How many of you have been fined by DNR?

[crappie66]

I got hit twice last year:

First time "fishing without permission" park had posted hours for opening at 8AM.  The gate was open when I pulled up at 7:25 so I drove in, parked, head out and started fishing.  At 7:37 they came out and got me.  $120  --- This once was BS, if a store has posted hours and I walk up to the door and it is unlocked I go in -- no diff here IMO.

Second time "fishing without permission".  Private quarry.  The other three guys said it was ok, evidently not.  $120 --- I accept this one for assuming it was ok.

[Zktaylor]

My question is, has anyone been fined for not having their name and address in 3" block letters on their shanty? Ive been somewhat hesitant to do so just because I dont want everyone on the lake knowing who I am and where I live lol.

[wax_worm]

My question is, has anyone been fined for not having their name and address in 3" block letters on their shanty? Ive been somewhat hesitant to do so just because I dont want everyone on the lake knowing who I am and where I live lol.

I have mine on a laminated sheet of paper.  Just first initial and last name city and state.   No house address.   Been checked a few times with it and no issues.  The letters are no where near 3" either.

[marmooskapaul]

My question is, has anyone been fined for not having their name and address in 3" block letters on their shanty? Ive been somewhat hesitant to do so just because I dont want everyone on the lake knowing who I am and where I live lol.

I do the same thing as Waxy..laminated paper with name and most of my address...I'm sure it is not 3" block letters..but close.
Never been questioned about it?? Although, I was never questioned when I didn't have it..at least not to my memory.
Paul

[river_scum]

I have never got at ticket for anything . I have been checked more times that I could start to count . I did get a written warning onece . We were riding snowmobile trails up by the state line . Came up to a check point and they were just checking for registrations which was fine I had mine . All my stickers were on my sled but he asked to see the paper work for them . I thought no big deal I got that too . So I go to the trunk of the sled to get I and there it was plastered to a trail map . You could tell what it was but could no longer read much of it . So he gave me a warning for failure to produce registration . I was mad but smart enough to keep my mouth shut . A buddy of mine and I got the crap scared out of us by a C.O. on Lake St. Clair one day . We were on a guided duck hunt and hunting out of a 2 man layout boat . We were about 3 miles out and the closest other boat was our guide in his tender boat and he was about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile behind us . He could see us but we could not see him because we could not see behind us do to the way layout boats work . Will the C.O. Knew this too and snuck up behind us and drifted in on us . The never announced their presents until the were about 4 foot from out boat . Talk about scare the crap out of you when you hear a voice behind you and there is not supposed to be anybody within a 1/2 mile of you . 

lol can you say mirror.

imo, hunting is a bit different from fishing in this regard. the CO can scare game away easier than fish. you spend an hour setting everything out then just about time for them to come in, here comes mr green jeans to ruin it for a while. that has to sucks for you duck hunters. 

[bgriffis17]

They've tried very, very hard to get me... Covert ops, pulling me over for possible DUI, show up three deep at my door step, but I prefer to keep my money... so do the right thing and pat em on the butt and tell em keep at it!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       O M G all this time Ive been takeing my life into my owen hands, could have looked like rodney king on ice man doug I had no idea you were a convict, (LOL)

[Stinkybaits]

I keep forgetting the shanty letters! Maybe a ticket will help remind me.

[tomturkey]

All I can say is, "know the rules inside and out". Even the vague ones!!! Dot your i's and cross your t's!

You need to be a lawyer to under stand the hunting and fishing laws in Michigan. There are so many if's, ands and buts plus the exceptions I do not think that even the CO's can keep track of all of them.

Zktaylor. Having your name on your shanty is the law in Michigan. One big reason is that they can tell who it is that did not pull their shanty before the ice went out leaving it a floating or sunk hazard. We have a couple of partys that refuse to mark there shanties on our private lake even after being told to do so by board members. I guarantee that they will get a visit from the local CO this winter.

This CO came right over to ticket a guy that had burnt a shanty that was froze in the ice last break up. The guy actually got off easy as burning a shanty on the ice would be considered a felony in Michigan.

[wax_worm]

You need to be a lawyer to under stand the hunting and fishing laws in Michigan. There are so many if's, ands and buts plus the exceptions I do not think that even the CO's can keep track of all of them.

Zktaylor. Having your name on your shanty is the law in Michigan. One big reason is that they can tell who it is that did not pull their shanty before the ice went out leaving it a floating or sunk hazard. We have a couple of partys that refuse to mark there shanties on our private lake even after being told to do so by board members. I guarantee that they will get a visit from the local CO this winter.

