Be warned about the TWRA

Shaun · 12-01-2005, 07:50 PM

Just wanted to let you guys know that the Dimwits at the TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) are a bunch of idiots.

Yesterday Morgan and I were spending our second afternoon in the woods since returning to the state from our elk hunt in Oregon. Well on the way to the property we saw a TWRA officer coming down the road from the areas where my property is, upon speaking with him he stated he was up there checking for road hunters. We chatted for a while and went on to park the truck and get in our stands, about a half hour after being in stand this officer comes walking down to my stand and says, "you know why I am here?" my reply, "to check our licenses" then he asks me to get down and come look at something and shows me a pile of molded corn in a hole about 50 yards from my stand in the trees mostly covered by leaves. well after talking with with the guy a bit he says he has enough to get me and Morgan for hunting over bait. Now we both just got home on Friday and he states the corn has been out for just a couple of weeks. So there is no chance that I could have done this and one thing that he even sees is that there has been an atv on my property and I do not own one. Well he says he has a couple options one could have been to take our guns and arrest us and the second was to cite me and warn Morgan. First off I did not even know the stuff was on my land and its obvious someone planted it. My guess is that it was someone from the hunting club below my property that planted it while I was gone and had these fools waiting. So now I have to pay a 200 fine and I spent the day digging out the crap, I hauled it over and poured it out next to the hunting clubs land on the road.

So can anyone tell me what rights these fools (TWRA) have for coming on my property even though it is posted for everyone to Keep Out!

troy2000 · 12-01-2005, 09:01 PM

I'm not familiar with your state's laws. Can you plead innocent and get a trial on this? I'd say you have a chance of winning, if you can prove you just got back into town. I'd probably take the time off work just because I'm pigheaded.

If paying the fine is the same as a guilty plea, will it affect your ability to get hunting licenses, or any such thing?

SPOCAHP ANAR · 12-01-2005, 09:08 PM

Ask for a Trial by Jury when you go to court. (You should have that right) Take pictures of the description of your moldy corn and copies of your hunting licenses reciepts etc from out of state. Also push the issue of what probable cause he had for being on YOUR land to begin with.

Outriderdark · 12-01-2005, 09:14 PM

I'd fight it too. Even if it cost me more money than the fine.

Apollyon67 · 12-01-2005, 09:26 PM

Shaun, I have asked that question many times of the local DNR guys here in Maryland, and the only answer they have ever given me is the Eminent Domain crap. I had a DNR guy walk up on a duck blind deep on private land with three of us in it and two firearms. I didn't have a licence nor had I a firearm. He gave us a hard time about my not having a licence. I told him that I was out learning how things went on a hunt from a blind. I finally asked him if he would have bothered me if I was out here by myself with no firearm. He said no, and I said good, now leave. I was 15 and severly pizzed off. You know them marshes are pretty nasty. I often wonder how many wardens are still out in 'em. Friggin Big Brother.

Shaun · 12-01-2005, 09:42 PM

Thanks Guys I am probably going to fight this over principle -- simply put its like a traffic cite but it does not hinder my hunting period I only have to wait the ten days after todays cleanup for all the traces to be gone -- if the officer harasses me anymore I am going to make sure I tape everything to use against him in court my key thing is I want to get the word across to everyone to keep your $'s in your pockets and not spend them in TN on a hunting license.

Stopper · 12-02-2005, 11:28 AM

Fight it, but and this is a big BUT, in Kansas fish and game can (supposedly) enter your land and check for licenses, etc.. if you are hunting. Legallity of that I do not know. I ain't a lawyer, but I sure would consult one about this.

I had fish and game up at my house 5 years ago trying to get me to let him look in my freezer - told him to take a long walk off a short peir. no warrant, no looky. Wasn't doing anything wrong but just the nerve of that focker out fishing for someone to ticket really torked me off. He said one of his cronies had seen me drive by near where a deer was down. Asked him if his butt buddy saw the upright freezer, washer and dryer in the bed of my pick up and he didn't have an answer. We even looked in the bed of my truck and asked him how I could have brought a deer back to my house without getting blood all over the bed of my truck, again no answer. Guy was a total tool.

troy2000 · 12-02-2005, 08:08 PM

The more I think about this, the more it looks like a setup. Darned convenient that the game warden knew exactly where to look, isn't it?

