LockedWhat's up with WCO's . . .

Author
Post
Essentials Only Full Version
Guest
Pro Angler
  • Total Posts : 2852
  • Reward points: 0
  • Joined: 2012/05/17 08:04:02
  • Status: online
2011/10/29 00:12:19 (permalink)

What's up with WCO's . . .

. . . being all courteous and professional

For as much as WCO's get bashed around here, thought I'd share a positive experience I had with one today.

This is my 23rd season hunting, and the first and only time I'd been checked before today was 20 years ago as a teenager.

I was hunting pheasants on a gamelands in Butler County, when the WCO pulled up to the area I was hunting to drop a deer on the pile. He approached me and actually asked if he could check me. I wasn't gonna tell him no.

He said, "Keep your gun loaded, and if you see a pheasant while I'm checking you, shoot it." I unloaded anyway, just out of courtesy to him. He proceeded to check my license, and pointed out that I shouldn't still have last year's license in my holder. Handed it to me and said, "Put this in your pocket and get rid of it when you get home."

We talked duck hunting for a good 10 minutes, and he told me of some other places in Butler County to try for pheasants. Explained that the gamelands I was on would only be stocked yesterday for the season because of the shortage this year, and told me specifically where he put pheasants this week.

So, kudos to Officer Boyd (I think that was the name on his shirt) for representing the PGC well and treating me with courtesy and respect, instead of as a suspect. Glad to see there are some good ones out there. We all know there are I guess, but with all the stories you hear, it was good to have a positive experience with one.
#1

9 Replies Related Threads
    ridgehunter
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 627
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/10/22 21:00:13
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/29 06:02:11 (permalink)
    I've had several encounters with WCOs of the years.  Never had a bad experience.  They were always courteous and professional and a couple of them shared some hunting hot spots in the area.

    Not sure how the farmers feel about them though.  Back in '79, we were hunting a dairy farm in Westmoreland Co.  It was the first Saturday of small game season.  We were hunting rabbits and pheasant and shooting time didn't start until 9AM.  Well, about (9:30) half hour into our hunt 2 game wardens pulled up to the side of the road.  They exited their vehicle and started walking towards us.  We were about 60 yards on to the property.  Just before they were ready to enter on to the property, the dairy farmer (landowner) let out a YELL from the barn warning them that they best not trespass on his property and that he wasn't playing around with their BS!! LOL!!

    They told the landowner that they were there to check our licenses and ID.  The landowner was so furious that he told them to come back after the hunt and check us after we leave and that he didn't want them on his property PERIOD...with a bunch of vulgar expletives in between.  The WCOs then asked if we can come out to the road to be checked?  The landowner yelled to us to keep on hunting and told both WCOs that we weren't going anywhere, in a very loud and angry voice!!

    After about 25 minutes of confrontation and loss of hunting time, we told the landowner that we would be willing to comply with the WCO'S road check request which we did.  Everything checked out and the WCOs moved on.  That was one landowner THAT COULDN'T STAND WCOs!!








         
    #2
    S-10
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 5185
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2005/01/21 21:22:55
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/29 06:11:54 (permalink)
    They are no better or worse than any average human. There are good ones and not so good ones and even the good ones have bad days just like anyone else.
    #3
    bingsbaits
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 5050
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/29 08:26:26 (permalink)
    Can't complain here.
    Got a couple of real good WCO's here in my area, no attitude...

    "There is a pleasure in Angling that no one knows but the Angler himself". WB
     
     


    #4
    dpms
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 3552
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2006/08/28 12:47:54
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/29 20:09:24 (permalink)
    Great one in Allegheny County.  Helped me recover my 2009 buck. 
     
    Today on the way home from dropping my buck off at the processor, I took a drive through some back roads to see if any hunters were out.  Rounding the bend I see a PGC truck stopped on the road watching a flock of turkeys.  Pulled up behind and spoke with this same WCO for a bit.  Thanked him for what he does every day.
     
     

    My rifle is a black rifle
    #5
    S-10
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 5185
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2005/01/21 21:22:55
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/29 20:30:51 (permalink)
    Most I've had direct contact with have been professional,even had a couple I would call my friends. Couple of DWCO's I know,not so much. One went on to become a WCO. We have one WCO who posts on here about how he has so many outlaws in his area but then, on the first day of turkey when it's Sat and everything is in season he finds time to spend the mid-afternoon surfing the forums and posting about how great things are. Makes you wonder what kind of law enforcement coverage we will have if Sunday hunting ever comes to pass.
    #6
    ridgehunter
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 627
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/10/22 21:00:13
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/30 00:38:19 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: S-10

     We have one WCO who posts on here about how he has so many outlaws in his area but then, on the first day of turkey when it's Sat and everything is in season he finds time to spend the mid-afternoon surfing the forums and posting about how great things are. Makes you wonder what kind of law enforcement coverage we will have if Sunday hunting ever comes to pass.


