Author Topic: Bad Experience with Wardens?? (Read 7711 times)

smeltshack · « **on:** Jan 18, 2004, 02:51 PM »

Has anyone had any bad experiences with game wardens?
If so what happened and what was it all about.
Last saturday six of us were fishing a lake in Cumberland County. We all had 5 traps a piece except for 2 people. Two people in our group went up to use the bathroom and go look at a camp down the road. (One of the people we were fishing with lived on the lake). Well anyway a game warden had been watching us from about 200 yards away through his binoculars. After the 2 people had been gone for about 5 minutes he comes over and starts counting traps. Well of course since the other 2 had gone up to use the rest room and go check out another camp, the 4 of us had too many traps out (26). He started asking us questions and we kept trying to talk to him so in hopes maybe the others would come back. He kept looking at his watch and we felt that he was getting ready to give us all tickets for too many traps the others came back (WE WERE SOME HAPPY TO SEE THEM) He gave them a good talking to and gave them written warnings. I was pretty impressed that he didnt write the 4 of us up for having too many traps even though they actually were not ours. I would NOT consider this a bad experience with a warden but it could have been if he wanted to get on his way.
Has anyone ever had an experience like this.
Just curious to hear people's stories.

billditrite · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 03:25 PM »

they are lucky he didnt write them up for unattended

LoveIce · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 04:18 PM »

Dont Leave your traps thats the law

Jigmaster · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 04:24 PM »

If you fish in Maine watch everything you do because there is a spine-less warden watching you with binocs and he won't come out on the ice and confront you he'll just wait for you to come off the ice and bust you where you can't prove his lame ass wrong. I don't trust any of them and if I found one stranded I would leave him/her there to rot.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 04:37 PM »

Hey wardens are still people, that's not very kind. ALL of the ones that i have been nice men and women. I've been checked probably a good 2-3 dozen times on the ice the past 5 years. Sometimes i was with out licence on me, another time i hadn't got my licence (got a warning), and once i didn't mark down a large rainbow on my licence till the warden came. Each time i was issued grace and i have never got a ticket though at times i deserved one. there are a few bad eggs, but i no some real great people who are game wardens. My best friend is planning to go into the state troopers and could likely be a warden and he is an outstanding guy. So I would say that it should far from us to leave another person stranded just because of a bad expeirience with some warden who was a jerk. Its not the attitude i see on this site and its not the attitude that i am going to have!

RodH · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 04:54 PM »

I doubt that you would have been ticketed for your buddies unattended traps smeltshack. As long as your name and address are on yours, their traps are just there if you know what I mean. I've heard of guys losing unattended tipups to a CO though. Most wardens have been pretty cool as far as I'm concerned.
Some are tougher than others though. Remember that they are just there to keep people honest.

eyedoktr · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:03 PM »

To me, all of the above people that had run ins were treated MORE than fairly. I feel the system is not tough enough. The first infraction (too many lines, undersize fish , over limit. no license, etc) it should be a mandatory fine of at least $100. Upon the second infraction the individual forfeits all fishiing equipment in his possesion, including boat and the vehicle that pulled the trailer and also looses all rights to hunt or fish for lifetime in the USA. Ignorance is NO excuse.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:24 PM »

man thats harsh..we all make mistakes and i think alot of wardens realize that and are sometimes good natured about it. Though i don't agree with breaking the law, i have sometimes, yes the temptation to violate can be stong sometimes. Many fish that wont bite, yet you can see them...a temptation to snag. Catching a crappy and having a musky follow it in, just stick that crappy on a larger rod and cast it out. I'm nearly positive that most of the people on this site, probably you included eyedoktr, have violated the fish and game laws weather knowingly or unknowingly ant some point or another. I truly beleive that that mindset that you give tares people away from wardens. We are all people and we all make mistakes, i don't condone it, but i think for fish and game laws it is not just to extort those people who commit small violations. Fish and game laws are already strict right now. I mean if you kill a misjudged moose up here or are in an antler restricted area unknowingly and then turn yourself in because your conscience tells you to after you find out, the penalty is like you committed manslaughter. Happend to a friend of mine. We're not criminals we're just people who make mistakes sometimes.

