DNR Abuse Stories

For the record…I am not the same as the original poster of this topic. And yes, I am new. I found this forum while searching for others who have had a negative experience with LE.

I do not apologize for being new, not giving my real identity, or posting on “your” forum, or standing up for the constitution for that matter.

Yes, this is a “trolling” expedition. I am looking , like the original poster, for people with the same experience. If they do not frequent this board, so be it.

Some of you people were pretty quick to come out of the gate swinging, even before I had time to elaborate just ONE example!!! AND…………

Here in Wisconsin, there is a waiting list for getting into the “thankless job that nobody wants” (conservatio/forestry LE)

Hmmm…. let me think, nope all positive they are doing their job, I have spent allot of hours hunting and fishing, been stopped a few times, they have all been great people. i guess if you dont break the law you wont have an issue, but I suppose if you theoretically break the law and they ding you might have an issue like treehugger with them

I assume you got it all straightened out in court I can assure you nothing remotely close to that has happened to me, but if it did, I would have my day in court. If your looking for “stories” like that, I think you will be hard pressed to find any here…. but hey, you can sure try, thanks to the 1st amendment I am guessing most of the CO’s wouldn’t fall into the zealous category that the CO in your story does. I would think it would be handled on an individual basis, and wouldn’t be titled that the whole DNR does this.

big G

Hard to follow the rambling story, but you are upset because you got busted giving minors booze? Yes, that sounds like those Rangers are abusing their power…

Nothing but good experiences for me. I’ve only had problems with Sherrifs and even those were minor, i.e. on Lake Minnetonka where a cruiser can throw a 3 ft wake plowing through no wake zone and my 4″ wake from my bass boat is an issue.

I believe he said he was drinking with his kids, which would be legal, assuming its in WI. Then, he left and after he left the kids were busted for underage drinking because they were no longer in his care.

If true, I would be a little disturbed if someone was spying on me while I was camping … especially after seeing the things I do when I go camping

Again, your attempts to “clarify” the protections offered under the Fourth Amendment are unnecessary.

This followup post does bring things into focus for me and after reading it I’m far from interested in going one post further with this.

You supplied alcohol to minors (your sons – I have no issue with that so don’t assume I’m claiming high moral ground) and you left them unsupervised in a park and they got busted. And that bust was due, in your opinion, to an unlawful “sting. Got it. And you think the LE’s were out of bounds for arresting unsupervised minors who were drinking in a state park with no adult present. That sheds light. Thank you.

If you were gone as you said for an hour and a half visiting another camp, and those underage kids were drinking while you were gone, it is underage drinking, even if you were the one who legally bought the beer and shared it with them as a consenting parent. When you left them unattended, they were no longer under the control of you as a parent, and should not have been drinking. From what you explained, I fully understand why the LE officials acted as they did. Why would you leave underaged kids in the woods for an hour and a half, knowing that they had been, and might continue, to drink?

I’m sorry, but I can offer any of my understanding to your arguements.

I have always thanked a warden for doing his job and added that with out them we wouldn’t have what we have in WI. Only once did the warden fail to respond to the pat on the back. I teach Hunter Safety and tell the kids the same thing. During the hunting season these guys and gals have to approach maybe 10 armed people to do what they do. That alone gives me an excuse to look past a rude warden. In the field you must respect his authority and choose how you treat him as a person. If you get the two mixed you are going to come out on the loosing end. The wardens in WI. are resonsible for and are expected to enfore all of the laws in WI. if they observe them. Ask yourself how would you approach a armed group of people by yourself with only a holstered pistol knowing that they are about to give some citations or have to say “you are under arrest sir” and reach for the cuffs. You have to pick your battles and in the field is no place to start. I would suggest that you check the State Supreme Court findings on search and seizure involving the problem that you find unreasonable. You may find that it has been heard and is now settled law. The citing of the rules of search and seizure is not a blanket opinion to use be applied in every instance. Beyond probable cause there is extigent circumstances and other rules that apply which if properly applied and properly testified in a court on a motion to suppress your motion to supress will be denied. If your son was drinking beer in view of the officer and he confiscates the can of beer in is covered under the plain or open view doctrin. In most states all squads are equipped with video cameras to obtain a record of the arrest. You can’t fault the ranger from “hiding in the bushes” to gather evidence to prove his suspicions of underage drinking. His job is not a game to played by what you concider fair play.

gosh! here I thought this would turn into a story about the time kooty was held against his will and a perch was put somewhere,,, and he actually enjoyed it!

I am with the majority on this one. I think they deserved praise and they do not deserve to be looked down on.

I saw a CO on Monday walking through driving rain to check one angler sitting on a 25 acre lake in Eagan. What the icefisherman was doing setting out in that rain is beyond me.

I think we should have a positive thread about CO’s and I am sure it would go much farther than this one will ever go, unless someone keeps

here’s an idea, maybe follow the law while you are in “public ares”

I have nothing but positive contacts with all types of law enforcement personnel. Looks like Tree Hugger is one of todays, people that blame everyone else for them screwing up. Its not my fault, it is everyone elses. Go get a life, if you can.

Oops forgot spell check and sentence structure.

I always figured that the CO’s were on MY side, they were trying to protect the resource. The bad guys are the poachers and litter bugs and criminals, they’re the ones I don’t like.

I’ve never had a problem with the Warden.

Rootski
Fishing for 50 years now.

Am I missing something .? You give the okay for your kid to drink beer and he’s under age…He gets busted and its the DNR’s fault. I’m sure your area has classes on how to be a father. Giving them beer is YOUR fault not law enforcements…Geez dude…RR

On the water I’ve had nothing but great conversation with several CO’s. Heck, Chuck Horn even gave me a tip on a location that was holding some good fish one time.

In the woods, my late father did get fined years ago for something I believe there was some gray area and a ticket wasn’t necessary. While group hunting some public land he shot a buck. Nothing big. Nothing fancy. The deer rolled into one of those straight up and down Mississippi bluff ravines. Out of ear shot and getting late in the afternoon he retrieved the deer alone with rope. Before tagging the deer he tied the rope around the head/antlers and used a tree as a pulley to get the deer out of the ravine. – Key words there – BEFORE TAGGING. A warden was standing on the old logging road when he climbed out of the ravine after getting the deer out and wrote him before the last sweat bead from his forehead hit the ground. The deer had not been field dressed or anything. The violation was for transporting a deer before being properly tagged. A violation? Technically YES, but in my opinion this was really splitting hairs or reading between the lines on the wardens part. My father was legal in every other aspect. License holder, Orange on, etc….

HI, mine is somewhat simple, although odd, I thought. My brother-in-law and I stopped at lake Arbutus in Wisconsin one day on the way back from a weekend fishing at lake Namekagon. We pulled into Arbutus and started prepping the boat for launch when the dnr shows up. My boat was only a couple years old at the time and I try to keep up with the rules and such so I was certain there would not be an issue. There were 2 c.o.’s , one gets out and identifies himself and asks to go through my boat, ok. He walks around and comes to the fire extinguisher, pulls it out of the mount and shoots it off at my feet, hands it to me and tells me I need a new extinguisher!!!! Iam not sure what the hell to think now. Maybe they don’t want us fishing, maybe he is selling these at a ridiculous price, I was flabbergasted to say the least but I bit my tongue. I don’t even remember what I said to this but he told me to get one as soon as possible. I think that he did say something about it not having a gauge on it. I asked if that was required and he said “no”.

Nothing major but it was confusing to say the least.

Wonder if the original post has anything to do with the instructor that was discussed in the Wisconsin Outdoor News.

I’ll try to clear up the WI minor consumption issue. This was news to me but apparently, in WI, minors can consume alcohol in public provided they are in the care of a parent.

I got to witness this 1sthand while deer hunting this fall. Our hunting party and extended family went into town for pizza. The parents informed the bartender/manager that they intended to give beer to the two 16 year old girls in the family. The manager was fine with it, and the girls enjoyed a cold one .

It was foreign to me but apparently that’s the law in WI!!

Eric

I have had nothing but positive interactions with the CO’s be it Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota or Wisconsin. In my home territory I have the Local CO on speed dial. Thank God some one wants to do that job!!!

what a great thread!

I’ve been stopped by CO’s quite a few times on the Croix and have always welcomed them to my boat and have been very polite with them. I’m not doing anything wrong and they’re doing what they’re supposed to do! I received some of the best tips on a hot bite and had some of the best days fishing after I my rights were trampled upon…

That is true in Wisconsin, but the point is they have to be in the care of the parent. Where he screwed up was leaving the campsite and they where no longer in his care. Same as in a bar if the parent leaves the minors may no longer consume alcohol on the premises. Again lets blame others for your screw up.

Sorry if I disappoint you but I have nothing but good to say about any and all wardens I have come in contact with. The only violations we have had is unsigned stamps and the warden just had them sign them no tickets. I wish there was some way we could help them. I know one guy who taught his sons not to talk to the DNR, he always said for example what is the limit on turkeys? As many as you can shoot. What is the limit on turkeys if the DNR is around One! Yeah he was and is a loser. Kind of guy they need to catch.

i have had a couple bad run ins with CO’s, but who knows, maybe they were just having a bad day. but 99.9999% of wardens i have ever talked to have been great, and very respectful of me. especially my local wardens, i’ve got nothing good to say about them.

the only issue i’ve run into was some federal wardens in the dakotas, they got a little “out of hand” on some things, but i’m not going into that.

but you know what…i can be a prick sometimes too, it all depends on what day you catch me on.

I think it’s all there???

Well this one time at band camp……..

I still do not see the relevence between being accused of taking an extra goose and a body cavity search?

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Wonder if the original post has anything to do with the instructor that was discussed in the Wisconsin Outdoor News.

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I read that one and that guy has a problem. Maybe this guy is the one but if he isn’t they should get together and compare notes.

I did have one experience that could have gotten ugly however the C.O.’s were very understanding. It all happened when I was on pulled over on the river, after checking my license they politely asked if I was catching any fish, to which I answered no! They then asked if they could check my live wells to which I responded in the affirmative. After opening the live wells they counted 11 large walleyes. As they were getting ready to write the ticket and impound everything I own , I told the C.O.’s that I did not catch those fish and they were my pets which I brought with me so they could take a swim. I told them that when I whistled they would return to the boat and I would put them back in the live well for the trip home. Well, not surprisingly, they did not believe me, but I convinced them I could prove it if they would allow me. They agreed, so I took the fish from the live well one at a time and gently put them in the river, talking to the fish all the while. A few moments after they were all swimming in the river, one C.O. demanded that I whistle the fish back to the boat. To which I responded “What fish?”

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Well this one time at band camp……..

I still do not see the relevence between being accused of taking an extra goose and a body cavity search?

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