Little Chief,

That sounds dangerous on the warden's part. I don't think that is very common practice. We are checked back at vehicles or camp.

What may be going on is that someone is reporting on your friend, or a game warden who has a personal interest (or knows someone with a personal interest) is targeting this person or place. When dumb and young I was goose hunting next to some commercial outfits with other people, and the wardens were on us like white on rice. It was one thing after another, shooting 1 minute too soon, found one lead shot in truck, etc. It was really all about protecting the guided hunts in the area (we were not trespassing). I wasn't that naive and quit hunting there (which was the intended effect).

Oh yeah, forgot something more disturbing then getting checked in stand from that same goose hunting deal. Apparently the warden was watching us and one guy took a pot shot at a dove a mile high (it was between splits on doves), and the warden came out with a riot shotgun pointed at us and told us all to lay our weapons down and put our hands up. It was intense. Again, these guys were morons and I didn't go back there, but the wareden was still way out of line and was abusing his office.