I can relate to your story.
I live in Illinois also and about 4 yrs ago my buddy had a Game Warden walk up on him opening day deer season wearing ALL dark green and NO orange.
I thought this was weird too, but didn't want to question him since he was checking properties for baiting as the game warden helicopter had spotted a pile of corn on neighboring ground.
The guy was ALL business and had no sense of humor--"just the facts",man.
He checked our tags/licenses,asked a few questions and left.

Mark

Do these wardens actually come to your stand and check your licenses? If so, that would tick me off. I have been checked before but back where my vehicle was parked.

Game Wardens
 

Dunno why you'd post if you're LEO but...

In CT, I was Duck Hunting a pub. spot in Central CT and saw this fella get out of a sink-blind, collect his dekes, get in a small motorboat and come to my side of the river. I helped him beach the boat.

After he got out, he thanks me and I.D.'d himself as CT DEP Officer and promptly left the property.

Guy was just a regular or appeared so.

Of course there was the two CT DEP guys that went to every Goose blind (NW CT cornfield) checking licenses, loads and plugs. As he reached over the top edge of our blind, my brothers fairly possessive lab growled and show her pearly-whites.

He then 'advised' us to "keep that dog in check". We advise him that the dog IS in check by being inside the blind and all he need do is ask for what he wanted rather than grab it.

That d!ckhead was not entitled to grab anything he does not own and he was reprimanded (by the dog) for forgetting that. He did'nt like it either and instead of admitting his mistake, played the LEO trump card.

I hope he learned from that or at least, gets nipped one day for his insolence.

Unfortunately, YOUR LEO may get nipped the wrong way if he doesn't learn, and then right quick too. Maybe you should make a discreet inquiry for his benefit.

I don't begrudge the difficult job LEO's have. I don't want to do it. However the power granted to them is a trust, not an entitlement.

Your fella, like the two who visited our blind need to remember that some people DO care how they act and will call them to task when they act inappropriately.

-- My $.02

What county was this in?

And let's get these facts out there before this gets going entirely in the wrong direction.

1.

Wildlife Code and Administrative Rules.

2.

Blaze Orange Clothing Requirements

It is unlawful to:



hunt or trap afield for any species, except

migratory waterfowl, during the gun deer
season in counties open to gun deer hunting
when

not wearing the solid blaze orange

clothing required for deer hunting (see

pages 16-19).

3.

NOTE:

During the muzzleloader-only, late

winter CWD deer and youth deer hunting
seasons, all trappers and hunters including
small game, migratory bird, furbearer,
archery deer and turkey hunters, must comply
with the requirements to wear blaze orange
in counties open to muzzleloader-only,
youth, or late-winter antlerless only deer
hunting. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.



hunt afield with a firearm for upland game

(pheasant, rabbit, quail or partridge) when
not wearing a cap of

solid blaze orange color.

NOTE:

Falconers and archers hunting upland

game are not required to wear the
blaze orange cap.

NOTE: Camouflage blaze
orange does not meet this requirement.

4. Persons tracking wounded deer with a dog

during the firearm seasons shall wear blaze orange

as required.

5.
Blaze Orange Clothing Requirements

It is unlawful to

hunt deer with any firearm when

not wearing a solid blaze orange cap/hat and an
upper outer garment displaying at least 400
square inches of solid blaze orange material.

NOTE:

Camouflage blaze orange material does notmeet

the requirements.

6.

Blaze Orange Clothing Requirements. See pg. 29

On those Department-owned or -managed sites
that allow archery deer hunting during the gun
deer season, archers must comply with the same
blaze orange requirements as the gun deer
hunters. During the muzzleloader-only deer season,
the youth deer hunting season, the late winter
deer season and the CWD season, archery
deer hunters must comply with the requirements
to wear

blaze orange in counties open to those gun

deer seasons.

NOTE: Camouflage blaze orange
material does not meet the requirement.

7.

Question # 4:

Can I archery deer hunt during

the Late-Winter Antlerless Firearm Deer Season
and the Special CWD Firearm Deer Season, and
if so, do I have to wear orange clothing?

Answer:

Yes. Even though archery season is

closed during the regular Firearm Deer Season,
archery season is still open during the Youth
Hunting Season, Muzzleloader Only Season,
Late-Winter Antlerless Firearm Deer Season and
the Special CWD Firearm Deer Seasons. If you
are archery hunting in a county open to one of
the firearm deer seasons, you must wear a solid
blaze orange hat and a solid blaze orange outer

upper garment of at least 400 square inches.

8.

Blaze Orange Clothing Requirements

When and where it is legal to archery turkey hunt during
any gun deer season, archery turkey hunters must
comply with the same blaze orange requirements as

gun deer hunters.

9.

Coyote hunters must wear 400 square
inches of solid blaze orange when hunting
in a county when there is any firearm
deer season in progress including youth
seasons, muzzle loader-only, late-winter,

and CWD seasons.

10.



Illinois Youth Controlled Pheasant Hunts

for Hunters ages 10-15



Information about controlled pheasant hunting

permit reservations is available on the Department’s
website at:

www.dnr.illinois.gov.



Each hunter must be accompanied by a nonhunting

supervising adult

who must wear blaze
orange.

