Know the LAW

W

Wirehairs

New member
There is great value in knowing game laws because the CO's don't always know themselves. Case in Point: My Dad is a MN resident, he bought a NR Pheasant lic for SD when he came to deer hunt in Nov. SD NR lic are good for two 5 day periods. We also have a family friend who has a farm that is a licensed preserve. This weekend that friend has a get together and there are 13 of us. The Gamewarden stops by and does a license check. The other NR all have SD Preserve Lic. My Dad has his regular NR Lic and it isn't one of the five day active periods. CO takes my dad into his pickup because he says he is illegal. I very politley ask him to do some checking because a NR lic is good for two five day periods and on a preserve for the entire season. The CO doesn't think so. We leave my Dad with the CO and continue hunting. After 30 min or so the CO brings my Dad over to where we are hunting. Yep I am right he was wrong. He called another CO and then had to call his boss after that. He was a nice guy and just doing his job, but if he hadn't listened to the request to check into it before writing the ticket he would have just wrote the ticket. The only thing that bothered me is Lic requirements are pretty basic and a CO should know those inside and out. I do commend the guy for checking into it he was a very nice guy and we all understand he is just doing his job. It probably helped we kept everything very civil and polite.
 
You all helped out one another. Yeah it is nice if they (C.O.) know everything.
I sure as hell wish I knew it all.

Thought for the day:
"Ignorance & Arrogance run parallel courses!"
 
at least the guy was ultimately fair with your Dad, he could have been less than accommodating, not unusual.....we all make mistakes, good luck.
 
I agree keep it civil

Glad to here it all worked out. I am sure it caused everyone some un-needed stress. I agree know the law(s) and keep it civil.
 
tmrichardson said:
I agree with you that's a pretty basic one he should have known. Must have been a pretty new CO. They don't have to be young to be new, some of them go from being a cop straight to being a CO. I don't know what kind of training they run them through in SD but in MN that type of thing and more would have been covered for them. But people are people, I can't keep it all straight without running to my regulation book anymore so I don't expect the CO's to have it all down cold either.
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All Game Wardens (COs) undergo same training as a police officer, but limited to their powers to enforce the laws. ex: A Conservation Officer or Game Warden can NOT respond to a Domestic Violence call or anything such like that. THey can do a Traffic Stop, they can respond to Accident calls. They can assit the police, sheriff. GF&P are on the State level pay same as Highway Patrol Troopers. GF&P CANNOT join a pursuit OR engage one. DUE to the fact they drive pickups. MOST depts wont allow SUV or Trucks engage pursuits. some do allow it. When I was a Police officer and whenever i was driving the Tahoe, i couldnt engage a pursuit but when i drove my Impala, i could.


Here's the Requirements for a CO. CO is trained on basic laws such as traffic and are trained on domestic violence but they do not respond to them. they do a LE training and a GF&P training after they complete a LE training. the GF&P are the ones to train them on hunting and fishing policy and laws NOT the LE training. Only thing I was trained was about poaching laws. That's the only law they trained in the LE training.

There was 2 CO in my group of the 125th Class of LE training course.

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS SPECIFICATION
Class Title: Conservation Officer Class Code: 90312
___________________________________________________________________
A. Purpose:
Manages wildlife, fisheries, water, and land resources; implements department programs; and enforces laws in an assigned district to conserve and protect fish and wildlife, represent the department to the public, and provide recreational opportunities and public safety.

4. Enforces laws and regulations to ensure compliance, wise and equitable use of the state's wildlife and fisheries resources, and promote public safety.
a. Plans and conducts enforcement and surveillance activities and apprehends, arrests, and cites violators.
b. Conducts investigations and resolves cases by collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, interrogating suspects, preparing forms and reports, and testifying in court.
c. Prepares affidavits; obtains and serves search warrants and subpoenas; seizes, collects, and preserves evidence.
d. Checks licenses and safety equipment of hunters, anglers, boaters, and trappers; and monitors related businesses for compliance with laws and regulations.
e. Plans and assists in search and rescue operations.
f. Teaches law enforcement tactical and firearms training to co-workers and other law enforcement personnel.
i. Certifies and records their competence.
ii. Testifies in court as an expert witness to appropriate levels of force.
g. Coordinates and teaches hunter safety programs and recruits and trains volunteer instructors.
h. Coordinates with other law enforcement agencies to enforce laws across jurisdictional boundaries.
i. Recommends changes to laws, regulations, and procedures.
j. Enforces criminal laws.

J. Licenses and Certification:
Successful completion of the South Dakota Law Enforcement Officers Standards Training Course and the Game, Fish, and Parks Conservation Officer Field Training Program; semiannual qualification and training with department-issued firearms and semi-annual qualification in defensive tactics and other required law enforcement training. Valid driver's license.
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Bit off subject, but when we where in high school we coon hunted a lot. They whould bring big $. My buddies where out after season one night and they treed and shot several. On the last one mike shot it and handed the rifle to mark. He thought, it was the game warden. Really dark that night. He was cool (back in the 70s) wrote them a ticket and gave the model 67 win back to them after they got out of the woods.
 
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