normal situation with enforcement -- they think they are the big dogs--

In response to your comment, I was an Agent for approx. 10 years. I am not any more due to the reasons you speak of, & others. There is a Civil Service attorney reinbursement cap of 1500 dollars even if you win. Let me say that Jim Letten in the Eastern District of Louisiana is doing a great, fantastic job. Man I wish I could turn the clock back.

If LA Sportsman online pulls such reports , they only contribute to the problem.

As with most everything, its a lot of political bull. Just like in every agency, you have some good and some bad. I am a law abiding citizen, but I'm not a fan of law enforcement. I just hold myself to a high moral standard and as long as they leave me alone, I'll leave them alone. But a couple summers ago, I got messed with pretty good that messed up one of my fishing trips. I did fight it and brought it up to higher officials in the Evangeline Parish area and I did not have to pay any fines. And no, I'm not tied in politically to anyone, I just believe in standing up for what I feel is right.

The poster may have decided to pull the post himself. As I recall, another poster suggested he pull it b/c he may have unintentionally implicated himself in the violation. Second, we have a system in place and need to let it work.

I'm sure I'll be berated for my post, but let's calm down and see how it shakes out. There are three sides to every story.

I've been checked numerous times and always have been treated professionally and fairly. There are bad apples in every bunch. Thankfully I haven't come across them in WL&F. The agents I know are hard working, upstanding people who do their job professionally. There are enough people out screwing up that they don't need to be setting up real sportsman. When they stop you, they are merely doing their job and not trying to ruin your outing. Their agency is fully funded through license sales, so it's in their best interest be professional and encourage outdoor sports. The local courts suck up the majority of revenue received from a conviction. Check it out for yourself.

It's a nice thought chocolate. However, you could never see the inside unless you join for 10 years. Anyway, on a different subject, keep abreast of the news regarding Jim Letten's cases he is making in the Eastern District. Do a search of the Metropolitan Crime Commission website. They have interesting news on there. Did you hear Jendal's victory speech election night ? Boy would that be great if he does follow through on his thoughts.

The only beef I have is when reporting a violation, they want to have a pinpointed location. I reported a fellow that bragged about having corn in his ponds in the marsh. I called Operation Game Thief and was told that the area I gave them was to broad and needed GPS coordinates to have the agents even check the area.


Warren

i have some friends that had a lease about 3years ago and put a bunch of money in it,they had a gate one way in one out.they all waited for opening day.8am opening morning first friend had 2 men walk down food plot with no hunter organge.they were game wardens.checked licence and procedded to walk lanes to 3 more of the 5 members.my questions is this right,when they reported wardens to state they investigated and said they were justified,my thought is it was opening day,doe day only violation could be no licence,what yall think

I was checked several years ago while bowhunting in Alabama.

I was on my stand when two agents walked up. They did a thorough job of checking my license, one walked around the area apparently checking for illegal feed (of course none to be found) and they even checked all of my arrows for poison.

They apologized and wished me a good hunt and off they went.
Of course I lost all confidence in that spot having had it just disturbed by a 15-20 minute "chat" with the wardens.
However, not more than 15 minutes after they left, I drilled a spike that stood in their foot prints. You just never know.

I had mixed feelings about the check, but how else are they going to catch the bad guys if they don't check? My opinion is that these little inconveniences are the price we pay to have order and a much better chance that all are playing by the rules.

If no one was ever checked during a hunt, a lot of the deterrent effect would be lost.

P.S. These agents were courteous and professional and so have all the ones I have encountered in Louisiana too.

I have only been checked by wardens a couple of times, and they were courteous. They apologized for the inconvenience and went on their way.. I dont have a problem with being checked, but i recently heard a story that ticked me off.. I was sitting in a hunters education class with my girlfriend back in august.. and there was a special guest nazi game warden that came to answer any questions.. long story short he told us that, if we were walking out of the woods with something as small as a mini mag flashlight after dark, he would cite that individual for either harassing wildlife after dark/ or hunting at night.. my jaw hit the ground.. is it just me or is this guy doing an injustice? i guess he expects hunters to walk out 15 minutes before dark so we dont have to use a flashlight?? what a jerk!!!

Hey Chris I too have been checked several times. I'm totally cool with that! But to keep a few guys tied up for over an HOUR the opening day of muzzleloader season and not even find a minor violation!!!! That is wrong no matter how you slice it. It was apparent to me and them that they were not welcome in NE La by those Wardens.

I didn't see the original post and have no idea who/why it was removed. Therefore, I can't comment about it.

Like someone said below, there are three sides to every story. If the agents did something wrong, they should be reported. However, not finding a violation is a good thing in my book. That means the hunters were doing what they were supposed to.

I have never been checked by a Game Warden, but wouldn't have a problem with it, as long as they are respectful, which most of them are. It's just the select few, that give all of them a bad name for doing the job they are hired to do. It's sad, but in order for all of us to be able to hunt and enjoy it, checks will always be necessary and even more so when the new tagging system is implemented. Just something we have to accept, if we want the deer hunting in Louisiana to prosper and be around for all of us to enjoy for years to come. My Opinion......

I don't disagree with them checking that is their job but the check should be short and sweet. Check list #1 Liscense #2 check your weapon to make sure you are abidding by the current season #3 If you are in a WMA a tag allowing you to be there. That is it. Only if they have probable cause should they be able to track up and down your area looking for bait. Even then it should take no longer than 5 minutes.

