Game warden etiquette

[Roadkill]

How do you handle game warden etiquette?  What are the proper actions to take upon being stopped?

Just wondering how others do it.  I have never had a problem, but apparently so people do.  Opinions?

[Dendy Cromer]

did you have an incident? I've been stopped and checked out in the past. The guy is doing his job, if im doing nothing wrong then i see no problem.... unless they are rude or otherwise discourteous. But i've never had any negative experiences with them.

[rastaman]

They are law enforcement. I treat them with respect. I've never had a problem.

[Yankee Bill]

Originally posted by Roadkill:
How do you handle game warden etiquette?  What are the proper actions to take upon being stopped?

Just wondering how others do it.  I have never had a problem, but apparently so people do.  Opinions?

Just be polite and cooperative and there should not be any issues.

[BigBucksnTrucks]

I've never been approached by a wild life officer, but if they are anything like on wild Alaska our wherever that show is, most likely they will approach you quietly and respectfully.  keep in mind, they are outdoors men, most likely Hunters, so they will try not to ruin your hunt and make sure you're obeying the laws.   As long as you've got your hunting license and ID and obeying the laws you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

[Rob W.]

Originally posted by rastaman:
They are law enforcement. I treat them with respect. I've never had a problem.

x2

Get checked a bunch hunting ducks around here. Glad to see them around sometimes hunting icey waters.

[Glunt]

They are just folks like everyone else.  The fact that they are enforcing laws and many of the folks they contact are armed sometimes means they come off a bit cautious or suspicious at first.

I've interacted with many and never had an issue. Of course since they are just folks like everyone else, that means there's bound to be a jerk now and then, one that is having a bad day, or has some reason to be suspicious due to stuff you don't know. If your respectful and truthful it should be fine.

They can be a great source of information and a good friend to make.  

They deal with the public and violations so keep in mind they deal with a their share of jerks.

[Sixgun]

Here in Michigan you must inform them if you are a concealed weapons permit holder. After that, I just answer any questions they may have. When they want to see a license, I inform them where it is on my person, and use slow controlled movements to obtain it for them. Remember, they are generally dealing with an armed person, in a secluded place. I show respect to them, and have always been shown respect in return.

Hope that helps,

Ray

[Roger Norris]

Originally posted by Sixgun:
Here in Michigan you must inform them if you are a concealed weapons permit holder. After that, I just answer any questions they may have. When they want to see a license, I inform them where it is on my person, and use slow controlled movements to obtain it for them. Remember, they are generally dealing with an armed person, in a secluded place. I show respect to them, and have always been shown respect in return.


 

Hope that helps,

Ray

This....and I have never had a negative experience with


 one.

[ron w]

Got checked out in Colorado last year when I was Elk hunting. The officer was a nice young lady from Steamboat Springs. She was very helpful with my questions and very professional. Really nice to talk to.......Some of ones here in New York...not so much.

[Keith Zimmerman]

My father-in-law was a Game Warden for 30 years.  I was glad when he retired.  We just had one murdered here in PA a couple years ago on duty.  The killer got the death penalty.  I used to patrol a little bit.  Amazing how rude and ignorant people are.  But I shouldnt be surprised.  I see it in the car business every day.

[BRIARS]

I have dealt with both kinds, ones that were nice as can be and others that seem to want to find any violation now matter how small.

If they are suspicious and on edge I tend to be as well. If they talk to you like one of the guys then it puts me at ease and I don't mind it so much.

I met a federal one a few weekends ago, very personable and professional. But we had some state boys show up at camp a few years back (someone left the gate open and they let themselves in even though it was private posted property) and you could tell they were really wanting to find something. But our group is law abiding and they seen that there were no violations.

Like you say some are ok others may be having a bad day. I am glad we have them though. I remember how bad things were 30-40 years ago. They have done a good job are getting the poachers under control.

[Stumpkiller]

I've been stopped three times.  Always pleasant, always polite - from both sides.  They are just doing their jobs.

I used to shoot flintlocks with two friends - one a NY and one a PA game warden.  Both great guys.

[SheltonCreeker]

Been checked a few times. No negative experiences. If your obeying the law most of the time you won't have trouble. Like it has been said before they are people too and people can be jerks. Polite and truthful always seems to work well.

[dragonheart]

Treat just as any law enforcement stop with respect for their authority.  When I was a teenager, we had a warden that you never knew what you would get.  Easy going or all over you.  Respect for the position of authority goes along ways.  Follow the game laws and be aware of changes, so you dont have any issues.  I dont agree with all of the game laws, but I follow them.  Hunt legal.

[ChuckC]

As above. . be courteous.  Ask them what they want you to do with your gun / bow / weapon while they are talking with you.  

I have not yet had a bad experience with one.  He / she is not out there to get you, but just make sure we are all observing and following the rules.

You can also get a lot of good information from such an encounter, if you come across well.  They are people too.  Be a jerk to them and they can be jerks right back.  The three folks before you may well have been jerks and now you get the chance to experience, then change his mood.
ChuckC

[SELFBOW19953]

I treat them the same way I do an officer that stops me for speeding-with total respect.  They have a tough job and you never know who is going to get violent when you approach them.  Got stopped once when I was on my back to the ramp before daylight-I had forgotten my license and duck stamp.  They let me go, no problems.

[BDann]

My buddy and I got stopped by the local game warden one winter, I think I must have been about 9 or 10.  His mom had dropped us off at his grandpa's farm and we were harassing the local wildlife with our Daisy Red Ryder's.  

The deer were yarded up that winter, and we were following them around.  Someone must have thought we were poachers, because the local law enforcement and game wardens surrounded the woods we were in and sent in the warden after us.  

When we saw the game warden we knew that we were in some deep doo, and started heading his way.  The look on his face when he saw our BB guns was priceless.  He had to have been wondering what a couple of little farts like us were doing out there by ourselves!  He offered us a ride home, but we were so shaken up that we decided to walk home through the snow.

To this day I can hardly go near my home town without someone mentioning it, and that was about 35 years ago.

Anyway, since then I've always been pretty respectful of game wardens, and am glad that there are men out there willing to do the job.

[Roadkill]

I was on another site and tangled with a guy who raved about wardens.  Got hung up with wardens in more than one state.  Odd.  I have hunted many places in the US, been stopped routinely and never had a problem.  I am polite, show necessary documentation and that has always sufficed.
I took up the wardens cause.  But some how got sideways with this fellow trad archer as he appeared to have a case of the ...   For wardens.
I guess most here relate the same way I always have.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I have dealt with all types. I have to say the biggest jerks of them all were while I was fishing.  One day a guy had checked my license 3 times on 3 different occasions. I honestly think he didnt recognize me each time.

One time one wrote me a ticket and I hadnt even been fising yet. my license was sitting on the front seat of my truck but he didnt want to see it. Then the jerk didnt even show up to court.

I had one who showed up very suspicious and accusative but he turned his attitude after he couldnt find anything wrong. I later found that he made some pretty impressive busts in that county.

The other 10 or 15 encounters were great and usually involed a nice chat.

Always treat them with respect and most of the time you will receive thee same.