DNR Curiosity

[Iambjm]

With all the threads about licenses and fish houses, does anyone ever wonder if anyone who works for the DNR reads these threads? I would love to know their reactions.

[polarsusd81]

There are a few DNR employees that do participate in the forums here. I am not sure of all of their names, but there are three or four that I have seen post before.

[TroyMcClure]

I am sure they are more on the site, but they wisely stay anonymous.

[so haaad]

There are a few DNR staff on here, which I think is always going to be good thing.

[Craig Plummer]

I doubt they look on here...I just got a limit of walleyes and musky today so I hope not

JK

[tisosy11]

Ahha - they have everyones address and just hope you post your locations!!!

[Hammer Handle]

Oh, I guess I better not talk about the 8 30-inch walleyes I speared last night on Mille Lacs then....

lol

[IFallsRon]

The DNR is a heavy-handed bunch with more power than the state patrol and who are allowed to assume you are guilty of doing something wrong without the need to allow you your rights.

Do you get pulled over on the road just to check if you have a license?

The DNR assumes you are cheating. "Sure, I have a license. What reason do you have to ask?"

[Powerstroke]

WOW.......how do you really feel?!?

There are several DNR employees that do frequent the site. Those that have been here a couple years can probably name a couple.

They do value input from the boards, because there are 30,000+ members and that more than they can get to fill out surveys or show up to meetings. I also think that this can be a great tool for disseminating information to the public in a broad way.

SO, there are less than 200 Conservation Officers to patrol a state of how many million people, how many square miles.....

The highest number of people on this HSOforum at one time is 2543. That means that at that one time there were 1300+ FMr's to each CO. How many deer hunters are there on rifle opener?!? Oh yeah and they patrol laws that pertain to more than the hunters and fisherman.

Its not an easy job to do and to criticize it is narrow-minded. Law abiding sportsmen have nothing to worry about with a CO checking licenses.

[EJ]

I agree with you IFalls, it is a complete invasion of privacy to be checked without cause. You would think Putin made these laws.

EJ

[SDWalleye]

I agree, they do seem to carry quite a bit of "power", however.....they are really doing their job. One example is while goose hunting in pits, old man and two boys plop down between 3-4 groups of hunters (us included)...we had been there for over two hours saving our pit...low and behold they are shooting lead and pistolas at geese no one else would consider taking a shot at...then the pint booze bottles get pulled out...i'm telling you..it was one thing after another..the one time we needed a warden..well, it turned out to be a undercover federal USFAW warden that showed up checking licenses...those fellas were done hunting for awhile for several reasons including---THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE LICENSES...sorry to go on and on, but this is why we need the wardens and CO..they are welcome to check my license, as long as they continue to get these guys out of the picture.Anyway, I feel better that there is someone patrolling the unrulies! JMO

[Eskimoman]

I have no problem at all with them checking licenses and nobody should...unless they are breaking the law. Poachers steal from the law abiding guys and so I if they check me I know they are just out there doing their job. I have yet to encounter a CO that hasn't been freindly. Most of the time they can point you in the right direction to catch some fish. We need more COs.

[EJ]

SDWalleye,

That is a perfect example. The warden's job is to ticket those that are doing wrong. It is not his job do disrupt my privacy. There are plenty of people on this site that disagree, but I don't think they are properly considering our constitutional priviledges.

Do not misinterpret my beliefs as anything against the wardens. I respect the job they have and follow the reg's, but feel violated when my fishing time is interupted and harassed for no reason.

EJ

[Jameson]

 Originally Posted By: EJ

...but I don't think they are properly considering our constitutional priviledges.

Do not misinterpret my beliefs as anything against the wardens. I respect the job they have and follow the reg's, but feel violated when my fishing time is interupted and harassed for no reason.

EJ

First, the constitution guarantees us certain rights, not privileges.

Hunting and fishing are privileges not rights. If you or I want the privilege to hunt or fish WE CHOOSE to give up certain rights. Namely the right to privacy. I would much rather have a few outings interrupted by a CO, knowing that with out the CO's doing what they are doing their would be no game for me to hunt or fish.

[norm25]

How often are you checked? For me it is not often enough.

We need more CO's doing their job. Five minutes of your time is nothing to show your license. What maybe one fish lost. Come on.

Most CO's I have encountered while fishing are gems.

Encounter that same CO during hunting season and he is a different man. Imagine everyone you encounter has a loaded firearm. Sorry don't want their job. Just my opinion but they are important to our future!!!

[tisosy11]

Eh - I don't mind the check without cause...if you aren't doing anything illegal its like they are taking up that much time...

The people that don't like the checks are the same people that get so [PoorWordUsage] at fishers that act illegaly...

[reelguy]

EJ,

If you are feeling "harassed" when a CO comes up and asks for a license and it is interupting your fishing time...I wanna come fish with you because you must pull in the fish hand over fist to be bothered for 2 minutes. Even in that case I would have no problem taking that few seconds to show my license.

I wish that the supreme court would NOT have ruled that a fish house is a "dwelling" and therefore law enforcement has to treat it the same as your house. I have no problem leaving my window shades open and the door unlocked when I am fishing. Anyone is welcome, even the cops. Everyone that is law abiding should be the same way, then it would make it easier for the CO's to tell who they should really check!!!

