License check. Is this legal?

M

MinnHunter

Active member
We were in a 3 vehicle caravan driving gravel roads in Iowa from one field to another several miles away. Enroute we pass a co and he turns around and follows us for several miles to our next field where he parks and asks for licenses. He even mentioned pulling us over but he thought we would stop soon. He did not see us hunting or even out of our vehicles. My gut says he was operating outside of the law but I just want to know. ????
 
How is he operating outside the law?? Turned around followed you (didnt pull you over), and check your licenses. What do you think he did wrong?
 
Every state legislature creates the authority of which it's law enforcement officers can act under within the scope of it's state constitution and the federal constitution.
With that, many state legislatures, upheld by the courts, would allow for a "stop" of a person by a natural resources officer so long as it met a reasonableness standard.....such as it would be reasonable for the conservation officer in your example making the observation of the 3 vehicle caravan traveling from one field that is utilized for hunting to another field that is used for hunting to assume the occupants are engaged in, have been engaged in or will be engaged in the act of hunting, for which licenses are required. Couple that with any observation of hunting gear, attire, dogs, etc. would only further contribute to fill the reasonableness of the stop.
 
2point said:
How is he operating outside the law?? Turned around followed you (didnt pull you over), and check your licenses. What do you think he did wrong?
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His comments on pulling us over. For wearing orange? He just saw us driving. Felt invasive. Regular cops catch heat all the time for profiling and not having probable cause. If legal, good to know.
 
Again, it goes back to the authority granted them by the state regarding pretextual stops. Probable cause is not the legal standard needed for a "stop".
My additional thought is maybe the CO wasn't giving you all the information either, such as maybe he did observe your group in the act of hunting from a far without your group being aware.
Either way, if the CO could articulate that it would be reasonable to believe that you/your group was engaged in the act of hunting, and that it is within the scope of authority to be able to stop and investigate further anyone believed to be engaged in said act, then that stop would be upheld, especially if the CO was in a place they have a legal right to be.
 
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As said, you likely had orange on, a dog hanging his head out or he had been watching you already. The COs have a lot of authority to do their jobs. I am not too worried about them, about the worst I do, I ride on a tailgate with an unloaded shotgun...not even sure that is illegal. I am not sure it is even illegal to have a loaded shotgun in the vehicle, if you have a concealed carry permit. Just have a license, habitat stamp and don't come out of the field with more than 3 roosters in your game pouch and I think you should be ok. Knowing your limits and having non-tox shot if required, are just a given.
 
Youre getting worked up for what he said he THOUGHT about doing? 3 trucks following each other on gravel roads wearing orange on opening day? Ya he could stop you all day long.
 
I tend to agree w you MinnHunter on this one. I have nothing to hide but..it doesnt feel right. Nothing more.
Can I get checked for something if I have a really fast car assuming I will be speeding at some point?
Im not a real deep thinker...and dont want to get into a whizzin match here so I prob wont be checking back at this .. Just my kneejerk response.
Make it a great day fellas.
 
There is much about law enforcement that at times doesn’t feel right. Maybe the reason it doesn’t feel right is I primarily error on the side of what is legal… you can thank the many who don’t for this. I hunted Iowa a lot back in the late eighties early nineties. I got my vehicle searched once and heavily questioned because he had a report of someone shooting birds out of a truck window. Since I was in a truck it must have been me. It did feel a little gestapo like, but since all was in order it wasn’t that big of a deal. Like with police some are better than others.
 
A conservation officer has more power and jurisdiction than the state police. If your with in the law and iowa has a rule book on do’s and don’ts and if you stay between the lines it’s no biggy but if your not you might be in trouble with that said he can legally check your vehicle if you don’t comply too his requests of his jurisdiction if your from out of state most likely he can check your cooler for legal amount of game possession so honesty is probably best policy
 
Labradinger said:
Youre getting worked up for what he said he THOUGHT about doing? 3 trucks following each other on gravel roads wearing orange on opening day? Ya he could stop you all day long.
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Im not worked up. You are worked up. Settle down. Im a little more sensitive to authority (apparently) than most, especially law enforcement, since I am a law abiding citizen.
 
The timing of a stop and check is something you don't think about until it happens. In my opinion it would be weird to have pulled you over and check on the roadside, I'm glad he didn't do that. Following the group to the next field and checking there was the right thing to do. My buddy was at the boat ramp one time, warden was there, and my buddy asked him to check him right there. The warden refused but checked him later that day out on the water. I suppose if he was missing life jackets or license, can't give a ticket in the parking lot before the boat is floating or a lure is cast.

South Dakota does large operations every year. Game check points on the major highways heading back east. You pull up to a stop sign, they ask if you have any game or fish in the vehicle, if the answer is yes you drive aside and they check your coolers and licenses.
 
gimruis said:
If you have your licenses, blaze orange, non-toxic shot (if required), and you aren't over a limit, you have nothing to worry about. Easy peasy. I would like to see more officers out there, personally.
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You're using the old, 'If you haven't committed a crime you have nothing to worry about' reasoning.

In fact, it's much like a Gestapo officer stopping and asking to 'see your paperz'.

Unless the state has given these officers the power to stop you for no discernible reason, then he shouldn't have been stopped or even asked for papers. If they told the CO after he pulled up that they were going to hunt that field, then there is nothing to complain about except that he followed them for miles for no reason to perform his license check on people he didn't know where hunters.
 
AtTheMurph said:
You're using the old, 'If you haven't committed a crime you have nothing to worry about' reasoning.
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Exactly my reasoning.

Even though I've never been stopped or checked when hunting or fishing in nearly 30 years here, I've got nothing to worry about. I'm legal and prepared every time I head out. If the gestapo wants to check my papers, have at it. It'll take a few minutes and we'll both be on our way.
 
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