Author Topic: Michigan DNR Officers  (Read 8128 times)

Offline Exile

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Michigan DNR Officers
« on: Feb 02, 2010, 11:18 AM »
Well lets see who think these guys are worth the money we pay them.  I for one are not impressed with the DNR in Dickinson County.  The are more worried about enforcing the stupid stuff then tyring to do some real work and find the poachers, gill netters and so on....  For an example in 2008 year I rode a ATV from a pipe line into the woods on a logging trail 50 yds to pick up a pop up blind.  The DNR followed my ATV tracks 3/4 of mile to my camp to give me a ticket. Mind you it was during season (Rifle)  I road at noon well with in the time frame.  He pulled up to me and said he was giving a ticket for operating an ATV where prohibited.  The trail was not accessible by a two wheel drive vehicle that can operate on the HWY.  Then he asked me if my ATV was registered, I informed this young D**K that in Michigan an ATV had ORV stickers & titles.  Registering ATVs was WI & MN not Michigan.  He informed me when he was done writing the ticked he would show me where it was written.  Once I had the ticket in hand and he was leaving I asked him about the registering the ATV, he said he had no time to explain. What a joke.  not once have I seen them out checking a lake by my camp for Id's every weekend there so many trucks and people from WI you think it would make sense to check..  They are more worried about checking locals than to offend any tourism. One more thing this is the same guy I seen at the local gas station talking to a woman (while in uniform & driving the DNR truck) how he was so drunk the night be for that the bartenders @ Randville bar would not serve him anymore.  Hippocrites!!!!!!!!!!!
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Offline huntandfish

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #1 on: Feb 02, 2010, 02:19 PM »
Im with you exile, bunch of worthless boyscouts that must have got picked on a lot while in school!!  I have a buddy thats a federal park ranger and I cant hardly stand it, he is taking a hypocritical turn for the worst!  I would like to hear any stories that include the boys in green doing something worthwhile though, maybe it would ease my tension a bit.  Some chicken soup for the soul type stuff, any stories?

Offline browning13

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #2 on: Feb 02, 2010, 04:18 PM »
I have to disagree. I think the CO's are doing a good job considering how underfunded they are. I've been stopped many times around Marquette (including twice this year) and every encounter they have been very cordial. Its suprising how many times I see them in the UP compared to downstate. They're just spread to thin for how much area they have to cover, just my $.02

Offline tapsboy68

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #3 on: Feb 02, 2010, 06:31 PM »
I'd say that Marquette DNR officers are the best around. I have been stopped multiple times over the past few years and all but one was treated me well. The one i didnt see eye to eye with was when I was fishing the dead river and he accused me of snagging salmon. I told him to go you know what. But the 8 other times they have all been nice. Now back home, Houghton area, Im sure that they are all a*****es. And everyone from that area knows who I am talking about ,starts with a D.

Offline Prehnite44

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #4 on: Feb 02, 2010, 06:41 PM »
I've got to say that I have been checked by D many, like 25 times, and every time he has been cordial. He even cut me a break, twice for the same offense (not having two life jackets with two people in the boat on the same day I bought it, then not having three flotation devices with three in the boat, which I now have three of). Maybe others have had worse experiences, but it seems that in my experience, the DNR cracks down on some of the worse offenses but lets minor things go that don't really matter. Apparently there are mixed emotions here, but I've only had good experiences being checked personally. It varies from year to year, but around Houghton, the stocking program seems to assure that there is always some place close to get some nice fish all year round. Just my perspective, lol.


Offline mark_steven

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #5 on: Feb 02, 2010, 06:44 PM »
He must be the one that brags that he caught his limit of panfish two days in a row. Isn't that a violation of possession limit?  I don't agree that they force people to tell them their tactics, baits, and lure, and then turn around and steal the info and share with everyone else.

Offline upfisherman98

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #6 on: Feb 02, 2010, 07:01 PM »
I agree that the marquette county dnr officers are nice and respectfull , all but 1 . I have ran into them many times and have never had a problem except for the one who thinks he plays god. I think they are doing there job the best they can here , but i do beleive that they lie about the planting of the fish .many lakes that they say get planted do not . where is the Fish going that where supposed to be planted in the lakes here is a mystery .

