South Dakota Game Stop

I think its great as an ethical/legal hunter, got stopped a couple weekends ago at a game stop coming in from south of Mandan, ND. No problems as I didn't shoot any birds lol. I've never heard of them being that big before though, props to the effort and I hope the word spreads so people don't think they can get away with it once on a main road.
 
I hate poachers as much as anybody but stopping everyone on a major road in unconstitutional in my opion. Minnesota outlawed checkpoints for good reason. Illegal search and seizure. Think about all the people inconvenienced by this for a few hunters. Maybe better patrols during hunting would help but I definitely dont believe in this.
 
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Agreed with that also, nobody told them they couldn't turn around and go the other way of it either. Officers cannot cite you for resisting a show of police force.
 
lt's a lazy ass way for GF to show they are doing something......and bothering regular highway users.
 
At what cost to our liberties is it worth busting law breaks:confused: Particularly stopping the flow of traffic on a major interstate. Any road for that matter.

Driving at night, driving during the hunting season, or driving whenever, is not probable cause to stop/search someone.

A number of judges ruled this act as "constitutional" therefore many (not all) states take advantage of the ruling. Here in Illinois we have road blocks checking our registration cards, proof of insurance, make sure we're wearing our seat belts, etc.

There's something invasive and very un-American about road blocks. My law enforcement friends disagree with me, but there also on the other end of the stick when they preform road blocks.

Nick
 
1pheas4 said:
At what cost to our liberties is it worth busting law breaks:confused: Particularly stopping the flow of traffic on a major interstate. Any road for that matter.

Driving at night, driving during the hunting season, or driving whenever, is not probable cause to stop/search someone.

A number of judges ruled this act as "constitutional" therefore many (not all) states take advantage of the ruling. Here in Illinois we have road blocks checking our registration cards, proof of insurance, make sure we're wearing our seat belts, etc.

There's something invasive and very un-American about road blocks. My law enforcement friends disagree with me, but there also on the other end of the stick when they preform road blocks.

Nick
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a few road blocks/stops in downtown Chicago on a Saturday night make more sense than a stop on a rural highway! :thumbsup:
 
I have been through at least a half-dozen game stops (road stops) over the past 30 years or so (1 SD, 4 ND, 1 MN - long time ago). Add in another half dozen times where a game warden has stopped me and asked to search my vehicle. Many times they want YOU to empty your truck, your decoy bags, etc...

I have never had to pull anything out of my vehicle including opening coolers tethered on my hitch haul.

I have a simple response that freezes them in their tracks (some times they have to discuss it among themselves for a minute or two) - but they always let me through without much effort.

That said, if you play tough you better be sure (absolutely sure) that you and anyone in your truck are 100% legal ... because at that point I think the warning sheet is gone.;)

I really appreciate what wardens do and can't imagine the crap they often have to face (ignorance, drunk, threatening, etc). I get why some are the way they are ... but then ... I digress...
 
By the way, in ND they also will knock on the doors and ask to search rental houses and even small hotels...
 
Outside of the guy tossing pheasants - it sounds like more violations were deer related.

Proper identification left on processed birds was another.

If you read the other thread ... over limits of pheasants should not be a big problem in SoDak this year ;)
 
BRITTMAN said:
That said, if you play tough you better be sure (absolutely sure) that you and anyone in your truck are 100% legal ... because at that point I think the warning sheet is gone.;)
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Yep;). Yes sir, no sir. That's my policy. I don't agree with such operations but they're following orders given by their higher-ups. Getting tough or giving an attitude will never pan-out in someones favor.:eek:

Nick
 
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2XCOCKERS said:
What response would that be?
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I have not decided if I will share on a public forum, but it works because it creates too much effort on their part (and no it has nothing to do with a judge, a warrant or anything that technical on some legal level).
 
BRITTMAN said:
I have not decided if I will share on a public forum, but it works because it creates too much effort on their part (and no it has nothing to do with a judge, a warrant or anything that technical on some legal level).
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Whatever, never an issue for me anyways just a waste of my time and theirs.

I'll give advice then since i'm not above helping others out...
Same thing when I cross the Canadian border often in the summer, take sunglasses off, radio off, and identification ready. Answer all question honestly and no problem ever. Easy as that, don't need to give LE any probable cause. And yes you can make them tear your car apart but they never put it back together...at least at the border thats the case.
 
Border patrol is a whole other issue. It is expected that they approach their job with a high level of scrutiny.

Would not want it any other way.

Not sure you can really compare US / Canada Border Patrol with a G&F roadside checkpoint.
 
Wouldn't the SoDak law enforcement know almost immediately if the owner of the vehicle (resident anyways) has any prior traffic, criminal, game & fish, drug convictions ?

Scan license plate - pull up owner, scan owner ....

The level of electronic data base sophistication is rather high...

Make sure your violators are not driving and are quietly sitting in back. kidding I guess.
 
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I am somewhat amazed at some of the quite liberal opinions regarding these game checks. Are we just suppose to let the wrong doers go free? This is basically the same as poaching. It's a violation of law. Prosecute 'em. What's the difference in a game check or a DUI check? Maybe it's a slight inconvenience for you to be stopped but if you have done nothing wrong it's no big deal.

BTW, I went through that game check on I90 Sunday afternoon. I hadn't been hunting and was returning from visiting my daughter and her family in Presho. Probably didn't take me more than a minute to get through. Sure didn't bother me, and wouldn't have even if I had been hunting and had game with me.
 
Hunting and driving a vehicle are both a privilege not right. I agree with the game checks. Catch all the jerks that make a bad name for our sport.
 
I believe they are viewed as warrantless searches by some George, something we are protected from by the 4th amendment.
 
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