broken rod · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:29 PM »

boy i would hate see how good the fishing was if there wasnt wardens! heres a crazy idea obey the LAWS. theres enough idots on the ice that i dont think the wardens have to make stuff up $:-\$

smeltshack · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:35 PM »

I actually forgot this part too.
I hadnt marked my name on all my traps because i had gotten some new ones this summer. He could have got me for that and one buddy left his liscense up at the truck and the warden let him go get it.Can you imagine a cop doing that( NO WAY) a cop would think you were going to get your 9mm. So this guy in reality was pretty nice!
Keep the stories coming

RodH · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:39 PM »

In reality, criminals inflict harm on other human beings, and still don't have their trucks taken away, and fishing privileges suspended. I believe that the punishment should fit the crime.

fishermanjake · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:50 PM »

I'm said i don't condone breaking the law. I have had wardens come out, and i am well versed in the regulations and they commented on something and I argued. I think it was about treble hooks. He was wrong and he fortunately went and checked himself without giving me a ticket, instead of me battling it in court. He was a nice guy too. Another reason that, like rodH said, the punishment should fit the crime. I couldn't agree more.

Way to go 100th post

fishercat · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:52 PM »

You do not have to mark your "traps" in all states. For example here in Ma.

LoveIce · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 05:59 PM »

I have ben screwd befor For being honest with the wordens but I like having them as a friend and on my side than pist of at me.

BOOB · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 07:39 PM »

I noticed most of the promblem post are from Maine. Not liking wardens ? Well we have the right. They break more laws than we do. And their the ones thats supposed to uphold the law. I could go into detail. But I don't want to open that big a can of worms.

billditrite · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 18, 2004, 07:55 PM »

well heres one sportsman from maine who would like to say that in 30 yrs outdoors in this beautiful state i have never had a problem with a warden or biologist but thats my own fault probably because i wasnt doing anything wrong!!these folks are doing a tremendous job in a state that is 70% forestland.most of the laws they are asking us to follow are for safety or conservation.the rest usually depends on attitude and cooperation oh god i sound like my dad

twodoggs · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 19, 2004, 12:16 AM »

My father worked for the dnr. No he was not a warden, but he had all the power of one. I have to say I loved hunting and fishing with him. (He passed of a heart attacke a few years back) I personally have not had any problems with them but let me say my piece and please take time to think about it. We, as sportsmen and women have to remember these officers spend most of there time dealing with outlaws constantly lying to them. Tends to make you naturally distrust just like when your kids say "I don't know" when you ask what happened to your car (or whatever else) when you know or saw them do something to it. The lawbreakers believe that we should believe whatever is said. I don't know how many trips out were shorted (with my dad) because some idiot thought he could steal our childrens natural resorces. Yes accidents happen, But law abbiding sportsmen tell the truth of the account. You would be surprised what happens. Just think when the fish are bitting or the big flight of ducks come through these poor bast@@@ds have to work. Just so the rest of us can continue enjoying our favorite pastime, opps got to go FFFFFFlag.

pot-belly-perch · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 19, 2004, 03:49 AM »

;)many of what has been said is very good they are just people to but some let the power go to thier head
like many of us I am tight with money my wife & I are seems everything is going wrong stuff is breaking down truck needs work all the things well I cannot get a fishing lis..... so now what do you say to that !!! lets see #1 I lefft my fishing L .. in my tackle box & was shore fishing a long way off from my xwife & a dnr came up to me said how ya doing lets see your f.l. oh its in my tackle box with my wife way over there he says get in the boat & we will go get it ok
just doing his job ....
#2 my buddy & his co worker & I were fishing oneida lake last year & comes up & I hand him my fishing L.
told me my name was somebody else & teed me off
complete jerk wanted to see reaction out of me
#3 so I not rich by any standerd Ok it would be good not to get fishing L. so I can spend it elsewhere
but most of dnr think you all & I are sportfisherman
you see thease people who feed there familes with fish they catch & most of time they let thease people go
meaning <not check to see if they got fishingL>>>.>
so you see theres my big beef
I am without fishing l.
only for 2 days @ most but I am not fishing !!!!