I am curious though about them not wearing hunters orange. Who is responsible for them if they get hurt b/c they are not wearing it? If when they are walking in the woods the jump a deer and the deer runs and stops looking back to see what it was that jumped them and a hunter in a nearby stand sees the deer and fires of a round with a high power rifle in there direction b/c he cant seem them (No Orange) who is responsible if they get hurt. I hate to even say that but sounds extremely dangerous to me.

i have been checked many times by game wardens.75% of those times i found the wardens to be total and complete a holes and i have witnesses and several stories to go along with my encounters. my ears are turning red just thinking about it.

why are so many wardens such power tripping pricks all the time? it kills me. at least give me a chance to be a smart ass before you start treating me like dirt.

for all you guys that have only nice things to say about wardens, go spend a lot of time hunting and fishing in evangline and concordia parish. you will get you first berating by a friendly conservation officer.

I'VE EXPERIENCED BOTH, BEING CHECKED WHILE HUNTING AND AFTER. IN MY OPINION UNLESS THEY SUSPECT SOMEONE IN THE PROCESS OF A VIOLATION THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM NOT TO WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR HUNT OR RETURNED TO YOUR VEHICLE TO THOROUGHLY CHECK YOU. AS DO MOST OF YOU I PUT A LOT OF PRESEASON SCOUTING AND PREPARATION AND DO WOULD NOT APPRECIATE BEING CHECKED ON MY STAND. I WILL NOT BE LEAVING THE WOODS WITHOUT MY TRUCK.

i don't know how many of you hunt tensas, but the feds are famous for walking through the woods on gun days and checking hunters on stand. they don't wear orange while they do it either. i have had one hang out around my stand for 2 hours before walking on. he never saw me, but i saw him. he was wearing a green jacket with a brown fuzzy collar. enough to get shot by a brown is downer.

Why don't they send the Wardens thru the same school / training that the State Troopers go thru? I have yet to be pulled over by a Trooper that made me feel like I was breaking the law even though I was speeding / breaking the Law

Fedup, I am sure the wardens go through training, to what level I don't know. We have to deal many type personalities and charactors in this job, some more suited for the job than others like in any job. Not making excuses for them because I have my own stories. They have to deal many regulations, codes and laws that are left to their own interpretation at that moment in time. I can assure you that the reg's, codes and laws are not interpreted to same by any one game warden. Some are just smarter than others. Then the power trip comes into effect coupled with mis-interpretation of the laws, thats a bad combo for any sportsman. Good luck

I can't comment on hunting public land but I have had some issues when hunting private land. Both times by the time the warden (same one) was finished with me I felt like I had broken the law.

The first time was when I was about 20. I was duck hunting and then went to check my food plots/feeders etc. before I headed out. On my way out I paddled through a slough. It began to rain and I was wearing a hydrofleece jump suit. I backed my pirogue into the button woods to wait see if the rain would let up. As I was waiting, the ducks apparently decided they wanted in that slough so I proceeded to let them have it as they came in. Keep in mind that this was the middle of the day so I understand that a warden hearing a bunch of shooting during the day might get interested in the commotion. I finally paddled out soaking wet and freezing. My cousin had already left with the 4wheeler b/c of the rain so I didn't blame them but since I had to walk out I left my gun, and my #50 jump suit. Upon exiting, the warden was at the fence. Now I know it looks suspicious hearing the shooting during mid day and me without any camo or a gun. He proceeded to check my license and the shells I had in my shirt pocket. I explained and showed him the 4-wheeler etc. He did not offer to let me sit in the truck but kindly allowed me to stand in the rain for over 15 minutes as he called in my information etc. I guess he figured that I was already wet so what was a little more rain wasn't going to hurt. I know he saw me shaking as it was probably 40 degrees out.

The second time was during muzzleloader season. The water was high so I decided to walk in. On my way in, I saw a group of does and got a shot at one. I checked the area and was satisfied that I had missed. After finally getting to my stand I had another doe come out and I took her. Since it was early I decided to head out and get my 4-wheeler that was in the back of my truck so that I could get the deer out. At the gate was a game warden. He said he heard both shots and asked me what I was shooting at? I told him the first shot I missed and that I had shot a doe. He checked my license and asked me where the doe was and I told him that she was all the way in the back of the property and that I had come out to get my 4-wheeler to pick her up. He acted like this was something out of the ordinary. My truck and 4-wheeler were right next to us. Like I was going to drag the deer 1000 yards through the woods. Sorry, that I choose to keep the traffic to a minimum when I can.

Although I admit that both situations may have given rise to some suspicion and investigation by the officer; however, I also feel that he could have been more courteous in both situations.

I have never been checked while hunting. But I have been checked while fishing and have never had a problem on the water. I do also believe however for whatever reason there are double standards. I think agents look for more when you are hunting than they do when yopu are fishing. I have always heard these types of stories ever since I was a child. I think we as sportsmen need to get to the bottom of this, but we are going to need help. They will just blow us off if we try and report someone for "Doing Thier Job". So I turn to La. Sportsman and say hey why dont yall help us out and try to do a little digging around and talking and asking questions as to why you have all these reports in your mag., or mess. board? Just a thought. Thanks!

This is a story I overheard at the hunting camp two or three years ago. A friend of one of the guys in our club was joyriding down the river to the lake. A game warden who had a dislike for this guy stopped him and began checking him out. Let me make it a point to say it was this guy, his wife, and his two young kids. After going through the complete full check, which I've personally never had done to me, the game warden could not find anything wrong. The game warden then asked the guy permission to board his vessel. Once the game warden was in the boat, he asked the guy if he had a lifejacket for him. The guy said no, being he only had four life jackets in the boat. The game warden wrote the guy a ticket for not having enough life jackets. This story never made sense to me, because I've never seen a game warden in a boat without a life jacket. But if this is true, it's just plain wrong and I would have fought it.

