The good and the bad of being stopped by the Game Warden

[BIRD DOG]

When I was 14 we paddled the pirogues behind the house and set up blind.Opening mornin of teal season,it was hot as hell and birds were everywhere.In the mayhem I shot a hen woody,she was small,not in color,and flying around with the teal.I kept her along with our limit of teal.On our way out GW stops us and asked how the mornin went.I told him about the mistake and explained how I didnt want to just waste the bird so it was in the boat also.$400.00 ticket!!!!Judge kept me in court all day b/c he didnt know what to do so when I was the last one in there he said $200 fine and $200 court cost! I could have hid that bird in the decoy sack or stomped it in the mud but instead I chose to be honest and thats what I got for it! Keep in mind I was 14!!! So yea Id say I was rubbed wrong right off the bat! Have never got any tickets since

[Capt.B]

Originally Posted by SaltyShaw

Been stopped one time by the Game Warden once and they were real good about things, we had beer on the boat and drinking a few they told us to keep it under control and make sure the driver dont drink checked all our safety equip and on there way they went.
I think its all about how you react and treat them when it all comes down to it, if your courteous and respectful they will be also IMO.
Also had a game warden call me and leave a voicemail while i was fishing, he had parked next to me at Cal. Point and the parish was out there cutting grass and when he came back in he noticed my windshield was cracked and wanted to make sure it was taken care of if it happened there, something i really appreciated didnt expect it to be a good phone call lol his last name was Verret cant remember his first name.

Had a sit down visit in oyster bayou running from thunderstorms w/ Mr. Verret. Really nice guy....heck most of them are....treat as you want to be treated, is the ticket. Don't pull your anchor and try to leave an area where they stop (sure way to get checked)....and if your on fish and you know they are coming to you...pull your anchor and troll over to them, or they will shut down your bite.

[BIRD DOG]

Got one on the Northshore over here,doesnt matter how nice you are or how much you kiss is arse he ALWAYS has an attitude!

[BaseballFisherman]

I never minded the GW until a really bad experience last winter. It was a Monday morning, I was mid lake, it was about 50 degrees outside, and the sky looked ugly. Well the trout bite was extremely good so of course we left at the last possible second before the sky opened up. I had the hammer down heading north back to Cal Point and we were getting pelted by a heavy rain. There literally may have been 3 rigs in the parking lot that day, including myself, and hadn't even seen another boat on the water that morning. Well after i cut through Turner's Bay and got back into the channel, I spotted a GW boat right off the side of the channel, just hanging out, and I thought to myself, "I'm gonna lose it if he stops me in this freezing, pouring down rain...all i want to do is get warm and dry in my truck". Well I'm going as fast as my boat will let me, and the GW starts nudging my way. My buddy turns to me and says "I think he wants you to pull over to him". I looked over and told him "Not in this weather man, If he wants to stop me in freezing, pouring down rain on a Monday morning in December, then he can come get me". Just as expected as I passed the GW boat, they turned on the lights and started coming after me.....so i pulled over. The two guys were young 20 something year olds that apparently had just started working as game wardens. I am friends with some of the GWs who are salty veterans and I know that they would have shown a little more savvy considering the miserable conditions. I was cold, wet, and ticked off, and seeing that they were about the same age as me, I let them have it. While idling over to their boat I asked "Don't you guys have something better to do on a Monday in the freezing rain?" They replied, "pull out your safety equipment and lay it on the deck, and do you have any fish on board?"....so I pulled out all my safety equipment, not only soaking the equipment itself, but everything else in my decks got soaked bc it was pissing rain. Then they proceeded to count all thirty of my trout, one by one, and it took all of my patience to keep my temper. So after i put all my fish back in the ice chest, and all my soaking wet gear back in my soaking wet deck storage, they told me to "have a nice day". I know that they were just doing their jobs, but come on....isn't that a bit too much considering the situation?