[kwiggy]

I love fishing, but I'm a poor catcher so I don't mind taking the time to show my legality. Plus, I've never been checked during the "hot" times anyway (sunrise and sunset). I truly believe that the attitude of a CO or water patrol reflect the attitude you portray. Therefore, I am proud to say that every CO/WP was super kind, courteous, knowledgeable.... should I go on?

I have yet to have an inspection that lasts more than 5 minutes unless I have questions that make it longer. I've even had one grab me a beer from outside! I offered, but he didn't partake

[gulllakeguy]

Jameson couldn't have said it better. It is a priviledge not a right. Gosh how else would they be able to do their job. Do you expect them to do a "stakeout" on everyone to see if they're breaking the law first. Treat them with respect they're protecting what we all love.

[LoonASea]

Jameson,,,You took the words right out of my mouth,,, We dont have the right to Hunt, Fish, Boat or Drive a vehicle for that matter, they are all priviledges. I do more reading then posting and I have to wonder about sportspersons these days,,,,I hear more whining about I want the DNR to stock more fish in my lake ,,,I want the access to my lake plowed ,,,,I want my dock to end in 4 ft of water so I can dock my boat and no weeds so my kids can swim ,,I want ,,,I want ,,,I want

[Dave S]

our lakes and rivers and even our hunting lands can be decimated in a matter of a season if we don't have our CO's out checking people periodically. Should they be allowed to stop and talk to anyone while out fishing or hunting? Absolutely!

Someone already beat me to the rights vs. privileges debate so I won't go there.

After seeing the increase in charges against people for gross overlimits in the last 2 years, the occassional visit from a CO is paying off.

They can check my license any day.

[jigging-matt]

If the DNR wants to stop and check my license that is fine. The thing that some people don't realize is how would some violations be found if the officers didn't just stop and check your lisence? It's not like when you are driving you vehicle and the officer can see you speeding or running a stop sign, If you are fishing and have moe than your limit in the bucket how would DNR catch that. Having family memebers that are police officers, and being in the correctional field myself, you learn how difficult some of these jobs can be, Sometimes they just have to do their job, so let them do it.

[BobT]

I don't really understand the "invasion of privacy" you are all talking about. Maybe cliffy can correct me here but I believe state troopers and other law enforcement officers are completely within their jurisdiction to stop us on the highway just to verify our driver's license. They just rarely do so.

Besides, in my experience anyway, when a conservation officer stops by to verify license he/she also verifies a pile of other things like do I have my FFD accessible, do I have my throwable PFD accessible, do I have my fire extinguisher on board, do I have my audible alarm and is it functinal, do I have the plug in my shotgun so I can only fit two rounds in the magazine, am I using appropriate shot, did I purchase the appropriate stamps, am I wearing blaze orange where appropriate, have I properly validated my license at the sight of the kill and did I affix the tag when appropriate, etc.

We are required to carry our license on our person when engaging in hunting and fishing activities. The only way to know if we are is to verify it while we are engaged in the activity. From page 17 of the 2007 hunting regulations handbook:

 Quote:

All persons must have a license (including stamp validations) in their possession while hunting or trapping and while traveling from an area where they hunted or trapped.

Any person ticketed for failure to possess a license will not be convicted if they provide to the court or arresting officer a license that was valid at the time of arrest.

And from page 7 of the 2008 fishing regulations handbook:

 Quote:

Note: All persons required to have a license (including stamp validations) must have it in their possession while fishing and while traveling from an area where they fished.

I did not find anything to suggest that we have time to produce the license like it does for hunting but in either case, the only way to verify if we are abiding by our laws they must check us afield and that is what we hire them to do.

I love it when we want things except when it is inconvenient for us. I could see the thread now if someone wrote in about being ticketed for not having a license. If I never got checked I'd be questioning whether I was getting a good ROI from my tax money and license fees.

Don't get your buns in such a bind. Let our COs do their job.

Bob

[cliffy]

 Originally Posted By: BobT

Maybe cliffy can correct me here but I believe state troopers and other law enforcement officers are completely within their jurisdiction to stop us on the highway just to verify our driver's license. They just rarely do so.

Sometimes I wish this was true but no, Law Enforcement cant just stop someone to check your DL status without reason or cause. The only circumstance in which this is sorta true is if I were to run your lic. plate and notice the RO's driving status is cancelled, revoked or suspended and the RO's description matches that of the driver...then I can stop to verify that you are the RO and your driving status. The goons in maroon (state patrol) might have some powers similar to what you describe with truckers, log books and that sort of thing. I dont stop many semis or truckers...so I am not up to speed on those sorta laws and rules. If there any other LE officers that have a different opinion, please share.

The rights and powers of a CO compared to a regular LE Officer are different in many ways. To be honest, I am not sure of all the differences. But in each case, there are certain things we (CO's and LEO) can do just based on the fact that hunting, fishing or even driving is a privilege and not a right.

I have no problem being checked by a CO. I welcome it. I am glad to see they are out protecting the natural resources that I so enjoy. I have never had a bad experience and always enjoyed chit chatting with him/her. I sorta can relate to how they feel at times with certain people.....never want ya around until they need ya.

Just my two cents

Cliffy.

[L_Cappo]

i get checked about 4 times a yr on lake of the woods.i dont care 1 bit.they knock on the door i let them in.no big deal.they check our licenses and they just sit there and b.s for awhile.now around where i live and hunt thats a diff story lol.they are just doing there job.remember when they just came in your house with out knocking and started asking a bunch of ?'s and checking EVERYTHING.i sure do but they r just doing there job.and i hope they continue in doing a great job that they do.