gammie in wrong

[duckmen1]

I was hunting Vail when we pulled up to an area to hike around the mountain to see across to the other side, when a game warden truck pulled up and two stepped out. My door was open and I started to walk up to them and show my license because I thought that's why they were stopping. He walked by without saying a word a started searching my truck, pack, guns etc. He ask were are handguns were and I told him we didn't have any. He then asked for my license and ask for my deer tag, I then told him I was hunting grouse that's why I had the shotgun, that my brother was hunting deer. He didn't seem to believe me even though all I had was bird shot with me. It's a good thing I left the rifle at home and did not go bear hunting, even though it would have been legal. I did not think they were aloud to just jump your truck without permission, or warrent and so I talked the the Lacey police department and they said he was in the wrong and I should have got his name.
I never do anything wrong and they are usually jerks about things
the other wardens earlier that day were nice guys though wish they were all like that

[Curly]

Sucks. 

Bad ones give them all a bad name.

[Bob33]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

[Alchase]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

Where is the probable cause?

[WSU]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

Perhaps the harm is the violation of his constitutional rights?

[Woodchuck]

The law is such that you can be pulled and searched at any point if the warden has a reason to believe you are participating in any hunting activity.

[jackelope]

I betcha Outdoor Guardian chimes in here at some point.

[firefighter4607]

I am going out on a limb here but, the warden asked him about handguns. So maybe they had a call that had the same vehicle description as your rig. That was involved in some sort of case. Which would be enough probably cause to search your rig. But he did go about it in the wrong way.

[csaaphill]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

Problem with probable cause it's in the eye of the beholder. Cops, gamies etc.. can make it up as they go along. Must be in that time of month when his quota was due so he wanted to use the old probable cause excuse. It'd been me I may have called him on it, or at least took his name and badge number.

[csaaphill]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

Perhaps the harm is the violation of his constitutional rights?

ya that is exactly how tyrrany starts violate people slowy and anoumously so noone fights back.

[Woodchuck]

Although I am fully on board with treating people the way you expect to be treated I try to put myself in their shoes a little bit. Most cops do their job with the thought some of the people they come in contact with may be armed. In the woods during hunting season, all the people they come in contact with WILL be armed. Might raise my dander a little to. 

[C-Money]

Why not request them away from their truck, explain what was up, and do the search. I would be pissed if a F&W officer walked passed me and began going threw my vehicle. Something must missing from this original story to make it sound more dramatic? Or, did it go down like that word for word. 

[pianoman9701]

Fish and wildlife officers do have a right to search a vehicle without a warrant when there is probable cause of a fish or wildlife violation.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.094

Maybe he could have been nicer about it, but it sounds to me like you're overreacting. He searched your vehicle, found nothing, and left you to go on your way. What harm was done?

Problem with probable cause it's in the eye of the beholder. Cops, gamies etc.. can make it up as they go along. Must be in that time of month when his quota was due so he wanted to use the old probable cause excuse. It'd been me I may have called him on it, or at least took his name and badge number.

PC for a gamie is you being in a forest during a hunting season with hunting clothes on. DFW LE have the most latitude of any LE in the state and for good reason. Most of the people with whom they're dealing are armed. This is not to say they shouldn't show courtesy. But who knows what had happened. Maybe, they just got a report of a truck matching your description and the occupants threatened someone else with a handgun. If this were the case, and it sounds like that actually might be close, they were probably pretty tense and courtesy took a back seat to adrenaline and awareness.

I'm a big fan of our beloved Bill of Rights and am not sure that DFW LE should have all of the latitude that it does. I just also realize that when you're dealing with armed civilians almost 100% of the time, it must be nerve-racking when you get a dangerous situation.

[Bean Counter]

... DFW LE have the most latitude of any LE in the state and for good reason...

Not if you include the feds and immigration. They can:

• Board and search conveyances within the customs waters
• Make warrantless entry into private lands (but not dwellings) within 25 miles of the border
• Set up highway checkpoints within 100 miles of the border at which everyone must stop
• Tear your car to pieces while searching it at a port of entry
• etc

All of that WITHOUT a warrant or even probable cause.

[Magnum40]

Unless there is more to the story, they clearly violated your rights and we shouldn't "guess" what led up to their actions.  Professional cops should clearly articulate why they are contacting you and why they want to search your vehicle.  It's been a few years since I was a reserve officer but Probable Cause has nothing to do with searching your vehicle.  It is simply evidence that you committed a crime and can arrest you based on probable cause that you committed it....  It used to be that a cop could search your vehicle AFTER arresting you from the vehicle (like during a traffic stop) but that has changed and they need a warrant now or your permission which you didn't give.

I would recommend that you file a formal complaint with HQ in Olympia.