    Speaking of a WCO surfing on the internet?  Busted this bum called John S. that spent most of his PGC work time on huntingpa during the day several years back.   8AM until 4PM Monday thru Friday this hobo would post there...WHILE AT WORK?!?! 

    Wish I had a job like that, milking the Pa. hunters money for time spent and playing on the internet while on duty.  He finally retired not long after that.  Check out some of his posts.  He's very arrogant and ignorant at the same time.  He represents himself and his former employer very well.

    What a ROYAL piece of chit!!!!!
    #7
    bingsbaits
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 5050
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/30 07:05:16 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: ridgehunter

    ORIGINAL: S-10

    We have one WCO who posts on here about how he has so many outlaws in his area but then, on the first day of turkey when it's Sat and everything is in season he finds time to spend the mid-afternoon surfing the forums and posting about how great things are. Makes you wonder what kind of law enforcement coverage we will have if Sunday hunting ever comes to pass.


    Speaking of a WCO surfing on the internet?  Busted this bum called John S. that spent most of his PGC work time on huntingpa during the day several years back.   8AM until 4PM Monday thru Friday this hobo would post there...WHILE AT WORK?!?! 

    Wish I had a job like that, milking the Pa. hunters money for time spent and playing on the internet while on duty.  He finally retired not long after that.  Check out some of his posts.  He's very arrogant and ignorant at the same time.  He represents himself and his former employer very well.

    What a ROYAL piece of chit!!!!!


    Can't argue with that one.

    "There is a pleasure in Angling that no one knows but the Angler himself". WB
     
     


    #8
    draketrutta
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1577
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2009/09/22 16:24:33
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/30 13:03:33 (permalink)
    Both the WCO and the website mentioned were a complete joke.
    Yeah - I got banned - after I laid into that joker and all the PGC apologists.

    Last year I made a report to my area WCO about combination deer poaching, coyote shooting from trucks by local drunks on SGL 149.
    Had pics showing a pile of deer carcusses (some road killed, some shot & gut - out of season), piled up right in front of the SGL sign in the parking area.. I had other information as well, including a nearby resident's acknowledgment of late night vehicle lights & gunshots, vehicle descriptions, etc, - that provided solid leads for the WCO.

    The WCO's response to me was that I was out of line making wild accusations.
    Two weeks later, on a subsequent yote hunt - the deer carcusses/parts were still laying in the same spot - with two new additios.
    I guess the WCO doesn't get paid enough to drag them a few yards into the brush and get them out of the public's view - so I did it.

    During a followup call, he became even more abrasive.
    I told him to pound sand and informed him I would write a formal complaint to Jay Delaney - which I did.
    3 months later I received a BS response from Mr Delaney which simply swept their dirt under the carpat.

    I was not expecting a certificate of appreciation from the WCO, but perhaps a postive attitude and a "thanks for the tip" from a concerned sportsman would have sufficed.

    You be the judge if you think my extremely negative view of the PGC is warranted.

    All I know - I will never again contact the PGC if I see something "out of order".



    #9
    RSB
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 932
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2010/08/11 22:55:57
    • Status: offline
    RE: What's up with WCO's . . . 2011/10/30 20:49:47 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: S-10

    Most I've had direct contact with have been professional,even had a couple I would call my friends. Couple of DWCO's I know,not so much. One went on to become a WCO. We have one WCO who posts on here about how he has so many outlaws in his area but then, on the first day of turkey when it's Sat and everything is in season he finds time to spend the mid-afternoon surfing the forums and posting about how great things are. Makes you wonder what kind of law enforcement coverage we will have if Sunday hunting ever comes to pass.


    By the end of the day on Friday, or I guess I should actually say early Saturday morning when I got home from my Friday shift, I had put in 66.5 hours for the week, of which I will be paid for 45 hours. Then I worked straight through from 1:30 Saturday afternoon until almost 4:00 this morning. I then ended up working from 12:30 until 4:30 this afternoon on my day off.
     
    All of that time was out there protecting the resources that all of the honest hunters of this state get to hunt and enjoy. And, brilliant you wants to criticize me because I take a few totally unproductive mid-day hours in the middle of a rain and snow storm as my time off. That is actually time I should be able to take off, when honest hunters should be the eyes and ears of their sport, so I can work when the poachers are most likely going to be out and most honest hunters aren’t  
     
    So I will tell you that your comments are totally out of line and obviously coming directly from what should surely be classified as a Horse’s**** By the way; what have you EVERY done for the benefit of hunting or hunters? How much time do you DONATE to the benefit of hunters or hunting?
     
    R.S. Bodenhorn
    post edited by RSB - 2011/10/30 20:53:34
    #10
    Jump to: