once dove hunting

Maybe once or twice while dove hunting in TX, a few times on the lake in TX, once in New Mexico (pronghorn), and once in Wyoming (moose). Probably some more that aren’t coming to mind.

That doesn’t count mandatory check-ins and check stations.

In 55 years of hunting and fishing, exactly once when I called them on some poachers that were road hunting hay fields on country roads.
I was sitting inside the fence of my hay field in my Mule checking the tree lines around my hay field with a NV monocular when the GW arrived.
It took a while to convince the guy that I was the one that called them and that we were indeed standing on my property and yes, that shotgun and AR in the gun rack are mine and I can legally own them.
A few minutes later the neighbors up the road called and said there were people cleaning a hog in their hay field and he disappeared as quickly as he appeared.
I heard a few days later that he caught two guys cleaning a pig in the field about 1/2 mile away on other side of road.

Between hunting and fishing my whole life, I’m going to say 12-15 times. They have always been cordial and encounters have always been quick. If you are nice to them and they can tell you are trying to do everything the right way they reciprocate and move on to the next stop.

Funny story, my uncle and some of his buddies were out on a boat on Cedar Creek one Memorial Day weekend. They got stopped by wardens 3-4 times in one day. The last time they were stopped one of his buddies who had been drinking asks the warden if the could get a sticker or flag or something to put on their boat to let the wardens know they had already been stopped and we’re all legal.

Three times fishing, twice hunting.

Other than out of state, only once. It was last year. I got invited to join a bunch of guys to go on a sand bass fishing trip. The GW showed up checking licenses. I got mine out and realized that it was for hunting only. I told him he might as well write me up. He asked with a grin how old I was. I told him 76 and asked how old he was. Another grin and he asked why I didn't have a fishing license. I replied that the it was the first time I had fished a public lake in years; that all my fishing had been done at my ponds in Montague County and I didn't even think about buying a durn fishing license. He asked if I knew the GW there. I said yes and gave him the guys name. Then he asked how I knew him. I replied that he was trying to help me catch a poacher but he couldn't be there all the time and Montague County had enough poachers to keep him busy elsewhere. I told him that I had installed some no flash game cams but the SOB found them and had pulled the cards on all of my cams. He told me to have a nice day and to have a license the next time I visited his area.

A week or so later my local GW showed up looking for a cup of coffee and I related the story to him. He told me I was lucky.

I get checked a couple of times a year, especially when hunting in the Navajo Nation.
Adios,
Gary

More than I can count. Most were on the lake boating or duck hunting.

Three times in my life. Once on the Colorado River in Arizona trout fishing at Lees Ferry, about 1988 or so. The three of us each got a ticket for not having a trout stamp. We'd been told at the fly shop we didn't need the stamp because we were active duty military. Got checked once white bass fishing the Middle Bosque. Then one deer season about 20 years ago two wardens hopped the gate and walked into camp one morning. The older of the two just had a cup of coffee and visited while the younger one peeked into coolers and pickup beds. The only questions we were asked were if we were hunting, if we had our licenses, and if we'd gotten anything. Yes, Yes, and No. He didn't even ask to see our licenses.

I got checked yesterday. I think that's the first time I've been checked while hunting. When I was in college, I got check almost every time I went fishing.

I used to do the checking as a Reserve GW in California, but have been checked many times in CA, AZ, NM, and here in Texas...only time the discussion got heated was when the warden wanted to write me up for shooting after sundown...I asked him to describe what he heard, and he replied "2 quick shots, one, two, just after legal shooting time"...in the meantime we were just about done changing out of waders, he kept on about he had heard the shots being fired a few minutes after shooting hours. Well, we showed him our licenses, stamps and ducks and then our guns...and I pointed out the only way to unload a black powder shotgun is..."2 quick shots, one, two...and since we had been shooting ducks 5 minutes earlier I was willing to wait until after LST to unload...he allowed as I was right, that shooting is the only way to unload a muzzleloader, and wished us a safe drive home.

Snipe season runs through the split between early and late duck season. I have had scouting duck hunters freak out on me thinking I am shooting ducks and call the GW on me. I have schooled at least three GWs on Snipe identification. Hunting public land for 40 years and lots of fishing, I can't count how many total times I have been checked. Many, and always a good experience. Last two times I was checked neither GW ended up actually checking my license. One I was actually trying to sneak three resident geese from my kayak under a bridge to my truck without anyone seeing me when a GW passing by at that very moment saw me and slammed on his brakes. After talking for several minutes about my hunt all he wanted was a picture with my geese. I made a deal that he could only if he promised to lie about what arm of the lake I was on anytime he showed the picture to anyone. Thus why I was trying to not to let anyone see my geese. He said he would check my license next time and went on his way. Other one was in Oklahoma while I was Snipe hunting. Turned out the GW was also a Snipe hunter. After visiting for a long while, he left without checking anything. I like GWs to check me. You can't get better public hunting intel anywhere.

