Talked with a bud in Louisiana, they had the Wildlife and Fish (Game Warden) check them. The officer ask to see their shells and if he could have one of the reloads. He then cut it open and dumped out the shot to see what was inside. Seems they have had a rash of Steel marked reloads with lead. My buds were legal.

Dang it. I guess I have to go buy some steel shot. Crap those guys are good.

I had a game warden cut open one of my bismuth reloads. After the small discussion he decided I was legal. I then asked for the 2 bucks to compensate for my loss. (just because he was a jerk, "for the lack of being able to use a better adjective")

I thought they just used magnets to see if it is lead or steel.

Had a federally take a magnet to all my shells once. He had a bad attitude. The state game wardens are usually nice and friendly but the feds will treat you like dirt. Even if you are clean.

Guy Magnets do not work on Bismuth. Just FYI.

yea bismuth is not steel, its non toxic shot and its expandable just like lead.

"he state game wardens are usually nice and friendly but the feds will treat you like dirt. Even if you are clean."

Amen Brother. I received a $550.00 ticket for a duck the two Feds said I shot, but was never recovered, even using a dog. The two claimed that I shot a Mottle duck during early Teal season and that it went down somewhere over the pothole we were hunting. I asked if I could use my dog to find this so-called duck, so off we went. The mystery duck was never found and 7 days later I received a ticket in the mail. The worst part about it was that all this took place in front of my 10 year old son. If Stacy Campbell ever checks you, be careful and good luck!

We have a Fed guy that drops a bicycle ove our fence and rides in every year. We had a guy some years back that didn't have his gun plugged; we were out of the marsh when he got there so he just got a recommendation.
Some of the old old school State wardens were hard butts, but most of the younger guys are fair but firm. An more than anything they are respectful young men.

When I see one coming my way from off in the distance, I immediately stand up, unload my gun (make sure he sees me unload it), and get my license out. I say yes sir and no sir, and show respect, and never have problems. And I never give smart a s s remarks, that is just asking for trouble. If they think you did something wrong, and especially intentionally, they will not be nice even if you are nice.

The only time I was ever given a hard time by a game warden I was dove hunting on public land and was out of bounds, he was a real hard a s s with me, but I showed him how the book was miss marked, and the end he was nice and let me go. But this other guy who was hunting there as well (I did not know him), was a smart a s s, said stuff like “I have hunted here all my life”, while I said I was sorry and it won’t happen again, he let me go and took this other guy back to his truck, not sure what happened to him.

The first time I went duck hunting, I got a ticket because I did not have a type II permit, I was told by a friend that I did not need one on this lake. He was a hard a s s too at first, but nice in the end (after he gave me a ticket ), then said I could follow him on his rounds and he would show me some other good hunting spots.

These GWs have a dangerous job, every one they approach has a gun in their hand, not a job I would like to have. But show them respect and you should be ok.

But show them respect and you should be ok.

Always have and still do! I'm just saying that there are a few (I'm talking Federal Wardens) that abuse their powers.

DO like guys says, and be ready when they get to you. Have everything they are going to ask you for ready and hand it over befroe they even ask. You should be fine.

I'm with you Gdogg. I'm always respectful and have everything ready if I've seen them coming, but some are jerks. My buddy and I ran into one on the LBJ grasslands a few years back. He had nothing to give me a ticket for, but my buddy got a ticket because he left 1 dove load in his bag and we were duck hunting next to a pond.

The thing that really torqued me is that it was clearly an accident having that shell mixed in at the bottom of his bag. He wasn't shooting them. We were legal on everything else. And if we didn't have dekes in the water and walked 10 yards away from the pond, we could have been dove hunting. And on top of that, this was a younger friend I was taking out to show him the ropes. $155 later he has a bad taste in his mouth regarding duck hunting.

And P.S...This is probably one of the most respectful kids you'll ever come across.

Hey QBS, they ALL will write you a ticket on that. Even Ray Sasser wrote on article on that in the Dallas Morning News, I think it was this year or last. When I go duck hunting, I make darn sure I only have steel, I’m super careful about that because they will write you up even if it is one lost shell that got mixed up.

Quackbangsplash (Great name by the way)
I hope your friend still enjoys hunting and can chalk that one up to bad luck. Ironically, after that experience my son keeps telling me he wants to be a Federal Game Warden. When I asked him why, he told me that he would be able to understand things from the hunters perspective and realize that sometimes things are not always as they seem.

I am also very respectful to the wardens but these federallys will leave a bad taste in your mouth no matter who you are. They will treat you like a criminal even if you have done no wrong. Be ready when you run into one and just do as they say.

My bad, poor choice of words. How many years have you been duck hunting?? You keep duck hunting, especially around the coast and one day you will see what I'm talking about. I heard the stories and never believed them until I got $550.00 ticket. Just imagine 3 men and one boy hunched down way below the grass and vegetation, the game warden was parked on the entrance, said he saw a Mottle duck go down through his binoculars. BS... How could he see who even fired the supposed shots. He couldn't, that's why he eventually issued tickets to everyone. We kept asking where the duck went down and he said somewhere over there. When I asked if we could go look using my dog, you could just see the tension and uncertainty coming from both the wardens. I kept calm and polite through the entire ordeal, not even thinking I would be tickted, and 7 days later I received a ticket in the mail. Merry freaking Christmas. What could I have possible done to prevent that?

Originally I was going to fight it. The problem is I would have to attend a pre-hearing, pre-trial and then the actual trial, all of which would have taken place in Corpus Christi. After factoring in the cost of travel, lost work time and the advice I recieved from various sources, I decided to pay it and try to forget about the ticket as quick as possible. I do believe Game Wardens serve a valuable role in the hunting and fishing industry, not to mention the lives they save. I just wanted to point out that sometimes there is some wrong doing.

I believe we'd have have to take that one to court, if it was me.

Is the DA in Corpus?

I am with you Hwy-man. I am going to get my hour in the public eye and ear when it comes to that BS. First off-fed game warden or not, there not going to punk me and intimidate me in the field. If I am wrong write me a ticket or put me in jail, but you can bet I am not going to be their punk. I have always been a nice person respectful of others especially in law enforcement. But if a warden were to treat me like that we are either going to court and let the people decide or we are going to get it on right then and there. I have been LEO for many years and it is wrong to use your color of authority to intimidate the public. It is my firm belief that many men fought and died to give each and everyone of us the right to be free of such behavior. Because LEO gets paid to do a job does not mean I have to cowar to that person. It is also my firm belief that when this happens it is your right and duty as an American to take the time to tell the people just what has happened. It is your duty to go to court and describe the exact incident and behavior. Stand and fight that BS so the next guy does not have to. If enough people would take the time and fight then we might not be having this discussion because eventually it would change things. There go my .02