...I looked like a Bozo...I talked like a Bozo...walked like a Bozo...acted like a Bozo...smelled like a Bozo...and was smart as a Bozo ???...that's how I got my first and only "Pearl River Diploma Ticket" at 18 ???...Ugh ???

I have a question about state land. I have just moved my floating camp down the bayou in Morgan City on some state land. There is some good deer hunting there. I have heard guys talking about baiting it. After reading some of the post, i'm under the impression that you cannot bait on state land or is it just WMA.

Pearl River Diploma Ticket???

I am keeping abreast of this thread, and so many of you are very accurate in your interpretations, but your scale is too low. Civil law, and resources to defend oneself prevent yall from ever knowing , and from reading many of yall's posts here, I see many good, well meaning folks. That is what is so sad about all of this. The pattern goes on. There is no end to it. The doer of good deeds in this field cannot ever open the can of worms, because he is alone in his endeavor. I remember back around 97, a group tried to infiltrate and unionize the agents. Boy did the fear hammer fall on that.

Wildlife agents
I think there are both good agents and bad agents. I have experienced both of them. There are some that are very nice, don't keep you long, and then get on their way after they quickly check you. Then there are some bad ones. I have a few experiences with some bad ones.

I had one try to write me up for having too many pintails when it was a female gray duck. He thought it was a female pintail and I had to argue with him until he finally gave in. Luckily I had a few examples in our two day limit that we are allowed to keep. It seems like an agent should know the difference.

I also had an agent that tried to seperate me and my friend back at the boat launch after I had killed an 8 point. He was trying to interrogate us and try to get us to tell 2 different stories or something. He kept us for like 30 minutes just trying to get us for something when I shot legally.

I had another pat me down looking for buckshot after I shot a deer. I had shot the doe around 8:30 that morning and had got off my stand to let the deer lay up. I got out and paddled down another canal with my shotgun to see if I could kill some ducks while waiting on the deer to die. When I was coming out they checked me, didn't believe me and then proceeded to pat me down. They then followed me to my spot and I showed them that I did shoot the deer. After that they just let me alone.

The ones that really aggrivate me are the ones that check your game, license, guns, etc. and then still have to check your registrations, life jackets, fire extinguisher, etc. They search every dry storage or compartment in your boat for something to get you on. To me that's just going a little too far. I acutally had a cousin that was completely legal with everything that got searched like I explained in the paragraph and the wardern found an unopened box of lead rabbit shot hidden way in his radio box. He was on an refuge so the warden wrote him up for shooting with lead even though the box was unopened.

Another instance we were heading down the mississippi river in my flatboat when we were crossing to south pass at the head of the passes. I saw a boat coming from pass a loutre which was about a 10 o'clock angle to me, well the boat started heading straight for me. I turned a little thinking the boat would see me and the boat kept heading for me and was starting to get close. I finally did a 90 degree turn just to let this dummy pass and next thing you know, the agent turned on his lights and pulled me over. He then proceeded to tell me that my lights were illegal and that if I didn't get them fixed that he would write me up and told me that I was lucky he didn't write me up already. I checked the regulations and my lights were totally legal. So this agent was going to write me up just because he doesn't know how to drive a boat at night in the river. I don't know how you can't see a green light heading your way at night when it is calm.

And like I stated on the deleted post, my grandfather was a retired agent and I totally respect what they do. I just think they can be a little more courteous at times. A lot of them seem to be on power trips to me.

Most law dogs are on a Power Trip!!

A few years ago in 2000, bunch of friends of mine used to hunt a certain WMA. When we were younger, back in 95-96 one of my friends got in trouble and arrested for a bad violation. Since the game wardens knew us all and what kind of boats we had, they associated all of us with him. Well they would always check us while in the field hunting looking for violations (no issues). Well one time of the times we went down there I filled out my permission to camp with about 7 other guys at the camp site. I left home before some of them. I get a call from my dad several days later that a game warden first name Todd (Got my phone number from my hunting license # I left on sign in sheet) saying he'd like to talk to me, so I called him a couple of days later and agreed to meet him at Burger King in town. Well I get there and he and his buddy start accusing me of leaving trash at the camp site, shooting at night, among other things. I told him that I left early, as I had already been back a week and I had proof that I was not there when the violations occured (drove to Fort Benning and back home). He told me that I was responsible for everything my friends who did not fill out their permits. I did not deny anything he said happened but told him my story. He wrote me tickets for 4 different violations, while his buddy laughed and said that we finally got you boys, and there was nothing I could do about it (The buddy was from LSU and recognized me from there and started asking alot questions who I knew, I looked familiar, what unit I was in etc.) I refused to sign the tickets then the buddy threatened to arrest me on the spot and take me to jail. I told them I was not going to sign the ticket and to do what he had to do. Well I eventually left with the ticket (not signed). Couple of days later, I visited the Asst DA in St Bernard, explained my position, showed him my DA 31 pass form, that I was in the military and where I was when the allegations happened, I told him the honest truth, did not deny anything, and did not sugar coat anything. I gave him a copy of the tickets, my proof that I was not there when the violations occured and he dropped all charges. Well three weeks later, I am on PCS leave and we are hunting AGAIN down there and Todd shows up at the camp site, recognized me and my boat right off the bat, asks for all of my stuff for the boat. Well he checks me for a signaling device and flare kit(none), throw cushion (none), and my boat registration expired in November, (December timeframe). I got three tickets that day. Game warden had a big smile on his face that day. He told me that I might have gotten out of the other tickets but you ain't getting out of these. I ended up paying $153 dollars for those tickets. I have been checked numerous times 21 years hunting and this is the only bad experience I've had. All other have been positive and professional. Few bad apples are everywhere but overall I think they do a great job, considering. My 2 cents

