here in texas the game wardens do not have a sense of humor. we had heard of new rules in the 1 buck county we were hunting. several people told us they had heard that you could kill a doe the first week of the season without a permit.i had never heard this. i found the game warden and asked him. he said you could indeed kill a doe the first week only. i still did not believe this because it was not anywhere in the rule book.the first day of hunting the game warden showed up and asked if we had killed anything. we said no but he said he felt like we had killed a doe or two. he denied ever telling us it was ok.we ne4ver did kill a doe and passed this info along to the other hunters
i am a retired deputy sheriff and knew he was up to something.he got mad when i confronted him with what he said and he started to tell us he could write us up for other things. we shut up and i wrote my letter to the texas parks ans wildlife. we never had any more problems but you have no idea who you can believe. just go by the rules in the handbook.

Hey dep214 sometimes you cant go by the book either. Ny gave out the book then gave out another thing of papers. The book said one thing and the papers said another. The book said that you could not use a scope on a muzzle loader during ml season, but the paper said you could. Never know who you can trust.

I have never had a bad experience with a game warden. I have been legal all but one time. The one time I was not legal the warden gave me a break. Me and my dad were out hunting ruffed grouse and I was using a .410 that I had just bought used from a dealer. We were driving up the road and saw a coyote in the ditch so we stopped and my dad shot it with my 220 swift, I always carry it just for that purpose. We then proceeded up the road where we saw a bull moose standing in a field. We stopped and got a good look at him only to discover it was a decoy. When we started to go the warden drove up and stopped us. He asked me what we had shot at and I told him about the coyote just up the road. He then checked my bird license and asked to see my shotgun. He put shells in the magazine and found to my surprise that there was no plug in it. I had been using like a single shot shooting birds on the ground. I explained to him that I had just bought the gun and never thought to check the magazine. He then took the serial number and asked where I purchased it. He told me he would contact the dealer and see if the gun left the store with a plug in the magazine. He told me that if the dealer said yes I would have to be charged. He then asked to see the coyote we had shot so we took him back up the road to where it was laying. He did not confiscate the gun and said he would contact me in a few days. He then asked me if I thought his decoy set up looked realistic. I told him yes and he sent us on our way. A couple days later he phoned and told me the dealer had no idea if the gun had a plug when it left the store so I would not be charged. He then told me if it had of been a 12 guage he would have charged me on the spot, but he could not see the advantage to a 4th and 5th shot with a 410. He was very polite and relaxed, but then so was I.

I have had a bad experience with a game warden before. He wasn't intending on harrasing me though, just a guy I was hunting with. My buddy and this guy(the warden), went to high school together. The warden was the "pain-in-the-ass" of the class, and my buddy was a jock. We were pheasant hunting one day, and this guy made me, him, and his boy, break down our shotguns 3 different times in one day, to check our plugs. My buddy started to call in another officer, and then the guy backed off, and left us alone.

Three positive experiences and three OK experiences. Never have had really bad problems while hunting. I did run into a jerk while fishing once. We have a female officer here in NE Iowa who is very stern, but very nice. She even came to talk to my Cubscout Pack a few years ago. Ask yourself, "How pleasant would I be when confronting big hairy men in camo carrying guns??????" Jim

Wow, I'm amazed at some of the negative experiences related here!

I have ALWAYS been treated in a rational, polite manner by our conservation officers (= game wardens).

The one time where they could have made life really difficult was in central B.C. as another hunter and I were heading home from moose camp. About 10 miles down the road, we were stopped by a pair of CO's. The 2 of us had 3 moose, all quartered, inside the canopy in the back of the pick-up. The limit is 1 per hunter, but we were transporting the 3rd one for another hunter in our group.

We had our tags all in order and had the written information from the 3rd hunter - name, address, date shot, tag number, etc. Even at that, it was very difficult to see in the window of the canopy and discern the 12 quarters. The CO's could have made us unload all our gear, then the moose, so they could inspect them. Fortunately they didn't.

Since we knew we were totally in the right, we weren't up tight at all and answered all their questions politely. I believe their training and experience enables them to get a feeling as to any shenanigans being pulled. They obviously didn't think we were devious and, after a pretty nice chat, sent us on our way.

My impression of CO's is similar to some of the opinions above - they are performing a thankless job where confronting potentially dangerous clientelle is the order of the day. My hat is off to them.

