# Game Warden



## asolde (May 22, 2004)

Whens the last time you were check by the Game Warden? My son and I were checked yesterday by a Game Warden after we were done hunting Geese. He was waiting for us when we came back to our truck. He checked everything out hunting licenses, drivers license, guns for plugs, ammunitions, hunt bag, ice chest, decoys, truck bed and etc. I was glad to see a Game Warden and I was glad to have everything right. I sometimes wonder if there's enough of these guys out there.


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## TXplugger (Nov 26, 2007)

Haven't been checked in yrs. I agree, there isn't enough GW's out there. Although, a friend does some part-time guide work and says he sees them quite often.


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## TX CHICKEN (Jun 4, 2004)

I have been checked every year for the last 5 yrs hunting my buddies place in Jim Hogg. I have been hunting in Karnes County for 17 yrs and never seen one--not even on the roads on the way to the lease.


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

when fishinf fer whites on the sabine every year every day i fish for them 2 times aday he is kind and professional but twice aday gime a break


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## PaulB (Jun 23, 2004)

In TX it's been about 8 years. Hardly ever see one out and about.

The last time I was checked at all was about 3 years back goose hunting in Canada. We walked out of the field and he was waiting on us. Real polite and proffesional, first class all the way.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Alex, When Justin Hurst was alive and worked Wharton County you could count on seeing him often. I have yet to be checked out there this year. Im glad the new guy finaly made it over our way.


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## kayakcaptain (Dec 8, 2007)

Funny story.

Several years ago we were hunting ducks in Port A and my hunting buddy brought his rookie brother in law. While they were in the blind two GW's one state and one federal cruised up in an airboat. They checked and found that the rookie did not have a duck stamp. My friend was furious at his brother in law for not getting the stamp like he was told. The brother in law said he had got the stamp and he did put it on his license and with that pull out his drivers license with the stamp firmly afixed. Both wardens nearly fell out of the airboat laughing.

Fast forward one year later.

We are again in Port A and after the hunt went to the DQ for some lunch. In a corner booth were several game wardens and guess what. They were telling the story again. They did not know it was us but we about spit our DP all over each other. We quietly left.


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## huntr4life (Apr 30, 2007)

We got checked this year in Bell County, GW is retiring and had his trainee with him.


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## Spots and Dots (May 23, 2004)

Yep, last time I was checked was by Justin Hurst.

he laughed at my buddy and I for hunting geese in shorts and flip flops.


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## BEER4BAIT (Jun 24, 2005)

I see them every day, I have not been checked in years.


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## Nick Smith (Dec 5, 2007)

Several years ago we had a new preacher move down from Ohio and shortly thereafter dove season began. We took him with us, he had never hunted dove before. We parked, got out of the truck and a couple of us pointed out a place for him to sit. Offered advice on leading the birds and how to shoot them,then find them when they dropped. 

We spread out in the field and were busy hunting, noticed that he seemed to be shooting a lot, but we were too far away to see him very well. After a while, we saw the familar green vehicle with the bright green emblem on the side drive up. He stopped and approached the preacher and began talking. After about 20 minutes and he hadn't left, a friend came walking up to me and asked if I thought we should go up there and see what was going on / taking so long.

When we arrived, it seems that our new preacher had got tired of sitting in the weeds and moved up next to the road so that he could lean against a telephone pole. When the game warden drove up, he scared up a bird, so the preacher shot at it, across the road, in front of the warden's oncoming car. Turned out, it wasn't a dove either. It was a mockingbird, our state bird!

When it was all said and done, the warden listed for us that the preacher:
shot from the road
shot across the road
shot near an oncoming vehicle
shot at the state bird
had not been in the state long enough for his new resident license to be valid.
The warden could tell he was in the presence of sheer ignorance, and a preacher that wanted to do right. So he let him off with only a ticket for hunting without a license.


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## Txmm13 (Oct 20, 2007)

I get stopped at least twice a year in Montgomery County. But there always very polite and will answer any questions you ask them stupid or not.


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

I was making a hard and fast run out of Gou Hole and as soon as i got across the lake an i could get off of the throttle and come to a good cruising speed i was flagged down by a game warden to find out he had ran out of gas, ole Kenneth Seigers was his name not sure if he is still a GW or not. But i found it funnny that he was out of gas. Its usally the other way around. After we stopped and he checked out or sled to make sure we were legal we gave him a few gallons of gas to get back in... That is about the only good GW story i have.. Does anyone know if Kenneth Seigers is still working or not?


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## Soapeddler (Jun 18, 2006)

I was checked on the Dove Opener just south of San Antonio this year. I was checked on Aransas Bay back in the Summer. 

During the dove hunt, they only wanted to see harvest, licenses, and plugs.

During the fishing trip they only wanted to see fish box and life vests. 