[bohunterbiff]

As a game warden in 2 states, no matter what you do you receive little to no thanks. Those who are breaking the law despise you, those who are legal hate the inconvenience of being checked. Yet the vast majority of sportsman complain when there are numerous violations and no game warden. It is a thankless, underappreciated, and dangerous job. We are in the field working when we would rather be hunting/fishing ourselves. Are we going to have bad attitudes - sometimes - who wouldn't when everyone you deal with is potentially armed? Do you honestly expect us to be happy all of the time? If you are law abiding 90% of the time, what are you the other 10%? How are we going to catch the crooks without checking those that aren't? I have checked the same guys two times in the past, no problems polite good guys, turns out the third time I checked them I found the hidden compartment with the slot fish and the rest of the fish above their limit. Do the right thing, know the laws, show us the patience/respect that you expect from us.*

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by bohunterbiff

As a game warden in 2 states, no matter what you do you receive little to no thanks. Those who are breaking the law despise you, those who are legal hate the inconvenience of being checked. Yet the vast majority of sportsman complain when there are numerous violations and no game warden. It is a thankless, underappreciated, and dangerous job. We are in the field working when we would rather be hunting/fishing ourselves. Are we going to have bad attitudes - sometimes - who wouldn't when everyone you deal with is potentially armed? Do you honestly expect us to be happy all of the time? If
you are law abiding 90% of the time, what are you the
other 10%? How are we going to catch the crooks without
checking those that aren't? I have checked the same guys
two times in the past, no problems polite good guys, turns
out the third time I checked them I found the hidden
compartment with the slot fish and the rest of the fish
above their limit. Do the right thing, know the laws, show us
the patience/respect that you expect from us.*

That's why I always carry donuts with me, works every time.
BHB, think you can get me a LaWLF cap???

[southern151]

I just find it amusing that they are all over the landings checking jackets, papers and fish but, when ya call in somethin...Say a gill net that's loaded with dead fish, they never even drive by to look at it! Called it in two days in a row and never heard back and they never even came to pull the net up!

[booyagasha]

buncha cowboys

[Ray]

Got checked a lot duck hunting. Never got a ticket.
Been checked a few times on the water. Never got a ticket.
Last month in Grand Isle, they stopped me and brudinlaw, asked for registration only.
We told them we were not fishing, just going to fill up the boat.
We then got in brudinlaws boat to go fill it up and when they went to stop us, they
recognized us from my boat and turned around. Didn't make us stop.

[2ndamendment]

Had a pair of GW's roll up on us at Sam Rayburn last summer, while letting the kids perch fish. After seeing everyone had a life jacket and two perch in the box, one of the GW's opens up their ice chest and pulls out an illegal size bass(small) and proceeds to offer it to us. I spoke up and said, "that is an illegal size bass, I do not want that". The GW laughed and informed me they had taken it off another boat earlier and did not want it to go to waste. He assured me that it was OK to take the illegal bass. I said," I hear what you are saying but that is you saying it, if I get stopped by another GW boat on the way back to the dock then what?" He laughed harder at my reaction and gave me one of his signed GW business cards for proof that he gave it to me. They were young but respectful throughout the check.

[Montauk17]

Originally Posted by 2ndamendment

Had a pair of GW's roll up on us at Sam Rayburn last summer, while letting the kids perch fish. After seeing everyone had a life jacket and two perch in the box, one of the GW's opens up their ice chest and pulls out an illegal size bass(small) and proceeds to offer it to us. I spoke up and said, "that is an illegal size bass, I do not want that". The GW laughed and informed me they had taken it off another boat earlier and did not want it to go to waste. He assured me that it was OK to take the illegal bass. I said," I hear what you are saying but that is you saying it, if I get stopped by another GW boat on the way back to the dock then what?" He laughed harder at my reaction and gave me one of his signed GW business cards for proof that he gave it to me. They were young but respectful throughout the check.

Had a agent give us a ice chest full of undersized redfish at my previous job. Best redfish I ever ate,no blood line.

[eman]

Originally Posted by southern151

I just find it amusing that they are all over the landings checking jackets, papers and fish but, when ya call in somethin...Say a gill net that's loaded with dead fish, they never even drive by to look at it! Called it in two days in a row and never heard back and they never even came to pull the net up!

