How prevalant are Game wardens?

[Husqvarna]

So my guilty pleasure now is North woods law, so yah "reality" TV :~\

130 game wardens in Maine according to Google


The concept of game wardens is totally alien to me. Atleast ones out patrolling

We have sorta equivalent but they are bureacrats mostly and each state only got a few.

How often do you encounter them in a regular hunting year?

When it comes to tags and such we selfreport. Bears they do come out to physically inspect it) and if a Wolf has been shot

Overall game management here is done by the state (the bureacrats I alluded to) But us hunters do the practical stuff ourself in our national and local orgs and landowners/hunting leasers.

Is there really as much poaching and hunting violations?

Sure we have a few big hunting crimes/cases a year in all of Sweden.. But 2017 there was about 2200 hunting crimes nationwide (but over half of that is hit and run game traffic collisions which falls into the category), all these small violations here are just not happening and/or glossed over, self policing if you will

How can it be so different?

[ligonierbill]

Our hunter population is different here. In Europe (my experience is from cousins in northern Bavaria) getting a hunting license requires a good deal of study and preparation. In essence, the hunters are the wildlife managers. In the US, a one-day safety course is all that's required. Anyone who wants to go hunting can, for the most part, do so. This means we have a pretty wide range of skill, knowledge, ethics. Most are excellent, but "there's always somebody". Hence, the game wardens.

If you're watching "North Woods Law" (I do, too) you know that the wardens have a very wide range of duty, not just enforcing game laws. They will get the baby skunks out of your window well, go find Uncle Harry who wandered into the woods, and play traffic cop with 4-wheelers.

In over 50 years of hunting and fishing, I have personally encountered only 2 wardens. And I don't think game law violations are prevalent here. Minor stuff, sure. But, like most crime, a very small minority commit most of the serious violations.

[HiBC]

I live in Colorado.I don't worry about Game Wardens because I obey the law.
Everyone must wear blaze orange.If you are not wearing orange,you will get a citation.
Of course,there are some terrain situations where even orange can disappear,most of our state has terrain where a game warden with good optics can keep an eye on literally miles of terrain.With binoculars and a spotting scope,the warden can keep a general eye on a bunch of orange specks,and can closely observe some.Same with fishing.

I figure no matter where I am or what I'm doing,its possible I am being observed.

The Wardens also know the herds and their movements.They have fixed wing and helicopter aircraft.

I don't know about current data,but fairly recent data says the revenue from big game hunting in Colorado exceeds the revenue from skiing.

IMO, our Colorado Parks and Wildlife does work at watching over our game resources.

That said,our Western States National Forests and Bureau of Land Management public lands are very large...as large as some countries,I imagine.

There are few game wardens to manage vast areas.

In part,the plan is,you never know.

We also have programs that reward anyone who calls in a tip to law enforcement on poachers.So,nearly every hunter might be a"friend" to the game warden.
There will also be road checkpoints on the routes in and out of "hunting country"

My perception? The general public is protective of wildlife,and does not tolerate poaching.

At the same time,I can't guess percentages, but IMO,a significant number of hunters will bend /break the rules if they think they will not get caught.

[FITASC]

When I lived in NV, there were 10 wardens covering 10,000 square miles EACH of some very remote territory.

[Old Stony]

In my experience, you are more likely to see a warden if you have a fish in your possession that is 1/2 inch under legal, than if you happen to call one in the middle of the night needing help to control hunters trespassing on your property.
They have some strange priorities anymore. Law enforcement has learned to use them a lot for drug enforcement work, as the wardens are allowed a lot more leniency as far as searches and freedom to go on others properties. Don't know what this has to do with wildlife...but that is the situation anymore.

[TXAZ]

In Texas if you're hunting something you shouldn't be, or shooting when / where you shouldn't be, sooner or later you're going to meet one of the +/- 500 Game Wardens in Texas.

[ZeroJunk]

Not sure how many LEO's of one denomination or another are in this county, but it would not surprise me if it is close to 1000. There is one game warden.

