cheesy
Active member
Agreed.
But, he also said they 'occasionally' would cross if they got a rooster, so thats admission.
Unfriendly Kansas. What's happened here?
- Thread starter COWAN
- Start date
But, he also said they 'occasionally' would cross if they got a rooster, so thats admission.
This -- seems silly Cowan that you got a ticket - Whomever called you in may have had some pull or the people that got the call were having a bad day.
I've only had one semi bad experience a few years ago - I posted about it on this forum I think -- anyways I've been checked a few times and all were good experiences. I personally wish the state could give the KDWPT officers raises and hire more as we need them - seen too many people violating things and there is no one around to do anything about it so people run rampant at times. I've seen it both from res and non res. Mainly in the name of stinkin deer.
I'd be pretty annoyed and seems a bit bunk that if as you say someone said they saw you doing "X" you get a ticket with no further proof. You'd think the officers would have had to see you physically doing it if it's against the rules.
If you were Southerly and along US 400/54 or the Northern e/w route -- that is a main RR line with LOTS of traffic - so maybe an engineer or RR person was having a bad day and called you in - making an educated wild guess -- if it's a "local" rr with only short line traffic that certainly seems pretty bunk and crappy to get a ticket over. Who knows. My brother worked as a conductor for 5 or so years recently so lived vicariously through him. He mainly worked the main cross country RR in the N part of the state from Salina to Sharon Springs.
The RR's stole all that land back in the 1800s anyways through corruption (imo) so screw them and their supposed land rights - should be a ROW for everyone to use if you're off the tracks.
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
He was hunting crop field which leaves a pretty clear boundary. But I agree. I don't know how many times I've hunted on, over, and around the tracks without giving it a second thought.
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Nick
Member
Years ago we were hunting around Hiawatha. Saw a pheasant fly across the road into some good looking cover. Turned around and went to the closest house. An old guy came to the door and we asked permission. He said yes. We asked if he wanted any birds if we killed any. He said he would take some quail if we got into any. We ended up shooting 9 or 10 quail and a rooster. Went back to give him his birds and he was chuckling. He said his neighbor down the road sure would've been pissed if he caught us on his land. Said they didn't get along and that's why he gave us permission.
Chestle
Active member
Tales of the Kansas Warden:
So, decades ago a friend and I were going to walk one last draw right before sunset. It went uphill to the East about 500 yards and we had permission on the land. We figured we'd get to the end of the draw about 5-10 minutes before quitting time.
We walked it, two roosters flushed way ahead at the end of the draw; no shots. We worked it out and then stood there and watched the setting sun for a few minutes. We start back walking to the truck with our O/Us broken open and butt first over our shoulder. The dogs walking along side but ranging out a little. As we walk a Game Warden pulled up by our truck.
We get there and first thing he says is "you boys are hunting a little late, aren't you." We explain what we did, point out the broken O/Us. He's not having it and writes us both up. Yeah, we were a bit upset. Told him we'd see him in court. He says that'll be six weeks from now. We said we're fine with that, we'll be back hunting anyway. Before we left town, we called on the county attorney and told him our side. He says don't worry about it.
We get to the courthouse on the date and hear the county attorney ripping this warden a new one about writing us up and telling him to just drop it. Oh no...the warden won't drop it.
We go before the judge. We tell her our story. She is very sympathetic. Asks the warden to just drop the charges. Oh no...he whips out the KS statutes and points out that our dogs were not on a leash and the statute says dogs off a leash mean you are hunting. Plops it down in front of the judge. She reads it and asks us if the dogs were on a leash. We say no, they weren't. She says sorry boys...nothing I can do if he won't be reasonable. Guilty as charged.
We paid the fine. Pretty hefty for back then with court costs and all.
I still remember that jackhole warden's name to this day. I also carry a light 18" nylon lead in my vest.
So, decades ago a friend and I were going to walk one last draw right before sunset. It went uphill to the East about 500 yards and we had permission on the land. We figured we'd get to the end of the draw about 5-10 minutes before quitting time.
We walked it, two roosters flushed way ahead at the end of the draw; no shots. We worked it out and then stood there and watched the setting sun for a few minutes. We start back walking to the truck with our O/Us broken open and butt first over our shoulder. The dogs walking along side but ranging out a little. As we walk a Game Warden pulled up by our truck.
We get there and first thing he says is "you boys are hunting a little late, aren't you." We explain what we did, point out the broken O/Us. He's not having it and writes us both up. Yeah, we were a bit upset. Told him we'd see him in court. He says that'll be six weeks from now. We said we're fine with that, we'll be back hunting anyway. Before we left town, we called on the county attorney and told him our side. He says don't worry about it.
We get to the courthouse on the date and hear the county attorney ripping this warden a new one about writing us up and telling him to just drop it. Oh no...the warden won't drop it.
We go before the judge. We tell her our story. She is very sympathetic. Asks the warden to just drop the charges. Oh no...he whips out the KS statutes and points out that our dogs were not on a leash and the statute says dogs off a leash mean you are hunting. Plops it down in front of the judge. She reads it and asks us if the dogs were on a leash. We say no, they weren't. She says sorry boys...nothing I can do if he won't be reasonable. Guilty as charged.
We paid the fine. Pretty hefty for back then with court costs and all.
I still remember that jackhole warden's name to this day. I also carry a light 18" nylon lead in my vest.
will now, that is the definition of chicken shit! last time i would hunt Kansas, move on to Iowa.
COWAN
Member
They told us 25 foot total right of way.