Both times they were very courteous and professional. Nothing but high regards for them from me.


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## spotsndots (May 20, 2005)

Last time I was checked was last December down in Matagorda...It had been sleeting the night before and on Saturday we took the kids up the river because they wanted to fish so bad. Everything was checked out OK and that is when I found out that if you want to count an inflatable life jacket "as a life jacket" then you must wear it all the time.


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## mudhog (May 9, 2005)

Its funny how they work, becasue every year we get checked while dove hunting on our land, that he has to walk quite far (locked gate) to get to us. We have never done wrong and never got a ticket but he shows up every year. Down the road we lease some land for deer hunting on a large ranch that you can drive right to the camp and we have never seen one. We deer hunt 30-40 days a year but only dove hunt once or twice a year.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

last time I was check was at Goose Island Sate Park dock as we were cleaning some ducks last weekend. We were legal and had left one wing on.


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## texagg (Aug 7, 2007)

We were checked by the GW while pheasant hunting a couple of weeks ago. We were hunting with about 8 local boys ages 16-19. The GW's gave all of them tickets for no Hunters safety course, I thought that you couldn't get a license with out the safety course, but obviously I was wrong. The boys then had to get a temporary safety something to finish hunting on saturday.


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## TroutMaster76 (Jun 19, 2005)

About 10 years ago I was fishing for whites on Lake livingston. We had 2 parties out near the humps & we split up to find the fish. 

My uncle was driving from one destination to another & found a dead fish floating in the water - he said it was a big arse white bass. Since he hadnt caught anything he was going to play a joke on us about catching this big white. But when the game warden pulled him over it was an illegal striper. When asked why he got a ticket for collecting a dead fish (he said eyes were bulging & everything). The game warden replied " If I believed everybody who said the fish was already dead then I wouldnt be writing to many a ticket". 

After $150 restocking fee & feeling really stupid... my uncle vows never to pick up a dead fish again.


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## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

The last time I remember being checked by a game warden was in 2005 in Oklahoma.

I had the opportunity to fish with some family members with a guide in Oklahoma for striped bass on Saturday. Within about an hour, we had our limit of 30 stripers (limit of 5 each for 6 of us). We were having a great time.

After that, we cruised to a few more spots in search of catfish, but didn't really have any luck and returned 3 hours later. After the guide cleaned the fish and got the boat loaded, we were approached by an Oklahoma game warden and he asked to see our fishing licenses. So, we all showed our out of state licenses. When he checked my 17 year old cousin's, he called him by his first name and said that he caught 6 stripers and that he was going to receive a citation. For a minute we thought he was joking, but was being serious!

We couldn't figure out what in the world he was talking about and began giving an explanation. He said he was camped out watching us through binoculars as we were fishing and saw my cousin catch 6 fish himself and said that it's 5 per person and there is no such thing as a "boat limit". Therefore he was one over the limit. He also said the 6th fish was hooked by the guide and handed to him and that was considered "aiding and abetting". So he said he was issuing 2 citations for $168 each.

The game warden also informed us that he showed up after we got in to the fish and there may have been more violations in the beginning and that we were lucky. What's funny, is my cousin probably really did catch 6 fish, but 3 of those came in the first 5 minutes we were sitting there. The game warden just admitted that he missed the beginning of our catch, so how in the world did he see him catch all 6 fish? Especially since we were in an airboat and the motor and cover was in the line of sight. I would also like to add that my cousin's 15 year old brother was also with us and they look very similar and were dressed somewhat alike. Maybe he got them confused? So, did the warden have a tally sheet on shore to keep trck of our catch?

We also caught 3 drum and my cousin had at least 1 of those. We said that maybe he saw one of those caught. He responded that he is an "expert" in fish identification and has been doing it for 25 years and there is NO WAY that those 6 fish could have been anything else besides striper. How does he know we didn't have any white bass or hybrids? The guide didn't bring that up because he was afraid that the warden would confiscate the fish and run a lab test for DNA.

When there are 6 people fishing in an airboat, and 4 of those don't fish very often, there will be tangled lines. We had at least 2 fish that were brought in with tangled lines. Even if the guide did hook the 6th fish and hand the rod over, who's fish is it? He set the hook because the fish hit immediately upon casting for my cousin. I would say that's the guide's fish since he actually hooked the fish and under Oklahoma regulations, the guide can keep a limit too, so we actually could have kept 35. 

I just think there is WAY too much reasonable doubt for him to issue any citations, but he said he had a just reason.

If you have 6 fishermen in the boat and the limit is 5 each, it should be 30 total fish. We had exactly that. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of how many you caught, so who cares if someone has 4 and another has 6! We were throwing live shad out there and everyone was capable of catching their 5 fish on their own and it's not like we were flyfishing or somehting.

