Problems with fish and wildlife officer

[flynnflon]

Soo.... is there a complaint line or a way to address issues with fish cops? Like how cops have internal affairs office you can call?


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[sjr]

Originally Posted by CanuckShooter

What is a wildlife guardian??

I had one bad experience with a CO, real bad, and now I don't trust them very much as it seems they only ask you questions to try and develop an excuse to charge you with something. But that is just my one bad one, this fall the two we ran into were real sociable and not at all like that.

Did you flash them your Metis card ???

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

There was a F&W officer up here years ago that was threatened with a hand gun before they started carrying, and the attitude have I found over the years is that most unethical hunters and poachers consider them lower than pond scum so yeah, they tend to be on edge.

Cat

I remember running into one of our local Fish Cops, at a store in Calgary, way before they were armed. Officer was purchasing a shoulder holster for a Ruger Security Six. Might have been for "personal" use though.

Grizz

[Jays toyz]

I was following this thread and now it seems very relevant. A F&W officer came in to my store looking for me and left a card. I called him back and he just asked if i hunted. I said yes. He asked if i was out over the holidays. I said yes, unsuccessfully calling coyotes. He said he wanted to talk to me in person at his office. I asked what about and all he would say was that he wouldn't do any official questioning over the phone and i may have been a witness to something. I assume he would say the same thing if I was a poacher he had evidence against. Kinda gets the questions rolling around in your head. Are coyotes closed? Was that land that was marked crown on my map actually private. I make every effort to follow the law to the letter, even when it is convoluted or inconvenient, so i shouldn't be nervous but i am freaking out. I have never been officially questioned by any law enforcement agent. Ever.

[Musk e]

Do not I repeat do not give any statements or sign anything without consulting a lawyer.
Been there many many years ago due to a lying anti hunter that was cruising honking there horn during our hunt.
Told fish and wildlife my partner shot his deer after legal time.
All total B.S
Cop believed the anti hunter and charged us both.
Told my friend if he tried fighting things would go way way worse for him.
Being young and scared crapless he pled guilty and took a minor punishment.
I was unwilling to compromise as we were inocent and i got a lawyer.
I beat the charge thank goodness.
Did not cost me any less but I got my rifle back and maintained my clean record thankfully.

Proceed with caution

[robson3954]

Originally Posted by Jays toyz

I was following this thread and now it seems very relevant. A F&W officer came in to my store looking for me and left a card. I called him back and he just asked if i hunted. I said yes. He asked if i was out over the holidays. I said yes, unsuccessfully calling coyotes. He said he wanted to talk to me in person at his office. I asked what about and all he would say was that he wouldn't do any official questioning over the phone and i may have been a witness to something. I assume he would say the same thing if I was a poacher he had evidence against. Kinda gets the questions rolling around in your head. Are coyotes closed? Was that land that was marked crown on my map actually private. I make every effort to follow the law to the letter, even when it is convoluted or inconvenient, so i shouldn't be nervous but i am freaking out. I have never been officially questioned by any law enforcement agent. Ever.

If you know it was by the book, then somebody probably called you in either ignorantly or maliciously.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Jays toyz

I was following this thread and now it seems very relevant. A F&W officer came in to my store looking for me and left a card. I called him back and he just asked if i hunted. I said yes. He asked if i was out over the holidays. I said yes, unsuccessfully calling coyotes. He said he wanted to talk to me in person at his office. I asked what about and all he would say was that he wouldn't do any official questioning over the phone and i may have been a witness to something. I assume he would say the same thing if I was a poacher he had evidence against. Kinda gets the questions rolling around in your head. Are coyotes closed? Was that land that was marked crown on my map actually private. I make every effort to follow the law to the letter, even when it is convoluted or inconvenient, so i shouldn't be nervous but i am freaking out. I have never been officially questioned by any law enforcement agent. Ever.

If you have nothing to hide it is just routine questions and routine answers no more,no less, been there and it was pleasant and an easy procedure to go through.
Start getting gruff and arrogant, lie a bit and now you are on the radar for the wrong reasons...don't freak out just be honest.

[alder]

Originally Posted by Jays toyz

I was following this thread and now it seems very relevant. A F&W officer came in to my store looking for me and left a card. I called him back and he just asked if i hunted. I said yes. He asked if i was out over the holidays. I said yes, unsuccessfully calling coyotes. He said he wanted to talk to me in person at his office. I asked what about and all he would say was that he wouldn't do any official questioning over the phone and i may have been a witness to something. I assume he would say the same thing if I was a poacher he had evidence against. Kinda gets the questions rolling around in your head. Are coyotes closed? Was that land that was marked crown on my map actually private. I make every effort to follow the law to the letter, even when it is convoluted or inconvenient, so i shouldn't be nervous but i am freaking out. I have never been officially questioned by any law enforcement agent. Ever.

If he insists on not conducting an "official" line of questioning over the phone then do not meet unless you have a lawyer sitting in the chair right beside you. It's an official line of questioning by a law enforcement official. Get a lawyer.

[Joe Black]

sounds to me like "the official questioning" has already started, and they will be working on polishing their interrogation when you get there.

sorry dude, that's what it sound like to me. the fact that they asked specific questions which you admitted to, means they have grounds to gather more information to bolster their investigation.

Maybe your first question to them should be(over the phone and not at their office) is "are you charging me, or considering to charge me with an offence". If all is ligit, they will say no, if they do not say no, do not answer, or say yes, i'd get a lawyer. Even if you have been doing everything legal, and make a mistake in explaining something(et) and incriminate yourself, you're screwed. too late after the fact.

just sitting here in my armchair

[Mulehahn]

There is a fine line between being honest and giving up to much information. In Jayz Toyz situation the Officer clearly knew who he was and where he worked. That tells me he has solid proof that he was out hunting "over the holidays." No point in denying it. Now if he asks about specific dates I honestly couldn't and wouldn't tell him. The holidays are a busy time. Except for DEC 25 and 31 I couldn't tell you where I was on a specific day, or what area I hunted on a given day (did I go North or South on say the 23rd...). Make them prove what they know, and there is no question "yes", "no" or "I don't know" wont answer.

As for getting searched, the solution is easy. LOCK YOUR DOORS! I have nothing against police/COs/FCs but I will lock my door. If I get pulled over I lock the doors and just roll the window down. If I am asked to get out of the car for a breathalyzer I will lock the door behind me. They need probable cause and I don't give them any.

I respect officers, regardless of their position. I have never actually had a bad encounter with one. But still hold them accountable for their actions.

[Jays toyz]

So as it turns out, someone dumped a gut pile from a poached moose, right beside where we were stuck in the ditch. I match the rough description of someone seen in the area previously. Officer was cordial and non accusatory. I got good character references apparently from people he asked in his quest to find me which may have helped. Hope its the end of it. If i wanted to poach a moose, i have them on my own land every damned day and I could do it where nobody would know but where would be the satisfaction in that, not to mention my "Catholic guilt" would get me in the end. If i was him, I would have questioned me too.
I will get one with a bow on my land next year the same way i got my deer this year, with patience and a limited skill set.

[rocpilefsj]

My first dealing with a wildlife officer was extremely negative 4 or 5 years ago, she damn near had my four year old in tears. She had an rcmp member with her making the rounds and I think she was just trying to flex her muscles for him. It seemed like she was trying to pick a fist fight. Since then I have dealt with many more usually 3 or 4 a year and have all been great. Even had a couple stay for bbqd hamburgers while out random camping west of rocky last summer. Like any profession there are good apples and bad apples. That first encounter left a pretty bad taste in my mouth but the encounters since gave all been very positive.