Ticket for no license

[bigtex]

This is amazing.. When I was young if I came home with a ticket my parents would have punished me and absolutely taken the side of the officer. I can't imagine coming home and them saying oh it's not your fault it's just a bad officer. When you hear people ask why kids feel so entitled now this is your answer.. It seems wierd that respecting authority and your elders is no longer a thing... Sounds like alot of people in line to become law enforcement (if you don't like the way it's done do it yourself)...

I was actually going to say something similar to this today. I grew up in the generation where you took responsibility for your actions. Were you speeding and got caught? You paid the ticket, you didn't try and get off on some technicality or go and lie to the judge.

But now it seems like every time someone on here gets cited the first thing many people say is LE is revenue generators, LE is corrupt, fight the ticket, LE should worry about bigger issues, lawyer up, etc. It seems like nobody takes responsibility for their actions anymore!

I'll just say this, WDFW gets $0 from citations they issue, the money goes to the county government who then spend it on anything they see fit. As far as worrying on bigger issues, well why don't we just get rid of fishing or hunting licenses, red/green dot roads, limits on trout, clams, etc because who really cares about those things right? Aren't the only things that are important are deer, elk, salmon, steelhead??

The kid has a few options:
-Pay it outright
-Seek a reduction in the fine
-Seek a deferral (pay a civil fee, be a good boy for 6-12 months and it goes away)
-Try to get it dismissed

When I was a kid it wasnt really that uncommon for minors caught drinking but no wild told to pour the booze out and get taken home. No mip
Is the kid guilty? Yup.
But then again so was the father last year that got popped for handing his rod to his young kid after the hook had been set.
The retarted kid with the broken fishing pole in the NE that had no lic and beef jerkey taped to his line was cited also. That leo was run out of the ne and is now the captain of enforcement in the skagit Snohomish area.
All these people broke the law but not all needed citing. I can say that if the wdfw cared about hunter recruitment they may consider how thier enforcement is being done. Ive been given verbal warnings for having a tail light out, or driving a little over the speed limit. I have heard from more than 1 gamewarden that they dont issue warnings because they might not ever see them again.

I've given the stats before several times. WDFW issues more warnings then citations. When you look at percentages you are more likely to be cited by WSP when contacted for a violation then you are WDFW. When you compare WDFW to California game wardens CA issue citations more frequently for violations then WDFW.

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[JimmyHoffa]

And no offense big tex but you have a very skewed biased opinion. 

I'm sorry, you lost all credibility in my eyes with that statement

BigText, has done us all such a great favor with what he posts. And if anything, he has gone out of his way to post information "as it is written" leaving his personal views aside.

We use to have a couple different users that were either LE or WDFW, and it is comments like yours that have drove them away.

It is not BigText who has the biased opinion.

Considering he (or she) is a game warden, I think it is kind of safe to say he (or she) has bias.  Not saying BT can't be objective and constructive, because BT generally is and has been.  But it's kind of like asking Obama about Republicans and expecting no bias.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I had a similar situation when I was a kid.  15 years old and me and some buddies went fishing.  I had all my licenses and they never left my wallet.  Well a game warden came to check us and I opened my wallet and found my license holder was gone??? Turns out my dad grabbed them to apply for special permits and had not put them back in my wallet.   I explained to the officer I had everything and wondered if he could look it up in the system or something. Nope, wrote me a ticket, went to court and explained it to the judge, showed him my license and the purchase date prior to the infraction and still no mercy, paid my fine and had a grudge against them ever since.  To top it all off it was my fault according to my dad that I didn't check my wallet to make sure someone hadn't taken them out without my knowledge. 

[Curly]

elkiknrut, that sucks.  I hope your dad paid the ticket.  I suppose he did if you were only 15. 

I had a good experience one time when checked.  I could have gotten a ticket but the warden was nice and gave me a written warning.

I was fishing at Potholes and got checked out on the water (this was over 20 years ago).  I reached for my wallet and it wasn't in my back pocket.  I looked around in my coat pockets and explained to him that I lost my wallet somehow.  I think he must have believed me, since he gave me a warning and told me to mail a copy of my license within so many days (I can't remember, might have been 7 or 10 days) but if I didn't mail it to him he would change the warning into a citation.

Luckily I found my wallet when I got back to the boat launch and opened the door to my truck and my wallet was laying on the floor by the door.  It must have slid out of my pocket when I parked the truck and boat trailer.

I don't know what I would have done if my wallet had fallen on the ground and somebody took it.  I don't know if I would have been able to get a new drivers license and duplicate fishing license in time to mail it to the warden?  I guess in that case I would have gotten a citation and then would have to go to court to try for mercy from the judge.