The warden was probably in his mid 40's and he had some apprentice or something with him that was about 21. I think he was definitely flexing his muscles to show off for that guy.

He also wanted to keep my cousin's drivers license until he made a court appearance on July 12. His dad said that they live in west Texas and are not driving 400 miles to go to court. The warden said he couldn't give the license back. His dad asked how he was supposed to legally drive? The warden said he would issue a 2 week temporary license. His dad said that is absolutely ridiculous, then the warden pulled out some form and my cousin had to sign it saying that he got his license back and that he will contact the court by July 12 or Oklahoma will go to Texas and arrest him. He also said that Texas and Oklahoma have a joint operation and that if he doesn't pay the fine, he WILL be arrested by Texas Law Enforcment.

So, my cousin ended up writing a letter to the judge explaining everything, how he really enjoyed his time fishing in Oklahoma with his family, how he had been saving all his summer job money to help pay for a car but now would have to use it for a stupid fine, sent a picture of the catch and also sent a check in to pay the fine. A few weeks later he received a nice letter from the judge with a ripped up ticket and a voided check!

The guide went to court to fight his ticket and went before the judge saying that my cousin's ticket was dismissed, so there is no way he should be hit with an "aiding and abetting" ticket and the judge agreed. So, his ticket was dismissed on the spot.

That game warden was present in the court room and went ballistic. He vowed that he was going to try harder to catch the guide and put him behind bars because he just didn't like him for whatever reason.

About a month later, the game warden was camped out in Texas trying to write citations for breaking Oklahoma laws. The Texas game wardens were called in and threatened to arrest him and filed a complaint with Oklahoma. After that, he was relieved of his duties.

All this nonsense over a little striped bass.....

This guy was just a "bad apple" and I would like to add that most game wardens and other law enforcment officials are class acts and we should all be thankful for everything they do to serve and protect us.


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## grand poobah (Nov 6, 2007)

We see gws all the time. If you hunt in Colorado country you'll see officer Fife at least every 3 or 4 hunt. He a nice guy but will write you a ticket if you are not legal(as he should).
Once or twice a year we see federal gw around Eagle Lake but not to often.
Back in Waller county we had a truck load of gws during teal season led by Kevin & Derek. They made a sweep over all the hunters on 362. You'll also see them throughout the season. 
Bottom line is we need more gw but still have enough to keep us honest.


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Got checked fishing last October in Rockport ... it's true ... there aren't enough in the woods to get the job done but it's a dangerous, difficult and low paying job. Takes a dedicated man to want to have a job where most of the people you talk to carry guns ...


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## harrisr70 (Mar 4, 2005)

chuck leaman said:


> Alex, When Justin Hurst was alive and worked Wharton County you could count on seeing him often. I have yet to be checked out there this year. Im glad the new guy finaly made it over our way.


Chuck, I think you hunt the same side of the county I do (West). The "new guy" isn't really that new. He used to work the other side of the county from Justin. He's a very nice guy. You should get to know him.


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

We were visited Sunday. Lucrecia thought it was cool to see the GW and told him that. It was the first one she'd seen on dry land. He looked at her funny when she came up to him and introduced herself....she had this huge smile on her face..laughing and chattering to him. She checked out his collection of "toys" he had in his truck too...show'd off hers. He was pretty impressed by a women who liked her "toys". After he checked our Lucrecia's deer and her license he said his boss told him that there was only 5 lease permits for Calhoun County...we have one of them!  

We see them almost every time we fish or in the boat around the Matagorda harbor. Also had one come up to the dock while I was cleaning the customer catch. He looked around a little, never bothered measuring any fish or making any kind of count...jumped back into the boat and took off...strange visit I thought.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

In Oregon they have real strict limits and rules, especially for salmon.



They have Fish Checkers, Game Wardens, and the Coasties.



You can be checked by all 3 in a given day.



Fish checkers count your fish and put them in a hand held computer usually on the dock. 

They can actually change limits and close seasons over-night when limits are reached, and it's your responsibility to know!



Their Fish and Game book consist of 2 separate books and are about 1" thick. 

To say the least, you get checked often up there.



Once we had a very pretty fish checker come by and log our catch. We all got to talking and invited her to come with us the next day. She spent most of the day sea sick over the side of the hull. We all got a giggle out her being in the business and seeing her like that. 

She also got a little P.O. about our jokes of how Spotted Owl and Bald Eagle taste so much like chicken, when fried........LOL

We couldn't help ourselves&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;. and to say the least, my buddy who lived up there never could get her out on a date.


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## John Galt (Aug 6, 2006)

2006, we were pulling into the dock in Freeport when a GW gave us a rash of s--- for the fact that we had a ling in the ice chest with a spear wound (were spearfishing in Federal waters; but it is illegal to spear game fish in Texas waters.)

We offered to show our GPS showing we'd transited State waters at about 30 kts (making it hard to enter the water on scuba unless you're a Navy SEAL) but he didn't want to hear it. Told us he'd give us a verbal warning (as if that was a favor).
He was young, early 20s I'd guess. "He whose authority is recent is always stern" --Aeschylus (sorry, we drank at lunch...not normally a windbag...I picked that up from a Beetle Bailey cartoon)

Still, hat's off to those guys. They level the playing field for law-abiding citizens....


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

I think the average is two game wardens per county, only gonna get checked if you are in a very popular or public hunting area......I wish we did have more of em...


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## 01milburnsc (Aug 16, 2006)

Got hit on my only trip to waller county for no plug...Well I had a plug but it was for an 870 not for Moss 835...But I was only using 3 shells.

I politely took my ticket and paid my fine. I work with law enforcement so I have the utmost respect for them if they so me the least bit respect.

Never see Mike Wise or Barry Eversole in Fort Bend County unless they come by the shop with an electrical problem on their trucks....(I'm an electronics upfitter for Fort Bend County)


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## John Galt (Aug 6, 2006)

01milburnsc said:


> Got hit on my only trip to waller county for no plug...Well I had a plug but it was for an 870 not for Moss 835...But I was only using 3 shells.


3/8" hardwood dowel at Home Depot - $2.35
Hacksaw at Home Deport - $4.00

Getting out of a ticket - $150.......


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## bayourat (Jan 7, 2005)

daddyeaux said:


> I think the average is two game wardens per county, only gonna get checked if you are in a very popular or public hunting area......I wish we did have more of em...


I can count 5 in brazoria county just off the top of my head....


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## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

Most public land waterfowlers get checked fairly regularly, as do guided parties on the prairie.

Couple years back we were getting checked by a young and quite pretty female game warden. We'd had a good hunt and had full straps, and she was very pleasant. We also had some novices with us in a large group, so my friend had basically just been taking whatever the novices didn't claim they shot. Naturally he ended up with all hens.  I visited with her for a little bit and saw that she was very easy going, so i decided to play a little prank on my friend. As she started to check my friend's strap, she commented that he shot all hen's today. I quickly butted in and told her how he had said he was mad at women today so he was shooting all hens. My buddy went white. She saw what was going on and asked him what exactly his problem was with women in a real sharp tone. I've never seen a grown man stutter and stammer so much before going beet red in my life. He finally managed to get two words out, one of which being my name and the other that I can't repeat.  She got a good laugh out of it.

I relate that story just to say that I really enjoy meeting the wardens when they approach us as friends instead of assuming we did something wrong. There are some really good people in the profession.

Then there's one of the local guys that I can't stand. Yup I still got the same license you saw yesterday (and you remember me). Yup life vests are still in the same place in the boat. And yup, that 5 pound catfish is indeed longer than 12 inches, but get your tape slimy if ya want I guess. See ya tomorrow... and you'll probably delay me another half hour unnecessarily.


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## MilosMaster (Aug 18, 2005)

I get checked every North Zone Dove Opener at my buddies place near Electra, and darn near every time I hunt down in Rockport. 99% of the time the GW's are very nice and professional and there is never any problem. I do wish we saw them more often in the summer down in Rockport, checking fishermen. I have fished down there my entire life, some summers every single day, and have _never_ been checked fishing in the bay. I wonder who decided that ducks were more important than fish?

Justin Hurst has been mentioned several times in this thread, so I thought I would relay a story about a time when he checked us while goose hunting on the prarie. It was late on a cold, cloudy morning and the hunting had been really tough. We were hunting 6 or 8 people out of a huge rag spread and the late-season snows just weren't buying it. We had finished our specks, and since the conditions were actually pretty good (i.e. cold, wind, overcast) we decided to stick it out until noon and see if a group of snows might decide to play. We saw a GW's truck park on the edge of the rice field and Justin got out and started walking over to our spread. Right as he approached the edge of the spread a group of snows started giving us a hard look, really for the first time all day. Much to our suprise Justin immediatley dropped to the ground and pulled his hood over his head. Everybody in the spread was calling, just trying to make as much noise as we could. At one point I looked over and Justin was calling too! The group of young snows ended up committing and I think we dropped 9 of them, by far the best volley of our season! Justin pumped his fist along with us when it was all over. I asked him about the call and he said it just happened to be in his jacket pocket and figured we wouldn't mind the help! After all the birds were retrieved he checked us all and we all checked out.

He truly was an asset to TPWD and the hunting community in general, I am glad that they got his WMA put into his name before this hunting season, while what happened was still fresh in all of our minds.


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## capn (Aug 11, 2005)

Yup. Justin checked us once in a spread. I unloaded my gun when he got near of course. He was checking me when some birds started working, but I had my back turned. I whispered and asked if it looked like they were actually coming in, he said "Yea, you better load up and get ready to shoot." I jammed three shells in the gun, fired my three shots, killed a bird or two, then handed it to him to check. Just thought it was really cool that he was hiding and expected the hunt to continue even though he was in the spread. When he was done he ran out of the field instead of walking so the birds could keep working.

What a shame we lost a good one like that.


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## Pocboy (Aug 12, 2004)

We are usually stopped by gw's in POC once a year but since we started wearing lifejackets while underway they pull alongside and when they notice the jackets they say thank you and motor off.


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## rodwade (Feb 13, 2007)

all this talk about Justin really makes me want to become a game warden.


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## Fish or Bust (Oct 21, 2007)

I get checked alot but I have long hair and had even longer hair I am always in a good mood and very outgoing and they almost never want to see my licenes, they want to look in the cooler so I open the fish cooler ((no son the one with the drinks in it)) and then in my pockets. If it is a realy good day they ask me to take off my shades and do the 1234-4321 on my fingers. Keep in mind that I do not drink or drug


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

The last time I was checked was in Chambers County while trot linning for catfish. He new the answer to every question he asked, because he had been hid, truck and all on the bank watching me with his binoculars.

Everything I had and was doing was legal, with the exception of that boat full of orange catfish jugs that was laying out for the whole world to see. Commercial fishermen= orange jugs/ recreational fishermen=white jugs. Well I am a recreational fisherman, from day one. He never acted like he noticed.

He ran my license, boat registration, size of floats on my trotline. Everything!!
he still didn't notice the color of those jugs.

Sometimes the best place to hide, is right there in the open.

Oh, the reason my jugs were orange, is because my cousin gave them to me and he is a commercial fisherman.


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## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

I've been checked while deer hunting, dove hunting, pheasant hunting and fishing. Fishing happens a lot on lakes near the metroplex. Most wardens, I get the feel are just doing their job and I have no problem at all with that. The only time I've noticed any gung ho attitude is during training and once last year on Richland Chambers by a female warden. It was like she expected trouble and was way over the top. She actually measured a 22 inch 8 lb hybrid to see if it was legal. Only ticket I ever got was no plug while dove hunting, pure oversight.


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## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

My wife and i were hunting in Dilly several years ago and after I decided that the doves were through flying and it was time to clean birds, a local GW showed up.

He just came out of no-where. ( I am sure that you know where this is). He told me that the law at that time was that I had to leave one wing on each bird; however, I had no white wings as he told me, so he just said "remember, the law says that you must leave at least one wing on each bird"

Well, long story short. he was a very nice GW and told me to remember tomorrow the rules.


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

MarshMudForBrains said:


> I get checked alot but I have long hair and had even longer hair I am always in a good mood and very outgoing and they almost never want to see my licenes, they want to look in the cooler so I open the fish cooler ((no son the one with the drinks in it)) and then in my pockets. If it is a realy good day they ask me to take off my shades and do the 1234-4321 on my fingers. Keep in mind that I do not drink or drug


It is just because you look like a squirely SOB! LOL The story of the wardens at the refuge and the advil is great.

The reason Justin did all that for you guys is because he was a waterfowler as well. What a waste of a great Texan, still sad to think about it. Renaming Peach Point was a great move. That is where I met Justin for the first time through one of my good friends, another state guy.


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## BACKLASHED (Jun 5, 2004)

The Texas GWs are extremely good at what they do and very dedicated. We are blessed to have the few that we do. I used to hunt on some family owned property off of Lake Houston. I got checked at least 4 times a month. They were very courtious, but were professional as I would expect. Let's just say they knew me well.lol. I wish we had more active TPWD GWs to spread throughout Texas.

We all have good days and bad, so keep in mind when you are being checked that they may have had to dea with a beligerant jerk prior to your visit. 

They are an asset IMO. They help keep my kids safe in the woods.


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

Been checked at the boat ramp many times and on the water a few but only once on a hunting trip. My truck fit the description of someone's who stole a deer hanging at a deer camp in Timpson,TX. Hope they caught the guy. That was in 1993.


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## sqiggy (Aug 30, 2007)

