Funny names for the Fish and Game/DNR guys

Bird and Turtle Cops I have the greatest respect for these officers, nearly everyone they come in contact with is armed and they mostly work alone. Catch an episode or 2 of "Lone Star Law" and you will get a better understanding of these folks.
 
Sevens said:
Talk about a dream job! -NO-, I’m not saying it’s easy. Just that it must be just an amazing career choice. I’m a little bit jealous.
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What could be dreamier that being alone at night, all kinds of weather, in the woods facing a group of drunken idiots braking the law, armed with high power rifles?:eek:
 
When I was working the road and saw the ODNR guys stopped in an adjoining field or road with someone it was normal to just stop and be seen. You never know, even though you might have been 50-100+ yards away, just being present might have kept someone from trying anything. We always worked alone and sometimes the only Trooper for 1 or 2 counties on night shift and some of the local ODNR guys would stop with us also. Then again, that applied to the Sheriff's Deputies and local PD units. We all want to go home at the end of our shifts.
 
Deputy Duck checked us in the marsh on Lake St Clair one morning in an airboat. It was prime time opening day and everyone in the marsh heard them coming a mile away. Scared all the waterfowl out of the area in the first 5 minutes, going blind to blind.

When they finally got to my partner and I, we already had our licenses out and our chambers empty. It was a female DNR officer with an Indian pilot. She inspected our birds, checked the guns and shells and asked where our boat was. I led her to the other side of the small island where the boat was hidden. I had a 50 Cal ammo can in the boat with a variety of different size steel and non-tox shells.

She went through every box, pulled out each shell and dropped them on the floor of the boat after inspection. When she finished, I asked her to please put them back the way she found them. If looks could kill... She randomly dumped shells back in the boxes and was on her way.

I supported DU at the time and understood the importance of protecting the resource, but I thought this was incredibly rude and over the top. She wasted a half hour of our time, ruined the morning hunt and I spent a good half hour that evening putting the shells back in the correct boxes. Most DNR officers I’ve encountered have been courteous, polite and some even offered good tips, but this one was a real piece of work.
 
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Several times in my career I have called for a backup and one of the "Possum Police" would get there before one of my guys. They often helped us with boats and 4wd vehicles and manpower during manhunts, floods, and other emergencies. I can remember several in my state who were killed in the line of duty. They have my respect.
 
When I went through the Po-leese Academy in 1979, there were several "Coon Cops" aka game wardens in my class. At least they were able to drive their pick-up trucks, while most everybody else had to use their private vehicles.

They were all great guys. :)
 
Rule3 said:
What could be dreamier that being alone at night, all kinds of weather, in the woods facing a group of drunken idiots braking the law, armed with high power rifles?:eek:
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It would be potentially dangerous at times but i also think it would be an incredible job
 
It takes someone that is very dedicated to be any kind of law enforcement officer. Game Wardens as they are usually called in OK, have a rewarding but dangerous job. Operating by themselves and contacting a bunch of drunks with guns is serious business.
Most of us obey the law and never have an issue. There are some people however, who think laws are made to be broken and resent those whose job it is to enforce them.
 
s&wchad said:
She went through every box, pulled out each shell and dropped them on the floor of the boat after inspection. When she finished, I asked her to please put them back the way she found them. If looks could kill... She randomly dumped shells back in the boxes and was on her way.

I supported DU at the time and understood the importance of protecting the resource, but I thought this was incredibly rude and over the top. She wasted a half hour of our time, ruined the morning hunt and I spent a good half hour that evening putting the shells back in the correct boxes. Most DNR officers I’ve encountered have been courteous, polite and some even offered good tips, but this one was a real piece of work.
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chad:

Naturally I'm wondering if you reported her behavior to her superiors at the agency. I certainly would have done so -may not have done much good, but then again it may have; who knows?

Regards,
Andy
 
snowman said:
chad:

Naturally I'm wondering if you reported her behavior to her superiors at the agency. I certainly would have done so -may not have done much good, but then again it may have; who knows?

Regards,
Andy
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Andy,
I did not. I have family and friends in law enforcement and have the greatest respect for the job they do. I actually studied Criminal Justice in College, before taking up engineering.

I didn’t think it would do any good, because of the powers they have in our State. Far beyond those of other LE agency’s.

Conservation Officers can enter gated property without a warrant or probable cause and look for violations. I’m not a violator and don’t want to cause trouble, but their disregard for our Constitution does bother me.

Edit to add:
Drivers can't be stopped without reason and have their licenses checked without cause, but the DNR can stop hunters and check for proper licenses at their discretion.

They can also pull drivers over and search their vehicle, without witnessing any violation, just because they're in an area where people hunt. Michigan law prohibits drive sobriety checkpoints, so I fail to understand how this is legal.
 
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We've always referred to them as "Mr. Green Jeans" as far back as I can remember.

They wear (or did) wear green pants and khaki shirts.
 
My brother calls the ones in the Florida federal fishing areas "Federales". As in "the state guys might give you a warning but the Federales won't cut you any slack" .

Glad all the DGIF (state, federal and local) are out there keeping the bad players honest as best they can!
 
I dealt with the game cops in Maryland a lot...some of the state guys were alright...Most I met when I was a kid had been some of the best game law violators going at one time....so the state gave 'em a job when jobs were scarce...turned 'em into upstanding game law enforcers. Guiding waterfowl hunters for more than 30 years I got to meet an awful lot of the Federal game wardens too. Some were ok...Some were *** holes. A guy named Parker comes to mind. Never was cited for anything but just dealing with them(Federal GWs) was sometimes aggravating. And If I had a game warden check all my shells I would have insisted on them putting them back correctly and then made a formal complaint. I was a good skwerl hunter as a kid and one state guy checked me every time he saw me on my bicycle with my little Win 37 410...Almost always had a limit and he always thought I was breaking the law.. But he did help me when I got my first deer. We loaded it in his trunk and he took me home. Couldn't get it tied on my bike. I was 11. We even threw the bike in the trunk...Didn't see many deer on the Eastern Shore in the 50s. That fellows name was Peeden if I remember correctly it was 60 yrs ago
 
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