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What's Your Experiences with GWs?

BowhunterXC

BowhunterXC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
620
Location
N.W. Ohio
I've been hunting since I was 10 and now I'm 65. I've ran into 2 GWs (Game Wardens) that were decent human beings. The rest were arrogant, not entirely aware of all the laws and more interested in citations than personal welfare of the person or persons in the conversation. :rolleyes: I always start off the conversation with total respect, yes sir, no sir, until they become belligerent and disrespectful. :mad:
I've had countless encounters with Deputy Sheriffs and State Troopers and have nothing but good things to say about my dealings with those officers. :cool:
It would seem as the GWs are a different breed.

What has been your experiences with GWs?
 
Good and horrible

we had one that was recently promoted that was a nightmare. He would come out to your goose spread and start kicking decoys asking you to open your mouth because he thinks you’re hiding drugs, etc.. He had a bad reputation and is not missed

I’ve been checked multiple times by others who were very professional and I can respect that but that other guy I cannot respect someone who disrespects me right out of the gate for no reason
 
Mostly positive. I got to know the one in charge of my area, he's a good guy. I text him coordinates of masterbaiters and anything else overly sketchy I come across.

Where I grew up there was a deputy that was always out to get us. Total prick. Thought our camp was a bunch of outlaws, and really we are not at all. Would drop by unannounced all the time and would put on a real tough guy routine. Growing up with that douchecanoe kinda gave me a bad taste about LE in general for awhile, honestly.

Very rarely been checked otherwise. 25ish years of hunting, pretty much all on public land, I've been stopped and checked twice. Once when I was hauling a buck out at night, was supposed to have orange on, but it was dark so I had taken it off cause it was hot. Just got a warning for that. Got checked the first day of rifle this year too. Seen wardens many more times that just pass by with a wave.
 
I’ve had a few encounters with Alaska Fish and Game, most were good. I’ve found the fish police to be more aggressive and abrasive, the mountain men tend to be a bit more chillax.
Had a couple encounters with VA GIF, they were positive. To echo @BowhunterXC the state police encounters I’ve had were all positive and courteous in both states.
And like @elk yinzer I’ve built a relationship with the warden that covers my area. Someone is poaching deer and dumping them in the ditch next to a parcel I hunt. I’ve been working with him on that and he’s approached it level headed and methodically which I appreciate.
 
It's been 50/50 for me in Alabama. Ive had some really good experiences, but I have had 2-3 terrible ones as well. One of my bad ones was out of state in Missouri.
 
Only bad experience was in KY a bunch of years ago but I think that was mostly because the guy I was hunting with grew up there with the GW and apparently they didnt like each other pretty much from birth.
 
Good experiences in both WI and UP MI. Typically the wardens I see are out more noticeable on opening day of waterfowl, pheasant and deer hunting. My experience has been simply checking me at my vehicle to make sure I had the appropriate licenses and to see what/if any game was taken, etc.
 
Really good to somewhat frustrating.

One CEO in another zone in Alabama will at least occasionally volunteer his dog to help find deer. I've tracked with him. Cool dude. Let me use some state facilities once to clean a deer in exchange for "helping" him train the lady who runs Oak Mountain State Park hunts in how to age and score deer.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had a frustrating conversation with my local CEO about what constituted legal arms and ammo for hog hunts on the WMA I was on. He held his position despite me showing 2 emails from higher up the chain that contradicted him. A couple of years later it went around the local group that he was again enforcing his (wrong) view of the regs. A buddy (who also had this discussion with the CEO) and I wrote District Office and to my knowledge that resolved the issue.

In general everybody I've met has been pretty chill. The funnest the run into are the Sherriff and State Troopers. They have a boat and occasionally ride around checking boat registration and life jackets. I get the feeling they're generally tickled with the day's assignment and if you're not being blatantly retarded they're not looking to hassle you. They used to be really entertained with my little mud motor.
 
I'm lucky I guess, I have had nothing but positive experiences here I Maryland. Every time I have been approached by a GW here they have been respectful and courteous. I'm sure their are some bad ones out there but for now I haven't ran into one.
 
I've only ever had one bad experience in MD and that was over 20 yrs ago. The game warden had a bad reputation that he lived up to in the encounter. I heard that an older retiring GW had a long talk with him shortly after that about it not being intelligent to create enemies of people with guns in remote places were accidents can happen. Haven't had any encounters that GW since but, I heard he's become more respectful over the years.

All other encounters, which have only been a handful have been great. @Bigterp and I were stopped and checked this fall by a young GW and it was a pleasant experience that ended with her shooting my recurve.
 
GCTerpfan said:
I've only ever had one bad experience in MD and that was over 20 yrs ago. The game warden had a bad reputation that he lived up to in the encounter. I heard that an older retiring GW had a long talk with him shortly after that about it not being intelligent to create enemies of people with guns in remote places were accidents can happen. Haven't had any encounters that GW since but, I heard he's become more respectful over the years.

All other encounters, which have only been a handful have been great. @Bigterp and I were stopped and checked this fall by a young GW and it was a pleasant experience that ended with her shooting my recurve.
Click to expand...
She was pleasant alright!
 
I'm from PA and had one bad experience with one GW. He was with a Fish Commission warden who was very nice and calmed the GW down and told me on the side that the GW was having a bad day and I didn't do anything wrong.
 
Most good for my own experiences.

One of the new wardens in my county I don't much care for. Watched him near harass a guy on opening day of dove on a public field. Jammed his plug checker so hard the plug in the guy's gun snapped. Guy was with his two young boys (they weren't hunting) and the warden was giving him a good talk about his plug. :rolleyes:

Only bad LEO experience I really ever had was in Liebenthal, Kansas. Dad and I went up for the kansas youth pheasant weekend. Had just got back to the truck (hunting Walk in public) when the officer pulled up and gave us the 20 questions treatment. Claimed we were hunting out of season, asked if we had permission on the property (I promptly pointed to the kansas WIHA sign). A real tool. I called the local GW where he came out and basically told the LEO to screw off and apologized to us for the inconvenience. Out of 5 states I've hunted that's the only bad experience I've had.
 
I’ve been checked many times in Missouri! Which happens with hunting public land!
Most experiences were good and had no problems. This past season the one game warden even helped me load the deer into my truck since I was by myself. But last season, while Turkey hunting, I ran into the biggest SOB! He was a Lieutenant ready to retire and in charge of the entire area! Let’s just say he was the rudiest, most arrogant person I have met in the field.
 
I’d say mostly good with 2 exceptions… those two encounters were with two different individuals. They just seemed like pricks and I can only assume they hated their lives… or someone shat in their cheerios that morning!
 
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