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Game Wardens above the law?

Old 12-01-2011, 03:02 PM
  #31  
Giant Nontypical
 
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Some thing that's missing these days is the right image. When LE looks and acts like the element they are paid to defend the innocent from, the battle is lost.

They are supposed to be the guys on the white horses, not look like the villains in black. Being in black may produce some results, but what it does to the vast majority is criminal. The majority believes LE thinks they are above the law, let that sink in and then wonder what example the people have to follow.

When LE conducts business in confiscated drug offender vehicles the message sent is LE is just like the drug lord. LE needs to understand, they are very few and need the admiration and support of the majority, Be the guys on the white horse and you'll get it, do it not and your all alone.

"Avoiding even the appearance of evil"
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Old 12-04-2011, 10:07 PM
  #32  
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What county? I also hunt Illinois.


Originally Posted by SecondChance
I have pondered this for a few days and am still in wonderment of situation. Almost 2 weeks ago this coming sat. was our first part of the Illinois Firearm Deer Season.
I had parked out on the field road 1/2 mile from the main road as I have done for the past 3 years both bow and gun hunting this property. Landowners house and farm just behind me. I have a pair of domestic dogs come through my pop up blind site about 1000 am. Bout 1020 I see someone creeping along the timbers edge North of me, towards the other main county road there, wearing dark pants and a tan colored jacket/shirt. I am thinking its the dogs owner for they both had collars on. I thought what a DA for not haveing blaze orange on and in the timber on top of that. 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!!
I swing my video camera over there and zoom in to find out its a Game Warden creeping along the timbers edge/inside bout 80 yds from my stand. Thankfully downwind and on field edge opposite side. He has no blaze orange on, not even a hat. He is looking real intent. More than likely for me, maybe seeing my truck in the field road from his side of the block. He can't come no farther for that area is bout 3-4 inches deep mud/water and he only had leather boots on. He finally leaves. Figured he would swing round the bridge and come in behind me. Never did.
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?
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.
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". I know what kind of long arms we have and a few phone calls go a long way to ruin someones day. Not to mention if this cat is new to the area and wanting to make a name for himself. He could become my bad tattoo on my azz I can't get rid of!!!!!! Sorry so long, just curious what others have to say.
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Old 12-05-2011, 07:40 AM
  #33  
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Game wardens are people, just like everything else theres good and bad.Once when I was 12 {god thats a long time ago} I had my deer license confiscated.We had left that morning and dad had grabbed both licenses off the counter.They were in the glove box and we were on our way to meet our hunting party.We werent even actively hunting yet just driving down a gravel road on the way to our buddies house.The warden had another group pulled over allready and as we came upon them he stopped us and asked for our licenses.When dad pulled em outta the glove box he took mine and wrote dad a ticket for being in possesion of multiple licenses even though I was sitting beside him, we werent hunting, and the licenses were in the glove box and not even in anyones possesion.Our biggest crime that day was driving down the road with orange vests on.The guy was just being a prick, he was new and on a power trip.It took a long time before I had any respect for them after that and to this day I will not wear any orange while Im inside a vehichle.It was later thrown out of court and the judge reprimanded the warden when he got anattitude in the court room but it cost me a year of gun hunting all the same.

A few years later we were hunting a river bottom and I got turned around and wound up coming out on the wrong property.The land I was on was owned by a warden who happened to br driving by at the time I walked out.he asked if I knew whos field I was in, i said no and told him I got turned around in the timber and figured I was about 1/2 mile off where I shoulda come out.He coulda wrote me up for tresspassing, took my licenses etc... but he just asked if I had seen anything and gave me a ride back to the right driveway. To this day if he stops me its generally a quick check of my license and about 20 minutes of chatting about what weve seen and how the deer/pheasant numbers are looking that year.He is a good guy, good at his job, and if he ever gives you a ticket you can bet you deserve it.

As far as GW wearing orange vests in the field why would they?Theyre dealing with armed people everyday, there out in remote areas, and generally alone.Theres more than just "legal hunters" out there.Poachers, drug runners, meth labs, you name it they run into it.Pretty sure i wouldnt care to walk up on a group of tweekers at a meth lab presenting them a blaze orange target to focus on.Id much rather go undetected as long as possible while I figured out what exactly I was looking at.
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Old 12-05-2011, 02:43 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by SecondChance
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?

Welcome to reality. Have you read the news about NYPD lately?
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Old 12-05-2011, 05:02 PM
  #35  
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OP, in your defense, I know LEO's who post on youtube and forums.. All the guys bashing and questioning the legitimacy of your post are full of you know what. CO or not, how stupid. There's a blaze orange law for us ordinary folk for a REASON.. If I was a warden you wouldn't see me stomping around without it..

