Does a Pa WCO
01-28-2010, 08:37 AM
#11
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
^^ If there is immediate danger, ya they can enter. Say you hear someone screaming for help. They are allowed to go in. Several reasons that they could go in. But thats a pretty easy example.
-Jake
-Jake
01-28-2010, 08:57 AM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Westmoreland County PA.
Posts: 735
That's probably why the WCO is snooping around your place...you gave him probable cause!!!! LOL In all seriousness, they DO patrol the internet, specifically looking for guys bragging about poaching and stupid stuff...I heard that they can also get your personal imformation from your profile and use it to verify the legality of any photos you post online of game, or claims to have filled tags. IE, I posted pics of my gobbler last spring...in theory they could request access to my personal info, to verify it was legal, and my harvest reported. Dunno how much truth in that...but they are HERE online frequently...and not just to debate the deer program!
LMAO! That's how they collect resources for shows like,Worlds most Stupid Criminals.
R.W.J can give a definite answer on this. But I'll share how it worked for someone I turned in. I called the southwest office about a fellow who shot deer without a license during and after the season. Two officers showed up at his house. Right away the noticed deer hair in his truck and scattered along his driveway to the basement entrance in back of his house. They then knocked on his door and told him why they where their. They asked to look in his basement. He said,I don't have any deer and your not coming in without a warrant. They said no problem. One of the officers got on the phone and less then an hour,two more officers showed up with a warrant. He was convicted with possession of nine illegal deer.
01-28-2010, 09:06 AM
#14
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
That sounds like by the book law enforcement to me. They received a credible complaint, did an unobtrusive search that revealed physical evidence, and then were able to obtain a search warrant. Things would probably turn out much differently, if they simply randomly knocked on doors and asked people if they had game in their freezers and then demanded to search them.
01-28-2010, 09:18 AM
#15
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 171
blkpwdr good for you for reporting illegal activity but I wonder just how minute the % is of game law violators EVER get caught...most get out of sight from a road an go about their biz .
My main question is whether or not a WCO may drive onto my property or must they put their doughnuts & coffee down and walk in if univited an not chasing someone. And "if" they are allowed to drive their Jeep onto my field is the State responsible for any damage they may cause. Or am I expected to weather the cost for their stupidity?
My main question is whether or not a WCO may drive onto my property or must they put their doughnuts & coffee down and walk in if univited an not chasing someone. And "if" they are allowed to drive their Jeep onto my field is the State responsible for any damage they may cause. Or am I expected to weather the cost for their stupidity?
01-28-2010, 09:35 AM
#16
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
I had never heard of it before, but it turns out that there are lawyers that specialize in Fish and Game laws. I found information on such lawyers in Colorado, Alaska, and Utah. Dunno if there are such folks in PA, but if you are that concerned about this issue, it might be best to locate one of them and get a consulation on what your specific rights are.
01-28-2010, 10:16 AM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW PA USA
Posts: 7,220
I've no doubt some wannabe like a dep or bored WCO might prowl the net but if they have the time to do that makes me wonder who's in the field checking for scofflaws
buy a back tag every year rather than the lifetime combo because I felt why no add my cash to the PGC if I can afford it ...but I've bought my last tag of any sort in Pa last year...those boobs don't have my support and they're going to need to trail me around my place to see if I am hunting without one...just to pizz them off!
01-28-2010, 10:40 AM
#18
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
Dunno how much truth there is to it, but i was told that this year in Illinois, the GW's were very limited in how much vehicle patrolling they could do because of budget cuts. So, wouldnt be surprising if more of them end up surfing the net for lawbreakers.
01-28-2010, 11:09 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,262
A wco cannot walk into your house without a search warrant and they can't just go walking accross your property unless it's in the course of their duties.For instance,if there's primam facia eveidence that you are hunting(walking with weapon,hearing a shot etc.)they can enter your property on foot or in a vehicle to investigate.
01-28-2010, 11:17 AM
#20
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwest Ohio
Posts: 10,277
Doug,
That is roughly my understanding. However, hearing a shot can be used as just cause for searching hundreds of acres in the general area of where the shot originated. Also, I think that GW's can also make the case that just seeing people moving in an area can be just cause for assuming they may be hunting and then checking them out.
There was recently a case in Ohio that seemed to indicate that courts may look less favorably on GW's who enter property without being able to demonstrate that they knew that hunting was going on. But i havent heard any updates on it.
That is roughly my understanding. However, hearing a shot can be used as just cause for searching hundreds of acres in the general area of where the shot originated. Also, I think that GW's can also make the case that just seeing people moving in an area can be just cause for assuming they may be hunting and then checking them out.
There was recently a case in Ohio that seemed to indicate that courts may look less favorably on GW's who enter property without being able to demonstrate that they knew that hunting was going on. But i havent heard any updates on it.