# Got checked by the game warden today.



## Arrow3 (Jan 27, 2007)

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Me, Jody Hawk, and some buddies of ours went rabbit hunting this morning in Elbert County....About 11 am one of the guys tell me that the game warden just pulled up by our truck...Me, being the only guy in the club, started walking to where I could meet up with him...He introduced himself and I did the same...We shook hands and then he kinda threw me for a loop...He said he didn't think the property we were hunting was leased...I assured him that I was in a lease that had this piece of land...I then told him the landowners name and he then knew I was telling him the truth..I think he was just testing me a bit...He was all in all very nice..I offered for him to join us but he declined...He did check all of our licenses and then just talked with us for a little while...The dogs jumped a rabbit and we went after them and he went on his way....His name was Julian...not sure of his last name..I wish all of them was as nice as him...This was only the second time Ive ever been checked while hunting.


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## CAL (Jan 27, 2007)

Never have met but a couple that were not very nice and they didn't last long.Don't know if they quit or were fired but they are history anyway.


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## DYI hunting (Jan 27, 2007)

Someone has to keep a check on ya'll moderators.


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## kevincox (Jan 27, 2007)

Brandon, How did you get soo lucky!


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## 60Grit (Jan 27, 2007)

Everyone I've ever met, in the field, has been very professional.
Makes me wonder about the demeanor of the one's reporting bad instances on threads and in person. Some people don't realize that they are just doing there job. Usually their encounters involve folks that are well armed, and being belligerent in that situation is not advantageous.

We make a point to get to contact ours at the beginning of each deer season, just so he can meet all of the members.


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## Killdee (Jan 28, 2007)

The only S/A ones Ive ever encountered were Federal F& W guys and only 1-2 of them over the years.All the GA. DNR guys have been alright as long as your not up to no good.


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## hootinga (Jan 28, 2007)

i have met a few while huntin and 2 stick out in my mind. not a week ago i went to the club to take my dogs squirrel huntin and do some mid day crow huntin with four bag of corn on the front of the four wheeler  ( thought i was goin to be introuble ) right out the gate a warden pulls up and i stop to talk to him i dont even think he would have check my license if i didnt ask him if he wanted to check them. he didnt check my driver license to make sure they where mine. he was wantin to check on some people that where doin some duck huntin.  another one snuck up on me way deep in the wood and still dont know where he came from. but once again i was crow huntin and i guess my shots scared some ducks from the cove i was huntin and he thought i was shootin his ducks. but this is were he start been a $%^hole. before he got to me i lit a cigarette. well he start askin me if i shot his duck and after that he thought i was smokin weed back there b/c of way my cig smelt . then he check all my pocket looked in my boots. and finally after grillin me for like 15 to 20 minutes he left. oh  and of course i didnt have know drugs on me. he had a intern with him i think that why he went that far.


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## Lostoutlaw (Jan 28, 2007)

All I have ever met was nice except the smartbutt little Blonde in Monroe co. but the boss says dat is gonna change cause she gonna get bit one day if not the boss I mean her boss. Heck we use to have one he would come to camp say 1030 1100 and have the coffee going on camp fire for us then all we diod was cook breakfast and he would even eat with us Dang Nice fellow Mr Hoggs.


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## THREEJAYS (Jan 28, 2007)

Never been checked in 33yrs except on WMA's almost always checked there


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## Snakeman (Jan 28, 2007)

Arrow3, I've spoken with Julian on the phone, but never met him in person.  Seemed like a real nice individual.  Glad that you confirmed that.

I've got his phone number if you ever need it.

The Snakeman


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## patchestc (Jan 29, 2007)

got checked on the saltwater near Darien.  checked our licenses and looked at our fish.  they were real polite. 
I caught a nice catfish while we were talking.


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## Ta-ton-ka chips (Jan 29, 2007)

pfharris1965 said:


> Sounds like a decent fellow...down in Talbot county, our Ranger is Mitch Oliver and the other is Jeremy (last name not known)



Jeremy Bolens. 
He took care of a dumping problem for me


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## chambers270 (Jan 29, 2007)

Most of them I have met were nice enough. Billy Reed that works Brantley County is very nice along with a few I know that work the local WMAs. 

I have had a DNR be a smart behind once or twice but after checking me out they left and I was on my way.

