Have You Ever?...

[GobbleNut]

The topic about game wardens got me to thinking (something I try to avoid as much as possible). How many here have actually been ticketed for an "infraction" while hunting or fishing? ...Assuming you are willing to admit it.

I'll 'fess up first. I got a $50 citation back in the 80's for accidentally killing a hen during the spring season. In short, I was way out in the middle of nowhere and shot a gobbler. I walked up to get it and heard flopping wings down the slope below it. I investigated and found a hen turkey that I had no idea was there and had killed with the shot. 

I was bummed, for sure, but I gathered up both birds and went to call in my error to our G&F guys. I reported it and told the officer where I was camped and that I would have the bird there when he came by. I assumed I would get hit with a fine and expected something in the $250 range (which would have been a major hit to my finances at that time). When the officer arrived, he said that he was surprised I was turning myself in, that he would prefer not to cite me, but had to give me a citation of some sort. The minimum was $50 so he gave me the ticket...which I was more than happy to pay for my indiscretion.

The benefit of that incident was that the word got around that I had turned myself in and from that point forward, I had a reputation within our G&F Department that I was an honest guy and was never looked upon with suspicion when checked in the field. 

[zelmo1]

I got a warning, for being a smart azz, for being 1 quart over on clams in 1986. I had a 10 quart pail full and the wardens checked me using a 2 quart pan. I get my 10 quarts worth by shaking them down to get the most settling as possible. Transferring them to the 2 quart pan 5 times doesn't mean I was over but they knew I was right. That is why only a warning and not a ticket. I learned to hold my tongue a little more as well. With age comes wisdom. Z

[Tail Feathers]

I have never gotten a ticket or warning from a game warden. 
Sometimes it's remarkably easy to unintentionally violate a game law.  No judgment from me. 

[Notsoyoungturk]

I received my one and only ticket in South Carolina.  I had all the correct licenses and tags but the law required that I have a printed copy of the tag.  I had it on my phone but not printed.  Even though you did not have to actually put the tag on the bird, you had to have it printed.  In their eyes, ignorance made me as guilty as someone without the tag.  Make sure you read the fine print.

[NCL]

I have never received a ticket but on a warden check but I have received a warning to fill out my steelhead card in advance, which I commonly forget to do. On one occasion while deer hunting I was checked and had forgot to sign my hunting license. In each instance to warden provided a pen to complete the requirements.

[Swampmonkey]

I received my one and only ticket in South Carolina.  I had all the correct licenses and tags but the law required that I have a printed copy of the tag.  I had it on my phone but not printed.  Even though you did not have to actually put the tag on the bird, you had to have it printed.  In their eyes, ignorance made me as guilty as someone without the tag.  Make sure you read the fine print.

Tags definitely DO have to be on the bird in South Carolina

[CALLM2U]

I've not only never been ticketed, but I've also never been checked either. 

Closest that I have come is that I was hunting a small piece of public one time and I could see my truck through the trees.  I heard someone pull in behind my truck so I brought out the binos and saw it was Mr. Green Jeans.   He sat there about 2-3 minutes and then pulled away.  No clue what that was about. 

[Dtrkyman]

Was invited to hunt with a friend of a friend on some nice private, I called him in a bird and when we were back at the truck an angry landowner was waiting for us.  No Permission, I was quite pissed!

He was ticketed a few days later and while I was back home 200 plus miles away I got a call from the warden, he stated he was issuing me a trespassing citation, I said you are giving me a trespassing citation?  He said yes, I asked him if he knew who I was, he repeated my name.  I simply said how do you know me we have never met?

I gave him the run around for a few minutes and he got pretty frustrated with me, I never admitted I was there and he had no idea if I was or wasn't for sure.

I half expected to have some future issues but never did, catch me if you can...lol  I was around 20 years old at the time and these days I would probably just fess up and pay the fine?  Maybe!

Have never been issued a citation, though I got a warning once for not having my license on my person, left it in my vehicle, but did have my turkey permit on me.

Worst situation I found myself in was 5 or 6 years ago, after going over the regs. in a state with license sales guy at tackle shop he sold me a permit, went out the next morning and killed a nice tom, when I got my tag out and went to punch the dates I noticed he sold me a tag for the season that ended the day I bought the license

I called that tackle shop and luckily the kid who sold me the tag answered the phone, after a short conversation he went into the system, voided that tag and issued the correct one, texted me a photo of the correct tag, and I had a bit of an anxious hour and a half drive to the shop to get the tag, I considered calling a warden but decided not too.

The kid at the store was quite apologetic when I got there and let me clean my bird out back, and offered me a discount on anything I wanted at the shop.

I tend to check the dates on my tags more carefully these days!

[callmakerman]

I received a ticket after a hunting accident. I friend that I was hunting with shot me with bird shot after I had called out that I had just shot a Grouse and was going to retrieve it. I was at the Troopers barracks giving my statement days later after a hospital stay and was informed that I would be given a ticket for not signing into the area. It was required for Pheasant hunting, but we weren't in that area hunting. It didn't matter as I questioned the officer if the state was just looking to cover their azz and was told yes and received a nasty look from a high-ranking trooper for my question. I really didn't care how he felt considering what I had already been through with the accident, and my hospital stay. The fine was 25.00 bucks so no big deal other than my name in the paper.

[Happy]

In 30 years of hunting, i have been checked maybe a dozen times. No tickets,and 1 warning. That was the incident I mentioned in the other thread. Honestly most of the officers i have run into have been pretty decent and don't give me much of a hassle after they realize I have good intentions of following the rules.

[Zobo]

  I was waterfowl hunting on a federal refuge and a warden stoped me and checked: my state license, state duck stamp, HIP permit, refuge permit, federal duck stamp, gun capacity, he put my shells in a device to check for non toxic, checked my drivers license, and analyzed the sex and species of each bird I had shot.
  ALL of that sh*t was perfect, legal and up to date EXCEPT: in my haste I had forgotten to sign across the federal duck stamp.
  A simple, honest, mistake and this guy really wanted me to pay for it. I had the hardest time sweet talking my way out of it, but finally he caved in and let me go.

[Bill]

Game warden is driving down a country road and sees a kid walking along.  The kid is toting a .22 rifle in one hand and a hawk in the other.  Warden stops and talks to the kid.

Warden: "Son, did you shoot that hawk?"
Kid:  "Yes, sir, I sure did"
Warden:  "Tell me, what are you going to do with that hawk?"
Kid: "I'm going to eat it"
Warden: "How does hawk taste?"
Kid: "It's alright. About like owl"

[GregGwaltney]

I was ticketed back in 1981 for hunting ducks "after sunset".....The officer jumped out from behind some bushes way out in the boonies. He then checked everything and found I was perfectly legal, but then he decided I pulled the trigger "a few minutes too late"....I won't call him a liar, but my watch said otherwise. I went straight to the state attorneys office the next day, explained my citation, he promptly dismissed the charge.

[Tom007]

25 or so years ago while pheasant hunting, a game warden was parked out by my truck. When I walked over, he was very courteous, asked me to unload my gun, (already unloaded it earlier) and checked my gun for a 3 shot plug. Quickly looked at my lisence and we chatted for about a half hour. He actually told me about a few good areas to try. He was a tribute to what a game warden should be. Fine experience for sure.

[eggshell]

I could have gotten a ticket once. I was checked in a dove field and when the warden checked my gun it held 4 shells. He asked why it wasn't plugged and I replied it was plugged. I quickly took it apart to show him amd discovered a broken plug. He just laughed and pulled out a knife. cut off a limb from a bush and trimmed it to the right length. slipped it in my magazine and asked me to check if 4 shells would fit and they would not. He said have a nice day. Sh!t happens to everyone and went on. I could have kissed him. Other then that nothing