Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

1330.0. "A LUCK DAY" by AIPLAN::DUFFY () Thu Dec 16 1993 11:48

                     Lucky day.....
    
        Being a single parent of 2 children (2.5 and 1.5 yrs)I felt
    lucky to be out for the second opening day for Duck (Ma.) Only
    other time I was out for duck was for the first opening day.
    
        Kelsey (my lab)and I are running a little late getting out in
    the morning but it is still early, 4:15 for 6:35 legal time. I get
    to the swamp got myself all packed and started into the swamp when
    a second hunter shows up ( I know he likes to set up in the same spot
    I do, he has bump into me many times in the past 3 years) I'm always
    set up an hour and a half to 2 hours before legal time so I'm
    there first. So #2 on the luck counter for the day. I got "MY SPOT".
    
      Now walking in the path to my spot in the swap I'm letting Kelsey 
    run up and down the path to burn off some energy (she is real
    pumped,started when she seen me grab my camos out of "OUR HUNTING
    CLOSET"). I see in the darkness she is interested in something in 
    the middle of the path about 60 yrds up, a quick "here girl" she comes
    running back to me, turns and runs back to that "SPOT" of interst,
    then I notice she is nose to nose with a skunk. Another quite "here
    girl" and she comes running back, the skunk turns and walks up the path
    in front of us without a care and off into the woods. #3 on the LUCK 
    counter and a big #3 it was, I thought I was going to be sharing my
    blind with a stinking dog.
    
      Set up by 5:15 and pumped up....
    
      I got my limit, shot at 3 ducks and I was done hunting in 25 min 
    1 black, 2 drake mallards. Never got my limit before. I had one of
    those days you dream about the night before, when you calling seems to
    work great and have them coming into your deks, hunting show shots I
    call them. 2 nice retrives from Kelsey (about 50-60 yrd out), she mark
    the first one, and needed a little adjustment on the second. the 3rd
    landed behind us on the ground. #4 on the LUCK counter.
    
      I pick up about 45 min later (just sat and called and watched the
    show). Got the car packed up and waited on the edge for a couple
    of buddies I know were out in a canoe, so I could tell them about
    my day.....
    
      Well just as they were getting to shore a game warden shows up. And
    this guy was looking for something,anything. I won't tell what he put 
    1 of my buddies through, just my story.
    
      Asked for our license. Well I had my ducks stamps covering the face 
    of my license (I guess I mis-interpeted the abstract when it says the
    have to be visable) so he says he is going to write me up. Has me open
    my car up so he can look at my shells, I was sure when I packed up all
    I had for amo was steel, but when a warden is going through your shells
    you do have a little doubt that 1 lead shot didn't make its way into
    the wrong bag. None did.. Then he makes me load my gun, to make sure
    the plug is in, no problem there either....  Then he opens up my
    license to tell me where I should put my stamps, and my deer tag falls
    out, he then gives me a five min lecture on how my deer tag shouldn't be
    detached and it would consider void, "BUT" they have been overlooking
    this, this year because the paper the license were printed on was
    defective and all the licenses have been doing this. I thought to
    myself, why give me this lecture then??? Anyway he gave me a warning on
    the covering the face of my license. Thats #5 now in the LUCK counter.
 
    Never got to tell my friends about my day because of this, But I'm
    sure I'll tell them someday........
    
    
    Tim
    
    

>                      <<< Note 1330.0 by AIPLAN::DUFFY >>>
>                                -< A LUCK DAY >-

Congrats on the ducks!


Great story, until you got to the game warden part.  Sounds like a real Masshole
kinda guy.  And his salary (if Mass. is like other states) is paid for by your 
hunting license fees.

This will sound like gloating, but I'm glad I didn't get into hunting until 
I had left Mass.  They wardens have all the power when you're out in the field,
and some choose to abuse it.


Steve

	Since you didn't state where you loaded your gun. You have to
be careful when a Game Warden asks this. A friend of mine got asked to
do this a few years ago. He did it, then got sighted for loading his
gun within 100ft of the road. When he started argueing with the GW, the
Warden's response was, I was checking to see if you knew the law. So
even if the Warden asks, don't break a law just because they say do
something. Always state the law first then do it if he acknoledges that
you will be breaking a  law.


 >>> Then he makes me load my gun, to make sure the plug is in, 
 >>> no problem there either....

Ron

>	Since you didn't state where you loaded your gun. You have to
>be careful when a Game Warden asks this. A friend of mine got asked to
>do this a few years ago. He did it, then got sighted for loading his
>gun within 100ft of the road.

 That's called "entrapment." If your buddy fought it, he'd have easily beaten
the citation.

	My friend did fight it and won.  I figured I would mention it
so someone wouldn't have to go thru the BS.

Ron