# Wardens TV show



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I was watching this last night and just had to shake my head......... One of the Wardens spots a couple people on foot chasing after some antelope. He is suspicious so he gets out of his vehicle to walk out to meet them. In the process one of the hunters uses his scope (twice) to try to ID the Warden. Now this is a total safety violation and the Warden rightly chastized him for it....BUT.... The Warden should have been chastised too....... He walked into an active hunting area with NO safety orange on himself.....I have to wonder what the heck was he thinking. ........If I was A warden I would at least have an orange cap......... stuff happens.........

Game and Fish Department encourage anyone being outdoors during the hunting seasons to wear orange for their own safety yet don't apply that to their own Wardens...

That brings another point to mind. I often see shows of guided hunts where the hunter is required to wear orange BUT the guide is not......This makes absolutely no sense to me. What happens if that guide gets separated from that hunter ?


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Yes, I wonder about some of those shows too. Lots of gun hunting with no one wearing orange. We teach the kids in hunter Ed that blaze orange is pretty well universal in every state during gun seasons, and why,this is so, etc. Then the kids go home and on the Outdoor Channel. Some areas in northern Canada and Alaska are exempt from orange if they are way out in the boonies, etc. maybe a lot of,these shows are filmed on HF enclosures!?!


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

HH.... many places in the west all you need is an orange cap... then that is legal. Were as other states you need 50% of your body in orange. Some states even blazer orange camo is illegal. But I agree 100% you teach one thing then the idiot box shows something totally different.

Dakota.... I agree 100% the warden should be held accountable too. I am sure the reason why he didn't have blaze orange on was because he wanted to "catch them in the act". Yet he is putting himself in danger to "try" and bust someone. Like you said it looks suspicious. He didn't encounter or witness an unlawful act. So he was trying to "make tv".

That TV show and its wardens have been chastised before. One warden gave a ticket, confiscated an elk, etc. From someone who he said didn't "validate a tag immediately" after the kill. It took the hunters 20 minutes or so to do this. Yet the animal was tagged when the warden got to them. The county attorney threw it out. Yet the warden wanted to "make tv" and was pushed by the producer and crew to issue the citation (according to the hunter). You can google it and see all the backlash and what not. Again I am not saying in this case that the hunter was correct because you need to know the laws if you are hunting in that state. Just saying it isn't the same in our state makes a valid argument. Just saying that show has been under fire before.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Yeah.....I saw that show yesterday also. Wondered the same thing. How much of those scenes are redone for television?They have to get some drama in there.Maybe even have the guy point an empty gun at him.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

I like the show. I have hunted big game for over 50 years and have seen alot of very DUMB things out there. May have even done a few myself.  MHO game violations seem to get off way too easy at least in ND.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Chuck I think I saw that one with the Elk. The problem I see is that Montana has an outdated tag system....... I have to wonder how many hunters lose those game tags while dragging their game out. I have noticed that most seem to wrap tape around them but you shouldn't have to bring a roll of tape along to secure a tag.......The stick on tyvek tags like we use here in ND are pretty tough but I've even torn a couple of those up a bit dragging out game. I still remember the days of steel tags.........


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I didn't see that one.

But my question is did the warden use some judgement. I mean were the guys over the kill for 20 mins. Or was it 20 mins from when he saw the animal go down? big difference.... because even when an animal hits the ground the hunter might not know it is dead or be over the kill. even so if over the kill... people high five, take pictures, let nerves calm down, think of how to pack out an animal, etc. 20 mins isn't that much time for people when they are over a kill. Hell I shot a deer this year and before I gutted it and tagged it I think I spent 20 mins taking pics and what not. Now imagine if it was a first elk kill.

I also understand the law so people don't "pocket" tags or feel they can get away with out tagging. I do get that. But for this TV show are the wardens getting side tracked from doing a job and making TV?

I too like the show. But the thing is Wardens have to use discretion and judgement more often than not. Especially when it comes to something like this. the law states "immediately".... well is immediately to you could be different to someone else. Is immediately 30 seconds or 10 mins? Is immediately after the animal hits the ground u need to validate your tag or is it once you are over the kill? Because you can drop an animal across the ridge and it might take you 20 mins to get to it because of a steep valley, creek, or some other obstacle in the way. Like these guys I read was in a swamp.

But again.... is these types of shows making it harder for wardens to do a tough job already. Because citations and conflict makes for good TV.... talking to people and giving warnings or educating people about laws isn't good TV.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The interpretation of immediately IS subjective. There has been more than one hunter that immediately tagged and animal which then proceeded to "get up" and run away before it could be field dressed.................... As a rule I will generally tag "after" I have field dressed an animal. I can understand that an animal on any type of motorized transport should be tagged.. That just makes sense but I think there is some leeway for someone dragging something out of the field.


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