Steve

LoveIce · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 05:04 AM »

One of my guides that works fo me is a retired game warden.Now they bug himHAHAHA he said the are all !%!$%@% .

timmo · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 07:10 AM »

on jan 18 was at otsego lake having no luck decided to leave for the long drive home about noon when i left the ice i noticed two dec blazers in the parking lot i was almost to my truck and asked to see my liscense well i had ten inches of clothes on i fumbled around for my wallet as dec man and woman were about to start the ticket when i told them im not fishing standing here in this parking lot to hard am i well the ticket book came out and at the same time so did my wallet with my decals system liscense with all the tags intact never got a deer had eight tags for deer and on one of them was the info he /they were looking for i wondered why it took two people driving two different trucks to check fishermen when there was only five people on the ice and over forty tip ups a few to many i think but they didnt when the dec man saw my last nam,e asked if we coud be related and i said no im not an a--- hole out bothering people have caught no fish have done nothing illeagle well he had to talk to his co hort and finally give me back my liscense mean while i stand in 9 degree weather with my self half undressed hands frozen ears too what pri--s they can be at times . once hunting in the town of newcomb the regional dec warden had busted some guys with a black bear he took their bear away from them and got a bag of ice and put it in the chest cavity and hung the bear in a tree a couple hundred yards from where i camped i found it hanging in the tree i was going to put my stand in at 4 in the morning my first reaction was that this indeed was a set up to bust me so i packed up and went home no bear but BEST of all no tickets they infact set up on me and watched every move i made till i left the woods i even have pictures of this bear so no matter what you do watch you back . another fact to pass on is that up to salmon river palaski watch the trees they sit in stands and hunt fishermen for snagging and to many lifts of the rod tip why the fish will die after spawning i hope that every fish in that fishery comes into town and dies on a hot day so the town will stink like the dec that patrol for the improper twitch of a rod tip well that day it cost 1000 dollars watch the trees you will see them and also have both arms in casts so you cant jerk the pole to much cause the jerks are watching gave up salmon fishing for ever timmo one disgruntled dude

buzzbomb · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 07:46 AM »

Most wardens are good; the only times I've been hasseled are when the guy's been inexperienced and then there was another warden there to straighten things out. They came up to my canoe and the young guy got real excited.."look, he's got 2 rods here." Doesn't matter if I'm only fishing with 1...the fly rod's for later. Tournament guys carry 20. I was ice fishing with an ex NFLer about 320 lbs and the warden came up on a snowmobile and my friend had left his lisence in the truck on top of the hill. I could see the wheels turning (young warden) so I piped up "Look, it's getting cold and he wants his jacket now anyway why don't you just give him a lift up there and you'll get to check his license and he'll get his coat." The guy says OK and Bob gets on the back rolling his eyes and the warden really had to pin it to get the machine moving. Up they went (Bob's arms windmilling) and problem solved. Bob's from Texas and had never been on a snowmobile before. When I bought my short term license in B.C to go trout fishing while visiting mom the guy in the store said you have to carry it at all times or you'll get a ticket and I said well it's the same in Sask. but it's usually only if the warden's a special sort of person. (They'll sometimes let you go get it if it's close by or let you bring it in to the office within 24 hrs if you're civil with them). If you're lying to them they'll take all your tackle and you'll get fined and I can't blame them. The guy in the store says "Well, they're all pretty special out here."

Muskie Matt · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 08:01 AM »

Hey Fishingking - I think I might of had a run in with the same jerk you talked about @ C'drago. What a nerd! One day he check our license, two days later he checked them again while we were throwing a cast net to catch our bait - off boat ramp. He went back to his SUV, I saw him reading the by laws, came out 15 minutes later and said we were breaking the law. He started to write the ticket right there. I grabbed the pamphlet out of his hands, read the law to him and set him straight. He was claiming that we could net our own bait. I told him 1st, we're not commercial fisherman; simply catching our bait. 2nd it states you can't use a net of certain lenght/diameter. I live in Mass and know NY's fishing laws better than a NY Warden. I would like to however see more of them in Mass, just not idiots like the one in NY.