I got pulled over 3 years ago coming home from Kansas. I had passed him when he was on the side of the road talking to another fellow. Just as I passed by, he was just gettin in his truck to leave. He got behind me later down the road. After a few miles, I guess he finally noticed the horns sticking up from the deer I shot in Kansas.
Now here's the situation. I went to SW Kansas to hunt Pheasants on the opening weekend. After 2 days there, I drove 3 hrs to South Central Kansas for my deer hunt. This was going to be a 6 day hunt. So, while I was there, I went ahead and packaged my birds and froze them.
So, the GW stops me and ask for my huntin license. I hand him my Texas license since he's a Tx GM. He says your deer isn't tagged. So then, I hand him my Kansas huntin license along with the tag. I also took one of my birddogs with me. So, looking at my dog, he asks if I have any birds on me. I tell him yes, Pheasants. He makes me take every one out of the cooler. Now, every one of these birds are frozen. I have 13. He then tells me that the poss limit is only 6. I tell him not in Kansas. He kept telling me the limit in Tx. Now what is funny, this is NOVEMBER. Pheasant season in Tx doesn't open till mid DECEMBER. Now I'm thinking he's gonna tell me I shot them out of season, but he never does. I keep tellin him I shot these in Ks. He finally asked me what the poss limit in Ks was. I told him it was 4 birds a day with a 4 day poss limit, which is 16, 3 under the limit. So he took all my licenses and went back to his truck. Kept me there for 30 mins. I know what he was doing. I could see him on his cell phone. He was trying to contact somebody in Ks. But it was Sunday right around noon. In fact, I was listening to the Cowboy game on the radio. He finally came back to my truck. He says I'm gonna let you go this time, but you may or may not hear from me again about these birds. Never heard anything else about it. Didn't matter anyway. Couple days after I got home, we ate half of the evidence!!!:biggrin:


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## Garwood57 (Jul 1, 2007)

Get checked at least once a year where we hunt in Colorado County. Always enjoy the discussion with them and glad they are looking after things.


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## Bret (May 21, 2004)

We got checked about 4yrs ago.. Our camp was set up about 30yds off of the highway.. It was deer season and had just got dark.. When I see this guy with a cowboy hat walking towards us.. I thought it was our buddy Marty and was about to make a real smart alleck comment when I saw it was a GW. He checked us out and was trying to find a way in to the place behind us...(they had shot way after dark). I have never had a bad experience with a GW. (even when I got a ticket for not leaving a fully feathered wing on a dove when I was in HS) Show them respect and you will get it in return.


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

rodwade said:


> all this talk about Justin really makes me want to become a game warden.


I often feel like I missed my calling. When I first got my career going I wanted to be a GW but I woulda had to eat beans and rice for a long time. I think the pay is better now. That was some moons back. They still don't get paid enough.


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## Lat22 (Apr 7, 2005)

I get checked about every other time out in Baffin, but never while hunting. The GW down here knows me and knows I'm not going to be pulling any funny stuff. I wouldn't mind at all if he wanted to check me every now and then. He's a good guy to visit with.


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## rockind308 (May 15, 2006)

We were on a goose/sandhill crane/pheasant hunt last week east of Plainview in the panhandle of Texas when we were approached by a Floyd County deputy sheriff. Since I am handicapped I could not walk the CRP grassland with the other three hunters and the guide so I stayed at our two pickups. He came along and took and returned my drivers license and hunting license twice all the while looking for the hunters. He kept asking me where they were and I would point to the section they were hunting. He and I could hear shots ever now and then but we couldn't see them. He even got on his truck with binoculars to look for them. He was constantly on the cell phone talking to someone and he would come over and question me again on what we were hunting, where we from, were there any guns in the truck, and I even heard him ask someone whether or not he could enter one of the pickups. He stayed there with me for about 1 and a half hours. When everyone returned he checked everyone's driver license and hunting licenses. He even asked the guide why he was carrying a pheasant although he had no shotgun. There was nothing friendly about his demeanor and his actions did not leave us with a good feeling about returning.


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## netboy (Dec 12, 2006)

I live on North Padre Island and am retired so I fish or duck hunt about 5 to 6 times a week in the ULM. In the 6 years that I have been here, I have only been checked once!!!
I would like to see more wardens out in this area.


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## rodwade (Feb 13, 2007)

Bucksnort said:


> I often feel like I missed my calling. When I first got my career going I wanted to be a GW but I woulda had to eat beans and rice for a long time. I think the pay is better now. That was some moons back. They still don't get paid enough.


Bucksnort...I'm a school teacher that will have his masters next May. Trust me the pay can't be much worse!


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

rodwade said:


> Bucksnort...I'm a school teacher that will have his masters next May. Trust me the pay can't be much worse!


Being a teacher is a calling. I appreciate the job ya'll do just as I do the GW's any many more.


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## Damo (Aug 24, 2005)

Been quite a while but after picking some sunrise trout in the surf by Fish Pass I saw a lady who had a bunch of undersized reds strung. I explained to her the slot and the limit and with a heavy German accent she said okay whatever. As we were driving off the beach we saw the GW rolling in I thought oh well I tried, that's gonna be an expensive lesson.
As we were driving down 361 the GW caught up to us with lights on a couple of miles down the road and pulled us over. We were nice and so was he saying he had a report from a lady we were harboring undersized redfish. I asked if she had a German accent, but he wouldn't say and probably thought I gotcha now. 
He checked our licenses and went through the coolers finding the trout from earlier and some 25-27 slots reds from the evening before. He mentioned nice fish, asked watcha catch them on, and offered an apology and an explanation why his job was important. We replied saying no harm, no foul and we appreciated what he does. 
I also added if he got a move on he might just be able to catch up with that German woman with the undersized reds.
Damo


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Have any of you heard of a warden in POC by the name of ****? Not a nice guy, busted me for 1 life jacket short 50 yards from the marina, to which I was headed to for more bait and a life jacket. I now have an orange $200 life jacket for sale...


