In another thread it was expressed about GW's giving out lots of tickets on technicalities. So I thought, what law
do you think should be repealed when it comes to hunting.
My Example: getting a ticket for not signing your license. Your name is printed all over it and on every tag. No reason to have to sign.

From: BOBO...No signed duck stamp is bread and butter. Wait until you see a kid get a ticket last day of season for unsigned stamp. One of the few time I greatly disagree with the GW Judgement

The license signing deal is ridiculous.

The GWs need to write lots of tickets for revenue because the Legislature has cut the TPWD budget.
Lead by example and teach kids the rules early so they don't get sideways.

State GWs have been pretty good guys in my dealings. Federal Fish and Game boys are a whole different story.

Young kids should be able to shoot whatever walks
for a first deer
Some years back at a WMA a kid got his deer taken
by a jackweed employee and castigated because
the rack was a tiny fraction of an inch too narrow.
That's the only instance I've seen, but I'm sure
it's not an isolated situation
Too much emphasis on antler

I've definitely been harassed by wardens when only with other adult hunters, but have had really good experiences when my son is around. They have really seemed to go out of their way to make sure they're encouraging them to be outdoors.

I've always said that there are so many laws on the books these days that you are always in violation of something, and if they want to write you up they can. That certainly goes for game laws as well.

I think AR laws need to go. I get the intent but herd management doesn't always work out the way they think it does. And judging the difference between 12 3/4" and 13" from 150 yards away is sketchy at best.

I witnessed this same scenario first hand at the chap back in Dec. kids deer was 13 5/8.. heck of a deer but some college grad biologist took that deer from a 9yo boy and threatened to call the GW.... made me sick.

I’ve seen a couple that I disagree with mainly migratory; commingling types, to the duck stamp, but that’s also why we have a judicial system and wildlife violations are mainly handled in JP court.

I couldn’t be a GW or LEO so I hate to over criticize with out walking in their shoes. I think vast majority exercise great judgment. With that said I’m specifically talking about TX, a few other states not so much.

The only ticket we ever got fishing/hunting related was an expired boat registration sticker. Our renewal got lost in the mail and never knew it was expired till we got the ticket. Thankfully every time I have bought a license or migratory stamp they cashier has asked me to sign it.

Only tickets I have seen handed out were for undersize fish and I had no sympathy for them.

I completely agree and will go further and say that a lot of their judgement is based off how they are treated by the folks they are checking. If you lie or are a horses azz towards em you can bet you are going to be written for the slightest of infraction!

I don't either!
There is plenty of information available on bag limits, seasons, & sizes and if you want to fish or hunt you should know the rules and abide by them.

GWs have a duty to enforce the regulations at hand. To direct your wishes to change regulations towards them is counterproductive. If you want to see technicalities addressed, ridiculous regulations removed, regulations changed, etc., let the people who actually write and approve the regulations and rules know about it. For example if you want youth to be able to take non AR bucks, write letters with real life experiences like the kid having his buck confiscated for being a fraction under width and pictures of mature bucks with narrow racks that can't be managed because they can never be legally harvested. Recruit others on social media to participate in letter writing campaigns. There is power in numbers. Go to Commission meetings and make requests in person. Follow up just before commission meetings. Make phone calls to commission members to discuss your frustrations. Bitching about GWs doing their job by the book will get you nowhere. Instead contact those who make the rules for the book with common sense change ideas. I have personally had success with changing both TPWD public land and Corps public land rules in this way.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/about/tpw-commissioners

This 198" deer is not legal anymore, at the Chaparral WMA where it was taken, or in an AR county.

Just remember you've never guilty just because an officer writes and hands you a ticket. If it doesn't make sense to you, a good and honest judge might agree. I have probably known as many hunters who had charges tossed as I have those who had them stick.

The last ticket I got was decades ago for hunting doves over a baited field. I was hunting out of state with a group and although not in any way an excuse, I wasn't aware of the laws concerning baiting migratory birds. Thankfully, the officer was extremely professional and explained to everyone in the group clearly why the field was considered baited and how it could have been done legally.

The few interactions I've had with state game wardens have been positive. Now I had one with a federal Game Warden on Ft Hood that was over the top bad! However on the positive side another Federal Game Warden came by checking on the first Game Warden. He took me to the side and questioned me and my hunting partner then explained the process of how to make a complaint about the 1st Game Warden. About a year or so later the 2nd Game Warden stopped me for a routine check while night hunting on Ft Hood. He gave me some good Intel where he sees pigs all the time. Found out from him the First Game Warden resigned rather get fired.

Never had an issue with one.

I've gotten one ticket about ten years ago. It was on the third day of July while on a fishing/camping trip for the 4th. of July weekend.

In my wallet I had my basic fishing license, saltwater license, trawl license, basic hunting license, big game license, archery license, muzzleloading license, turkey license, duck license and duck stamp - all of which expired on the 30th. of June.

Yeah, I was fishing without a current license on that day, but clearly not a habitual lawbreaker, and I thought the warden was a real preek for giving me a ticket.

why would that deer not be legal at the Chapparal?

Unfortunately, this buck's inside spread is only about 11"............. Not the required 14"

My grandson and grand-daughter shot these two bucks on the youth hunt at the Chap. His wide 8 pt was 5 years old, and her 10 point was actually aged at 6 years. They had hers on a lot of trail camera pics in night time only, and wanted him harvested so they could see him. They sent me all the pics later. Believed it was a off-spring of the narrow one they had mounted in the office.

I don’t have a problem with any of the rules or penalties. I just make sure I’m up to date on everything and do things by the book. If I screw up that’s on me.

The discussion brings to mind one of my favorite quotes...

"Some people always do things right, while others always do the right thing."

My GW was always good about writing warnings for minor stuff. But he came to me before dove season a few years ago and told me he got in trouble for writing too many, his bosses told him to write tickets. He told me to warn all my hunters to make sure everything is legal. So it might not be the GW but the system.

I seriously doubt this buck's inside spread is 11" and the Chaparral does not have that antler restriction anyway.

And in antler restriction counties the good far outweighs the bad in what the rule is doing!

Look at the hunts offered for draw on the TPWD website the chap def has its own antler restriction and it wider than the standard antler restriction counties of 13”. Matter of fact when you go to the Chap for briefing when drawn it says it right on the wall and they have deer that are wide enough and not wide enough on the wall for comparison.