Chris
Future GA DNR
And I will be polite as possible as long as they are in return.


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## chuck14 (Jan 29, 2007)

Got checked right before Christmas on a bow only WMA. There was a shot heard so a warden and a sheriff deputy were at the gate when I walked out. THe game warden asked me where I was hunting and made small talk and then checked my hunting license. He looked at my drivers' license and said (loud enough for the Sheriff's deputy to hear) "You do know your drivers' license are expired". He then said, "He's good to go....for hunting." Thankfully, the sheriff's deputy let me go, he said it was Christmas time and told me to get them renewed as soon as possible. I just thought the Game Warden could have been a little more discreet about the expired drivers' license, but I guess he was just doing his job.


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## gdaagent (Jan 29, 2007)

pfharris1965 said:


> Sounds like a decent fellow...down in Talbot county, our Ranger is Mitch Oliver and the other is Jeremy (last name not known) and they have been by and hung around camp and chatted with us and have checked a few members in the field...
> 
> They are very responsive on the rare occasions when we have called them for poachers and they are always polite and respectful in their interactions with us...
> 
> We have told our members that the best way to deal with them is with courtesy and respect otherwise they will stay on us constantly...



Especially with Oliver. If you complain about something he did that was out of line, he'll get back at you.

Had this experience with him last year. He was riding in on our lease during prime hunting hours on opening weekend. We complained to his captain in Macon. He was reprimanded, I was told. He made a report to Don Wood at Mead and recommended our lease be pulled for multiple violations. The club had one violation all season. The same violation that a lot of clubs are written up for, according to Wood. That being, hunting over bait. They pulled the lease, anyway. He will hold a grudge.


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## Mark Brooks (Jan 30, 2007)

I have been checked many times as a Dove, Duck Hunter and Trout Fisherman.  I can tell you, I have never had a bad experience.

PH, I have met Ranger Mitch Oliver when he was in Gainesville DNR office.  He was very responsive to a poaching issue on our land.  He was just starting out and I figured he would have a great career based on his professionalism.

Eric Sanders is another one that does a good job out there.

They are dedicated and professional.

MB


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## MIG (Jan 30, 2007)

chuck14 said:


> Got checked right before Christmas on a bow only WMA. There was a shot heard so a warden and a sheriff deputy were at the gate when I walked out. THe game warden asked me where I was hunting and made small talk and then checked my hunting license. He looked at my drivers' license and said (loud enough for the Sheriff's deputy to hear) "You do know your drivers' license are expired". He then said, "He's good to go....for hunting." Thankfully, the sheriff's deputy let me go, he said it was Christmas time and told me to get them renewed as soon as possible. I just thought the Game Warden could have been a little more discreet about the expired drivers' license, but I guess he was just doing his job.



Yes, he was doing his job.  But, now for the rest of the story...
What you don't know is that the deputy knew your license was expired before you even walked out and, in fact, had informed the GW of this particular fact while waiting for you to return to your vehicle.  BTW, the lake bed is filling up nicely


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## Throwback (Jan 30, 2007)

op2: op2: op2: op2: 


T


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## Mechanicaldawg (Jan 31, 2007)

op2:  op2:


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## Randy (Jan 31, 2007)




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## chuck14 (Jan 31, 2007)

MIG said:


> Yes, he was doing his job.  But, now for the rest of the story...
> What you don't know is that the deputy knew your license was expired before you even walked out and, in fact, had informed the GW of this particular fact while waiting for you to return to your vehicle.  BTW, the lake bed is filling up nicely



I was wondering about the lake. I figured with all the rain it should be coming up. Now I need to find another entrance. Otherwise it will be a shore enough long walk to get to where I was hunting. 

I guess I didn't think that the deputy could/would have run my tag to get that info. Regardless,  he was nice enough to let me go with a warning and now the license are renewed and I'm good to go.....hunting and driving.


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## JerryC (Jan 31, 2007)

chuck14 said:


> I was wondering about the lake. I figured with all the rain it should be coming up. Now I need to find another entrance. Otherwise it will be a shore enough long walk to get to where I was hunting.
> 
> I guess I didn't think that the deputy could/would have run my tag to get that info. Regardless,  he was nice enough to let me go with a warning and now the license are renewed and I'm good to go.....hunting and driving.



Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Game Wardens have the ablility to ticket you also for non-game violations if they really wanted to? Not that they would, but they could, right? -JerryC


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## chambers270 (Jan 31, 2007)

Yes they are a certified peace officer just the same as a policeman. They just normally dont mess with non game laws.

Chris


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## addictedtodeer (Jan 31, 2007)

Only game warden I've ever met was when I got a chance to hunt in Macon County.  The guy came on strong at first until he asked where we were from.  He found out I was living in Taylor County (just right next door) and he turned real friendly. 
Apparently the people that gave him the most grief (violations and attitude) were from Atlanta or out of state.  He had assumed cause I have a yankee accent, that I was just one of these folks and wanted to grill me.  He was incredibly friendly when he found out I was not a city-folk, we sat at my truck and talked a good hour about hunting,his job, and where I should avoid hunting.

Sorry city-folk, but they seem to be out to get you.


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## General Lee (Jan 31, 2007)

Glad to see your encounter was pleasant Brandon.From my experience with GW's,if you get checked 100 times,99 will be pleasant.For those that do have a problem,the DNR recently instituted a new form called a "Citizens Complaint Form"that you can fill out detailing what happened,when I had a problem with a Warden a while back,the supervisor even brought me the form to fill out!He then took care of the situation and called me to inform me of the actions he took........


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## Flatliner (Feb 1, 2007)

You heard WRONG, no reprimand. Also, it was the recommendation of Donnie Wood that the lease be pulled, not that og the GA DNR. DNR is not in the buisness of pulling hunting leases or granting them, just keeping them HONEST!!



gdaagent said:


> Especially with Oliver. If you complain about something he did that was out of line, he'll get back at you.
> 
> Had this experience with him last year. He was riding in on our lease during prime hunting hours on opening weekend. We complained to his captain in Macon. He was reprimanded, I was told. He made a report to Don Wood at Mead and recommended our lease be pulled for multiple violations. The club had one violation all season. The same violation that a lot of clubs are written up for, according to Wood. That being, hunting over bait. They pulled the lease, anyway. He will hold a grudge.


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## Slingblade (Feb 1, 2007)

The last encounter I had with the GW was on the Hart county WMA...the day after it closed for deer hunting.  I misread the dates and they were at my truck when I walked out.  Officer Pritchett asked me if I had any luck and I replied I hadn't seen anything but some tree rats.  Then he asked me if I had a copy of the regs in my truck, which I did.  He then asked me to pull them out and he proceeded to show me the closing date and I had to pick my jaw up off the ground.  I told him I was glad I hadn't seen anything now, he said it would have made for a long day for both of us if I had.  We all laughed about it and he asked how my folks were doing and gave me a warning and sent me on my way.  I make sure I re-read the dates now.


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## Flash (Feb 2, 2007)

Slingblade he jist new what skool u rent two


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## Slingblade (Feb 3, 2007)

I reckon so Flash, had to excuse me being illiterate and all.  I guess he figgered it wouldn't be fair pickin' on somebody that went to Hart county.


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## sureshot375 (Feb 3, 2007)

JerryC said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Game Wardens have the ablility to ticket you also for non-game violations if they really wanted to? Not that they would, but they could, right? -JerryC



They have much more authority than other law enforcement.  They can enforce all state laws, and don't need a warent or probable cause to come on your property.  There is a pretty cool book written by a georgia game warden:  Adventures in Green and Grey true Stories of a Game Warden Jim Hethcox, Wiregrass Publishing Metter, GA


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## JerryC (Feb 3, 2007)

sureshot375 said:


> They have much more authority than other law enforcement.  They can enforce all state laws, and don't need a warent or probable cause to come on your property.  There is a pretty cool book written by a georgia game warden:  Adventures in Green and Grey true Stories of a Game Warden Jim Hethcox, Wiregrass Publishing Metter, GA



Thats kind of what I thought. I just read reviews of that book and bought one through Amazon. Thanks-  JerryC


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## dfhooked (Feb 3, 2007)

the only nice game warden i have met has been in arkansas on the river. I have had some very distasteful experiences with three different ga wardens of which there actions were uncalled for. I believe some of them get the power trip and over abuse it, a case of little man syndrome if you will. they are definitely underpaid but in some instances i believe they spend their time chasing the wrong people and situations. I have a friend in training right now and he will do a fine job, i guess i have just ran across some of the ones that set the wrong reputation for g.w.'s as a whole.


