Got checked out by a CO tonite

I haven't seen a CO while hunting in southern Ontario period. not ever, not once. And that is over the last 20 or so years.
 
CO came into our camp in north central BC first week of October.

Good thing too as he gave us the names of the nearest meat cutters. It got so hot we needed one fast.

Then in Smithers another one saw our moose rack on the quad outside Timmy's and checked us when we came out.
 
Ive never been checked in the field, We stopped at checkpoint once in Espanola coming back from Manitoulin Island and it was just a team of biologists / students taking samples of skin from inside the Deer's cheek. Nobody checked tags/liscences or anything of the sort.

I was in BC last week and I saw a CO in his truck talking to hunters (also in their truck) on the road going up the Bull River...I dont' think he ever got out of his truck the whole time (I was stuck behind him watching)
 
For me only ever twice. First time was actually OPP in NW Ontario, where they cover responsibilities of both CO and police. The stopped the car, and were very firm and direct at first, but polite and professional. Told us to get out of the car. When my wife, who they had not noticed, got out of the back, they totally let their guard down - I guess it was pretty clear we weren't dangerous. They told us that the previous stop had been a truck with four people, no PALs no licenses, and two them with firearms prohibitions!

Other time was a roadside stop in Parry Sound district. They were out investigating a report of someone gun hunting right at the end of bow season. Apparently they caught the guys just after checking us. Also totally professional. I little eerie in the dark though, as one approached us and the other circled around, avoiding the headlights. Thought something was strange at first, but again when my wife got out of the car and he noticed a girl was involved he just walked right up.

While both were professional encounters, and really laid back in the end, I don't envy the tense situations these guys deal with all day long.

RG

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Never while bowhunting deer. Every year opening day of rifle season for deer. They just go farm to farm in the area, stop where ever they know there's hunters, see hunters, etc.

I was checked one day this past June while bowfishing, then saw the same 2 COs 3 weeks in a row after that but they didn't bother to check anything, just greeted me. Though they did ask if anyone has gave us any trouble, then when answered no they would ask a second time. But that's pretty much how I've seen them [and LEOs] talk to anyone. Ask the same question 2, 3 or 4 different times/ways, in case you change story.

Seen plenty of COs while salmon fishing. One day a few years ago the guy told us he issued 35 tickets for fishing without a license that morning.
 
always see them out fishing, only once out hunting..... they check me, ask how the fishing/hunting is going, i ask how their poacher hunting is going... last bass opener, he told me he handed out $5600 in fines before checking me, that was at 1030am
 
This is my first year hunting, and I was actually wondering about COs today. Are most of them decent folks, or complete asses? I dont plan or intend to do anything outside the law, or unruly, but being a first year hunter, and so much information to take in on firearms/hunting, I constantly worry about making a mistake (forgetting 1 of the many pieces of ID required, being in the wrong area at the wrong time, with the wrong gun, in a municipality with no discharge rules...

This is the first guy I met in the field and he was courteous and professional. Other CO's I've met at events or even on the street have been the same. If it hadn't been for the phone call he got as he handed me my paperwork back, I'm pretty sure we could have shot the bull for a while about hunting and such. He did say he was a bowhunter as well. Other guys I know that have been stopped by them said the same. Always polite and professional.
 
This is my first year hunting, and I was actually wondering about COs today. Are most of them decent folks, or complete asses? I dont plan or intend to do anything outside the law, or unruly, but being a first year hunter, and so much information to take in on firearms/hunting, I constantly worry about making a mistake (forgetting 1 of the many pieces of ID required, being in the wrong area at the wrong time, with the wrong gun, in a municipality with no discharge rules...

A lot has to do with how you treat them.
 
We had a person witness a swan get shot and killed in one area I hunt waterfowl this year. The OPP and CO's have supposedly been really cracking down on the area now. Still never see them at all. LOL

I have seen them while ice fishing. Four of them come tearing up on the ice and split to different huts. Must have pulled in extra guys to do an area spot check.
 
Can't say that I've ever been checked since 1965, at least not hunting. I've dealt with them and backed them up at work. Any I've met were good fellows. Mostly, the matters I got involved in were night hunters and people doing really outrageous things. Some of the hillbillies we did deal with were... well... hillbillies.
 
I got checked on the first morning of my first hunt, which was 17 years ago. We've had a drop in at camp 1 time in those 17 years. I've seen co's more in the summer. One year I saw a truck fly by my cottage with a canoe on the top. 2 minutes later a co stops in, describes the truck and asks if I've seen it. The truck that flew by was obviously running from something and didn't know the area. I told him where to park and wait as they would have to come back out that way. Half an hour later they came out and he met them. Looked like charges were laid. I know that poaching/over fishing goes on in my area, so it was nice to see someone get caught.
 
Locally nhere they have been setting up where two highways intersect. Stopping everyone. I help out at a cousins farm during yhe day and was driving home. Got signalled over, asked if i was hunting, replied NO..asked if i had guns in the van, replied YES ,A .22. Was sent to a larger area and asked out of van, where .22 was ( they already knew)..they opened my sliding door and took out the cased, trigger locked , empty gun and went somewhere with it. I had to go into building to show my ID and upon returning to van was told i was lucky it was empty. I quipped, only a fool transports loaded guns. And waterfowl cannot be legally hunted with a single projectile cart. Said Goodbye and left. Actions repeated the next day again. Same guys, same gun , same search.
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