Bad meeting with USFS officer

[ICEMAN]

uh oh,  the mean man with the badge was rude.  And if what he said is true that employees in the Republic office are tipping people off so they have a better chance at getting away with illegal wood cutting he has a right to be pissed about it and people should be losing their jobs. 

 

[Woodchuck]

so today i was out cutting firewood in an area that was not open to wood cutting i will admit that and i will pay my fine.. But what i was realy pissed about is when the officer said all the people in the republic USFS office "are inbreed and are telling the firewood thieves his schedule"... First off alot of these people are my friends and take great offence to that statemen and will be talking to his boss tomorrow, and second off dont the national forest belong to the people? How can a person be a thief for cutting dead snags and down trees? This also offended me because i never have or will steal ever.. Sorry for venting just pissed not about the ticket but the way the officer behaved in my three+ hour ordeal with this officer..

He never said he "couldn't afford the permit". He said he screwed up and will pay the piper. Now you guys are on here bustin his chops like he killed a 400" bull on the interstate with a pellet gun hung out his window with a beer in hand. Then you wonder why people are reluctant to post pics and stories. Those people are supposed to be professionals, they should act like it.
It is DEAD WOOD for cryin out loud.

[bobcat]

I'm really surprised this story was posted on here. Heck it's no different than coming on here and saying I got caught killing an elk in a closed area, and then complaining that the game warden wasn't polite.

I am glad Jess put the story up though. It could save some people from a $400 fine, and might help prevent more wood from being stolen.

[ICEMAN]

so today i was out cutting firewood in an area that was not open to wood cutting i will admit that and i will pay my fine.. But what i was realy pissed about is when the officer said all the people in the republic USFS office "are inbreed and are telling the firewood thieves his schedule"... First off alot of these people are my friends and take great offence to that statemen and will be talking to his boss tomorrow, and second off dont the national forest belong to the people? How can a person be a thief for cutting dead snags and down trees? This also offended me because i never have or will steal ever.. Sorry for venting just pissed not about the ticket but the way the officer behaved in my three+ hour ordeal with this officer..

He never said he "couldn't afford the permit". He said he screwed up and will pay the piper. Now you guys are on here bustin his chops like he killed a 400" bull on the interstate with a pellet gun hung out his window with a beer in hand. Then you wonder why people are reluctant to post pics and stories. Those people are supposed to be professionals, they should act like it.

We are simply pointing out that he broke a law, and we are advising that he simply pay the fine.

LE officers for the most part do act professional. Since we were not there, we can only respond to the OP's statement about his action. As usual, I would love to hear both sides of it....but that ain't going to happen is it...?

[stuckalot]

I realize that the law is the law, but taking dead trees that were probably on the ground anyway, I don't view as "stealing" and certainly don't put on anywhere near the same level as poaching an elk!  I'd think of it more as doing everybody a favor but that's just me...

[ICEMAN]

I see no problem. There has to be a limit, and this limit must be in writing and then enforced. The last thing we want is to leave the interpretation up to the individual. Some guys will cut wood during an extremem fire hazard...others will take wood still standing because it "looks dead"....

[pianoman9701]

I realize that the law is the law, but taking dead trees that were probably on the ground anyway, I don't view as "stealing" and certainly don't put on anywhere near the same level as poaching an elk!  I'd think of it more as doing everybody a favor but that's just me...

It's not a question of clearing dead trees. The permits pay for the maintenance of our resources. If we don't get the money through permit sales, we either have to pay higher taxes or we don't get the services. My NW Forest Pass just went up another $5. He's using the resource and you and I are paying the bill. That might be OK with you, but it's not OK with me. He's making my forests cost me more. That's BS. It's a pay to play situation and he didn't. I'm glad that we're now getting $400 instead of the $40 he should've paid in the beginning.

[ICEMAN]

Another consideration is that we all know that half of the guys cutting wood turn around and sell it.

Is this OK, taking from our national forest, without permit, to then sell at a profit?

[Woodchuck]

so today i was out cutting firewood in an area that was not open to wood cutting i will admit that and i will pay my fine.. But what i was realy pissed about is when the officer said all the people in the republic USFS office "are inbreed and are telling the firewood thieves his schedule"... First off alot of these people are my friends and take great offence to that statemen and will be talking to his boss tomorrow, and second off dont the national forest belong to the people? How can a person be a thief for cutting dead snags and down trees? This also offended me because i never have or will steal ever.. Sorry for venting just pissed not about the ticket but the way the officer behaved in my three+ hour ordeal with this officer..

He never said he "couldn't afford the permit". He said he screwed up and will pay the piper. Now you guys are on here bustin his chops like he killed a 400" bull on the interstate with a pellet gun hung out his window with a beer in hand. Then you wonder why people are reluctant to post pics and stories. Those people are supposed to be professionals, they should act like it.