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## Lead Poison (Feb 3, 2007)

*Respect must be earned*

By far the worst we've encountered are National Park Service rangers. They will flat out tell you they hope to pass enough nuisance regulations and fees that hunters will get discouraged and quit hunting in the Big Cypress area of the Everglades. 

The nicest guys we've met over the years are the Game Wardens of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. However, I believe they may have been restructed and are called FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission).

In all honesty, I can't stand the National Park Service rangers because of their attitude. You have to earn respect. You can't gain it by hostile intimidation.


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## Medicine Man (Feb 3, 2007)

Never had a bad experience. Have gotten two tickets before and deserved both of them. We had the best GW in the world in Taylor County, I thought alot of him. Ramond Adams everyone called him Gold tooth he was a black guy and had a gold front tooth. I heard he got fired for smokin pot, not real sure about that one. He was a great guy (did give me ticket once) but gave me a warning first and I was "hard headed". Had something to do with huntin ducks and golden acorns. Both sides need to show respect. It makes paying the fine easy when you have already been warned.


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## MIG (Feb 4, 2007)

Hot Dog,
You are the first person I've seen on this board admit that they were ticketed AND deserved it.  Wow, gotta respect that!  Thanks for the breath of fresh air.

BTW, you are entirely correct about each "side" being respectful of the other - it doesn't work very well if it isn't reciprocal.


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## Medicine Man (Feb 4, 2007)

Hey I was hard headed and the law is the law. Some how he would write you a ticket and you would leave with a smile on your face. HE WAS VERY FAIR to me. That's doesn't mean he did not write tickets. He gave us fair warning to stay away from that oak tree that was dropping corn(we were hard headed). But he was very respectful and made us respect  him alot. He could have been very hard on us and wasn't.


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## birddog (Feb 4, 2007)

I KNOW DNR FOR HART CO AND ELBERT.  THEY ARE NICE AND GOOD GUYS. THEY ARE LIKE ALL OF US      ( JUST DOING THERE JOBS)


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## holton27596 (Feb 5, 2007)

Is James McDaniel still a GW in the Appling area?


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## General Lee (Feb 5, 2007)

holton27596 said:


> Is James McDaniel still a GW in the Appling area?


Are you talking about Appling County or Appling,Ga/Columbia County?


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## EEFowl (Feb 8, 2007)

I got checked by the Alabama Marine police and three Ga GW's in Harris County on lake Harding hunting ducks.  Not all at the same time though.  They were all nice.  I, or no one with me, had any problems that needed tending to either.  Hey, maybe that was the problem with gdaagent's encounter?  Just guessing?

EF


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## TomThump (Feb 20, 2007)

chuck14: 





			
				 I guess he was just doing his job.[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> Ya' think? He is a police officer, after all. He could have written you a ticket... he didn't have to get the deputy involved. Perhaps he was testing the "waters" with the deputy to see if he was going to get riled up if he (the G.W.) gave you a break for an expired D.L.  He didn't but you still have a "beef"? Give me a break!


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## TomThump (Feb 20, 2007)

gdaagent: 





			
				 We complained to his captain in Macon./QUOTE said:
			
		

> Let me get this straight... he was in your lease because there were violations of the game laws and ya'll didn't like it? So you complained on him for doing the job that I pay him to do, which is to enforce the game laws of Georgia. Sounds to me like ya'll are the ones with the "grudge" problem for compalining to his boss... when he wasn't doing anything wrong in the first place. Perhaps ya'll should do a little self-policing with your members and you won't have to worry about Mr. Oliver "sneaking" around!


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## BARFOOTLARRY (Feb 20, 2007)

*Game wardens*



sureshot375 said:


> They have much more authority than other law enforcement.  They can enforce all state laws, and don't need a warent or probable cause to come on your property.  There is a pretty cool book written by a georgia game warden:  Adventures in Green and Grey true Stories of a Game Warden Jim Hethcox, Wiregrass Publishing Metter, GA



Is that why GW are at DUI roadblocks alot? I have always heard that it's because they don't need warrants to search your vehicle. I have a friend who used to be a warden in south GA, he is a motorcycle cop now (perhaps I should ask him about the road blocks), anyway he is a SUPER NICE guy. He has all kinds of stories. He is the type that only would be a jerk if he had to be. He also is an encyclopedia of info about any kind of hunting or fishing. Not a bad friend to have at all.