This CO came right over to ticket a guy that had burnt a shanty that was froze in the ice last break up. The guy actually got off easy as burning a shanty on the ice would be considered a felony in Michigan.

In Indiana we rarely see Permanent ice houses.  Nearly everyone down here that wants to get out of elements uses a portable shanty that is either a flip over or hub style.  Our laws also say if fishing before Jan 1 or after Feb 15 all shanties and shelters must be removed daily.  We just don't get enough ice most years to warrant a permanent shanty for 6 weeks use per year.  Having your name and addy on a portable shanty is a useless idea.  No one leaves them on the ice over night in Indiana or they will get stolen.  I can see the need for an actually ice house that is left on the ice, but not for something that is taken on and off daily.

[tightliner812]

lol can you say mirror.

imo, hunting is a bit different from fishing in this regard. the CO can scare game away easier than fish. you spend an hour setting everything out then just about time for them to come in, here comes mr green jeans to ruin it for a while. that has to sucks for you duck hunters.

I have only been checked out on the water a few times around here while hunting . I have had to call them a few times for people on shore giving us a few times . There have been times when they would come out in a boat to check us too just to get the birds that are sitting on the other end of the lake moving again . But most of the time they just meet you at the ramp when you are pulling out . The thing with duck hunting is you have all of the boating laws and state and federal waterfoul laws to follow. And most times they check it all when they check duck hunters .

[rip-n-lips86]

Never been ticketed, have been checked a few times in the woods hunting and a few times fishing. Last year ice fishing I was checked at least 5 times throughout the season. every time I was checked I was in my one man flip or hub and I don't have any kind of info on the outside of them and have never had anything said to me about it.

[Knoodles]

one fine for me years ago while duck hunting.  Buddy and I pulled up in a john boat with full gear, etc.  We probably had 2,000 dollars worth of stuff.  I pull my license out that was all tucked away in a paperclip and handed it to him.  He says "this is a big deal."  Turns out I forgot to sign my federal stamp.......I said sorry man it was a mistake.  It was pretty obvious but the way I had it folded it up in a paperclip it had been there for a while and was not being passed around.  He told me it was a huge deal and fined my 125 bucks.  Yes I was in the wrong but it really pissed me off.  I explained to him we had 2,000 dollars worth of gear, so why would I be trying to pass a 15 dollar federal stamp around to save a few dollars.  He did not care and away I went with a fine.  It was an honest mistake that I wished he would have cut some slack but no go.  There are so many poaching and breaking huge laws and they nail a dude that simply forgot to sign his name and the check out.  I guess I learned though and have NEVER forgot to sign a license or stamp again. 

[tightliner812]

There was one that just retired last year that I got along with real good . He was one of the good ones he did his job just like they should but after he checked me so many times over the years would take the time to chit chat with me after checking me . Never had a problem with him at all . So one day about 3 years ago a buddy of mine and I were perch fishing and decided to change lake mid day and go jig for bass . So we went to gettys cove and he was out the checking the fishermen that was already on the ice . As we were going on he was comming off and meet on the ice I seen he had a Rookie with him . I decided to mess with them as they were checking our licenses they asked us if we had any fish . I said yeah we just come from sylvan and got a bunch of baby walleyes . I had about a dozen perch in my shanty and that was it . When I said the rookie's eyes lit up big time .  he said I see them ? I said sure and gave him my bag of perch . The one I knew kinda chuckled but the rookie did not think it was to funny .

[busterbrown]

Been checked many times. Never fined. One time 20 yrs ago Young and Dumb me and buddy out fishin on some lake south of walkerton bout high noon on a Friday took a few boat pops with us pulled anchors just drift fishin had bout 25 in live well, they just turned off, all the locals pulled off lake we just driftin enjoyin the day we hear this boat from other side of lake not payin attention it gets closer and ohits the fish cop. Didn't have time to hide boat pops he's on us checks license checks fish gets breathalyzer out my buddy fails I'm close to failin thank god we weren't runnin any motors. He said to take a nap for couple hours to sober up and he would be wacthin he was pissed wasn't nothing he could do no motors runnin we sat out there bout hour and a half and hauled After that I Don't Drink in the boat anymore learned my lesson.

[Hack58]

I have received 2 tickets on Patoka and 1 on Dogwood.  All 3 for not having my license with me (stupidity!).  Knowing we were on vacation and camping in the different parks, all 3 tickets were "provisional" and the officers gave me 48hrs to bring proof of license to the property headquarters.  All 3 tickets were rescinded when I produced my license.  Of course all this was when my kids were little and my youngest is 29 now so it's been a while.

Probably been checked close to 50 times over the years both hunting and fishing and never found the DNR to be anything but polite and helpful.