vabohuntr

Hey everybody I am new to this site and am in despirate need of some info. Myself and 2 friends just returned from a hunt in Illinois. We were hunting with an outfitter and the farm we were hunting on joined private property that happened to be owned by a game warden. Our outfitter told us if we happened to shoot a deer and it ran onto the game wardens property, under no circumstances should we cross the property line. On the evening of Friday the 17th, my friend Debbie shot a 150 class buck and it crossed the property line and she is sure she heard it crash within 100 yards. She immediately radioed her husband Jeff and he came over and found blood where the buck had crossed onto the wardens property. After arriving back at camp, Debbie told her story to the outfitter and he called the game wardens house. No answer. About five minutes later his phone rang and it was the game wardens wife. After explaining the situation to her and asking permission to retrieve the deer, she said that her and her husband would be hunting all day tommorrow (Sat.) so they did not want us going in there tonight or tommorrow and to call them tommorrow night and we could discuss our options. Saturday night came and they would not answer their phone so we drove to their house and left a note on the front door to please call our outfitter. They never did. Sunday we tried calling several times and finally at 9 PM the wife answered the phone. Again she would not give us an answer whether or not we could go get her deer. She said her husband was working all night and would be home at 7 AM. So at 7AM we (along with our outfitter drove to his house). His vehicles were all in his driveway with frost all over them so I don't think he was out all night but anyway we knocked on the door and after about 10 minutes he came to the door and he was furious that we would come to his house without calling first. So after explaining the situation to him he said the only way he would allow us to cross his property line to get Debbies deer was if we paid him $500. We thought that was just ridiculus. He said the way he figured was if we could afford to pay an outfitter to hunt in his land we could pay him to look for her deer. After saving our money and vacation time all year and looking forward to a "dream hunt" this really let the air out of all of us. We didn't have $500 between us and I wouldn't have given it to him if we did. I think somebody like him should not be in the position of a game warden. Does anybody out there know if there is anything she can do?

NY Bowhunter

Kick him in the nuts.

jaymac

that's ridiculous! I'd maybe place a phone call to his boss. Especially if he's a game warden. Shouldn't he be more concerned about retrieval of the downed game?

IDH

that sucks!!!!! Id bet that that big boy is in his freezer and the rest is on its way to be mounted

Bake North

It is a shame that a person(Game Warden??)would wreck a dream hunt for you and your friend's,But I agree I would place a Phone call to his boss and just explain what happened.You did the right thing by trying to get permission,obviousley he isn't much of a hunter, he should have been happy for the lady who shot the deer and definatley should have granted permission to retrieve the animal.Makes me mad to see an animal wasted beceause of someones ignorance.[:@]

Steve F.in MD

It must suck to be him. Imagine going through life being such a jerk.

erope

That's just sucky!! Got his address, I'd like to send him a letter.

Rhody Hunter

Jerks like that give wardens a bad name .Sounds like the outfitter has had problems with him in the past seeing he was making it very clear that under no circumstances are you to go on his land

craigbc

I would at least contact the head of the Illinois Department of Natural Resorces and give your story to include the name of the warden.

The following is part of the law enforcement creed for IL wardens.







"To conduct our personal outdoor recreational activities in an exemplary manner, above reproach, and
serve as a role model of outdoor ethics to our peers and to the general public."

NCSportsman

I used to hunt property adjoining posted property.

I met with the landowner of the posted property and he explained why he didn't want anyone on his property and could respect his wishes.

He also stated that if we shot a deer and it crossed his line he definitely wanted us to do all we could to retrieve the animal.

Why would some ahole want wounded or dead deer on his property?
I would guess that he had problems with the outfitter in the past.