Offline skinnytrucker

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #7 on: Feb 02, 2010, 07:49 PM »
WOW Exile how ironic you bring this up. I had my very first run-in with the boys in green suits for my first time today. Bout 12:30 this afternoon I had one creep up behind me on Strawberry Lake and scare the holy s#$t out of me and began asking/talking to me. Other than sneaking up behind me it was a nice conversation. He asked if I caught anything, how deep I was fishing, and I offered up my license and then he left.
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Offline BiG ARN

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #8 on: Feb 02, 2010, 08:03 PM »
basically the same thing as cops....theres the ones out there who got picked on all there life so they have to be a ^^%%# ...then theres some who treat ya with respect.       its pretty simple 1st grade etiquette   treat people the way you wanna be treated!   unfortunetly theres some that take having a little authority right to there heads and are complete douches.       


Offline acrawfor

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #9 on: Feb 02, 2010, 08:18 PM »
I've only run into one up here. He was pretty cool and had a lot of good information about the area. Talked to him for almost an hour about hunting, fishing, etc. I've run into a couple down state that were dicks. I think you have both ends of the spectrum with dnr, as with almost everything else.

Offline bigmike7272

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #10 on: Feb 02, 2010, 09:02 PM »
We'll guys i have had nothing but good run-ins with the green boys. except for one time when it didn't concern me but my uncle. other than that one time they have been very easy to talk to and they aren't trying to screw you over.


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Offline stephensonswille

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #11 on: Feb 02, 2010, 10:59 PM »
So far every encounter with the boys in green has been pretty good i usualy see more out on my trap line than anything most of the time when i see them fishing or hunting they're usualy curious of what kinda luck I'm having. They all have their days and I'm sure there's people that they right up all the time because they know what kinda of person that individual is. just my opinion

Offline big_bubba25

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #12 on: Feb 03, 2010, 12:58 AM »
I'm in eastern UP and over here i am yet to have a good run in with them,  they have taken my hunting license, trapping license,  and I've gotten 2 tickets while fishing.  i was hunting and i shot a buck, it had a small rack, when it droped 1 of its antlers broke off and the other antler didn't meet the size limit to be considered and antlered deer and that's how i lost my hunting license.  how wrong is that.  i guess we have to chase the deer we are going to shoot down and grab a ruler out before we can make the shot.  it was my 1st buck ever and now i cant go hunting till 2012.  i tried to fight it, and lost so there went 3000$ and a week in jail because of it.  1 of my fishing tickets i got was for littering. the DNR officer came up to check my license and when i was jumping around the boat i kicked my tackle box in and i was in almost 80 FoW so its not like i could go get it back.  i mean come on how pethic can these people get. 

Offline Gillgrabber

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #13 on: Feb 03, 2010, 07:19 AM »
I've been stopped & checked by the DNR/Conservation Police in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, & Michigan.  Some were nicer than others, but I can't say I ever ran into one who was downright rude or unreasonable.  They checked what they needed to, found me in compliance, wished me luck and left.  No problems.  Maybe it's the way you guys talk to them?  I don't run my mouth or give them attitude.  I politely answer their questions and keep my mouth shut.  I taught my Son to do the same and he hasn't had any problems either. 
Then again, that's only been my experience.  I'm sure there are jerks in every occupation whether it's law enforcement, plumbing, construction, truck driving, or whatever. 
You can't paint the entire lot of them with the same brush.
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Offline BiG ARN

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #14 on: Feb 03, 2010, 08:21 AM »
i wish id run into one every once in a while just so i could ask some questions...unfortunet ly they dont seem to care about what people they see parked at a fishing place all the time are doing....there after the people they dont ever see..hoping they can bust them doing something wrong!     seems that way to me anyways...ive had them drive by and see me fishing and not even stop!    ive got checked 2 times in the last 10 years   and believe me i put in lots of time


Offline muskyslayer25

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #15 on: Feb 03, 2010, 08:33 AM »
Its crazy to see how many times some people have ran into the DNR. I have been fishing my whole life, like most of you im sure, this is the first year I have ever ran into a DNR! I was begging to think they didnt excist. Out on Otter lake about 2 weeks ago we had a boy walk out, it was the weirdest thing because we didnt see him till he was right on us, and we were 200 yards of shore! sneaky sob! the part that killed my was he asked us tons of questions but came off as another fisherman trying to get some info. we gladly told him how our day was going and after bout 5 minutes of b.s.ing he said he wanted to see our license because by the way he was dnr. all in all he just came off as sneaky and i dont like that at all! My opinion would have been a little better had he been up front with us. Bottom line I hate the fact that they watch you thru binos and are so damn sneaky, theres no reason for that.