Just wanted to give an example of an officer giving a warning.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

No I paid for it.  I had a job. 
I guess grudge is the wrong word, I have had good dealings with them as well.  Just pissed me off since I was being honest, provided evidence to the judge and still got nothing for it.  I figured it would be like getting caught driving without an insurance card.  Show up in court with your card and show them you were covered and they dismiss it. 

I did get a written warning for not properly notching my tag once.  I used my teeth since I forgot my knife at home and the game warden said the cut wasn't clean enough.  I thought that was a little over the top. 

[WAPatriot]

If the Wdfw gets zero money from citations why do officers write tickets for ridiculous things like letting a dad allow his son to reel in both limits when they go fishing together. What is the point of a ticket like that if their department gets nothing, bad experience for everyone involved and at the end of the same legal amount of fish are getting killed. Only result is a bad taste in everyone's mouth and wasted tax dollars.  If officers really cared about wildlife they would openly encourage the harvesting of pinnapeds in costal waters and apex predators in the woods.

[ICEMAN]

Can't  we all just live together?

Oh yeah, I forgot  we can't.

Law enforcement  officers are a strange breed. I have been one, and i know many. It takes hundreds of applicants to finally get an candidate you can then send through the entire process. Extensive  background check, polygraph test, physical exam, psychological testing and approval. Cops I know aren't ego maniacs like many of you presume. If you could experience the degree of examination and review officers get, you would know the truth about them. Cops,including fish cops have a hard job, and generally do not expect your appreciation or understanding. Hired to do a job many cannot or would not. Those who arm chair quarterback  their every decision can screw themselves.  Let's put you under similar hurdles to clear and scrutiny....let's second guess your history of Excellent  decision making.

[BULLBLASTER]

If the Wdfw gets zero money from citations why do officers write tickets for ridiculous things like letting a dad allow his son to reel in both limits when they go fishing together. What is the point of a ticket like that if their department gets nothing, bad experience for everyone involved and at the end of the same legal amount of fish are getting killed. Only result is a bad taste in everyone's mouth and wasted tax dollars.  If officers really cared about wildlife they would openly encourage the harvesting of pinnapeds in costal waters and apex predators in the woods.

So would that be the same as the dad letting his kid shoot 2 deer? Should party hunting be legal as well?

I am right with the people in this thread wondering if there is more to the story than we are hearing... 

[northwesthunter84]

I have been reading this for a couple days and I am really surprised by a majority of the comments.  I am 32 so I fall under the "protected generation" (Technically).  I hate to see the crap that kids try and pull these days.  My first question is why didn't the kid fishing just reel it in?  Simple, no problem there.  At 17 years old I had an amazing grasp on right and wrong, that came from my role models.  The adult men in my family and friends.  If I screwed up it was my fault and I owned it, still do.  No body made excuses for me, it was my life and I was/am responsible for that.  I would have lost a lot more than the money, and my dad would not have paid for it (similar to previous post).  Second question, does this 17 year old normally go fishing?  If so then he should have known.

I think he should go to court, tell the truth and learn a life lesson.  That is sometimes the best intentions still lead you down the wrong path, and you as an individual have to be responsible for that.  Sounds like he is already getting a break based on the situation/fine.  Maybe if he gets this now he wont have as big of a learning curve that I see younger people have now a days when they walk out their parents front door for good.

[JDHasty]

If the Wdfw gets zero money from citations why do officers write tickets for ridiculous things like letting a dad allow his son to reel in both limits when they go fishing together. What is the point of a ticket like that if their department gets nothing, bad experience for everyone involved and at the end of the same legal amount of fish are getting killed. Only result is a bad taste in everyone's mouth and wasted tax dollars.  If officers really cared about wildlife they would openly encourage the harvesting of pinnapeds in costal waters and apex predators in the woods.

So would that be the same as the dad letting his kid shoot 2 deer? Should party hunting be legal as well?

I am right with the people in this thread wondering if there is more to the story than we are hearing... 

Yes you are right.  I think the young man may have understated his involvement, and that is why I make it absolutely clear that my defense is predicated on 'if and only if" he was telling the truth then although there was a technical infraction that it is in my mind a clear cut case where officer discretion should have been exercised and the young man given some good advice form the officer that included a warning that he had better never see him doing anything like that again instead of a ticket.

