Interesting encounter with a conservation officer

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Jailcee

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Just chatted with a friend of mine who's property I've hunted on. He was up there this weekend cutting up firewood for the winter when a conservation officer showed up. By that I mean the officer turned into the property from the public road and drove in nearly a kilometer on a forest road/trail until he go to the spot where they were running chainsaws. I'm told he showed up in the official truck and was wearing the uniform, side arm, everything. In other words he seemed to be there on official business. My friend had never met this guy so he rightly assumed this guy was there for a reason. After a quick "How's it going" chat he asks if they hunt deer. My friend doesn't but he sometimes lets other people hunt on his property (people like me). So the conservation officer says he's looking for a place to hunt and could he hunt there. He asked a few times if he can get a key to the gate so he can come when the owner isn't there but my friend wasn't comfortable with that. They exchanged contact info and he was on his way.

So my buddy tells me this and I think he's putting me on but no, this happened. He didn't know how to react since this person came with the authority of the law and wanted access to the property for his personal use. As an outsider it seems to me super weird that this guy would roll up like that and pretty ballsy. They'd never met before so it isn't like they had a relationship other than this. I described the situation to my wife like if she was in the back yard of the house, a cop walked up to her there and asked for a key to the house so they could watch movies on our TV when we weren't home. And it's not like this is special property, it's a couple hundred acres surrounded by thousands and thousands of similar acres of private property. I wonder if this guy was just driving along looking for open gates.

Have you ever heard of a situation like this before? On the one hand I want to tell my buddy to not have anything to do with this guy but then again you don't want to get on the bad side of people like that. There's no way this conservation officer isn't aware of the kind of pressure his badge puts on the relationship, showing up out of the blue and wanting hunting rights and access on private property from a person within the first few minutes of meeting them.
 
Jailcee said:
Just chatted with a friend of mine who's property I've hunted on. He was up there this weekend cutting up firewood for the winter when a conservation officer showed up. By that I mean the officer turned into the property from the public road and drove in nearly a kilometer on a forest road/trail until he go to the spot where they were running chainsaws. I'm told he showed up in the official truck and was wearing the uniform, side arm, everything. In other words he seemed to be there on official business. My friend had never met this guy so he rightly assumed this guy was there for a reason. After a quick "How's it going" chat he asks if they hunt deer. My friend doesn't but he sometimes lets other people hunt on his property (people like me). So the conservation officer says he's looking for a place to hunt and could he hunt there. He asked a few times if he can get a key to the gate so he can come when the owner isn't there but my friend wasn't comfortable with that. They exchanged contact info and he was on his way.

So my buddy tells me this and I think he's putting me on but no, this happened. He didn't know how to react since this person came with the authority of the law and wanted access to the property for his personal use. As an outsider it seems to me super weird that this guy would roll up like that and pretty ballsy. They'd never met before so it isn't like they had a relationship other than this. I described the situation to my wife like if she was in the back yard of the house, a cop walked up to her there and asked for a key to the house so they could watch movies on our TV when we weren't home. And it's not like this is special property, it's a couple hundred acres surrounded by thousands and thousands of similar acres of private property. I wonder if this guy was just driving along looking for open gates.

Have you ever heard of a situation like this before? On the one hand I want to tell my buddy to not have anything to do with this guy but then again you don't want to get on the bad side of people like that. There's no way this conservation officer isn't aware of the kind of pressure his badge puts on the relationship, showing up out of the blue and wanting hunting rights and access on private property from a person within the first few minutes of meeting them.
Click to expand...

So just to re-cap...
An NRO who happens to be a hunter himself stops by while in the area or on the way back / after his shift and politely asks permission to hunt on private land...and this causes you to be concerned ???
What "authority of law" did he perceive was used here ?
One of the best contacts I ever made was with a district supervisor in the area I hunt. So unless your friend said "no" and the guy tried to pressure him somehow...I wouldn't be worried about this at all.

BTW: a couple hundred acres of private property IS a pretty special treat for some hunters !! ;)
 
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I have known of such things to happen. The persons who've related such occurrences, to me, about various LEOs asking if they could have access to land for hunting or fishing purposes. One case was where a deputy stopped while a man was mending fences and he told me that she, yes a female, first greeted him and followed that up with the statement that she was not there for any official business, and that she was looking for places where she and her family could fish. She did receive permission.

Another case was where a Game Warden stopped by a friend's father's house asking for permission to hunt a specific piece of land. the advantage of being gov't employee, I guess, is finding out who owns what land. The Warden was refused because that land was used by family member for their deer hunting, and they had been working on making the land "Good Buck" producer. By following suggestions that have actually been suggested by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife.
 
Not illegal but scummy and unprofessional. The CO should go back to ask during his time and not during the tax payers'.
 