Only once in all my years of fishing and hunting trips.

12 time in 13 years of dove hunting. once deer hunting and once fishing. Got one ticket for fishing where I shouldn't have been but the sign had been knocked over and overgrown so it went well.

A lot in the last 50+ yrs. To many to remember when hunting or fishing over that time frame. Our new GW was sitting at my gate making and returning phone calls just last month.

Twice at a deer processing plant on opening morning on back to back years in Hamilton county. Not once in the field. I have even been walking down my fence line on an FM road with a rifle on my shoulder. Warden waved and never hit his brakes.

several times over the last 50+ years ...

IMO, there's little debate that what happens during the typical Texas deer hunt would not pass muster as being hunting in the eyes of the average non-hunter.

Wrong thread?

When I was younger fishing it was quite often. Hunting on the other hand never, I’m sure since I said that I’ll get checked before end of season which is fine.

I can't remember the number over the years while fishing and hunting, but my uncle and I were checked almost each time we hunted a certain area of the National Forest because the GW had property surrounding it. In his thinking, they were his deer in the private sense since they traveled freely between the forest and his property. I won't go as far as harassment, but he kept a very close eye on us. I took a buck there one year, and he was there as I was dragging it out of the forest to the road. He appeared unhappy that I had my tag filled and attached by the time he had checked me. Also, I don't ever remember being cited or receiving a written warning from a GW.

I have not been checked here in TX but have been checked in CO while hunting elk, deer, pronhgorn and waterfowl and got checked in NC when I was hunting Tundra Swan but those are limited permits and they keep an eye out when the season is open. Hard to hide the fact you're hunting swans because the decoys are huge and really stick out.

This reminds me. Twice by federal guy in Anahuac wildlife refuge. Both times i was fishing and one of the times that guy had to walk at least 2 miles through gators, skeeters, snakes and whatever else lives in the swamp to get close enough to signal me to come to shore. Now that is dedication.

9 times. 8 dove hunting all private land and 1 for deer but at Kubys processor. 3 years ago got checked 3 times on every dove hunt in 3 different counties! Clay, Coleman & Stephens!! Only one ticket for no hunters safety in 1994 on my first dove hunt ever. No one told me about it. Paid $50. Hunt in Montague for 16 years now and never even seen a GW!!

So many times in the past 23 years I cannot even count. Both fishing and hunting. California, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and Alaska. I lived across the street from a game warden in college, so he was always over checking me after a hunt. More just coming over to talk..but ulterior motives are always at play. I didn't mind..because I wasn't doing any hunting or fishing violations by that time in my life..and I knew better living across the street from him. And better to have them on your side when you need one than not.

More than once I was checked when I was in high school and I was in the wrong, but luckily they had mercy and gave me warnings since most were honest mistakes of no major consequence. Because of that, I can't say I ever had a bad experience. But I did get a ticket for my truck registration being expired at a boat ramp one time in Texas which was a bummer.

At a national wildlife refuge in California, you would be checked 99% of the time on your walk out from the check station. I hunted there quite a bit in college, so I was checked maybe 30 times over a 7 year period? The warden was always there, and you could always assume you'd be checked. Everyone knew it, yet he would give a half dozen tickets every day for lead shells, too many shells (had a 25 shell limit per person), no plug in gun, etc, etc. because people would try to get away with stuff. Not worth it in my opinion.

I even used to seek wardens out in order to be checked. In California, you had to get your deer tag validated by a LEO, Fire Marshall, or park ranger. I always knew the game wardens were around, so I just looked for them while I was driving out. I had made a mistake once by notching out the incorrect month on a tag (I think I notched July when it was October). Blatant mistake, and I didn't even realize I did it until the game warden pointed it out. But all the writing on the tag was correct, I just notched it when I still had an adrenaline dump and wasn't thinking. Got a good talking to about that, but ultimately got a pass because I had flagged her down and asked to be checked and validated and everything else was correct. She also called the game warden across the street from me and he gave me a bill of good standing based on all his experience with me and knowing I hadn't shot a deer in July of that year. He vouched it was an honest mistake on my part...and he got a nice thank you card the next day.

I don't care if a warden checks me. I don't intend to break any regulations, so better them check me and ease their mind about me and build a positive report. And if they find something wrong, then so be it.