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## BARFOOTLARRY (Feb 20, 2007)

I have another quick one, I was in a hunting club once that had two wardens as "honorary" members. Good idea I guess. Anyway, one in particular stopped us fishing on the river every week for two months striaght. Just to check for licenses and BEER of course. Never had beer always had licences but he stopped us every week and checked. I could not tell if the guy was being a jerk or just being impartial. Anyway I thought it was just a waste of his time.


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## DDD (Feb 20, 2007)

Let me say this.  

My best friend is a GW in this state.  When I go hunting, that joker checks my license and when I tell him I killed a deer here or there, he checks to make sure I wrote it down.  Does this bother me?  Not in the slightest.  Why?  Cause I am paying and you are paying him to do his job.  That joker has checked my gun and my license while turkey hunting... just because that is his job.  What he does for one, he has to do for all.  Most of the time criminals tell on themselves, and the honest hunters and fisherman don't worry about a thing because they know they are within the law.  We pay tax dollars so these guys can do what the state has employed them to do, and I for one think for what they get paid, they do a fine job.

He tells me stories all the time about how he lets people slide on things depending on their attitude and actions.  I can promise you that if you come off with a bad attitude, your probably not going to get some favortism if you are in violation.

Every GW I have come in contact with has been professional.  Some of them can be sticklers about every detail, most want you to obey the laws.


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## swamp hunter (Feb 20, 2007)

Lead Poison said:


> By far the worst we've encountered are National Park Service rangers. They will flat out tell you they hope to pass enough nuisance regulations and fees that hunters will get discouraged and quit hunting in the Big Cypress area of the Everglades.
> 
> The nicest guys we've met over the years are the Game Wardens of the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. However, I believe they may have been restructed and are called FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission).
> 
> In all honesty, I can't stand the National Park Service rangers because of their attitude. You have to earn respect. You can't gain it by hostile intimidation.


Boy, Lead poison , you sure wern,t lying about the National park service rangers! I think because all the national parks where they normally work don,t allow hunting ,and then they go to Big Cypress ,where hunting is legal it,s a hard thing for them to put up with. I worked there for 7 years and I knew alot of them , and everytime I was in the woods they sure checked me out too! They,ve just got a bad attiude towards hunters.I,m sure one day they,ll just put up a big fence and we,ll lose almost a million acres in the name of panthers ,woodpeckers , and a weird frog or something!


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## Throwback (Feb 20, 2007)

BARFOOTLARRY said:


> Is that why GW are at DUI roadblocks alot? I have always heard that it's because they don't need warrants to search your vehicle. I have a friend who used to be a warden in south GA, he is a motorcycle cop now (perhaps I should ask him about the road blocks), anyway he is a SUPER NICE guy. He has all kinds of stories. He is the type that only would be a jerk if he had to be. He also is an encyclopedia of info about any kind of hunting or fishing. Not a bad friend to have at all.



They have no more power than any other officer at a roadcheck to search your vehicle. Which, under certain circumstances (probable cause) any officer can search your vehicle without a warrant. 

For that matter, they really don't have any more power to search anything than any other cop. A bunny rabbit is not more important than a murdered child. 

They are there looking for game and fish violations would be my guess, since people have to get their kills from point A to their house, normally by vehicle. 

T


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## SouthGAHunter (Feb 20, 2007)

I've been over to Chickasawhatchee these past few weekends hog hunting and have been checked every time...this last time the GW knew my name...it was kinda funny...each time I have been checked the guys were just as professional as can be and real down to earth, good hearted, nice guys just doing their job.  Every time we have exchanged stories and they have even thrown in advice on where to find more hogs....really good guys over there


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## BARFOOTLARRY (Feb 20, 2007)

The last time that I remember GW at a road block was opening day of dove season 2006. So it made sense me that they were there. But it was a GW that checked my drivers license, insurance, and vehicle tag. I was in full camo and he never asked for my hunting license. My gun was in plain view didn't ask if it was loaded. I am by no means complaining, just thought it was odd. That night it was a DUI check point and police officers were doing that. And I have been at 2 other DUI road blocks and seen GW there. And I am pretty sure they were not during hunting season. Again not complaining or questioning their job, just my observation.


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