Offline eyehunter231

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #16 on: Feb 03, 2010, 08:35 AM »
I was there.  Booooooooooooooooooooo oooom!!

Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #17 on: Feb 03, 2010, 08:52 AM »
In the last several years I have been checked a dozen times. The attitude of the officer didn't come into play. He simply was checking to see if I was legal. I was and they left. Easy as that. It seams funny to me that the ones who get tickets are the ones who hate them.(DNR). I am sure I would not like the fact of getting a ticket, but to bash the DNR officer because he didn't let it slide is wrong.
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Offline bigkerrdogg

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #18 on: Feb 03, 2010, 09:00 AM »
I was checked once this winter in Marquette County.  The CO who checked us was very sociable.  He basically gave us a recent fishing report for the lake we were fishing on and just talked to all six of us as if he were one of us.  That's the way it should be and gladly, that's the way it was on that occasion.  I think the CO was originally from Texas.  Anyways, props to him and hopefully the rest of the "task force" in Marquette County are on the same page he is on.

Offline bigmike7272

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #19 on: Feb 03, 2010, 09:14 AM »
I'm in eastern UP and over here i am yet to have a good run in with them,  they have taken my hunting license, trapping license,  and I've gotten 2 tickets while fishing.  i was hunting and i shot a buck, it had a small rack, when it droped 1 of its antlers broke off and the other antler didn't meet the size limit to be considered and antlered deer and that's how i lost my hunting license.  how wrong is that.  i guess we have to chase the deer we are going to shoot down and grab a ruler out before we can make the shot.  it was my 1st buck ever and now i cant go hunting till 2012.  i tried to fight it, and lost so there went 3000$ and a week in jail because of it.  1 of my fishing tickets i got was for littering. the DNR officer came up to check my license and when i was jumping around the boat i kicked my tackle box in and i was in almost 80 FoW so its not like i could go get it back.  i mean come on how pethic can these people get. 
You just have a bad bunch over there in the east ;D


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Offline Keweenaw Angler

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #20 on: Feb 03, 2010, 10:20 AM »
I've been checked twice by the dnr in 25 years of fishing. Once with my dad when I was a kid on Rice Lake. They came up to use, asked how we were doing and asked my dad for his license. After about 5 minutes one of the officers started writing a ticket for my dad. My dad asked what he was doing and the officer said he was writing him a citation for no personal flotation devices. He then started to give a speech about how important it was to have one in the boat with me in it. We had five in the boat, three seat cushions and we were wearing fishing vests. He did not even bother to ask to see if we had any and when my dad told the officer that there were five in the boat and we were wearing two of them the officer got very angry and searched our boat. He didn't find anything and left. The other time was just the other day in the Twin Lakes area. It sounds like it was by the sneaky guy, he was nice though. I got a lot of info about the other lakes in the area and how the other fisherman on the lake were doing.

Offline Exile

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #21 on: Feb 03, 2010, 10:23 AM »
Wow,  I wish we had your Co's down here Houghton & Marquette.  For an example we had this co two years ago by the name of Holmes,  He had so many complaints they transfered down to the trolls.  His dad was a co so this guy was bad!!  Don't get me wrong I would like to see the guys in green different, the ones down here just don't have any common sense!!!  I would like to see them treat peeps they would like to be treated..  As being spread thin LOL During Hunting season this year I seen them 3 times while being at camp...I did run into one at little Bay De Noc about tens years ago Ice fishing. He asked me for my Lic, would you know it I forgot it in Norway.  He told me that I would be stupid not to spend 13 bucks for a Lic and have so much equipment . so He said have a good day and left.  So I know there are some good ones but I think here in Dickinson we have all the morons.  
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Offline Exile

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #22 on: Feb 03, 2010, 10:28 AM »
Oh ya truker forgot to tell ya a CO named Bacon lives in Norway... He is alright.. The one to look out for is AHO....
Only in the U.P.  (You can take man out of the U.P. but can't take the U.P. out of the Man)