First, I am not a gamewarden (GWarden); however, I have worked alongside several. Second, think about this, where are you most of the time when the Gwarden checks you? During hunting season, in your blind or stand with a loaded gun! So maybe the Gwarden is in a heightened state of awareness when they check you. Could you understand why? Think about how many GWardens there are patrolling the waterways and roads of LA, not nearly as many GWardens as there are Police Officers. They have a large areas to cover and a small force! It was mentioned that someone called operation Game Thief one time and they wanted and exact location. Louisiana has a lot of woods and waterways, why not narrow it down so that they're not spending there day searching for one baited pond, when there is twelve more out there to find, or even worse Meth Labs? That's right, meth labs! It's just like what was said, we pay there salary. Do you want them to spend all day searching a general area for something, or go right to it and catch the perpetrator? Put yourself in their shoes next time your stopped, be courteous! You can always catch that buck or duck another day! Everybody has a job to do, and their's is to make sure our resources are not exploited. So next time your checked, thank them for the job they do, cause if they weren't around would there be any fish to catch or animals to hunt? Rant over! Thanks!

How many of you ever got a fine for not having a Life jacket in a Pirogue? I did in the Lafitte area.

I had a run in with some a young warden on a wma a few years back.

My father and I were together and we were in the process of loading the 4 wheeler and our gear into the truck after the hunt...as we are doing so, we hear some foot steps coming up from behind us along with some very heavy breathing. Well, I turn around and there was a warden standing behind me with a beat red face and breathing heavily...I am talking invading my space behind me, like 6 inches...

"GUNS AND LISCENCE!" he commands. (That is all he said in greeting us.)

Startled, my dad and I try to exchange pleasantries with him as we can see his is not in a good mood.

"hey, how is it goin?" we say to him.

"GUNS AND LISCENCE!" again

"ok...ok" as we both try to figure out what pocket our licenses are in.

"GUNS AND LISCENCE! GUNS AND LISCENCE!" he repeats, as his face became even redder.

I am now getting aggravated with this s.o.b. this guy was maybe 22 years old and I was 24 at the time. He was obviously fresh in the game of being a game warden. He was fat and kind of pale. Even a little tall you could say. His demeanor showed that he lacked social skills. It was obvious that he the kind of guy that had been picked on in school. He was shaking and obviously nervous maybe even scared. His palms must have been sweaty because he kept making fists and rubbing his fingers across his palms as he did so. He was in a state of being completely incapable of speaking in a calm tone.

I was getting nervous at this point and started thinking to myself that this guy is going to lose it on us at any moment.

We hadn't done anything except tell him hi. We were trying to comply. He saw that we didn't even kill anything. We gave him absolutely no reason to be hostile towards us.

Well, 25 seconds go buy as we try to get our licenses out. He grows so impatient with us and says

" PERMIT!"

"permit?" I say to him as I am kind of thrown off guard.

"PERMIT! PERMIT! YOU KNOW WHAT A PERMIT IS!? YOU GOT YOUR PERMIT!"

Well, this was the first year I believe when they started the check in cards on the wma's. So it took a second for "PERMIT!" to register in my brain.

“Yeah, I got my permit” I say back in an aggravated tone. I had it handy so I gave it to him. I mean, this guy still hasn’t put together more than 2 complete sentences so far.
He then begins to read my permit. I see his face change with frustration and he lets out a deep breath. He looks me dead in the eyes and sees that I am pissed now.

“TODAY’S PERMIT. YOU DON’T HAVE TODAY’S PERMIT!?” He yells in his loudest voice yet.

“YEAH, IT’S IN YOUR HAND! I JUST GAVE IT TO YOU!” I yell back.

“NO! TODAY! TODAY! YOU NEED ONE FOR TODAY!” he barks

“NO I DON’T!”, “WE ARE CAMPING. IT IS GOOD FOR 3 DAYS!” I come back at the top of my lungs now.

“IN CAMP! IN CAMP! IT IS GOOD IN CAMP FOR 3 DAYS!” He spouts as his spit flies in my face.

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU DON’T KNOW THE LAW!? IT IS PRINTED ON THE CARD IN FRONT OF YOU!” I yell.

“NO! NO! THE CAMP! THE CAMP!” he raves

As he is saying this I see him stare over my right shoulder. He then shuts up in mid sentence and takes off running!

“What the hell?” I say. I turn around to see some people coming up to the parking lot with a deer on their bike. My dad and I watch as this freaking mad man game warden is literally running across the parking lot waving his arms and screaming “PULL OVER! PULL OVER!”

He totally forgot about us. My dad was in shock the whole time. He never said a word. My dad is the type that gets real nervous and feels guilty when he is around any kind of cop even though he is completely innocent. He wanted to stay because he thought we were supposed to get tickets. “What the hell are you talking about” I said to him. I then had to explain that I was right and we needed to get the hell out of there before that crazy person with a badge came back. It didn’t take long and we were hauling butt out of there. I felt sorry for the guys with the deer. As I looked into the side view mirror I could see him waving his arms in the air as those poor guys sat on their 4 wheeler. I could only imagine what wacko wardern was telling them, and I doubt he was using complete sentences.

Ya know,I am well aware that these guys have a tough job but they chose thier profession,that doesn't give them a right to walk around with the attitude that they have.Me and a buddy of mine saw one the other day talking to a sheriffs officer and we needed to ask him some questions about where we were hunting.We pulled over and tried to talk to him as we were leaving the management area and asked him a few questions,he looked @ us like we were stupid the whole time and never really answered any questions.His only answer for anything was "its in the book,read it".I was under the impression that other than enforcing the law that they were here to help.Guess I was wrong.

