuff).

    Only warden that would give you hug when you ran in to her......
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    All the ones I've come into contact with were tough and professional except one. A little lady with a big attitude.

  6. #6

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    Time to tell a tell .
    A friend of mine was going to Float a dock inplace . He went to a boat ramp up river. Was launching it when a game warden came wanting to see the licenses on this craft . He had an electric trolling motor on it . He axplaned what he was doing . That this was a floating dock for his brother and his place down river . He showed him the dock permit but the game warden said no and to get it out of the water or get a ticket and confiscation of the craft. Then my friend's brother showed up to drive the truck and trailer back. Asked what was going on and why it was still half on the trailer. A brief discussion took place and dock was launched .
    Moral of the story ? If you are going to argue with a game warden it helps to have a brother with you that's a Deputy US Marshal .

    My only dealing with a game warden was 21 years ago . Now I tell people I live in the boonies . When they ask how far back . L tell them I once had to give a ga,e warden directions back out.

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    Senior Member Manwithnoname's Avatar
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    Fixit, I'm actually getting a different moral from that story, a perfect example of the "Good Ole Boy Network" at work. If that had been you or I without being in the brotherhood of the badge, we would have had to load it back up and to me that's just wrong.

    It's a moot point now, but I wonder had your friend been going to tow it with a boat rather than putting the motor on it how that would have played out.

  8. #8

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    Yeah, I'd say that was a weenie warden. If the concern was safety and boating regulations. Those concerns were not removed by the disclosure of the occupation of your friends brother.

    Had the warden cited your friend, I could have said he was just doing his job. Here in Florida, once you put a motor on it. It needs to be registered, have vessel numbers, coast guard required safety equipment and navigational lights.

    Now if it was less than 16' long you could row it to the house.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    When I was stationed up at Bangor Submarine Base in Washington, we used to salmon fish off the missile deck of the boat in the evening on duty days. There were very strict rules on the types of hooks (barbless) that could be used. One time there were about 8 guys fishing and the game warden pulls up to the pier. As he came onboard he said very loudly "I'll need to see your fishing licenses, salmon tags and don't even think about getting your rigs caught on the bottom". He had salmon dinner with us that evening.
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    Oh I don't disagree with you about the brotherhood of the badge. I will even said that I have at times in the past not gotten a ticket for being an EMT . There is a reason this happens . It isn't right but you don't want to have to call in " shots fired" and another officer going that's the guy that gave mea hard time last week .
    A case in point from Donelson Tn. About 25 years ago. City motorcycle cop wrote a RN a ticket . About a week and a half later he laid that bike down while in persuing a suspect . Arrived a Donelson ER to find said RN as head nurse. He got all the care he needed and then some . I have yet to have anyone explained to me whe a motorcycle wreck calls for a colonoscopy .

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    She must have seen the "circle fly".......after the accident.
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    Woodsman Adventure Wolf's Avatar
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    I dealt with three wildlife officers. One ticketed me for not having a working fire extinguisher in my boat

    A few days later another one stopped me, but it was okay because I replaced the extinguisher.

    The other took a look at my fishing license and told me I was good to go.

    All were professional and nice.

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    Senior Member Manwithnoname's Avatar
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    AW for 3 of my 6 yrs in the Coast Guard I was a Boarding Officer out of Station Little Creek in Norfolk. If I had been the one boarding you, I would have only given you a warning for that, not ticketed you, just sayin. I won't bore everyone with the requirements to where we had no option but to write a violation vs. warning but I will say the only time I went straight to the violation involved a boat with small children onboard and only adult PFD's. He got a ticket and terminated voyage with an escort back to the ramp.

  14. #14

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    I have a ton of encounters game wardens.

    We hunt public and fish public land. FWC has more authority than any other law enforcement agency in the state of Florida.

    I have been stopped many times on the water and at the dock for boater safety inspections and resource inspections. I have been stopped in the back country, on the grades, and in camp by FWC and USF&G on resource checks.

    Most have been very polite. Actually, all have been very polite after the initial encounter.

    We had one time where two officers of the US Fish and Game snuck into our camp from two different paths. We busted them before they busted us. Really uncool to come into a hunt camp like that though.

    Had them mishandle our sidearms while doing a spot check for stolen guns. Covered us with the muzzle while trying to figure how to unload and make safe a handgun. All LEO's should be atleast as well trained as a RSO on general firearm knowledge. I asked if he would like me to clear my gun after watching him fumble with my fathers. He said, "Please".

    That same officer the year before tossed a groups camp after they lied to him. Mean while he just stopped and chated with Sean and I. Though he did say our bows were firearms. LMAO Uhmmm No!.

    I have been arrested poaching gators in National Wildlife Preserves in the glades. They knew what the deal was and so did I. So, there was no need to be unprofessional. Returned all my gear to me at the parks main entrance and was pleasant. Cause at the end of the day we are Florida Sportsman and Gladesmen. Cut from the same cloth.

    If, your thinking of giving me some grief for the gator poaching. It may have been wrong. But, at the time hunting wasn't legal no way. And that is a part of our heritage. The glades were slap full of gators even back then. And even the FWC officers talk about poaching.

    Hell one of the greatest game wardens was also one of the most prolific poachers before and after they were game wardens. Tom Shirley talks about that in his book Everglades Patrol. He was trained to hunt poachers by Sig Walker. Then feared Sig when he left the commission. Sig Walker has a strand named after him in the glades. One of the most notorious poachers there was.

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    Senior Member Manwithnoname's Avatar
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    Batch, I don't know if you were directing the "giving you grief" comment at me or the group but no worries here, I try my best to not make judgements. Besides, from what you wrote you got busted and paid your debt to society. Water long since passed under the bridge as far as I'm concerned.

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    Woodsman Adventure Wolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Manwithnoname View Post
    AW for 3 of my 6 yrs in the Coast Guard I was a Boarding Officer out of Station Little Creek in Norfolk. If I had been the one boarding you, I would have only given you a warning for that, not ticketed you, just sayin. I won't bore everyone with the requirements to where we had no option but to write a violation vs. warning but I will say the only time I went straight to the violation involved a boat with small children onboard and only adult PFD's. He got a ticket and terminated voyage with an escort back to the ramp.
    A warning would have been nice!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Manwithnoname View Post
    Batch, I don't know if you were directing the "giving you grief" comment at me or the group but no worries here, I try my best to not make judgements. Besides, from what you wrote you got busted and paid your debt to society. Water long since passed under the bridge as far as I'm concerned.
    No, it was just a statement that I wouldn't be shamed or changed by the grief anyway. LOL Hell, there is more gators than can naturally be supported there and they are talking about not renewing the lease to the feds. Been there 50 years now and they might take the land back.

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