COWAN
Member
We were near hwy 40. Never saw a train for 5 days.
Bilbo Baggins
Member
The railroads will NEVER give permission to hunt their tracks. It is a question of liability so I stay away. There is plenty of other ground to hunt.
fsentkilr
Member
Railroad right of ways are 66 feet wide from the center of the tracks. So 33 feet each direction. We have a railroad running through 2 of our farms and I have always hunted along it with no issues. It is against the law however. https://www.google.com/search?q=how...0i457j69i57.6435j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Nugent
Well-known member
Yeah, the railroad is good hunting.Milwakee especially.
If those were nice looking tracks - those were probably the Union Pacific road my brother ran - traffic is probably down w our economy in the toilet - but who knows - depending on exactly where you're at there are lots of RR workers around various towns etc -- someone was probably having a bad day and called you in.
The RR's can go to hell as far as I'm concerned - they stole and conned their way to obtain the land to begin with if you go back in the history books.
I avoid them also for the dogs sake!
As someone who have extremely close friends working as game wardens in the state (or in the Wildlife and Parks division) I hear all the stories of a-holes that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Again, it seems, just like the average hunter they have good days and bad days and some are assholes and some are great. My experience with them on a whole has been very positive - they have helped find lost dogs, helped jump my truck, and just over all have been very helpful. I enjoy talking with the wardens as a whole. We do need to remember though, much like cops, they are tasked with a very difficult job and are often dealing with tons of negativity towards them. They are, in fact doing an often thankless and extremely important job. As far as unfriendly, well like the other folks who have posted in this thread, we are hearing a second hand one sided story.
Chestle
Active member
RE: Hunting Railroads. Back in the early 70s, my college days, we used to hunt RR track right of ways all the time without a thought about trespass. Seems like it used to be legal o hunt back then. Maybe not though; I'm old enough to have CRS disease.
Did the law change or was it always trespassing?
RE: Wardens. I've run into two basic types. First, the "normal guy"; basically a friendly approach. He's doing his job, checking the basics (license, steel shot if necessary, etc.) Will chat with you, tell you which WIHA seem to be producing birds, etc. Second, the PITA Warden. The moment he sees you he is sure you are guilty of SOMETHING if he just digs deep enough. Not friendly, just wants to be able to ticket you.
I've met more of the first type in SD. More of the second type in KS, CO and GA. YMMV.
Did the law change or was it always trespassing?
RE: Wardens. I've run into two basic types. First, the "normal guy"; basically a friendly approach. He's doing his job, checking the basics (license, steel shot if necessary, etc.) Will chat with you, tell you which WIHA seem to be producing birds, etc. Second, the PITA Warden. The moment he sees you he is sure you are guilty of SOMETHING if he just digs deep enough. Not friendly, just wants to be able to ticket you.
I've met more of the first type in SD. More of the second type in KS, CO and GA. YMMV.
Nugent
Well-known member
The Milwaukee will.
TryAgain207
New member
I live and hunt in Kansas. I always make sure to slow down when rolling into any smaller towns on the way to my hunting spots as I always see LE waiting to catch people, that's pretty standard in any small town, not just Kansas.
Have had several run ins with Fish and Game Wardens, they checked my tags, number of birds and then we talked about hunting and things they have seen. They were all decent encounters, but as Kansan said above, there are always assholes in any job, and sometimes you run into one. Worst one I ran into was in Missouri.
Have had several run ins with Fish and Game Wardens, they checked my tags, number of birds and then we talked about hunting and things they have seen. They were all decent encounters, but as Kansan said above, there are always assholes in any job, and sometimes you run into one. Worst one I ran into was in Missouri.
As I think, I did run into one game warden who was a super dick. He wasn't even on duty, he was fishing in a boat, and we were fishing off shore. Talked to my buddy who is now regional director of wildlife and parks about him, and he knew exactly who I was talking about. Seems like he's a dick regardless of who he runs into. Guess some folks are just that way.
I've never had a negative interaction with a Kansas Game Warden, but I've only had a handful of encounters.
One time, though, I was hunting some posted ground along a state highway. I had verbal permission to be there. A Highway Patrolman stopped to check us for permission. It was the first field of the day, so prime hunting hours. He called us all out to the highway to see if we had written permission, which we didn't. He made me dig out my cell phone and call the landowner so that the landowner could tell him we had permission. I'm not sure how he would have known that the guy on the other end of the phone was the actual landowner, but he was satisfied. Then he wanted to check our licenses. All was in order and no tickets were written. He was friendly enough, but I would think a Highway Patrolman would have bigger fish to fry than randomly checking a group of hunters for permission and then licenses...
I carry a short leash in my hunting coat for situations like this, but mine wasn't the only dog milling around on the shoulder of the highway while this all happened.
One time, though, I was hunting some posted ground along a state highway. I had verbal permission to be there. A Highway Patrolman stopped to check us for permission. It was the first field of the day, so prime hunting hours. He called us all out to the highway to see if we had written permission, which we didn't. He made me dig out my cell phone and call the landowner so that the landowner could tell him we had permission. I'm not sure how he would have known that the guy on the other end of the phone was the actual landowner, but he was satisfied. Then he wanted to check our licenses. All was in order and no tickets were written. He was friendly enough, but I would think a Highway Patrolman would have bigger fish to fry than randomly checking a group of hunters for permission and then licenses...
I carry a short leash in my hunting coat for situations like this, but mine wasn't the only dog milling around on the shoulder of the highway while this all happened.