Talked to the warden

P

Pat Richter

Active member
Asked our state warden if there will be a problem hunting this weekend on federal land. He claims with no Fed wardens out this could be a problem . He also said the feds have not said what to do . So before we get arrested could anyone give me advice .
 
SD is one of the few that I have heard claiming that the land has been closed. That is not going to stop many here I'm sure. The state has said they will just enforce game laws not any closures. After the feds tried to close viewing spots along the road to Mt Rushmore the state is not going to help them one bit.

Other places I have heard that the land is open just any services, buildings and ramps are closed. I understand it is up to some interpretation.
I also thought that Federal Wardens are still on the job, but that information is hard to find. I have never seen one on any of the federal WPAs anyways so I'm not sure why it matters.
I'd hunt on PUBLIC fed land, and I just might this weekend. All depends on if that is where the birds are. I highly doubt they would do anything beyond telling you to leave. I've heard about guys hunting all week on fed land in MN with no problems.

Tim
 
Here is what Oregon Fish and Wildlife had to say on there website.

Fed Govt Shutdown: National forests and BLM land open to hunters but developed campgrounds closed and no other services available. Federal wildlife refuges are closed to hunting.

So it looks to me like if you are not on a refuge and you can get there then you are OK. At least in Oregon and I believe it is the same in Washignton
 
I don't hunt any federal refuge land until the late season, so I'm safe. But if I did, I'd take comfort in old colonial (and now state) law that says I can "fish, fowl or navigate" on any tidal waters, including the intertidal zone, and on any "great pond", which is any pond over 10 acres.

"Closed" streams marshes and beaver flowages under 10 acres might be a problem.

Your state's laws may vary!
 
Just saw this while searching for answers on the said closure of our local NWR here in South Western, NJ. Trouble is, I'm still confused (hard headed). I enter our local NWR from the river which is governed by our neighboring state. I never actually step foot on dry land of the NWR. Just my boat's and decoy's anchors sit below the water in the mud. Can I still hunt if the Federal Government is shuttered??? http://outdoornewsdaily.com/national-wildlife-refuges-closed-due-to-federal-government-shutdown/


Below is the content within the link in case someone has trouble opening it up.

National Wildlife Refuges closed due to federal government shutdown
The federal government announced yesterday that all National Wildlife Refuges have been closed and all public access, public programs and fish and wildlife management operations on the refuges have been suspended until the government resumes operations. At this time it is not known when operations will recommence.
Michigan National Wildlife Refuges affected by this shutdown include Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and the Detroit International Wildlife Refuge. Areas closed at the Detroit International Wildlife Refuge include Humbug Marsh, Gibraltar Bay Unit and all units open to hunting.

The Brancheau Unit of Estral Beach, a federal piece of land that is included in the DNR’s Pointe Mouillee State Managed Waterfowl Area for hunting, is also closed until further notice.
All State Game Areas and State Wildlife Areas are still open to hunting, including Pointe Mouillee.
U.S. Forest Service lands are still open for recreation although government facilities on those lands are closed.
Additional information is available at www.DOI.gov/shutdown.
 
Federal Land Closures: Political Theatre at its Worst

USSA Calls on President Obama to Take Action

(Columbus) – As Washington D.C. faces another government shutdown, hunters, anglers and trappers across the country are facing a shutdown of their own. From Alaska to Florida, sportsmen and women are finding that the budgetary standoff in Congress is having a direct impact on their hunting or fishing season.

The federal government has issued directives to “close” accessible public lands and waters while the government is “shutdown.” At stake are millions of acres of public land administered by agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Park Service (NPS). For decades the public has been free to access these lands for recreational purposes—including hunting, fishing and trapping—without securing any specific form of permission or authorization. But now, these agencies are being told to close access to their lands because of the standoff taking place over funding the federal government.

“These lands are generally accessible to the public without special entrance fees, passage through gates, or access via controlled roads or waterways,” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA President and CEO. “Not only are these closures unnecessary, they run contrary to law. This is ‘political theatre’ at its very worst.
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance delivered a letter to President Obama today demanding that these closures be lifted to allow American hunters and anglers to once again pursue their way of life. Click here to read the letter.

These closures are occurring on lands where federal law mandates hunting and where hunting is statutorily determined to be a “priority public use.” Lack of an agreement on a federal budget does not terminate the effect of the law which clearly allows for hunting.

In 1995 and 1996, the federal government went through a similar situation as Congress and the White House locked horns. The ensuing “shutdown” did not result in closure orders for accessible public lands.

[font=Verdana, Arial]“It’s a shame that these closures are being implemented as a punishment against sportsmen and women,” said Pinizzotto. “These lands are our lands, and American sportsmen and women—and the general public—deserve better than this.”
[/font]
 
The only question to ask yourself is:

Can I afford a felony "Criminal Trespassing with a Firearm" charge on your record?

It's that simple!!!

Since the shutdown, I've lost $1200.00 bucks (3 charters) by not being allowed to access MINWR for the donkey redfish that gather on the flats in October.

Are guides & other fishermen doing it?

Yep, but only once because the 2nd time they are caught inside the fuge they & their clients have been told they will be charged.

What really sucks is the commercial crabbers, clammers & the cast netters that rely on this time of the year on the fall mullet run.

We willingly pay $200.00 a year special use permit & have a $1,000,000 million dollar liability insurance rider to utilize the refuge system.

Sorry for the rant, but it's frustrating to all!!!

Again, it's a simple question that each hunter & fisherman needs to ask themselves before entering a refuge.
 
Sure glad our For Fathers did ask themselves the same question.

I'm not saying bring down the government, however, it's getting to the point where the common man needs to stand up for what is right.
 
take Jeff's advice. It sounds like good advice to me. You might even win in court, but at a great cost.

All this disgusting nonsense in being inacted by the same Administration that wants to limit gun owners rights. --The Executive Branch has the authority in how these things are being treated. My only hope is that they are getting enough rope to hang themselves politically and America will wake up.
 
Started a post and it vanished...here goes again

The GOP is Osama's (oops Obama's) nemesis. They turned back his hysterical antigun crusade. Here is a cheap shot at payback...or a Richlieu-like move to try to turn shooters against the GOP. If federal game wardens are furloughed what are they doing arresting people? The government has been closed...okay, then are they even legal? I know all the old arguments about off duty cops supposedly having authority to act. I also once sat in the high councils of a state police organization where more than once the topic of the day was how to ease out from under the legal liabilities incurred by the state when off-duty troopers went off the reservation.By definition they were not following orders--they weren't on duty--and had not consulted a prosecutor. I am obviously not talking about somebody reacting to an active shooter assaulting people. Any attempt to convict a licensed hunter or fisherman for exercising long held rights following past practice due to an unprecedented and probablyillegal interpretation of an economic brawl on capital hill would require a prosecutor's deputy or assistant to go to court and try to win such a conviction. If the Justice Department issues such directive then the payback element is obvious. The Democrats are just trying to throw away the by year elections.

An officially furloughed game warden who arrests hunters or fishermen for pursuing duly licensed activities is going to have an uphill legal battle. Arresting a guy with three times the limit of ducks is a different issue.
Our legislators need to be told that if federal agents interfere with our hunting seasons, they will be held accountable if they vote to back-pay federal employee wages. Let them eat food stamps. Oh wait--those are closed down too.

The smart game warden will give this one a pass and go hunting. (He made need the ducks to feed his family.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top