timmo · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 04:11 PM »

the guy is definatly a large one of those PrKs at canadarago he now has been going between otsego lake and then back to canadarago every day and he is lazy he watches end to end with his big powerfull binoklers then he sits in his car till your done fishing and when you come off the ice he sits there and checks ya out. and just because we have the same last name i had to tell him no were not related im not a prk as it was since he was bothering me i made him wait till i got loaded up with my stuff and then slowly started to search thru ten inches of clothes just watch ya back. in past years ive seen pail after pail of perch jumbos sitting in a pull off on the way home someone had a better day and hid the 50 limit and went back for more dont blame them either but now its hard to get ten eaters there of any kind must be like the state of new york didnt care when the fish were there but now there gone they make out to be active on the ice keeping things leagle HA most of the out door world crooks work for the state of ny from the governer on down

HaveAuger · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 04:13 PM »

I had 2 experiences:15 years ago.... 1 was sorta scary. A rookie game warden snuck up on me as I was fishing for LMB in a salt/ fresh area. As I was fishing, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. As I looked behind me, there he was HAND ON GUN, IN THE HOLSTER. "Did I do something wrong?" then he replyed, "Where is your license" and I turned around. He said he could not see it. I told him I did not need one anyway. He then got a little cocky so I showed him the rule book. He tryed to tell me that it was outdated, and then I showed him the cover with the year. He mumbled and left.

Last year Ice fishing was the second. This one was checking licences, I was really surprised he did not have any ice grippers because he was slipping and slidding on the black ice. I had to tell him the rule about ID on the tipup because someone left one unattended. he took it with him and thanked me for being so informative.

JT · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 05:03 PM »

WOW alot of posts here. In NW Wisconsin we have wardens drive right out,set up and fish. After 2 or 3 hours he all slick like slides up on you and acts like your buddy and b.s.es with you for 5 or so minutes and then starts accusing you of to many lines.Happened more than once and yes it;s the same lake...these are their tactics.I am personally offended that my $110 license goes towards fishing equipment ,shack,and the right to fish on duty and keep them...that is ridiculous man!
It's how you are approached by the warden...show me no respect you will be remembered and shown and treated with absolutely no respect back from me. I have unfortunately met alot of bad apple wardens both male and fermale more than I've met good ones so I could care less about them as they don't matter to tell you the truth,most just couldn't make it as cops! Do your job but remember one thing...you have to live in that community,get my drift? This Miller's for you Russ and your cohort Pizzaface may you be skunked everytime you venture out!

Muskie Matt · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 05:31 PM »

$110.00 for a license?! I sure hope that includes hunting. Yeah, it seems a lot of them can be jerks.....it's like your totally legal and they make you feel like you're doing something illegal. I never worry about them, I'm always legal so screw them. There are many of them out there that are very nice and informative, it's the others that give them a bad rap.

Outdoors_Nut · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 05:39 PM »

Here in NH the only time I have ever seen a Warden was while ice fishing a Lake Trout/Salmon lake (mostly during the rotary derby, when they are out in full force)and all they have ever done is check liscences and share any info they have gathered in their travels. I for one enjoy seeing them as my group always abide by the law and we learn a few tid bits from them.

bigfish57 · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 05:57 PM »

Its just like any group of people with athorety. There will be some holes but most of them are there to help us out and are good guys/gals. I have my share of stories both good and bad. Unfortunetly thats just the way things are.

grouse1 · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 06:25 PM »

this brings to mind a thing that happend to me once i shot a grouse that i wanted to mount after i hervested the bird i carefuly laid it in my game pouch so as not to break any feathers and i headed to my truck when i met two gamewardens who asked to see what i had so as i went to take off my jacket to show them the bird the one warden reached into my game pouch and yankeed the bird out by its tail pulling a hand full of feathers andf making that bird just about worthless as a good mount i wrote a letter to the pa game commission to let them know that their employs treat some people with absolutly no respect at all.

shortrod · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 07:30 PM »

I always have my license on me and I know and abide by all the laws.Having said that if I see a Warden within 500 yards of me I am packing up and going home.I dont trust Wardens.

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Author Topic: Bad Experience with Wardens?? (Read 7711 times)

broken rod

BOOB

timmo

timmo

grouse1

shortrod