11.

Blaze Orange Requirement – Ground Blinds on Public
Hunting Areas. It is unlawful to use or occupy a
ground blind during any firearm deer season on public
land unless at least 400 square inches of solid vivid
blaze orange material is securely attached to the uppermost
portion of the blind and a substantial amount

of orange is visible for 360 degrees.

So there you have it. There is nothing illegal about this CPO being afield while not wearing orange. If he was hunting, then you could question if he thought or was acting as if he was above the law.

But he wasn't hunting and it is YOU that is in err.

As you said yourself, "Sorry so long, just curious what others have to say."......

Here's what I have to say. I will address your comments one by one and refrain from any name calling. Name calling would be unnecessary and serve no purpose. The folks here have their own free minds & thoughts and can form their own opinions make their own decisions.


1. "I thought what a DA for not haveing blaze orange on and in the timber on top of that."

I'll bet you aren't thinking he is such a DA anymore.

2. "Illinois state law states that you MUST have at least 400 sg. inches on to be in the field during the firearm season, no matter what!!"

That is false. As a supposed LEO you should be ashamed for not knowing the law you choose to argue is not being followed - especially when the accusation is against another fellow LEO.

3. "What kind of LEO who enforces the law as such, who does write citations for this type of thing, go and do what he tells people not to do, and does it himself?"

Please refer #2's reply.

4. "With being a LEO myself for almost 20yrs come Jan. makes me think he thinks he feels he is above the law? I don't know who this cat is for I have on speed dial 3 of the local ones around here and thought bout calling one just to check to see who it is,
but at same time don't want to start a fire if I don't need to."

Please start by again refering to #2's reply. Furthermore imagine the what these CPOs would have thought if you would have called. The fire you started would have been the eternal flame of embarassment.

5. "REALLY thought hard bout burning a round into the dirt at base of blind towards his direction when he was in the mud/water just to see him drop and low crawl then thought "No".

Incredible.

6. "I know what kind of long arms we have and a few phone calls go a long way to ruin someones day."

Please see my reply to #4.


In closing all I can say is "AMAZING! ABSOLUTELY FRIGGIN AMAZING!"

Here in Pa we had a situation a few years back. Seems one or two guys on the Commission board were being investigated for misuse of funds, private use of equipment and workers, shooting deer without the proper tags and other items. A couple people resigned and that was the end of it. Now you bring that up and the Game Commission and the brainwashed younger wardens claim it never happened. Yeah, they are above the law.

Very true IMO.. No law inforcement official is going to discuss this type of stuff on an open forum on the net.. Here a Game Warden has more power than our state police officers do. They will also wear hunter orange when out in the day time checking hunters out. They look just like any other hunter most of the time. At night it is a different story when they are trying to catch someone night hunting.

About 20 years ago I was hunting in the mountains on public land. Lots of fog......ground was wet and you didn't make much noise. I was creeping along a trail when I caught movement off to my right. Thru the fog I saw the outline of a deer....looked like it was rubbing at a tree...working it real good. I raised my rifle...open sights....put the sights on the chest area and put my finger on the trigger.....and then .....and only then, did I realize that I was pointing my rifle at a man. He was bent over struggling with his gear....had taken off his blaze orange (if he ever bothered to put it on) and had on a tan shirt and dark pants. The way he was bent over, he looked like a deer. I didn't have any blood left in my body....obviously I had lowered my gun by then and I announced myself by clearing my throat. I moved on down the trail and started shaking like hell. At that time, I was LEO. I questioned myself on muzzle discipline and safety for quite some time. Thank god I realized I wasn't looking at a deer.
I usually don't hunt fog any more. That guy without blaze orange is a nut.

Uncle Matt, I do understand your point and I agree with you looking back and as you did, I will address these as so.

The issue I was addressing about being in the field w/o blaze orange on was based upon my personal dealings with someone who was issued a citation for being afield during a firearm hunting season, not actively hunting or firearm in possession. They showed me the citation.

I was on private property, not public, or adjoining public property. I also know that it has always been in the past that you must in display of some type of blaze orange while afield, usually a hat at minimum.

And yes, I am LEO and yes, even though I may not know each and every single USFWS code and regulation, I am drawing from what I have had dealings with in the past. I just know that I keep myself within these boundries myself to the best of my now pointed out limited knowledge outside my job spectrum, which are street related.

As far as discussing this with others on the web,this was more of a "has this happened to others other than myself" knowledge gaining
quest.

As to what county this happened in irrelevant. I didn't and won't post that for it does not matter.

As far as the round into the dirt goes, it was JUST a thought, though maybe not a good one, not even a remote consideration towards doing so, just a flimsy thought.

I was more or less trying to find out if more people than myself had endured this act or was it just my day to have such happen to me.

I greatly appreciate your time and effort to point out my error of ways. I now feel more educated towards this matter and will be looking more into this area of my ignorance of this matter. I will also find out who this fellow is and introduce myself when I contact him and see just what he was after and show him where I was hunting that day he came looking. For if he was there that day, he is new to the area and we will be crossing paths later in one way or another.
Sorry to have offended anyone with this. Ignorance is ungained knowledge.