I gather you're on the outs with the hunting club? Could be one of them decided to kill two birds with one stone: hunt over the bait while you were gone, then tip off the smokey-hat and get you busted for his misdeed.

Shaun · 12-02-2005, 08:40 PM

I am a meat hunter the club is made up of trpohy hunters and they hate it when I take a buck smaller than a ten point (5 west coast count) -- well I knocked down a tree across where they brought the atv's in and now the fun begins I returned the corn to the firebreak that splits their land and lets the land owners reach the top.

jerry · 12-02-2005, 09:11 PM

wish I had something constructive to add Shaun. Hoping it works out OK.
Jerry

Shaun · 12-02-2005, 10:24 PM

I should be hunting my prop again by the 14th just after Morgan leaves -- I bought a couple of bags today and am going to figure a way to pour it out in piles as I drive up past the enterance to their lease if I pour it on the edge of the road next to the lease entrance a big field they will not be able to hunt an old feed plot.

Stopper · 12-07-2005, 05:16 PM

be very careful about spreading that stuff out. I had a co-worker shoot a buck then couldn't find it then shot another one that he had processed. Then a couple of weeks later he found the first buck he shot and kept the antlers. He wrote about it on one of his favorite web sites. A week or twolater fish and game shows up at his house with a printed out version of what he wrote on his fav website - so i guess I'm just saying be careful adn dont' tell us what your up tp concerning your neighbor's - FYI, if it can happen to him i do not want it happening to you. Ranger's lead the way!

12-01-2005, 07:50 PM	#1
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,619 Images: 1	Be warned about the TWRA Just wanted to let you guys know that the Dimwits at the TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) are a bunch of idiots. Yesterday Morgan and I were spending our second afternoon in the woods since returning to the state from our elk hunt in Oregon. Well on the way to the property we saw a TWRA officer coming down the road from the areas where my property is, upon speaking with him he stated he was up there checking for road hunters. We chatted for a while and went on to park the truck and get in our stands, about a half hour after being in stand this officer comes walking down to my stand and says, "you know why I am here?" my reply, "to check our licenses" then he asks me to get down and come look at something and shows me a pile of molded corn in a hole about 50 yards from my stand in the trees mostly covered by leaves. well after talking with with the guy a bit he says he has enough to get me and Morgan for hunting over bait. Now we both just got home on Friday and he states the corn has been out for just a couple of weeks. So there is no chance that I could have done this and one thing that he even sees is that there has been an atv on my property and I do not own one. Well he says he has a couple options one could have been to take our guns and arrest us and the second was to cite me and warn Morgan. First off I did not even know the stuff was on my land and its obvious someone planted it. My guess is that it was someone from the hunting club below my property that planted it while I was gone and had these fools waiting. So now I have to pay a 200 fine and I spent the day digging out the crap, I hauled it over and poured it out next to the hunting clubs land on the road. So can anyone tell me what rights these fools (TWRA) have for coming on my property even though it is posted for everyone to Keep Out! __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

12-01-2005, 09:08 PM	#3
SPOCAHP ANAR Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: SC-upstate Posts: 4,192 Images: 1 Blog Entries: 6	Ask for a Trial by Jury when you go to court. (You should have that right) Take pictures of the description of your moldy corn and copies of your hunting licenses reciepts etc from out of state. Also push the issue of what probable cause he had for being on YOUR land to begin with. __________________ Spocrest Out!..........