[BULLBLASTER]

If the Wdfw gets zero money from citations why do officers write tickets for ridiculous things like letting a dad allow his son to reel in both limits when they go fishing together. What is the point of a ticket like that if their department gets nothing, bad experience for everyone involved and at the end of the same legal amount of fish are getting killed. Only result is a bad taste in everyone's mouth and wasted tax dollars.  If officers really cared about wildlife they would openly encourage the harvesting of pinnapeds in costal waters and apex predators in the woods.

So would that be the same as the dad letting his kid shoot 2 deer? Should party hunting be legal as well?

I am right with the people in this thread wondering if there is more to the story than we are hearing... 

Yes you are right.  I think the young man may have understated his involvement, and that is why I make it absolutely clear that my defense is predicated on 'if and only if" he was telling the truth then although there was a technical infraction that it is in my mind a clear cut case where officer discretion should have been exercised and the young man given some good advice form the officer that included a warning that he had better never see him doing anything like that again instead of a ticket.

I'm with ya. Sometimes people just need a warning. But on the flip side of the kids were jerks or tried to lie or deceive and the warden saw through it that could be why the ticket was issued. (not saying the kids were)

[Special T]

Can't  we all just live together?

Oh yeah, I forgot  we can't.

Law enforcement  officers are a strange breed. I have been one, and i know many. It takes hundreds of applicants to finally get an candidate you can then send through the entire process. Extensive  background check, polygraph test, physical exam, psychological testing and approval. Cops I know aren't ego maniacs like many of you presume. If you could experience the degree of examination and review officers get, you would know the truth about them. Cops,including fish cops have a hard job, and generally do not expect your appreciation or understanding. Hired to do a job many cannot or would not. Those who arm chair quarterback  their every decision can screw themselves.  Let's put you under similar hurdles to clear and scrutiny....let's second guess your history of Excellent  decision making.

I agree that cops have a hard job. Made much harder by a slew of half thought out laws. I once thought about law enforcement and im happy I didnt go that route.

I find it disheartning that so many of the trivial laws that are seeming unenforced but affect us are blown off. Mostly theft...

There is a huge gap in the ability to enfoce law. The gap that bothers me the most are crimes by those who cannot be held to account. Why? You cant fine them they have no $. You cant jail them because its too expensive. Home owners and cops cant rough them up because of liability.

[JDHasty]

If the Wdfw gets zero money from citations why do officers write tickets for ridiculous things like letting a dad allow his son to reel in both limits when they go fishing together. What is the point of a ticket like that if their department gets nothing, bad experience for everyone involved and at the end of the same legal amount of fish are getting killed. Only result is a bad taste in everyone's mouth and wasted tax dollars.  If officers really cared about wildlife they would openly encourage the harvesting of pinnapeds in costal waters and apex predators in the woods.

So would that be the same as the dad letting his kid shoot 2 deer? Should party hunting be legal as well?

I am right with the people in this thread wondering if there is more to the story than we are hearing... 

Yes you are right.  I think the young man may have understated his involvement, and that is why I make it absolutely clear that my defense is predicated on 'if and only if" he was telling the truth then although there was a technical infraction that it is in my mind a clear cut case where officer discretion should have been exercised and the young man given some good advice form the officer that included a warning that he had better never see him doing anything like that again instead of a ticket.

I'm with ya. Sometimes people just need a warning. But on the flip side of the kids were jerks or tried to lie or deceive and the warden saw through it that could be why the ticket was issued. (not saying the kids were)

Bill Jarmon is a hard a**, but when I was a young guy he also said:  Hey, I want you guys to have fun - but pay attention to what you are doing and make sure all your i's are dotted and your ts are crossed.  When we screwed him by pulling that stunt on the restricted dock we could tell he was very disappointed in us even before we went to see "the man" to learn what our fate would be.  He was merciless too, and rightly so.  Like I said, we spent six-months of afternoons and weekends as Bud's slave.   

[Whitenuckles]

Don't know if my last post went through.

But all I've learned reading this is, their are far less Christians on this site than I thought.

I this the kid should have got off with a warning.

Forgiving someone for such a minor offence is better than the other to me

[WAPatriot]

I don't have a problem with party hunting or fishing I see nothing wrong with it but hey I'm weird like that. If I'm duck hunting with someone and they can't hit the side of a barn I've shot my seven and a single comes in let them shoot at I three times and they get one pellet in the duck but it's still flying is it wrong to kill that duck or should I let it fly away. Hunting and fishing is about spending time with people and putting organic meat on the table their are limits but that's all that should matter. Who does what shouldnt matter as long as your within the groups limits.

Just another money grab by the state for something that is not beneficial to wildlife.