Big Tuna got me thinking about how some wardens are over anxious to arrest people even when there is no cause. So maybe we can share some stories about different incidents some of us have run into over the years. Not all wardens are a problem some are very professional , but I have found some deputies that are trying to impress people tend to be over zealous !  
 
We were stopped at a major deer hunting road check many years ago on Rt. 66. Quit a few wardens were checking vehicles on the Marionville main artery road. We had no guns , no deer , no weapons, no alcohol we were actually on our way to visit friends at another camp. After a bunch of questions they searched the trucks covered bed. They spotted an old blanket in back with red color on it. The one warden insisted that's animal blood ! What did you guys kill ? My buddy says that's red paint from painting my truck can't you see it's red ? Smell it too ! Then he sees red drops on the bumper and insists it's blood. My buddy scrapes a dot off the bumper and shows him it's paint ! He tells my buddy don't get smart or I'll find something to arrest all you for !! Man I wanted to deck this SOB .....talk about being hassled and harassed for no reason !  
 
Enjoy the snow today !  

 Mine have been 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRFHXMQP-QU
 
happy crappy
 

All of my run in's have been fine.

On a good note to wardens, we were fishing on a small trib in NY and got checked by a Niagara County Fish Warden. After talking awhile, and some friendly conversation, he made us a suggestion and a drew us a map on where to fish on the Niagara River. It turned out to be the best information we could have ever received. Fished the Niagara River for many, many years after that encounter !  

The only negativity on my end is that they never seem to be around when you see suspicious activity going on.

Captain,I got way to many stories, would fill this site up . Hunted 4 states,fished 3 for 20 years straight, met many wardens in many states some nice,some ok,some just down right  Richard's. I got helpful information from Ny fish wardens,and Ohio's game wardens. Other than that I'd say most assume you did something wrong. That's what gets me about wardens,they never believe you and somewhat interrogate you on everything . Best answer to a warden yes and no.  Best advice don't do anything wrong even then your in trouble if ther looking for a bust and you did nothing wrong they go fishing. Some just do their job, then you got the Barney Fifes, be informed I love it when I know more than the deputy dog.

Lots of good interactions with game protectors over the years.  Only one adverse that stands out was about forty years ago shore fishing on the backwaters of Shenango Lake.  There was a dirt road off to the right on 846 before you crossed the bridge.  Would have been like opposite the celery patch.  It was a chore to just get back there, dirt roads, more like trails, lol.
This particular day my cousin and I are fishing and it's a typical July day.  About 90 degrees and no whisper of wind.  Car with a man and woman drive by and ask if we are having any luck!  I don't even remember if we had caught anything.  Five minutes later they come back, guy gets out, tells my cousin he is being cited for not wearing his license.  Mind you, it's hotter than hell, all we have on is shorts and sandals and his license was on his hat, which was on his camp stool, that he was SITTING ON!!!
Don't know why but I think I remember the deputy's last name started with an A..  Anyhow, cousin goes go courthouse to pay/ plead his case, and they actually dismissed it and let him go, no fine.
Ah, the good old days.
 
 

Fall archery season 1969 three of us were eating late supper at Spot Restaurant in Harrisville Pa. My younger brother had arrowed a buck that morning. He and I are recounting the all day tracking of that buck. We had jumped it several times and even missed it a couple times. Well it was getting toward evening and we needed to kill that deer as it was in real bad shape. I proceed to announce that I was going back to the car for a rifle to finish it as its suffering is making me sick. On the way to car we go past pond and there is the buck dead in the pond. Halalua!
Man in neighboring table in plain cloths pulls out his badge and says "I'd like to see that Buck". Well my brother takes him out and shows him and they come back in. The warden flags down a waitress and asks for a pen, then hands my brother his license and the pen and says to him "I don't want to spoil your day, please sign your  license". My brother was 15 and that was his first deer.  Warden never mentioned my intension of finishing it of with a rifle. That kind of warden warms my heart. You have to understand we spent better than 10 hrs tracking that buck and seeing how bad off it was. It was horrible, and we could not return the next day. I had a PA WCO friend that I told that story to, and said that given the same situation again I would still go for a rifle. He alluded to the juggling a warden or any law enforcement officer has to face. That being the letter of the law vs. intent of the law.  

opsman , same thing happened to a friend of mine just like you say 90 degrees vest lying on ground by feet. Warden read him the riot act on wearing his license but didn't fine him. My friend said really ? This is the only state out of three that requires this stupid law of wearing it. 

Years ago fishing High Point Lake right after ice out a officer comes down to where me and a friend were fishing from shore and states that he is going to fine us for littering. Yes there was litter everywhere that got washed up on the bank from all the ice fishers leaving empty bait containers and all kinds of other crap out on the ice. This guy even says he watched us throw all this garbage everywhere. We actually argue with him about it. I remember saying that we couldn't throw this much litter on the ground in our life time. He must have been having a bad day...lol