I have been stopped a few times, once while shrimpping, both agents were very nice and polite, got stopped on a WMA in my boat, got a ticket for a loaded fire arm, the agents were both nice and polite. Got checked leaving the boat launch and the agent was a total azzhole, I had been at the camp all week, made the evening hunt, packed up cleaned up the camp so by the time I picked up the boat it was around 10pm when he comes over the levee. Asked for the usual stuff and got pissed because I had it all. He checked every thing he could, then accused me of shining the one deer I did have. The head was stinking and the meat in the ice chest had changed colors, so any one could tell the deer had been in ice for a couple of days. The only reason he left me was he heard a shot so he went to look for them. The next trip to the camp I was telling another guy about him and he said he knows him and he thinks he is super cop. My friend told me that he took 4 deer from another camp that was close to ours the weekend before, because no one was at the camp with the deer. The reason there was no one at the camp was they were helping another hunter look for a deer he shot. When they got back he had all 4 deer in his truck and wanted to give all of them tickets for wanton waste.
I sent a letter to B.R. about him, don't know if it did any good, but when we encounter these jerks get their names and send a letter to their boss, enefouhg complaints and they will be corrected.

We were checked in our duck blind last week. The agent was very rude and point blank told us to shut up he was tired of excuses. He checked all 7 of us and when he checked our guns he ejected the shells in the mud out of all 7 guns. We had to empty all our bags and pockets. We were 100% legal. We were treated like criminals and all this takes place at 7:30 in the morning. I know they do deal with a lot of people that do break the law but we very very cordial and nice and it would have been nice to be treated back that way

Don't make excuses. Remember I spent 10 years with them. I know what goes on . 97% of the complaints lodged here on this thread are very characteristic of the way things were when I jumped ship. Pathetic, and you will never do any thing about it, because the fox is in charge of the hen house.

It all starts at the top. If your leader's morals have been questioned his whole career, what should you expect from those who follow him. I know for a fact of some great wardens but I also know for a fact about the Baton Rouge gang. Just get yourself a copy of Game Wars and read about his antics several years back. This is his own people telling off on him.

Oh, and if yall pay to get that association decal and front bumper license plate thinking it "will help" or thinking it will maybe change a ticket into a warning, man, I would recommend yall use the money for something else.

MR. COON !!!I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE THATS FUNNY THAR!!!! We probably all have been stopped one time or another and maybe by some NICE and some with ATTITUDE. But the ATTITUDES seem to stick out in our minds more that the others...I do want to take a moment to THANK the WARDENS that do their job Professionaly and Courtiously. Whether we have broken the law or not, The ticket, if issued will do its JOB. The rudeness or Tough guy attitude will not make it more or less costly to the Violator!!!!!!

You said: "Fine for no Life jacket in a Pirogue
How many of you ever got a fine for not having a Life jacket in a Pirogue? I did in the Lafitte area."

A friend of mine got a life jacket ticket while crawfishing in West Feliciana with his 8 year old son. His son was sitting in the bateau while dad pulled it through 10 inch deep water while checking traps.

Personally I've only been checked a couple times. A license check while fishing and a couple times while hunting. No problems with the agents.

The agency has has gone downhill in the last couple of years. Instead of hiring people who might know what is going on in the real world, they hire robots. The stories I've heard from training camp will make you shake your head.
I was a man that would help police the woods and waters. Now I just keep to myself and let the robots do their "job".
The Feds aren't any better, probably worse. I hope that Agent Boudreaux spends a lot of cold wet nights in the swamp for naught. He's a p*ick. Hey Boudreaux, what's that brown stuff on your lip?
I'm sure soemone drom LDWF is reading this. Good. It's time for a self check.

I had an uncle that hit a deer on his way home from work one night and someone called the cops and they called the game wardens. When I drove up they hurried up and threw it in thier truck and left spinning out. My uncles car was destroyed. Before they left my uncle had asked them if he gets the deer they said no this is our deer. My uncle said if ts your deer then its your damage and you are responsible. They proceeded to ask him if he was drunk. After he got home I called to talk to the higher up for that areas game wardens. I asked him what happens to the deer. He told me that it was none of my business. I said yes it is because a car is totalled and wanted to know what was going to happen. he said don't worry thats our deer. I proceeded to tell him in that case then you are responsible for damages that your deer caused just like a dog's owner is responsible if a car hits it and id damaged. He then asked me if i was drunk. i told him no I wasn't and he hung up on me.

Well guy's my best freind is a wild life agent. He has consistantly had the highest conviction rate in the state for several years. He is one of the nicest guy's you will ever meet. Unless made to treat people bad he would never do it., and i would be willing to bet they are both laughing and joking before it is all over. It is his job, and thats all. As for the a holes i know of several of them. I have been checked by some that were nice as could be, and the other you are an outlaw and they will prove it to you. The problem is all the newer agents are from a newer generation. When were kids we lived in the woods. You woke up on Saturday morning, ate a bowl of cereal while watching your favorite cartoon, and hit the woods are bayou till just before dark. Now days they wake up eat cereal and play game boys all day. They have no idea what it's about out there. This is not just my assumtion. this is first hand, most go into the academy having never really operated a boat. I have taken some offshore fishing in my boat, and very few can identify the fish. i had one tell me if he doesn't know what they are he calls them trigger fish.
I have all the respect in the world for all our law inforcement agents. Those guy's put up with a lot of S**t. The majority of them that are good at there job will be polite, and easy to communicate with. The a holes are trying to make a name the easy way, and don't really know what they are doing. I have actually had one ask me how to get back to the landing. He was transplanted to south division for north La. When i asked my freind about him, he said he wouldn't be here long. They only assigned him a flat boat so he couldn't get into to much trouble. He had to be pulled out of shallow dead end bayous several times.
I say make sure you check every possible thing, be leagal, and then you can only have a good experience with the good agents, and piss off the bad ones.