I've been checked several times in Texas and in Arkansas. Some wardens were pleasant and some were down to business, but I've never had a bad experience. The GW in the county where I deer hunt has a tough reputation, but I've seen him several times and I've got no complaints. He stopped me once to make sure that I wasn't a trespasser on my father-in-law's land. I introduced myself and showed him my ID and told him thanks for checking because we lose a lot of deer to trespassers.

Don't ever really recall a bad experience. I work outdoors all year and then hunt and trap also so I have dealings with them on a regular basis. To give ya a couple of examples, I was in an unfamiliar area to trap beaver this last spring. Mostly private land and I had not ever done any beaver trapping. Got ahold of the local warden. This is how it went, he took several hours of his day and ******ed me around the county introducing me to land owners and showing me where the beaver were. When he found out that I was using foot hold traps he offered me the use of his body grip traps as well as his chest waders. I had never met this gentleman before but he is a BIG credit to his agency. Here locally I run into them all the time, only one time have I actually had one check and sign off on my license and this was because he was spending to much time BS'ing with me and some other hunters and had to show some productivity for the day. I get calls from them about predator problems and have an "open season" to deal with livestock killers as I see fit. Most of the time they will handle the calls and then decide what to do however they allow me to deal with the problem and then call them, a big time saver. On the other hand I also help them out thwne ever I can, as a trapper I see and find lots of signs of poaching that I report, I have also helped them gut and pack out usable poached animals. It's really a 2 way street. I do have to say that NM is VERY particular who they hire for this job. The majority of their openings are from retirement. Was visiting with one of their investigators awhile back and he was telling me that they had just finished the hiring process they only interviewed I believe he said 9 people, hired 6 and 2 quit when they found out that they had to carry a gun LOL> He said that they apparently thought that they were applying for a job to go out and hug bunnies LOL!

"The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse ALWAYS gets the cheese"

Ran into a couple GW fishing & hunting a time or to. But honestly I could only say good things. No big deal just the basic license check and a few questions.

Gun controll is using both hands!!!

It looks like all types of experiences here. However, from local hunters here in TX, I've heard NOTHING but horror stories. Apparently Sam Houston WMA has got the world's WORST ball-breakers.

I've got to be honest... I just started hunting this season. Dove opener was my introduction. <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle> Since then, I've spent at least $2500 on guns, clothing, ammo, shooting lessons, range fees, videos, and books to outfit both myself and my son. I've read every thread on every hunting site I can find to learn what I need to know.

Yet - when I get into the field - I always seem to be a little short on knowledge in at least one area. Then it's back to the books to learn some more & get ready for the next weekend.

However, I can't afford $100's of nit-picky fines every other time or so I go out. I don't have buck fever - I've shot at targets on active duty that shot back. Making the shot is NOT what I'm worried about..

What I *DO* have is 'GW Fever'. What happens if I do get a shot?? The only guttin' I've done is on squirrels & doves last month. I've read the Deer HOWTO on this site but have never actually seen OR done it.

When do you tag the beast? How do you attach the tag to it? What are the protocols to take him to a check station? Do you have to take them ALL? Or just the first weekend?

I've got a zillion basic info questions like this. I've even called and left NUMEROUS messages on the GW's v-mail last month trying to get some info. Of course, he doesn't return his calls. And the one GW I've met in the field says to RTFM. [That's Read The Fine Manual - substitutions are legal in that sentence]

My fear is simple. If I see a legal deer - I'm going to shoot it. I'm confident enough that I will only take a shot I *KNOW* I can make and will now have a kill. I will use my best efforts based on the best information I have and try to follow all the rules and regulations...

Yet - As it will be my first kill - I most likely will unknowingly do something incorrect or not EXACTLY as the GW 'thought' it should be - and I'll be arrested and out $10K or more trying to clear it up at best.... or still be out $10K AND have a felony conviction on my record at worst. Now how would I explain that to my son? Worse - what if he's with me at that time?? I get thrown in jail for some BS issue and he gets to go to CPS until someone can get out there to pick him up.

I'm wondering if hunting is for me. My friends at the DropZone are wondering where I've been lately. Perhaps I'll go back to skydiving for at least there the Law of Gravity is constant and equally applied to all.

Sorry for the rant... but I'm not seeing a succesfull way to learn what I need to know to be legal without incurring $Zillions in fines. And a record to boot.

Clark
D23955






Houston, TX