ORIGINAL: tschammel

One of my buddies was checked and ticketed this year during a duck hunt. He told me that he and his family have hunted this small pond/lake for 15 years. Anyway he's been hunting it for the last 3 years I think and has seen other duck hunters during that time.

Here is how it went. When they got back to the landing after hunting a couple of game wardens stoped them and said that they were hunting in a state game preserve and that it is illeagal to hunt ducks in this area. My buddie showed them a map of the area that showed other state game preserves but didn't show this are on the map as a game preserve. There also were no signs in the area around the landing or next to the lake along the road that said 'game preserve'. This was their argument that there was nothing notifying them that it was a game preserve and there were no signs plus the map didn't say it was. The warden's claimed everytime they put a sign up stating that it was a preserve that someone would take it out of the ground. Well they ended up fining them all $500 each 4 guys. They were going to take all of there trucks and guns and even the dogs and boats that were being used. Then decided last min not to take any of it and just issue the fine. Then right before they left the warden's told them if they decided to fight the charge in court that they would take all of the previously mentioned things (Trucks,guns,dogs, boats).

I thought this was a bunch of B.S!. They ended up finding out it was a game preserve but how were they supposed to know. No sighns and the stated map never showed it as one. What would you guys have done in this situation.