Called OGT twice in a 6 hour span on a saturday to report guys kkeping undersize and over the limit of reds on the road side in G.I.
No one showed. Why Bother?

[jaclyn.renea]

I've never had an issue with em. Been stopped a couple of times, but they just asked for licenses. They always asked bout the catch and go about their own merry way.

[bohunterbiff]

Understaffed, underpaid, underappreciated, but we are the first to get our budget cut and still expected to meet the over expectations of the public

[SaltERedneck]

I was stopped the first Friday of Contraband days... news crew was in the boat with the wardens. Couldnt find my fire extinguisher for about 10 min. Gave me the hot nasties.... needless to say my pic was taken and posted on KPLC TV. Made me look like i had broken laws. Everything was clear in my boat. No tickets.

[BIRD DOG]

Originally Posted by bohunterbiff

Understaffed, underpaid, underappreciated, but we are the first to get our budget cut and still expected to meet the over expectations of the public

You chose your profession and you could find another job if its that bad!!
I dont have a problem being stopped and checked I just feel like they should have a respectful attitude when doing so! As far as doing your job,Im sure it is tough to find someone to run out and chk every time you get a call about a violation but I speak from experience when I say I called lots of times and they never seemed to care and nobody ever showed! Its no different than the cops,if you call about a violation they are more worried about what your doin than who your callin about!

[Dink]

I put in at Rockefeller one morning. Started the boat, let it warm up and loaded the family in. Hit the gas and it died. Unloaded the family and took cowl off. Messed with it for 45 minutes just floating out in the middle. Itbwould start fine, but put it in gear and it would die. Tried giving it alot of gas and it would still die. GW is sitting in his truck watching me try to fix my boat for 45 minutes. Finally found the busted plug wires! Changed one, started boat, hit the gas and it died. Getting aggregated at this point and tried it again. Nothing. Fixed another plug wire from scratch and put it on. Started the boat, and gave it alot of gas. The nose shot up!! I had the motor trimed up pretty high........well, wouldn't you know it. Lights lite up and He's started yelling at me thru the bullhorn to pull over.......gave me a no wake zone ticket!! $ 175.50........I've never put in there again........what an A$$

[Dink]

On the other hand in grand isle. The line was long at the Marina so as we left I tried to renew my fishin license online using my phone......it wouldn't work. Tried the 800 number, nothing. Tried the 225 and 504 numbers. Nothing. Sure enough, GW's roll up. I told them the problems I was having w their website. I showed him my phone and he said it didn't work sometimes. Told me to keep Fishin and get it in person when I could. He then ran over my anchor rope and got it all tangled in his prop.......

[cabwiz2]

I have been stopped by GW plenty of times. I don't like being pulled over just as much as the next guy. But it is there job to do this so I don't let it get to me. I have never gotten a ticket. I have had a few bad experiences with attitudes but I look at it this way. How many times have you gone to a convenience store or any place of bussiness and the clerk was in a bad mood. Everyone has bad days even the GW. So next time you get one that is rude or overbearing just let it go. Because if you are in a bind they will be the first person you will call. And the only thing I would like to see changed is them pulling out in front of you while you are running in a canal to stop you. Cant they get some sort of light like a cop?

[BIRD DOG]

Originally Posted by cabwiz2

I have been stopped by GW plenty of times. I don't like being pulled over just as much as the next guy. But it is there job to do this so I don't let it get to me. I have never gotten a ticket. I have had a few bad experiences with attitudes but I look at it this way. How many times have you gone to a convenience store or any place of bussiness and the clerk was in a bad mood. Everyone has bad days even the GW. So next time you get one that is rude or overbearing just let it go. Because if you are in a bind they will be the first person you will call. And the only thing I would like to see changed is them pulling out in front of you while you are running in a canal to stop you. Cant they get some sort of light like a cop?

Thats one way of lookin at it but I think its more like this.I am self employed and deal with lots of cutomers.If one customer ruins my day does that mean I have a right to have an attitude with the rest of them!!I dont think I would keep them very long! I dont give two sh$@# who pissed them off before they pulled me over!I didnt do it and I help pay their salary!