Wolf@TS said:
So just to re-cap...
An NRO who happens to be a hunter himself stops by while in the area or on the way back / after his shift and politely asks permission to hunt on private land...and this causes you to be concerned ???
What "authority of law" did he perceive was used here ?
One of the best contacts I ever made was with a district supervisor in the area I hunt. So unless your friend said "no" and the guy tried to pressure him somehow...I wouldn't be worried about this at all.

BTW: a couple hundred acres of private property IS a pretty special treat for some hunters !! ;)
Click to expand...

Uniform, badge, service firearm, official vehicle.
No perception in this situation, all of the above things are tangible components of the authority of law.
 
kamlooky said:
I'd say no.
Try and get the key back if and when you decide 'nuff's ......nuff.
Click to expand...

It be easy to get the key back, just change the lock.
Maybe there is more to the story, like someone recommended the guy to talk to your buddy?
Then again maybe he was looking for something more under the guise of asking for personal permission.
A call to the Local Game Office would have it cleared up pretty quickly.
Rob
 
I spend a lot of time in the field for work on official federal taxpayer business (biological research, not law enforcement). My work vehicle is marked but no uniform. Even without any 'authority' or badge I would consider it inappropropriate to be using government time or vehicle to be driving around or stopping to ask for hunting spots. And I'm quite sure that's if I did, and some concerned taxpayer called my boss, I'd be hearing about it! I take note of the nice looking spot and add it to my milkrun of spots to come by later in my own vehicle and on my own time...
But in your situation, I'd let the landowner decide if they thought this was appropriate or not. If it comes up in discussion, then there might be a chance to gently bring up some points of concern. But as someone pointed out above, having a CO on the property might somewhat lessen the BS factor of other trespassers etc... if that's ever been a problem for you guys.
Dave
 
What is so different than some guy wearing ratty old camo showing up and asking if he could hunt your land? The big thing is at least they asked, that gives you the right to say yes or no. If you came across the CO hunting without your permission then you have a right to be pissed off. I miss the days when Alberta had the use respect posters that landowners could put up. Quite simply they told you if you could hunt or not or who to contact to get permission.
 
Our neighbor had a similar situation with a retired police. He not only wanted permission, he wanted a written contract to allow him and others with him anytime of the year. Our neighbor told him no way.....
 
Well.... if it was my land... I don't really care if someone hunts on it. But if you have your own road that you keep up at your cost... and a locked gate... I think he is pushing it with asking for a key! As well.. in one way.. I don't care if a officer of some type hunts on my land... as long as this does not give them some type of back door to go on my land to do there job!
 
He definitely would not have received a key to the family property. CO or not, we would not be handing out keys to a complete stranger. And the fact that he would show up in uniform with an official vehicle, makes me question his motives for doing so.
 
You guys don't have it figured out yet. In a flyover or drive by one day he seen a monster buck and he wants permission to shoot it. Happened before in Viking Alberta. CO was kindly told no way.
 
It is a little off putting to show up in uniform and vehicle but if the guy seemed decent and not a jerk I don't really see an issue with it. Most CO I have met have been pretty good people. I am sure it does make it easier for him asking for permission this way and it probably shouldn't be done.
 
when I lived west of Edmonton AB
we had a similar encounter
except we didn't have any locked gates
we gave the fish cop permission , as he was good enough to ask for permission to hunt our land
at that time we owned 5 quarters of adjoining property
every fall he would hunt our land, along with me, and my hunting partners, he was a fun guy to hunt with and be part of our hunting group,
every year at Christmas time he would drop off a basket with home made sausage, and peperoni and jerky, and usually a small bottle of baileys
for my mom
unfortunately he was involved in a bad vehicle accident and passed away at the scene
we never had trespasser issues or poacher issues as long as he was around
after that our land seemed to free range to all the low life type poachers , and trespassers
so ya I would welcome any conservation officer with open arms
if he asked to hunt our land
it just happened your buddy was there cutting wood while he was passing by
so he thought why not ask for permission
even though he was on duty
what's wrong with that???
 
I used to have a hunting partner who couldn't understand why I wouldn't seek hunting permission from landowners while in
uniform and in a marked P.C. The answer is simple, many people feel pressured and uncomfortable saying no to someone
in uniform, I always felt more comfortable asking when in my own vehicle and off duty. However different strokes for different folks.
If the topic came up I would explain what I did for a living, but I would rather be admitted on my own merits, not those of my profession.
By the same token I had landowners who offered me access when on duty without being asked, they felt comfortable with having
a LEO on the property. It all comes down to your own comfort level for both the landowner and the officer. I myself have gone into
a local F&W office to offer my land for hunting to the officers, sometimes they are the best deterrent to the uninvited.
 
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