Offline lfdiaff

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #23 on: Feb 03, 2010, 10:36 AM »
I dont think they are that bad of people. Maybe it is just because they have been very nice to me. I was fishing in mecosta county two weeks ago and got stopped on the ice. I had borrowed my fathers quad to help move aroung and pull stuff out. It was me and my girlfriends brother riding two up on a one person quad with no helmets. First I didnt think you had to have helmet if you were going under 35mph. Well you do. Then the ORV sticker that I didnt even think to check was expired. And we were riding two up on a one person quad. The CO informed me of the three infractions and as I was pulling out my Drivers license. Seen my ID. I am a career Firefighter and he seen my ID. His M.O. Instantly changed and he asked me if I knew a bunch of people. Of corse I did cause I work with them. He told me to tell them hi. Then said have a good weekend. I asked him about getting back to the cabin with all the rules we were braking and he said dont worry about it. Then I asked about another lake that was in the area and if we could go there with no helmets because the helmet were left 100 miles away at home. He said it was ok. So my $.02 is that they are doing there job. Just like cops. Everyone hates cops till they call and need them.

Offline skinnytrucker

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #24 on: Feb 03, 2010, 10:39 AM »
Oh ya truker forgot to tell ya a CO named Bacon lives in Norway... He is alright.. The one to look out for is AHO....

The guy I ran into yesterday was tall and slim. Didn't catch his name though.
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Offline Exile

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #25 on: Feb 03, 2010, 12:33 PM »
That was Bacon ..  as for the post above you.. So you got let go because of who you knew..  That is the problem..  Cops take care of the DNR & DNR take care of the cops it is a BS session.   Dont get me wrong, if your going slow not acting like dare devil I dont see the problem with giving you a warning.  I do not think there is any law that prohibits people from riding double. they frown upon it but there is no law.  As for helmets he had you.  I had a buddy that was on his land pulled on a gravel road (the road is along side his land) to go 30' (NO BS) to his driveway. The CO gave him a ticket for no helmet, mind u you dont need a helmet while operating an atv on you own property.  But seeing he could not ride the shoulder due to being a culvert with gaurd rails he had to ride on the side of the road.  That is what im talking about having no common sense.  He was out working on his land, not hurting anyone..
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Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #26 on: Feb 03, 2010, 12:44 PM »
That was Bacon ..  as for the post above you.. So you got let go because of who you knew..  That is the problem..  Cops take care of the DNR & DNR take care of the cops it is a BS session.   Dont get me wrong, if your going slow not acting like dare devil I dont see the problem with giving you a warning.  I do not think there is any law that prohibits people from riding double. they frown upon it but there is no law.  As for helmets he had you.  I had a buddy that was on his land pulled on a gravel road (the road is along side his land) to go 30' (NO BS) to his driveway. The CO gave him a ticket for no helmet, mind u you dont need a helmet while operating an atv on you own property.  But seeing he could not ride the shoulder due to being a culvert with gaurd rails he had to ride on the side of the road.  That is what im talking about having no common sense.  He was out working on his land, not hurting anyone..

There is a Law about riding double on a four wheeler. It says you can't ride double on a four wheeler unless it is equipped for two people.
I am trying to find out if I am pulling a person on a sled, do they need a helmet also?  I can't find anything written about it. Sometimes I pull three guys behind me and the shanty, do they all need helmets? Guess I'll find out when they write the ticket?
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Offline Chris Raymond

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #27 on: Feb 03, 2010, 02:04 PM »
...
I am trying to find out if I am pulling a person on a sled, do they need a helmet also?  ...

They do not need a helmet...only the driver and/or passenger on a 2-up machine. 
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Offline stagdown

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #28 on: Feb 03, 2010, 02:11 PM »
I thought you still had to have a helmet even on your own property. 

Offline 249er

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Re: Michigan DNR Officers
« Reply #29 on: Feb 03, 2010, 08:25 PM »
Last year was the first time i've ever been checked by a CO, and that was in Ashland, Wisconsin. I fish alot and live in harvey. He was very respectful even though we did not have our registrations on our bikes. He went as far as to say, just take some of that PBR and clean off a spot for it and watched us do that and away he went. Then this year I got stoped by a CO in marquette and we talked more about fishing and spots to fish on the lake then anything else. He did'nt check my license until he was walking away. 

 



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