[FITASC]

They have some strange priorities anymore. Law enforcement has learned to use them a lot for drug enforcement work, as the wardens are allowed a lot more leniency as far as searches and freedom to go on others properties.

Same here in Florida; they are brought in on suspected drug busts exactly for that reason.

[Doyle]

FITASC, are you familiar with how the FWC came into being? They are a MUCH different agency than what they evolved into.

[Blindstitch]

Here in Milwaukee Wisconsin hunting is big but public land is small so it's a matter of counting cars parked at the public hunting grounds but I see more when I'm fishing. Oddly enough I saw 2 last Saturday. Both were looking for a possible 911 misdial but asked how the fishing was but didn't check my license.

In Northern Michigan where I hunt/fish there's a local office so I see the trucks at the gas station or driving down the road but I haven't had any check me in a long time. If I worry that a fish is just barely legal and might shrink it goes back. Don't need a ticket for a fraction of an inch.

I think that TV show is kind of a farce or half truth. The conservation officers might see a 1/2 days work of checking licenses or measuring fish but 4 officers in a county of even 100,000 people means a majority of people won't see them. But some states conservation officers and police are a lot closer connected.

[old roper]

Here in Co all draw big game tags are for certain units so not state wide and Game Wardens do check. Same every year you see someone drive by with tag attached to horns and they don't read regs where tag is Carcass Tag.

I know during hunting season they have DOW from Denver and other towns help during hunting season and they also have BLM ranger check on hunters in units their assigned. You also have Forest Service, so lot of eyes looking.

I think they do good job. Unit's I hunt FS shut access gates right after 4th season and they don't open them till June 15.

[Mobuck]

Best I can recollect, I've never been checked by a bunny cop while hunting out of state. I have had a very specific discussion of "landowners' discretion" in the following of game regulations right in my own driveway. In my woolly and exuberant past, I played hide and seek with bunny cops fairly regularly but only got ticketed once. These days I'm less likely to be on the wrong side of the rules and even had a personal visit with our new county bunny cop a couple of weeks back.

[Colorado Redneck]

Once, in all the years I've hunted, a game warden was watching three of us from a couple miles away. I had binoculars too, and eyeballed his truck, then went about the deer hunt (this on private property intermingled within the Pawnee Grasslands.) Suddenly that truck drove up behind me. The warden was a good guy, asked to see me license, we talked a few minutes and he drove away. I appreciate those people. They have a job to do, and we need some enforcement of hunting regs. Otherwise, greedy idiots will annihilate game populations.

[reynolds357]

If you want to find our local Rabbit Sheriff, just get on a jet ski. He stays on the lake stopping jet skis.

[Double Naught Spy]

In Texas if you're hunting something you shouldn't be, or shooting when / where you shouldn't be, sooner or later you're going to meet one of the +/- 500 Game Wardens in Texas.

Texas has 1 warden for approximately every 500+ square miles. That seems pretty good, but it really isn't. In going through the game warden by county listing, what is interesting is the number of counties with no game wardens. There are several. There are a LOT of counties with one one game warden. The counties that seem to have the most seem to be centered around ports, borders, and lake resources. Game wardens also do time working on the border with Mexico as part of border security, pulling them away from their local duties.

In 11 years of night hunting across many counties in Texas, I have yet be stopped by a game warden. I have never actually seen one while hunting and I hunt a LOT.

[TXAZ]

Originally Posted by Double Naught Spy

Texas has 1 warden for approximately every 500+ square miles.
....

In 11 years of night hunting across many counties in Texas, I have yet be stopped by a game warden. I have never actually seen one while hunting and I hunt a LOT.

Interesting. I tend to see them in the East Texas area between ~ Tyler to north of Houston.

I don't have that list but I'm betting that Loving county (population < 100) doesn't have 1.

[bamaranger]

I have 48 yrs of licensed hunting and fishing behind me. I am serious about it too, not a weekend warrior. Over the decades I've hunted/fished 4 different states, public (state) land, federal land, and private property. I have been checked by a game warden/conservation officer while afoot (he was in a 4WD) exactly one time that I can recall. That was on a state WMA, here in AL in spring gobbler season.

