I found this interesting on Game wardens

[eggshell]

I was surfing youtube and saw this. I thought it was interesting what a lawyer thought of DNR officers. Would you agree or disagree

https://youtu.be/ZLo9-ZCSO1s

[RutnNStrutn]

I've never been hassled by a DNR officer. Just been checked by wardens on the way out of the woods for compliance with regulations.
The only issue I have had was wardens who didn't actually know the regulations. One time decades ago, I harvested a hen turkey during fall bow season. The warden claimed that it wasn't a legal harvest, and stated his intent to confiscate the hen and give me a citation. Fortunately I had a copy of the regulations and had to proceed with educating the officer on how to do his job.
Fortunately I live in Tennessee now where game wardens have to have a warrant to set foot on your property, and just cause to stop your vehicle. With that said, I have hunted for 50 years and harvested countless amounts of game. I am a law abiding hunter who supports law enforcement officers.

[Notsoyoungturk]

I have spent most of my life hunting in Tennessee.  I have never had any issues with Wildlife officers but I always have my license and obey the laws.  I have, however, in Arkansas, run into a few that seemed to be on a crusade to write as many tickets as possible.  Fortunately, I was not one of them.  He does, however, have some good points.

1.  Make sure you have printed tags is the law requires it.  My only wildlife ticket in 55 years of hunting was in South Carolina.  I killed a turkey after purchasing all the proper licenses but I did not print out the tag.  The tag did not have to be on the turkey but had to be in print.  It was a chickensh%$ ticket but in the end, I was guilty for being ignorant of the law and paid the fine. 

2.  Social media convicts more people than you know.  These knuckleheads will kill game illegally then post it to the world.  Make sure you are very clear when you post things that you don't leave room for false interpretation.

I think wildlife officers are often like police.  They do a thankless job and all it takes is a few bad apples to create a bad narrative.

[Clif Owen]

Yeah, social media can get you ticketed. My neighbor went out a few years back and shot a real nice 10 point the first day of primitive weapons season. His wife posted a picture of it. The problem was..he had already shot 2 bucks that morning..one of which his father in law tagged. Evidently someone recalled seeing them cleaning the bucks or the game warden saw them. Not sure which but it was a list of charges

[Dtrkyman]

I have been checked many times over a lot of years, only had issues with ignorant wardens twice, most go quick and painless!

The one that stands out is the one who rummaged through my vehicle prior to hiding in the weeds waiting for me to some out from a turkey hunt, make a long story short I cussed him out several times once I noticed he had been in my truck, he gave me a warning ticket for not having a hunting license on me, wallet was in the truck but tag was on me.

[eggshell]

I am 100% an activist for being legal, and I am not into defending criminals, but I thought he still made some good points. I know it's a click bait video. but I found it interesting. I also had an experience when a couple young officers tore through my gear and boat, and one almost broke my gun. I was really upset when one took my vest and literally turned it upside down and shook it out, wooden calls, slates, shells all crashing into the bottom of my boat. I was completely legal, but they left everything a wreck. Just happened I knew their lieutenant and he got an ear full. They were reprimanded and had to take training.

Over all most are very nice and professional, but it only takes one jerk. 

[deathfoot]

As much as I travel, I rarely run into a warden. This year though, I saw wardens in 3 different states (mostly just riding around). New York I had a warden stop and talk to me, I asked if he wanted to check my license, he say nah. I said, I paid good money for it you need to see it. So he checked it.

I've never had an issue with a warden and all I have ran into have been super cool. However, I assume my vehicle was peaked into in Wyoming because when I came out of the woods I had a wardens card on my driver side window. But that was okay by me, nothing in there illegal.

[10th Legionaire]

Just like any LEO you're going to get all kinds of folks. I've had a few occasions to get checked over the years in Indiana and except for one guy the interactions have been overall positive.

[ALSpurhunter]

Never had an issue with the wardens and appreciate the job they do. They have never interrupted a hunt outside of a dove field.

[Tail Feathers]

That lawyer does a lot of supposing and opinion, seasoned with a bit "good ol' boy". 
The issues I have seen with quite a few wardens, especially on the TV shows (since I have only a few contacts in my hunting life) is that wardens seem to be more likely to begin with an assumption that everyone is guilty of something. They are probably right more often than not, but it's undoubtedly frustrating when they are wrong.

[eggshell]

That lawyer does a lot of supposing and opinion, seasoned with a bit "good ol' boy". 
The issues I have seen with quite a few wardens, especially on the TV shows (since I have only a few contacts in my hunting life) is that wardens seem to be more likely to begin with an assumption that everyone is guilty of something. They are probably right more often than not, but it's undoubtedly frustrating when they are wrong.

I agree and I think you make a good point. Many make the assumption of guilt beforehand and that is why they act the way they do. They assume they are dealing with a lying criminal from the get-go.

I confess I have been somewhat soured from a couple bad experiences. I have a friend who has a deaf son that hunts with him. One year they put his tag on a deer in the rain and it got wet and came off. They put it in their pocket and proceeded to the check station. At the check station a warden noticed the tag was missing and began to attempt to question the deaf boy. His dad rushed over and started to tell them he was deaf. Instead of seeing what the dad was trying to tell them they started yelling and demanding the boy raise his hands and comply to commands, he was trying to sign to them. When dad approached yelling back they all pulled their guns and tackled both of them. In minutes all kind of officers were at the scene. A total sh!t show. A little simple investigation and courteous questioning could of prevented the whole thing. Their reason for pulling  guns was dad had his hand in his pocket. All this for a lost tag. Yeah, it pissed me off. 

[GobbleNut]

Personally, ninety-nine percent of the interactions I have had with wardens over the years have been nothing but pleasant. I think the same can probably be said from the wardens perspective. The problem is that, in the back of both sides minds, both most likely begin their interactions wondering if this particular encounter is going to fall into that one percent category. 

To try to minimize that possibility, the best thing one can do is to make sure he is "legal" in every aspect of his hunting/fishing activity. If one is, he can very likely disarm any interaction with wardens by being confident and friendly from the very start. A cordial introduction goes a long way towards making those encounters not just uneventful, but enjoyable.

Unfortunately, there are criminals among us who don't fall into that "legal in all aspects" category. A warden who does not approach his encounters with sportsmen with an awareness, and wariness, that the next person he deals with might be one of those is asking for trouble.

Furthermore, wardens are trained to approach every encounter with a set of standard procedures that may make the person they are dealing with feel uncomfortable. Those procedures can initially make anyone feel like they are assumed to fall into that criminal category. It is best to quickly and confidently make a warden understand that you are not one of the bad guys with your first impressions.