ORIGINAL: cardeeer
I had a warden start to write me a ticket in 1992 for not tagging a fallow deer that was hanging on my tree . I politely explained to him fallow deer are not under Pa enforcement laws. He had to call two more deputies to verify it was not a whitetail, LOL And in 1998 I had a store bought collar fur piece ,with a store tag sewed in the seam hanging on my porch to rid of mothball smell. He woke my wife up out of bed and wanted to know who trapped the fox.And started a investigation untill I explained it was store bought in the 30's. The same warden then in 2006 refused me a permit so I could sell some of my mounts and antlers at my estate sale. So he got me back But They are necessary ,but some are necessary evils.
we had FISH WARDEN here by the name of BUCKMAN.
he was worst fish warden i have ever seen.
yes, rules in book say you have to go by rules but you have to use common sense.
like here is example he did,
we had a local openbass tournament on sayer dam.
he sat in weeds watching us load the boats.
after we set the boats in water, down he came.
he said,OK GUYS ,SHOW YOUR LIFE PRESERVER SEAT,THE THROW ONES.
well, 1 of our members left his on floor and it blew off on highway going in dark to tournament.
HE WAS WRONG for putting boat in water but why did the BUCKMAN not come out and check boats before we went into water.[:@]
many fish wardens have done this.
and they would put it in their report that they checked boats before going in water and found no throwable life presever seat.you got a verbal warning.
but they would not get fine money as he did by hiding in bushes and waiting for boat to launch.
when you have good people that support fishing andfish commission and donate their time to build docks and habitat, now i talk like RSB,
would you not think for a moment that maybe you should not hide in weeds to try to catch a group that is about 99% honest law biding people .
would it been better to appraoch and say, FELLAS,DO YOU HAVE YOUR THROWABLE LIFE PRESERVERS , CAN I SEE THEM .
funny part was, DON WAS WEARING HIS LIFE PRESERVER BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVEA THROWABLE LIFE PRESERVER IN HIS BOAT.
you dont have to wear your preserver in boat while fishing, he did so he could show he was safe without his THROWABLE PRESERVER.
and we always were going to have a boat right next to him so we could say WE HAD a throwable presrver seat to use.
all this meant NOTHING to buckman,he went by RULES and DON was fined.[:@]
now, i discussed this with a group of us fisherman and most said,HE WAS WRONG FOR NOT HAVING A THROWABLE SEAT,ITS RULES, i cant object to rules and no defense for don ..
BUT if it was SPROUL, i would have given him warning and checked his boat BEFORE it went into water
but i guess i would not last as a FISH WARDEN if i did.