I have retired from a federal conservation agency, spending over 30 yrs in enforcement. The amount of poaching and illegal hunting activity huge. I doubt if many avid law abiding sportsmen really understand how rampant the problem is. And there are many sportsman that turn a blind eye to violators, and many "good" folks that think nothing of breaking a game law if they can get away with it. Limits, baiting (illegal) tresspass, shooting hours, tagging, reporting game are for the other guy. I see examples of this all the time, on the job, and now that I'm retired as well. Hunt/fish is one of the few sports that is largely on the honor system. There is no crowd or referee to see ones actions. Only the individual determines if the sport is played by the rules.

Making a case can be extremely difficult. Getting the officer, the violator, and the game (or fish) and the offense to occur at the same time and place so as to chargeable and lead to conviction is difficult. And there are liberal judges, and poor judges....and good defense lawyers. With complaints pouring in from landowners and sportsman who want to do right,(many good cases are made by tips from good sportsman) where does the officer best spend his time? And there are bad supervisors, who demand time spent elsewhere. And civic obligations to organizations and other agencies. And small budgets, and money you were promised that got spent by the agency elsewhere (new carpet at HQ). You get the idea.

In my years on the job, I never met a warden or WCO that did not take his job seriously. All of them were stretched thin, under staffed and under equipped in some aspect of their work. Many were underpaid as well. The young ones were usually a bit ambitious,the older ones sometimes a bit burned out. But they were all there was between violators and game hogs and the resource and good sportsman.

[buck460XVR]

Rules and priorities for wardens may vary by state.

Originally Posted by Old Stony

In my experience, you are more likely to see a warden if you have a fish in your possession that is 1/2 inch under legal, than if you happen to call one in the middle of the night needing help to control hunters trespassing on your property.

In my state, trespassing is a criminal offense, not a wildlife violation and a call to a warden about trespassing will get you redirected to the county sheriff. This does not mean a warden will not assist a county mountie.

Originally Posted by reynolds357

If you want to find our local Rabbit Sheriff, just get on a jet ski. He stays on the lake stopping jet skis.

Wardens are hunter.....hunters of violators. Like any good hunter, a warden knows the best place to find their quarry. They know where the best "stands" are and those areas where they are most likely to witness a violation.

Like regular LEOs. wardens cannot enter your home or property unless they have a search warrant, have witnessed something to provoke probable cause or have a there is a legitimate threat of eminent danger. That is why you see them patrolling mostly on public land and cruising public roads with binoculars. If you only hunt private property and do all your violating out of eyesight of your neighbors and the road, odds are you can go your whole lifetime without seeing a warden while hunting. One reason you see them more on water is because, here, water is public domain and they are just more visible.

Folks are quick to criticize wardens here locally and on these types of forums. Truth is most are overworked and underpaid while doing a bang-up job of protecting and enforcement. I for one am happy to see them while in the woods and on the water.

[Mobuck]

"In my state, trespassing is a criminal offense, not a wildlife violation and a call to a warden about trespassing will get you redirected to the county sheriff. This does not mean a warden will not assist a county mountie."

In my state, the "uniforms" are certified state LEO and have full arrest powers. The agency lobbied for this, got what they asked for, and then complained about having to spend time performing "common" LEO stuff.

[indie_rocker]

I had one run in over the last couple years. Stopped at a favorite trail in the spring for a quick hike while on a motorcycle ride. Came back to a conservation officer sitting behind the bike. He gave me a short lecture about it being turkey season and asked what I was up to.

I hunt there for small game and deer but was totally oblivious to turkey season. I apologized and we parted ways.

[Double Naught Spy]

Interesting. I tend to see them in the East Texas area between ~ Tyler to north of Houston.

I don't have that list but I'm betting that Loving county (population < 100) doesn't have 1.

Loving County - HENDRIX, JOSEPH C is the game warden.

Here is the list... https://tpwd.texas.gov/warden/game-warden-list.phtml

"In my state, trespassing is a criminal offense, not a wildlife violation and a call to a warden about trespassing will get you redirected to the county sheriff. This does not mean a warden will not assist a county mountie."