We are simply pointing out that he broke a law, and we are advising that he simply pay the fine.

LE officers for the most part do act professional. Since we were not there, we can only respond to the OP's statement about his action. As usual, I would love to hear both sides of it....but that ain't going to happen is it...?

I get that exactly and you make a good point. So how in the world did people get to calling him a thief, say he is cheating the system. Went on to say he couldn't afford the permits but could afford the drive in his truck, these things IMO are dangerous assumptions and what lies behind a lot of people shying away from here.
No we don't have all the facts So why are we so eager to jump this guy?

[Woodchuck]

I realize that the law is the law, but taking dead trees that were probably on the ground anyway, I don't view as "stealing" and certainly don't put on anywhere near the same level as poaching an elk!  I'd think of it more as doing everybody a favor but that's just me...

It's not a question of clearing dead trees. The permits pay for the maintenance of our resources. If we don't get the money through permit sales, we either have to pay higher taxes or we don't get the services. My NW Forest Pass just went up another $5. He's using the resource and you and I are paying the bill. That might be OK with you, but it's not OK with me. He's making my forests cost me more. That's BS. It's a pay to play situation and he didn't. I'm glad that we're now getting $400 instead of the $40 he should've paid in the beginning.

Who said he didn't buy the permit? That's an assumption.

[KFhunter]

The Republic office has learned over the years how to manage and fit in around the locals, and works around the mandates from their higher ups.  Is this not how things should be?
Then this USFS guy comes in from a different area and disrupts that balance, is he making a point? 
Did the higher ups get pissed at the Republic office for not writing enough fines?
So they send in their top go-getter to write a ton of fines and make the local office look bad.

I don't think any of you that do not live and collect firewood around the Republic area have the right to bust this mans balls for "stealing" firewood.  I also do not see it as theft.  The permit system was put in place in order to funnel and control the taking of firewood for the gain of USFS - for monetary gains mostly imo, and perhaps for reasons from nesting birds to fire danger to you name it.  Taking an animal out of season is not analogist to cutting firewood out of season.  This is a case of not adhering to the rules set forth in regard to harvesting firewood off public lands, nothing more. 
If you want to make an analogy it'd be more akin to harvesting a road kill deer without a permit.

Also, I do not think an officer has the right to be rude with a compliant subject, nor do I see any reason under any circumstance to badmouth his fellow employees even if they are from a different office.  That is not cool under any circumstance.

my 2c
 

[pianoman9701]

The Republic office has learned over the years how to manage and fit in around the locals, and works around the mandates from their higher ups.  Is this not how things should be?
Then this USFS guy comes in from a different area and disrupts that balance, is he making a point? 
Did the higher ups get pissed at the Republic office for not writing enough fines?
So they send in their top go-getter to write a ton of fines and make the local office look bad.

I don't think any of you that do not live and collect firewood around the Republic area have the right to bust this mans balls for "stealing" firewood.  I also do not see it as theft.  The permit system was put in place in order to funnel and control the taking of firewood for the gain of USFS - for reasons from nesting birds to fire danger to you name it.  Taking an animal out of season is not analogist to cutting firewood out of season.  This is a case of not adhering to the rules set forth in regard to harvesting firewood off public lands, nothing more. 
If you want to make an analogy it'd be more akin to harvesting a road kill deer without a permit.

Also, I do not think an officer has the right to be rude with a compliant subject, nor do I see any reason under any circumstance to badmouth his fellow employees even if they are from a different office.  That is not cool under any circumstance.

my 2c

I have to respectfully disagree, KF. The permits sold by the NFS benefit all of the NFS, not just where they're collected. If you're supposed to pay to cut wood, you pay, or you can buy wood from someone else who cuts it.

As far as what happens locally around Republic is concerned, if you guys have been getting the soft touch over the years, be thankful, I guess. If that's ending, it should and it's about time. I pay, you pay, we all pay. That's the way the system's set up and that's the fair way to do it.

[JLS]

The Republic office has learned over the years how to manage and fit in around the locals, and works around the mandates from their higher ups

So my interpretation of what you are saying is they pretty well let folks do as they please, regardless of the rules?

[MountainWalk]

Leave the guy alone.I bought permits from the FS for five bucks apiece. I seriously doubt that the good ol FS is making bank and putting it back into the land. Prolly pays for their coffee at the office.  I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH CUTTING DOWNED TREES. I encourage it really.   The FS aint like what it usta be...especially the people making the decisions for it.   

[Knocker of rocks]

...by the USFS/WDFW/County Sheriff all in ones....

Who?