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## rodwade (Feb 13, 2007)

daddy...you have to look at it from his perspective. How many people in eyesight of a marina or even putting their boat in the water have pulled the..ohh I'm buying one right there. I'm sure he sees it a lot. Kinda like the people who get busted for shoplifting then pull out cash to pay for it.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Yea, Rod, I guess you could look at it that way, but when you are 50 yards from the marina, he could sit there and watch me buy it. And his partner was going to let me go and get the bait and life jacket. The partner had already left my boat, told me to go get the life jacket, **** made the partner board my boat again and write me up. I'm very good about being legal when I'm hunting and fishing. This guy was just an ***, everyone down there knows it, now I do..


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

Well I guess in your opinion **** has a rep for being a hard arse but you were breaking the law. Thats the bottom line. Maybe his rep keeps some people in line. I'd be willing to bet Daddy you don't hit the water again without that life jacket in the boat. I do respect your point of view but you were illegal. In fact everyone who has complained on this thread about the warden really has no complaint....Seems the GWs were doing there job in every case mentioned. It just sux when your the one having to sign the ticket & unfortenately for you he was doing what we pay him to do. If I were you I'd hold on to that $200 life jacket just in case you need it again.


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## Earl (May 20, 2004)

i have been checked many times over the years, including one time while on the Welder ranch by a GW concerned we were poaching. We weren't, Dad was a friend of Pat Welder and we were fishing with his permission, The GW was very nice while he listened and then verified our story. I have never once had a promlem with any GW. They automatically have my trust and approval - and I think they pick up on that attitude too.

Earl


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

And I suppose no one in here has ever been pulled over for speeding or a tail light out or other minor infraction only to be given a warning and let go. There is a certain amount of discretion in all matters. And like I said, his partner had already decided not to issue a ticket. And yes this guy does have a reputation for being a *****.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

You mite be cut some slack for anything OTHER than a life jacket or at least thats what I have been told. WW


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## Leemo (Nov 16, 2006)

I got checked at least 3 times a week for the last twenty yrs. when I was a commercial fisherman in Matagorda cty., never been checked deer hunting or bird hunting since about the early 80's, the gw's were always professional in their manner except for tghe new young one in Mat. cty., oh well he was just doing his job, just a bit "piffy" I suppose!


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## hook'n'em (Aug 11, 2007)

Got checked opening day of dove season in Austin County.......good thing those birds were hungry and cleaned up all the "fertilizer".


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## quackerattacker (Aug 21, 2007)

we get checked all the time been checked 5 times this year 
twice by our local state gw
two different fed guys and a new state gw that i never met untill the other day
oh yeah local gw checked me twice in dove saeason too


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## Whiskey & Me (Oct 23, 2006)

The Game Warden leases land south of my lease...

So I see him everytime I am out there...but he doesn't check me just shoots the chiat...

He is more interested (As so am I) to catch the freekin poachers out there...



But as for being checked...

Not yet this year...and I have plenty o days under my belt already...

J.J.


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## fisherking78 (Dec 18, 2005)

John Galt said:


> 3/8" hardwood dowel at Home Depot - $2.35
> Hacksaw at Home Deport - $4.00
> 
> Getting out of a ticket - $150.......


That is what is called a 'stopper'. In northern states, a "plug" is something that is installed by a gunsmith and cannot be removed in the field.

No link, just fact.


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## Capt. Sandbar (Jun 12, 2004)

We are not in a northern state; we are in TEXAS! And anything that plugs is a plug.


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## hooknbullet (Jun 19, 2004)

