Some are very nice here in Indiana, and others act like you’ve done something wrong and they are trying to bust you. I even had one approach the farmer I had permission to hunt from after he found out who it was from me. And asked him if he could hunt the same property. Owner said no he had someone hunting. Thought that was kinda crappy. But most I have met in Arizona have been real nice.

Deleted. See Dick's dedicated memorial thread.

I've never met one hunting but several times when fishing and they have been nothing but nice, even suggesting different bait for that particular spot.

Last year i was checked 3 times in a week and a half, and thought it odd, until the 3rd time when he was just starting his "hi there, how's the fish.... Oh it's you,enjoy the day"and started to walk away

I realized then that I had just moved to the area and they didn't know me from a distance so they checked. He and I are now on a 1st name basis.

What also helps is my wife is a volunteer for avaian haven in Freedom, Maine. he has called us 3 times with an injured bird needing rehab. 1 owl, 1 coopers hawk and a nighthawk.
Kind of neat getting up close and feeding a raptor.

Seems most I run into are arrogant aholes who think their job is to strutt around harassing law abiding people such as myself. I have run into a couple nice one but the former seem to be the majority.

Ive always wondered why they run thru the woods in season, esp deer season, w/ camouflage?? Everyone else is req to have orange, by law and common sense. I guess they dont want to give themselves away, but might get shot??

Be careful for what you wish for lol

Locally I have ran into the same DNR officer on separate run ins, hunting he was cool and laid back, on our dirt bikes he was not so cool.

Good and bad here. The laws are made with very gray areas and loop holes so technically you can be in the right and wrong at the same time. Minnesota laws are terrible for this. I've ask 1 warden and he says not legal and the next says totally fine. We've had 1 warden fired because she was so unprofessional and was harassing sportsman. The way to cure the bad ones is to file A harassment report with their chief. This usually changes their attitude because they like their 80k job and free truck. I had to do this to a police officer and I never had a problem again with him. If I was to break the law and was caught I would say they did their jobs which doesn't mean being a bad officer. Even if they issue tickets they must be professional. Anything less is unexceptionable being they technically work for us and we pay their salary.

My experience only extends to Michigan DNR. And our great state is widely know for our corrupt and large number of ill informed conservation officers. I have many stories I could tell. Some are mine, some are family stories, and some are stories of friends. Even a couple of local CO’s wrote a book about how terrible the Michigan DNR is as a whole. It’s really a shame. Our state funnels an unreal amount of money to conservation and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. I just wish a little bit of that money went into measures that ensure officers are correctly enforcing real law and went into a little more classroom time for the officers that are…well…a bit on the caveman side mentally.
It’s truly sad. Many of the outdoorsman in my state who are upstanding hunters have been horribly harassed by our CO’s and there is very little a fellow can do about it. Pretty hard to complain to the people who did you wrong and expect something good to come of it. Oh well. Hunt within the law, obey the rules set for your recreational activity, and keep your head down because sooner or later one of our CO’s will make an example out of you for whatever he feels is law.
God says to obey the laws of the land and give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. And that’s what I intend to do.

In 58 years of hunting I have had only a handful of interactions with Wardens, all except one were routine and friendly, and the only tense one was a misunderstanding that turned out ok. While scouting for the up coming bear season I found a bait site, illegal here. I reported it, gave my name, truck tags, and said I would move over the hill. Second day walking in two wardens with guns drawn jumped out yelling "hands up". After identifying myself, that I reported it, it seems there was more than one pile of oats and dog food and they sat that one the second day, and I was walking near it unknowingly. I moved a mile away after that. I've been a hunter ed volunteer instructor for the past six years and we try to have a CO to address every class and answer questions and it goes very well.The takeaway is, don't lie, don't have an attitude, and don't try to bend the grey areas. Also just because you don't see them doesn't mean they didn't watch you. A Vermont CO that checked me on my boat on the lake told me exactly where I fished on a local river, and that I only kept a couple trout. Seems the F&G office was just up the road from my spot as he drove by.

I've been checked a few times shooting PD's in Arizona. Most checks were fine and the 20 caliber wildcat AR's got lots of props from them.

The last time I was 10 miles back in th e field on top of a hill and a young fellow drove up. I left my rifle on the pick up tail gate and walked over to him, I was eating lunch, and we chatted. He saw my license but as it went on he got more and more nervous. I finally asked him what the problem was and he said it was how I was standing that bothered him! I said what was that all about and he said you're balding off on me. I said you mean a T-stance and he said yes. Well I told him that I was an LEO and that in my world that was what you did and that I never squared flat out with anyone period. I then pointed out that he might consider that as he had been completely exposed to me during all of our discussion. I was way past sixty years old and am pretty non-threatening but appearances aren't always correct.

I told him I wished him well but he needed to think tactics. I explained I taught a bit of that and he would have been in serious danger if my regular customers were there and not me. To his credit his eyes got real big and suddenly he decided he needed to go way out yonder. Had it been anymore than this his supervisor and I would have had a set down. I suspect he was new to the job as he exhibited zero situational awareness.

Greg

Double tap.

I've had several run ins with Game Wardens. Never had a single problem. I make sure when I go into the woods that I am 100% legal. If your legal then there's no reason to worry. I use to hunt directly behind a rangers home. People ask how I could do that? If your legal then what's the problem??? It was public land and open for hunting. I could see his back yard from my tree stand. The last warden I talked to was during rifle season. I was at my truck having some coffee. He stopped by and visited with me over a cup of java.(Of course he checked my license) Ask if I needed anything. I said nope I'm good. He wished me luck and went on his way. They are just normal people doing their job, same as all the rest of us.