Ok I think I might take some heat for this one...I honestly think that there are not enough conservation officers in Michigan. I personally have no problem with conservation officers. I follow the laws to the letter and usually look forward to meeting an CO or two every fall as I return to my car from my treestand. Most of the ones I have met have been pretty friendly...Just ask to see my license, where I' m from and if I' ve had any luck yet that season. I find that the only people who really have a problem with CO' s are violators. If I were a CO I' d be suck a prick to those who violated the laws. They are the ones who ruin it for everybody else. I don' t care what they would think of me. Now on the basis of turning ones back if placed in some of the situations already discussed, I' m not of liberty to say what I would do. I guess it' s a bridge I' d have to burn when I got there. That to me sounds like a good topic for discussion in my Philosophy 102 class which is basically ethics.

i would have to say i would look the other way just as long as he wasnt shooting any big bucks

I would for sure confront the guy about it, and talk to him about his situation at the least, and try to get him some help before made him pay a ticket. That is, if i knew his situation before i caught him.


For yall Michigan folks, My neighbors son and law works for the US forest service up there. So if u get stopped by an officer? Weisie tell him Darren from IL says hey before he writes u a ticket. Its pretty funny some of the stuff they do, or he says they do. lol. a few months ago he was talkin about how they make fun of DNR folks cause they can never hold the spotlight still for them

Well, when I was growing up in rural West Virginia we had a game warden who would never arrest a local unless there was a complaint from a landowner. He was tough on out-of-staters though.

He checked me a time or two when I was road hunting for ground hogs (common practice back then). When he saw who I was he asked if I was having any luck and went on his way. Never asked to see a license or check my rifle. I don' t know if it was legal in the 60' s to have a loaded rifle in your vehicle in WV but he never mentioned it.

Unfortunately, when he neared retirement he must have went off his rocker. There were lots of reports of spotlighting deer in the county and the rumor was that the state police were doing it from their patrol cars. As you can imagine that ticked off the state troopers who decided to investigate on their own. You guessed it. It was the game warden who was shooting deer, from his vehicle, at night with a spotlightlight.

Because he was so popular with the locals he was given a transfer to a desk job and allowed to finish his time and retire.
As David said, those were different times in a different place.

I know for a fact that some game wardens will ' turn their back' on certain situations that pertain to the livelihood of a family. Those same individuals will, however, come down extremely hard on anyone, including those same family members, if shoot for profit is undertaken.

They may seem at times like hard-ass people, but most have a compassionate side.

" allow" is not the word I would use ......... I would rather see an officer concentrate his/her time and effort nabbing the BIG poachers (ones who sell meat on the black market) and only nab the little guy if caught in the act ..........

I feel for the guy who needs to put food on the table, but with the liberal tags nowadays, a hunter can legally take sufficient game to last a year without having to break any laws !

just my humble opinion .....

Maybe just maybe I would look the other way 1 time. I would then let those individuals know that I would give them first crack at roadkills and other deer that I confiscated that were taken illeagally. I would then let them know that if I catch them again they will pay the penalty like everyone else.

wow!! wow!! wow!! I am sitting here stunned right now at some of the responses I saw to this thread. What the &*#$ is the deal?? I do have compassion for less fortunate people in the world than me. I will do anything to help the needy. I donate meat every season. But, boo hoo!!!!! FIND A FREAKING DIFFERENT WAY!!!!!

Well you' re doing the right thing by choosing a different career!!

This is just plain and simply ridiculous!! I won' t even elaborate or dignify this with a response!!

exactly!!

It' s ok as long as he doesn' t take big bucks??? Are you for real?? So a measely doe you can go ahead and poach. Shoot the hell out of those at night who cares. Sickening!! Sorry I happen to respect all whitetails equally.

I agree with Holiday on this. I wish there was a warden patrolling every square mile!! I too look forward to talking with them. I will report any illegal activity to them without hesitation. I have a HATRED for poachers!! I don' t care what the situation ,to me it IS black and white. People condoning a game warden to turn the other way just puzzles me. That' s like a cop driving by a bank with 3 guys in black ninja suits carrying guns with bag fulls of money coming out running and the cop driving by because he doesn' t feel like stopping. Maybe they need the money. It' s his job.
Obviously i' m pretty passionate about this topic. I look at poachers as scum of the earth. Do it legal or don' t do it!!
How do you support someone taking a deer you' ve been hunting legally? I' ve been patterning this big buck for 2 weeks now. Trying to figure him out with the hopes of getting a shot. I' ve spent everyday allday in the woods now. I' m going to be allright with someone driving up in their truck and popping it at night cause he happens to see it in a wide open field? Hell no!!!!!
As far as the poor person that does it to feed his family. Again I do have compassion for such situations, but come on!! It' s America make something happen. I look at that as a scapegoat. I' m sure there' s a different way!!

I was a police officer, but not a game warden. I think a lot of common sense, and a little human compassion is in order for every situation. If a guy forgot to tag his deer, but had the tag with him, then I' d not write him up. If a crippled guy' s son was out shooting a deer to feed the family, then I' d not write him up, after I confirmed this and showed them different avenues. I would definately warn them. And a second violation would get some attention.

I look at it like everyone makes mistakes. If it' s a gross violation, and it was evident that the subject knew he was breaking the law, there' s no question that he/she goes to jail.

The laws aren' t just to punish the people, it' s to ensure we have a hunting future. I wouldn' t risk that very often.

Dude, how moronic can you be? That is not even close to the same thing. Someone stealing money is stealing someone ELSE' S money. Are you trying to say you OWN the deer because you paid for a license/tag? What a crock. I despise poachers as much as the next ETHICAL hunter, but damn, stupid people just annoy me! [:@]