12-01-2005, 09:14 PM	#4
Outriderdark Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 1,125	I'd fight it too. Even if it cost me more money than the fine. __________________ "Would it make you feel better, little girl, if they was thrown outta windows?"-Archie Bunker

12-01-2005, 09:26 PM	#5
Apollyon67 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 2,238 Images: 17	Shaun, I have asked that question many times of the local DNR guys here in Maryland, and the only answer they have ever given me is the Eminent Domain crap. I had a DNR guy walk up on a duck blind deep on private land with three of us in it and two firearms. I didn't have a licence nor had I a firearm. He gave us a hard time about my not having a licence. I told him that I was out learning how things went on a hunt from a blind. I finally asked him if he would have bothered me if I was out here by myself with no firearm. He said no, and I said good, now leave. I was 15 and severly pizzed off. You know them marshes are pretty nasty. I often wonder how many wardens are still out in 'em. Friggin Big Brother. __________________ "To err is human, to repent divine; to persist devilish." Ben Franklin

12-01-2005, 09:42 PM	#6
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,619 Images: 1	Thanks Guys I am probably going to fight this over principle -- simply put its like a traffic cite but it does not hinder my hunting period I only have to wait the ten days after todays cleanup for all the traces to be gone -- if the officer harasses me anymore I am going to make sure I tape everything to use against him in court my key thing is I want to get the word across to everyone to keep your $'s in your pockets and not spend them in TN on a hunting license. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

12-01-2005, 09:01 PM	#2
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 10,017 Images: 9	I'm not familiar with your state's laws. Can you plead innocent and get a trial on this? I'd say you have a chance of winning, if you can prove you just got back into town. I'd probably take the time off work just because I'm pigheaded. If paying the fine is the same as a guilty plea, will it affect your ability to get hunting licenses, or any such thing?

12-02-2005, 11:28 AM	#7
Stopper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansass Posts: 2,212 Images: 1	Fight it, but and this is a big BUT, in Kansas fish and game can (supposedly) enter your land and check for licenses, etc.. if you are hunting. Legallity of that I do not know. I ain't a lawyer, but I sure would consult one about this. I had fish and game up at my house 5 years ago trying to get me to let him look in my freezer - told him to take a long walk off a short peir. no warrant, no looky. Wasn't doing anything wrong but just the nerve of that focker out fishing for someone to ticket really torked me off. He said one of his cronies had seen me drive by near where a deer was down. Asked him if his butt buddy saw the upright freezer, washer and dryer in the bed of my pick up and he didn't have an answer. We even looked in the bed of my truck and asked him how I could have brought a deer back to my house without getting blood all over the bed of my truck, again no answer. Guy was a total tool. __________________ They should have stopped at "Congress shall make no law" Last edited by Stopper; 12-02-2005 at 11:33 AM.

12-02-2005, 08:08 PM	#8
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 10,017 Images: 9	The more I think about this, the more it looks like a setup. Darned convenient that the game warden knew exactly where to look, isn't it? I gather you're on the outs with the hunting club? Could be one of them decided to kill two birds with one stone: hunt over the bait while you were gone, then tip off the smokey-hat and get you busted for his misdeed.

12-02-2005, 08:40 PM	#9
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,619 Images: 1	I am a meat hunter the club is made up of trpohy hunters and they hate it when I take a buck smaller than a ten point (5 west coast count) -- well I knocked down a tree across where they brought the atv's in and now the fun begins I returned the corn to the firebreak that splits their land and lets the land owners reach the top. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

12-02-2005, 09:11 PM	#10
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 11,199 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	wish I had something constructive to add Shaun. Hoping it works out OK. Jerry __________________ Joe the plumber is screwed

12-02-2005, 10:24 PM	#11
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,619 Images: 1	I should be hunting my prop again by the 14th just after Morgan leaves -- I bought a couple of bags today and am going to figure a way to pour it out in piles as I drive up past the enterance to their lease if I pour it on the edge of the road next to the lease entrance a big field they will not be able to hunt an old feed plot. __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

12-07-2005, 05:16 PM	#12
Stopper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansass Posts: 2,212 Images: 1	be very careful about spreading that stuff out. I had a co-worker shoot a buck then couldn't find it then shot another one that he had processed. Then a couple of weeks later he found the first buck he shot and kept the antlers. He wrote about it on one of his favorite web sites. A week or twolater fish and game shows up at his house with a printed out version of what he wrote on his fav website - so i guess I'm just saying be careful adn dont' tell us what your up tp concerning your neighbor's - FYI, if it can happen to him i do not want it happening to you. Ranger's lead the way! __________________ They should have stopped at "Congress shall make no law"