I have hunted Pearl River and the warden we crossed paths with on the way in was very professional and courtious to us. He even gave us tips on where to look for wood ducks, deer, squirrels etc. Come to think about it, he didn't even check our lisences. LOL. I have been checked by game wardens while fishing and never had a problem, but I have been told that there is one in our area that has been nicknamed "Knucklehead" (and thats all I'm going to say about him). LOL.

It's just like they say, if you have a bad experience your gunna tell 5 more people than if you had a good experience. I've had them both.

Bad: Some young gwarden tried to right me a ticket in thistlewaite for duck hunting out of season. IT WAS DUCK SEASON. he thought you couldn't duck hunt in modern rifle season (not either sex, just plain ole rifle season). There was an older game warden there and while the younger one was at another car checking them, the older gwarden was talking to me asking me how i did.

Good: I was in chicot bass fishing, i pull in after dark and put my boat on the trailer. an older game warden (who i noticed was having a polite conversation with everyone in the parking lot). politely asks for my license and stuff. I didnt have my numbers on becuase it was a new boat. He offered me to check my boat(being it was new) to "make sure it was in full regulation" I said sure (kind of nervous at this point). he goes through it and said i needed a fire ext. becuase i had a sub floor and the fumes could get trapped. (I looked the rule up before and i understood it to be a permenant gas tank or an inclosed gas tank). But then he said everything else ok. Told him thank you very much and went our seperate ways. Wish i would of caught his name though.

...I'am gonn'a side w/70 % of the agents...the other 30% of "Sensitivity Course" failures can kiss the back of my computer ???...they know who they are...but put yourself in their shoes...you confronting a greedy SOB in the woods...w/ a King Kong attitude...he already has a gun in his hands...some have a pint in the back pocket...and failed crayons twice in school...mix it all together and you would be a little "jumpy" too ???...Ugh !

I have had good expierience and bad with them, my view is just that they had TOO MUCH POWER, they do not need reason to search and harrass you, the LDWF has more power than even state troopers do. The one crooked one I know is an Indian game warden that works the vernon parish area, he robbed me of my rifle, icechest, and 565 dollars for an illegal deer incident, it was the most crooked thing i've ever seen! i think his name was mark

there is Scott Fontenot and Bald Headed Douche-bag that mainly watch the park. you probably ran into Scott. most of the time he doesn't check anything unless you tell him that you kept some fish.

if Bald Head Douche-bag is watching the launch you better be at a dead calm idle 100yds before the no wake buoys or you will get a ticket.(my cousin in a 12' jon boat with a 6hp that is so junky it has a plastic prop and can't even plane the boat off slowed down 10yds before the buoys and Baldy gave him a ticket. i know several other guys that he has done the same thing to) also, he doesn't let you stand up and walk to the front of the boat while you are trying to dock. you have to sit in your bench seat, not even the deck seat, until the boat stops against the dock. if he sees you standing up on the deck he will scream and lecture you and threaten to give you a ticket you unless you "SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!" as he kindly put it to a local guy that fishes a professional trail. now, we all do that, but Bald Headed Douche-bag won't have that on his lake.

now, they have a mobile DWI trailer that they haul to the park. what they do is drive around the lake and check everybody they can. if they think you have been drinking, and see you are so much as operating your trolling motor, they take you out of your boat, bring you to the dock, and test you for alcohol. if you fail, they arrest you. then lock you up in the cell inside the mobile DWI unit, call the sheriff's dept, and take you to the parish jail.
it gets better. they want a bigger Mobile DWI Unit! they said the one they got ain't big enough!

this kind of stuff is starting to scare me.

Most of the game wardens I run across are pretty nice people. I've had encounters with a few Billy Badass wardens, but I find these days they are the minority.

I encountered two game wardens in New Mexico on a recent pronghorn hunt out in the middle of a 64,000 acre cattle ranch. Every game warden should be molded from these guys. They drive up in a F-350 4x4 diesel that was spotless. They were dressed in uniforms that make our state troopers look like slobs. I'm talking starched and pressed clothes, super shiny boots and also wore ties. Very professional and curteous. They check your license, your kill and basically make sure you understand and are following the law. They gave us their cell phone numbers in case we had a question or problem.

GUTPILE.... Thats what I'm talking about! Nearly every other states DNR personel are like you stated about New Mexicos. Whats wrong with OUR BILLY BADASSES!

I work evenings and on my way home last night at 11 p.m. a game warden passed me up, I was going 60 mph just to give you an idea how fast he was going with no lights on. This was in the Ville Platte area.

