Not a priority anymore???

[bigmacc]

Well another season in the books for me,52 of them under my belt now. Plenty of scouting ahead. One thing that was noticeable to me this year was the lack of wardens or any kind of enforcement for that matter.We were all over the Methow this season and I nor my 4 pardners never saw a game warden. I would have thaught with all the doe tags and people that they would have been out in force. I remember past years where they had forest service people deputized and helping out on some infractions,they would even have checkpoints set up to check for loaded rifles,check lic.etc,etc. Signs are faded,gates are falling apart. On a off day I took a drive up towards Sullivans and seen rigs driving down the hill along the fenceline from the campsites up by the pond to the flat area where they used to plant alf alfa and where Sullivans house once stood down below. Signs were still up at the bottom but were so faded you could barely read them. The ones up top were "missing" I have said it many times and am seeing it more and more unfortunatly but the mule deer in this valley just dont seem to be the priority they once were. I know of friends who called in infractions that were never addressed and so on. For some of us that have alot of history chasing deer around that valley its very sad to see (what looks like) this herd falling way down the priority list.....as always,my

[jrebel]

We have seen and interacted with more wardens in two years of hunting in Montana than we ever have in Washington State.  Collectively me and my hunting partner have 50+ years hunting is Washington and we have had 2 interactions with wardens.  We have seen (while hunting) less than 10.  In two years hunting in Montana we have had 5-6 interactions (all good). 

And you wonder why poaching is out of control. 

[bigmacc]

Well I can only speak of the Methow,but in the past (and I know some will back me on this) you knew you would see a warden or game manager or someone during your season.They would make there rounds thru the campsites,chat about deer etc,etc. You knew there names and they did there job,you at least knew they were around They took alot of pride in that herd back then and it showed. There is good ones there now and I know they are spread thin and they are basically the "boots on the ground" for higher ups and government programs and agendas. I guess thats were the "Priority problem" really lies for this herd.....Replace some signs for crying out loud and keep people from driving where they arnt supposed to be

[fastdam]

I havent seen a game warden in 15 years while hunting, and i like it that way. A person should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without being watched and harassed with interogation and illegal searches. There are enough responsible people in the woods to keep anyone else from ruining public resources. Nobody is gonna allow anyone else to single handedly destroy a deer herd or a fish run. Natve harvests are proof of that.
 Now fishing is a different story.........gamies are always present when fishing. Especially when we fish for those nasty little planter trout. I expect to have an encouter the most then.

[jrebel]

I havent seen a game warden in 15 years while hunting, and i like it that way. A person should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without being watched and harassed with interogation and illegal searches. There are enough responsible people in the woods to keep anyone else from ruining public resources. Nobody is gonna allow anyone else to single handedly destroy a deer herd or a fish run. Natve harvests are proof of that.
 Now fishing is a different story.........gamies are always present when fishing. Especially when we fish for those nasty little planter trout. I expect to have an encouter the most then.

I have never been harassed.......I also don't have to worry about it as I follow the rules and have nothing to hide.  Obviously I make this statement with very little experience, I think game wardens are important and purely the thought of running into one will keep most people honest. 

[bigmacc]

I havent seen a game warden in 15 years while hunting, and i like it that way. A person should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without being watched and harassed with interogation and illegal searches. There are enough responsible people in the woods to keep anyone else from ruining public resources. Nobody is gonna allow anyone else to single handedly destroy a deer herd or a fish run. Natve harvests are proof of that.
 Now fishing is a different story.........gamies are always present when fishing. Especially when we fish for those nasty little planter trout. I expect to have an encouter the most then.

I have NEVER been harassed or interogated by a warden, If I run into one while in the woods or when they stopped by camp and they asked a few questions I always thaught they were "doing their job", heck if anyone felt harassed in our camp it was probably the wardens,we would want to talk and ask more questions than they did,they probably couldnt wait to make there escape

[fastdam]

Any encounter where a person is asked to submit to a search of your person, property or papers without prior suspicion of a crime with knowledge of what is to be found in a search and of where it should be is harassment. Just fishing or hunting alone is not suspicious. Activity. Its normal and has been at the core of human activity since the very beginning.

[bigmacc]

Any encounter where a person is asked to submit to a search of your person, property or papers without prior suspicion of a crime with knowledge of what is to be found in a search and of where it should be is harassment. Just fishing or hunting alone is not suspicious. Activity. Its normal and has been at the core of human activity since the very beginning.

Okie doke.....I have never been searched by a warden or looked upon by one suspiciously,like jrebal said Ive never gave them the reason to ....Hey,I just want some signs replaced and to make sure this herd stays on the radar

[Boss .300 winmag]

It's about money, so what is the hardest rules to understand fishing regs. I see officers all the time commuting back and forth to work because of the river and sound is one my way.

But I do recall someone posting a warden in Conconully citing a guy for wounding a two point and leaving it. 

[bigmacc]

I havent seen a game warden in 15 years while hunting, and i like it that way. A person should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without being watched and harassed with interogation and illegal searches. There are enough responsible people in the woods to keep anyone else from ruining public resources. Nobody is gonna allow anyone else to single handedly destroy a deer herd or a fish run. Natve harvests are proof of that.
 Now fishing is a different story.........gamies are always present when fishing. Especially when we fish for those nasty little planter trout. I expect to have an encouter the most then.

I have never been harassed.......I also don't have to worry about it as I follow the rules and have nothing to hide.  Obviously I make this statement with very little experience, I think game wardens are important and purely the thought of running into one will keep most people honest. 

Bingo  jrebel

[bowhunterwa87]

I've had three  interactions this year...two while fishing pond four in the spring (license checks) and one in bethel while looking for rattlers .

[Birdguy]

Public resources are ruined every day by people of todays society. The stuff you hear or read about in the news did not happen 20 years ago like it does today. Yes, I understand the media has changed what we hear about and how quickly it comes out, what was "rumor or campfire stories" years back are front line news in sporting magazines and online forums today. Even the most casual observer should be able to see the changes in priority that bigmacc is speaking of (maybe not 52 years of it  ), he is talking about the encounter with the local enforcement officer he got used to over the years. Certainly if the officer is coming into the same camp year in and year out he knows what and who to expect upon arrival. Asking about licenses and success or not, is far from harrassment. If we did not have so many people doing the wrong things at every turn perhaps our law enforcement community would treat us all a little different as well As it stands they, like us, tend to generalize each situation, which is what started this thread  .

[Bigshooter]

I have hunted in WA for 25 years now and have seen 1 game warden while I was hunting.  Seeing a game warden would be strange to me.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Not sure I know what to say but that's fine with me ... I live in such a small hole in the state but I guarantee I see more law enforcement than most    DNR - Sheriffs and Wardens ...not so much State patrol ..you would think living in the sticks you would see less ..not the case where I am !

[Fillbachd]

I'm 25 and have been hunting and fishing my whole life all over the state. Have had 1 encounter with a warden. It happened to be at work because I'm a seafood manager at a grocery store and they are in charge of making sure we log the county of origin of our seafood. Pretty sad actually.