In my state, the "uniforms" are certified state LEO and have full arrest powers. The agency lobbied for this, got what they asked for, and then complained about having to spend time performing "common" LEO stuff.

Here in Texas, they have "STATE POLICE" on (most? all?) game warden vehicles in part because people have trouble believing a game warden can write tickets for traffic violations or make drug busts. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nkf-561/20176943212

[FrankenMauser]

The number of wardens in the places that I hunt varies based on how prevalent poaching and other wildlife crimes are, and the popularity of the area.

Where I will be hunting mule deer with a muzzle loader later this year in Utah, for example, there will be three to four game wardens patrolling an area of about 400 square miles - working together and individually. During the "rifle" hunt, the number will increase to somewhere between eight and fifteen wardens for the same area. (The "rifle" hunt is much more popular.)

However, on the other side of the state and at the opposite end of the spectrum, there is an area covering 7,300 square miles that only has one game warden assigned (and no Forest Service officer - but that's another subject). Where the other wardens only have about 100-130 square miles to cover, each; this guy is responsible for everything going on in an unpopulated area larger than the state of Connecticut or the country of Kuwait. Even though it is much less popular and has much fewer game animals, the massive area still has to be patrolled. By one guy.


Why do we have so many, overall? I think other posters hit that pretty well: Because we do have big problems with poaching, waste of game, and 'wrong take' (shooting a bull elk with a cow tag, shooting a moose with an elk tag, shooting a buck antelope with horns too short to be legal, etc.).
Just yesterday, the Fish and Wildlife dropped a press release asking for information about two bull elk that were shot a couple hundred yards apart and left to rot. Not only is the waste of game a major issue, but it's not rifle season anywhere in the state and that area doesn't have an elk season, at all.

Why so different? (Speaking of the areas that I hunt or have lived.) ...Because a lot of people, especially those living in very rural areas or in the mountains, think they can do - and get away with - whatever they want. Unfortunately for everyone else, more often than not, they're correct. Plenty of people from cities do stupid things, too; but most repeat offenders live out in the boonies, 'where the law don't go' (...until someone turns them in).

[T. O'Heir]

"...trespassing is a criminal offense..." Usually a 'ticket' thing vs 'criminal' in most places. The whole thing depends entirely on where you are.
The biggest difference between anywhere in North America and Sweden is what bunch of unelected civil servants are responsible for enforcing the hunting laws. Here, it's the Ministry of Natural Resources. It's the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency over there.

[jmr40]

Things have really changed here in Georgia. Back in the 1970's when I 1st started hunting each of the 159 counties had 2 wardens. In addition there are dozens of Wildlife Management Areas and Public fishing areas that each had an area manager.

I used to know every local warden personally, had their home and later even cell numbers and would advise them of any problems I saw. At the time deer populations were small, but growing. They aggressively watched over the herd and were proactive in catching illegal activity. They used to be very visible and I have been checked many times.

Now because of budget cuts and an exploding deer population things are much different. We now have 2 wardens to cover a 6 county area. They almost always now only respond to complaints and I rarely see one. I haven't had my license checked in years.

Deer are considered a nuisance now and killing as many as possible is encouraged. There is a dozen per year limit and no one much notices if rules are bent. Illegal baiting has been so common that they finally legalized it instead of trying to fight it.

Those guys have a tough job and I've never had a negative experience with any of them.

I've hunted and/or fished out of state in Colorado, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Kentucky . I've never interacted with a game warden in those states.

[std7mag]

I see them every fall at the elk or bear check in stations.
Otherwise i can think of only 2 ocassions when i've been hunting and seen one. Mostly during spring turkey season.
Not that i mind running into them. To me they have a job not for the feint of heart, as most people they are dealing with have a weapon close by.

I played game warden last weekend. Couple of 4 wheelers on gamelands. I popped out of the bushes in front of them. Took all their pics with my phone. Informed them it was illegal to ride on gamelands and i was sending pics to game commission. Which i did.
They were not happy with me.