Enough is enough. I just like everyone have been checked by agents and it is normally a quick and professional experience. All I’m hearing from yall is crying about either getting checked or because you are someone you know got a ticket. Fedupwithit I’m fed up with you. As always it’s somebody speaking about something that happened to someone else with only one version of another person’s story. I have gotten checked side by side with friends and to listen to them tell the story later it is amazing how much the story changes. It goes from thank you and appreciate you with me to who does he think he is checking me around those not there. About staying nice and clean do you think we have more mud here for agents to deal with or in New Mexico. Going back to previous post, listen knuckleheads do you think violations occur in your duck blinds or at your stand or AT your TRUCK. They occur in the woods and a blind that is why agents approach you there especially if they get a compliant (don’t need one it’s their job to check you). I’m sure everyone would just bring their illegal stuff to the truck so the mean old gamewarden can harrass you with your illegal stuff, not that anyone would lie or try to hide it. All I hear on here is crying about this and I paid alot of money to hunt here. If an agent checks you on your stand and it messes up the other thirty or so days you hunt, spend your money elsewhere cause your lease or blind is no good. I have been held up too, before and after a hunt. They did not write anybody either but we found out later one of our members did break the law that day but but snuck out before the agents got there. I guess I could blame the agent’s right, for being billy bad asses- HOW ABOUT THE GUY WHO BROKE THE LAW. Be careful what you read on here my fellow sporstman. How about we go to some of your jobs and see if you act like a Walmart people greeter everyday- probably not. Do you know how often they are lied to by good HONEST LAW ABIDING sportsman, I’m sure everyday. So grow up like I did and let agents do their job. One more thing, if you think that ldwf having a dwi van and stopping people from being drunk on the water is a problem, then I rest my case about why other states look at us and laugh.

Tiredofbsontheagents, You bring up some very valid points. I've been ready to chime in but most folks here know I'm in law enforcement so I purposely stayed out of defending these guys. Figured it would be viewed as me just defending my peers (been there before), but here it goes.
The Agents I know and work with here in Iberville are top notch guys. I can't tell tou how many times they have rescued stranded boaters, lost hunters, injured/ill hunters/boaters, recovered drowned victim's bodies, recovered stolen property.....,on top of enforcing OUR game laws, and other state laws too.
I think some of the animosity we are seeing on this thread is because nobody likes being chastised or told what to do, that's just human nature, but, we just have to be mature enough to understand what would happen without law and order.
I surely do know and fully understand that there are some unprofessional, corrupt, men out there wearing badges. Ticks me of more than most, but that is a fact of life. But don't judge the good ones by the few bad ones. Just think if us law men judged everyone by the trash we usually deal with day in and day out.
As a life long law man all the advice I can give you is 99 times out of 100 you will be treated according to the way you respond to the agents/officers. If you act appropriately and are still treated unfairly appeal to the bosses, or the bosses bosses and so on until you reach some satisfaction.
Good luck, stay safe.

Happy Huntin'

Big Steve

I've heard all the bad stories, so here is a good one.
There were seven of us camping on a levee near Lake Decade. After our morning coot hunt, we picked up and made our way to the launch. Four of my podnahs in the first boat with three man limit, two in the second boat with two man limit, and me in my go-devil w/ two man limit. As I rounded a turn in the bayou, I see my podnahs flagging me over to them as they sat along side a warden. When I get there the warden tells me to count 15 birds and throw them into my buddy's boat, and then count the rest of the birds that remain in my boat. He told me that he should write me a ticket, but he understands and can clearly see that there was no wrong doing.

I have had my run ins with the rough ones, but this is the one that I really remember.

Thanks goes out to this Warden for a job well done.

All my run ins with the warden have been good, but then i dont spend the whole season hunting in wmas with wahoos with guns. But one time i didnt know a bow license was necessary to hunt deer with a bow in a wma, a warden checked us and was nice enouogh to tell me and my friend that we didnt have the required bow license and let us off with a warning.

Most of the time they just check my gun and license and then talk to me asking if i have seen anything.

Big steve and tiredofbs, i dont mean to bash on y'all but if you go back and read the other posts most of the people said they had good and bad experiences with different people, we know there are the good seeds and bad seeds out of the bunch so no need to say we are just knocking up on the wardens

Opening day we were headed back to the campground with 3 people in my boat with about 13-14 ducks. I noticed one of my friends sitting in his boat by himself picking up his things and was headed back to the campgound. Well i had a 14hp mud motor and he had a 40hp outboard. We sat there and talked a while about the hunt. He didnt kill anything and was ready to go. I asked him if the other 2 guys with me could ride with him so we could get there a little faster because 3 people in my boat loaded down with guns and decoys didnt go very fast at all. We were running side by side and right before we get to the campground a game warden stops us to see what we killed. Well he ask them first and the 2 guys that were with me said they hunted with me and their birds were with me. So he asked me to show him the birds, so i did. He asked me where the tags were. I told him that i didnt know i needed any. He said that he had no proof that they were hunting with me when all their guns, shells, shell buckets and wallets were in my boat. I said aint that enough proof. He said no and wrote all of us tickets for illegal tagging of birds. Now i know i should have gave the birds that were theirs to them but like i was thinkig about all that when we had a 5 minute boat ride left. Anyways took our guns and birds and i was pissed and packed up and went home. Great weekend!

HONEST WARDEN .. JUST A QUESTION ?? WHATS SO SECRET ABOUT YOUR JOB THAT YOU COULD'NT TELL FELLOW LA SPORTSMAN?/

IM SHURE ITS NOT A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

AFTER ALL OUR TAXES PAY YOUR SALERY.

ok i normaly don't do this but why is honest warden (who is not a warden but has it in his name) still talking about a metro crime unit and the eastern district. Are you working there, getting paid to advertise or can't think of anything else to say. What we really need to know is if you quit are were fired from ldwf.. sounds like someone is bitter and to spend ten years in and just leave. sounds kinda of funny to me. Look I don't care either way and some of you'll are right there are good ones and bad ones out there not saying that but there seems to be way more good stories than bad. Just tired of people trying to stir the pot with negativity. Big steve don't listen to Honest NOT a warden maybe he did stuff behind the scenes thats why he's on the outside looking in. Look everyone let's move on to something positive about hunting and fishing. I'm finished now and hopefully all this negativity is too. peace and good luck in the field

Treat your fellow game wardens as you would treat any Louisiana politician. They are both in & of the same in most ways. I know some good ones of each profession, but not many.
Hopefully we elected a Governor that will clean up the mess in local & state government.

I always refer to "on a different subject " before praising the good job Mr. Letten and the MCC is doing.

When I registered, that wasn't suppose to be my screen name. I misunderstood what they asked. My screen name was supposed to be something referring to turkey hunting.

Do you know who Frank Serpico is ? Research him. A New York police officer in the 70's.

quit. At 10 yrs. you are vested in the retirement system.

http://www.metropolitancrimecommission.org/

Sometimes they are jerks, I once got a ticket for not having a life jacket while in a canoe, in some pretty skinny water. When I stated that I didn't realize that I wasn't aware that I needed one in a motorless boat, he said, "I don't give a d*mn if you are in the ditch in your front yard, if you are in a boat, you need a life jacket!" I said yes sir and got a ticket. I have also had wardens help me to un-endinding degrees. I am a hunter safety instructor and have have great help from them helping me out with classes, as well as while being checked. I had a wonderful experience with a young warden in the river at Butte La Rose this squirrel season, so I know most of them are good. I just hate that some of them have to be such jerks! All I can say is it helps to say yes sir, and hope for the best! Good luck

Scroll back to the beginning. I already stated why. Defense resources. That is why the beat goes on. I wish Jendal well in his cleanup endeavor, but he cannot do it. He means well, but he won't succeed. Jim might though. Just lean back in that recliner and have patience.
Again, plug in Frank Serpico in your search engine and read about him. It is interesting and educating.

http://www.frankserpico.com/bio_message.html

To Tired of BS on agents: I don't think anyone is complaining about getting checked. They are talking about getting checked and the game warden having that "have to write a ticket mentality".

Look at Rich_N_Tone's case. If that game warden would have used actual common sense, then they he wouldn't have given that group a ticket. I mean they were completely legal and weren't breaking the law but the agent had to write them up for something. Some agents just interpret everything so literally so that they can write a ticket.

I'll give you another example with me and my friends. We were hunting on a federal WMA which required a free hunting phamplet (not the same as the WMA hunting permit). As we were leaving an agent stopped us and checked everything. He checked our liscenses, birds, guns (to make sure they had plugs in them), shell buckets, shells (to make sure they were all stell, he had one of those metal detector things), and he also checked for those free permits. These aren't even permits that you have to sign in at a check station. They just state the laws of that particular WMA. Well 2 of us had one and one of us didn't. He ended up writing my friend up for it (A 100 something dollar ticket). What was the reason for writing him a ticket? We were completely legal, we knew the laws of that particular WMA (we had 2 brochures in the boat already). After he wrote my friend up, he even opened up his dry storage (he had like a 100 of those hunting brochures in there) and gave my friend one. With all the stuff you are required to have to hunt and not to mention all the laws, people are going to forget stuff from time to time.

a few years back at a wma on a saturday night during gun either sex hunt, about 12 people including myself were standing around our 4 wheelers in the campground. we were all bullchattin about the atv-truck pulls we had just witnessed thinking these guys are nuts for doing what they just did to there stuff. the crowd had already moved back to their areas. out of the blue here comes a game warden sliding around the curve in camping area,jams on his brakes jumps out, and stars yelling at us to stand by our atvs. notice in begining i said around our atvs that were not running. he checks all of our tires, one to big. then he tells us to show i.d. then he called me to the truck first, he says your ticketed for destruction of wma prop,and riding after hours. i say but atvs were not running and we werent destructing anything. he says "shut the hell up or ill take you staight to jail." to top it all off i had let an older gentleman ride my dads big red earlier and he left it there for my wife to bring back to camp when he was finished. guess what my wife had to take a ticket so he wouldnt haul it off. imagine that! HUGH!

well our tickets were $750 apiece.

now i pay $450 a year to hunt in miss. louisiana will never see my money again. and ill tell you another thing ive talked to and been checked by 5-6 wardens there and they act like they grew up with me.

I made two calls in a matter of weeks to the Operation Game Thief for people spot lighting deer and guest what, You Got It ( NO RESPONSE ) But i bet if i had the money like Mr C. down the bayou or Mr B. up the bayou they would jump right on it.I will never call again & i just might dust off the old one eyed dog myself.

Last years hunting pamphlet showed our Area 2 dog season opening on Dec.8 which was this past Saturday. The LDWF website showed the same dates untill sometime in September I guess I'm not sure but remembering looking at it when looking for the outcome of the tagging issue. I guess when that fell thru and went voluntary it messed up the whole system. Never seeing a pamphlet didn't really need one I thought, did not know that the dog season opened Dec. 5 which was on Wednesday. The first time in history that it wasn't on Saturday except when it use to open the day after Thanksgiving back in the good ol' days. To top that off when a friend of mine called to make sure it opened on the Dec. 5 the response was "yeah can't you read." Kind of aggervating with there holier than thou attitude.

I too have had head bumpings with a few Mr Wardens. I've been checked 40 or more times, Probably half sucked. So how do we change the situation? Call their Boss? He probably trained him! The numbers are the truth here. Look at how many sportsman have had a problem with enforcement. Just like any buisness, The numbers count! The more tickets that get written the better a month this district had in the eyes of Baton Rouge. HEY if you goof up YOU deserve a ticket!!! But thats all you deserve, not an AZZ Chewing or being held up from hunting! We are all tired of the bad attitude of SOME of the Wardens. What can we do? How do we start to change the outlook of the Enforcement Dept. AND they wonder why the hunter numbers are falling off! This could well be part of the problem.