*sheriff's deputies playing GW*

I've been checked by the GW on many occasions over the years & never had one single issue with any of them. I've always been courteous & respectful & 
always got the same in return. Not all LEOs (including GWs) are the same.
One beautiful Sunday morning during the crappie spawn at a local waterhole I'll leave nameless (its north of Houston, south of Conroe & FULL of crappie) I had a visit from a Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputy. It was just after daylight, & I just got the first minnow in the water. You know the type, flattop haircut, mirrored shades...he proceeded to tell me I was trespassing, & he was going to do me a favor & not write it up as criminal trespass, so he wrote it up as "attempting to take game fish without owner's consent". He also told me I was lucky I'd just gotten there, because it would've been "taking gamefish" opposed to "attempting to take". (I guess he'd have really gotten me with the limit I had the night before, same spot)
I thought I was actually on public (fire station/courthouse) property, but I didn't want to push my luck with this guy & didn't argue. 
When I had my day in court, due to the fact that he used the word "gamefish" made it a game violation, so it raised the court cost another $15. They didn't know what to fine me. I explained to the judge what I was doing & where & they laughed & said how's $25 fine + $32.50 court costs? They said I was on private property (although unmarked). They said I'd have to get the official survey to prove I was on public property. They went over the big green TP&W code books again & again, but couldn't find anything covering the way that he wrote it up. I got tired of the arguing with them & decided to plead no contest & pay the $57.50. Then the judge gets angry & lectures me on how the legal system works & chews me out for not requesting a trial by jury. But they never once offered to dismiss the ticket.
This happened quite a few years ago, but I guess it's still stuck in my craw.


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## tiedown (Oct 12, 2005)

I am a deputy and have been on patrol on some very late nights working grave yards. I have stopped farmers checking water in the fields late at night and even people spot lighting hogs. It is part of our job also. We have had numerous barn burglaries in the area, and I am going to check out suspicious activity, it it is called in or not. I have caught people spot lighting and called the game warden to come take care of the matter. I have also caught people coming out of a ranch that I did not know with a doe that was not tagged and took their information. The Game Warden met them filing on them. If your not doing nothing wrong then you dont have nothing to worry about. You need to be glad someone is doing their job checking on your property, weather they are a game warden or not. It does not matter, who it is, if they have had problems in the area, they can check it out, especially if it is late at night. Complain about something that is worth complaining about.


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## RockinU (Aug 13, 2006)

I appreciate everything they do, and try hard to make their encounters with me as easy as possible. Calling before you spotlight was mentioned in another thread, which is a good way to start a good relationship with your locals. I learned that you also need to call when you are checking a pasture of first-calf heifers with a spotlight.


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## Hullahopper (May 24, 2004)

My buddy and I were checked last Saturday while goose hunting near Eagle Lake. Young warden (everyone's young to me these days LOL!) who is now working Justin's old area. Nice fellow. Your right Chuck, Justin would check us at least twice a season out there every year.



chuck leaman said:


> Alex, When Justin Hurst was alive and worked Wharton County you could count on seeing him often. I have yet to be checked out there this year. Im glad the new guy finaly made it over our way.


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## surfspeck (Jun 7, 2006)

I got checked down S of Tilden by Bubba from McMullen County last Saturday afternoon. He was pretty cool and we invited him inside for some coffee and I helped him cross reference the cooler log against tags.The previous group before us left some antlers and took the meat with them, leaving the tag with the antlers. Definately a screw up!! Whenever you seperate the meat from the head, the tag must stay with the meat along with proof of sex which can be a note signed by the landowner and a wildlife resource transfer document has to be filled out to stay with the head or antlers and just to make sure we alwyas make a copy of the resource transfer document, sign it and keep it with the meat along with the tag. The game warden spelled it out for us in detail and explained that by doing it in this manner, the procedure allows our paper hunting liscenes to be much smaller than the old long forms.


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## Sea Aggie (Jul 18, 2005)

My group was checked on Saturday out at Eagle Lake. We had 21 ducks / 1 snow goose for 5 hunters and all our birds were separated by hunter, guns plugged, etc. Very polite gentlemen and we enjoyed the conversation. They even offered some advice on a path out that was less muddy than the "straight back" route.


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## hooknbullet (Jun 19, 2004)

tiedown said:


> I am a deputy and have been on patrol on some very late nights working grave yards. I have stopped farmers checking water in the fields late at night and even people spot lighting hogs. It is part of our job also. We have had numerous barn burglaries in the area, and I am going to check out suspicious activity, it it is called in or not. I have caught people spot lighting and called the game warden to come take care of the matter. I have also caught people coming out of a ranch that I did not know with a doe that was not tagged and took their information. The Game Warden met them filing on them. If your not doing nothing wrong then you dont have nothing to worry about. You need to be glad someone is doing their job checking on your property, weather they are a game warden or not. It does not matter, who it is, if they have had problems in the area, they can check it out, especially if it is late at night. Complain about something that is worth complaining about.


Tiedown, I suppose I didn't explain myself clearly, so I'll do that now. I have the utmost respect for LEOs, and what they do every day.I grew up in an LE family & I personally made a career change from LE to stay married to my wife of now 20+ years. LEOs are human, & good judgement is not always in play. My dad is retired from Dallas PD, so believe me I know.
I didn't go into the details of my conversation with the deputy, but I can assure you that he handled this situation poorly. Yes, sure, he was doing his job, but good judgement & common sense are two of the most important tools in the LEO's arsenal & this guy showed very little of either.


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## Fecster (Sep 26, 2007)

Great story k-captain.


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