Last edited by HogFL; 12-05-2011 at 05:07 PM.
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Old 12-05-2011, 05:05 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by jeepkid
Its not a law in California, and you won't ever see me out there in blaze orange. Blaze orange is a HUGE target, especially to the drug growing mexicans in our woods.
Sounds like a trophy hunt to me
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Old 12-06-2011, 11:01 AM
  #37  
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Well, I was attending some work related dealings this past week and came across a buddy of mine and I was asking him if he knew of any CPO's new to the area and told him why. He said yeah and that he was over at the County Sheriffs office now.
I finished up with what I was doing and headed over there. I ran into him and introduced myself and asked if he was down there at that time. He said yes. I told him where I was at when he came in and how I saw him. He just laughed and said that I must have my blind really blended in well for him to not see it. I told him I did.

I asked him why he did not have any blaze orange on and he stated that it was recommended by dept. but not required, more of was his choice. He did state that it is more than likely not a real good choice, but still his choice. I told him what I thought and what I had thought of and he laughed and said that if he had spooked off a big buck doing so, I guessed he would have it coming. I told him that he had a good walk to get in from that side and he agreed.

I then gave him my card with my cell and wrote my home on it as well as my vehicle descriptions and tags on it. I then gave him a map from the road he came in on to my blinds, both lock-on and pop up and where I park at. I told him that I go in before light and come out after dark unless I get one. He said that he had just transferred in and saw my truck out there and was just looking around. I told him next time he wants to see me, just call me and we can go from there. Better to work together that against each other. He agreed, gave me his card with cell on it, shook hands and off we went. All good.
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Old 12-06-2011, 01:02 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by HogFL
OP, in your defense, I know LEO's who post on youtube and forums.. All the guys bashing and questioning the legitimacy of your post are full of you know what. CO or not, how stupid. There's a blaze orange law for us ordinary folk for a REASON.. If I was a warden you wouldn't see me stomping around without it..
You sound perfect for the job. Leo's are not the only professions warned against posting on the internet by the by, but that doesn't stop them either until the chit hits the fan. See many Health care proffesionals talking about the mistakes they make? I imagine if you were a Doc you wouldn't wash your hands after touching a sick person.
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Old 12-06-2011, 01:27 PM
  #39  
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I read all the posts up to this point and feel, the intentions of this thread, were to vent anger at and degrade LEO's. No Conservation Warden working in the field , in his right mind, would make it easy for someone to kill him! I have never seen a warden in the woods with out the legal atire on. (Over 40 plus years) Call it what you want, I don't believe the Story, cause that is what it is.

Now, could a warden go haywire? I suppose one could, but, the Law Enforcement officers know every one in their jurisdiction and word would get out rather quickly. And YOU, if you are a LEO, are a chicken s**t for not reporting him, that is if this story really happened.
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Old 12-06-2011, 08:45 PM
  #40  
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I'm going to play devils advocate..
Did he have a firearm, or bow in his possession?
Your not hunting if you don't have these..
Yeah some Officers do think they are above the Law..
Not all though.. Some are respect their badges and limitations..
Limitations such as CO's not allowed to stop vehicles on highways or set up roadblocks on a hunch you may be going to or from a hunting place, without a visual of a dead animal in your possession in your vehicle.They can only Legally check your vehical and Rifles in the presance of a Police Officer who sets up some sort of roadblock. A CO has no legal right to stop you..If you have no animal and he throws on his lights and wants you to

pull over to side of the highway, to inspect, just wave to him and drive on by..
Some Officers try, and hunters that don't know this law allow them to search and inspect..But most Officers abide by it..
I don't know what your Laws are as far as non hunters in the bush,
but up here, there is no Law as far as what non hunters can or can't
wear during hunting season..
I hunt fish, and dog train with CO's, Fishery and Wildlife Biologists and Police Officers.
Not all the time do they do carry weapons..
Maybe he was in uniform but off duty just walking dogs..
Alot of hunters including the officers I hunt with and myself enjoy just
walking our dogs in the Bush during hunting season without actually hunting..It's up to the hunter to recognize the fact other people enjoy the bush as much as they do for different reasons..
Maybe he was on Duty without a Weapon..
If your not in possession of a Firearm or Bow, walking a dog in the bush without a leash is allowed during hunting season..
Unless you see a weapon, don't assume..
I don't think this person broke any law in any way shape or form..
He obviously upset you.. But Public Property is just that, Public..
And there is different Laws that must be recognized to those that don't or aren't hunting..

Last edited by Jeff Ovington; 12-06-2011 at 09:26 PM.
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