wy check points

[El Jason]

But if I'm just driving down the road, having committed no traffic violations and no game visible, a warden can still stop me just to see if I'm a hunter and ask for my stuff.

Every state I’m familiar with specifies you must be in the field hunting, unless it is a check station. Everyone going to or coming hunting has to stop at these.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Depends on what “no reason” is. If it’s just that you think you shouldn’t be checked, well good luck. If you actually weren’t hunting or fishing then you don’t really have to produce anything, unless you’ve committed some other lands violation, traffic violation, etc. If you have a deer in the back of your truck on a dirt road, then your definition of “no reason” does not jive with reality.

Some guys I know met a warden coming down a FS road, he put the nose of his truck in their lane and stopped them. He then asked for licenses, etc, and looked through the truck. They had a gun behind the seat that was jammed with a live round in it that they gave up on trying to get out and put it behind the seat (I think they were telling the truth because I don't think they'd have lied to me if they had a loaded weapon in the vehicle on purpose). He found the gun behind the seat and wrote a ticket for loaded gun in vehicle. He told them he was allowed to search their vehicle since they were hunting. Fishing I've had them just pulled up and board my boat and look through my stuff for illegal gear etc.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Every state I’m familiar with specifies you must be in the field hunting, unless it is a check station. Everyone going to or coming hunting has to stop at these.

Washington regs don't seem too. That's why the easy answer is just comply and don't break the law!

Exhibit of License, Permits,
Stamps, Tags, and Wildlife
You are required to show a license, tag or permit,
or display wildlife taken when asked to by a Fish
and Wildlife officer or other enforcement officer.
You are also required to comply with the directions
of WDFW personnel related to the collection
of sampling data and/or material from wildlife.

Fish and Wildlife Check Stations
Any hunter may be directed to stop at WDFW
check stations and produce wildlife in their possession.
Fish and Wildlife Officers may stop any person
involved in a hunting or fishing activity for the
purpose of inspecting hunting and fishing equipment,
licenses, tags, or catch record cards and to
inspect all fish and wildlife in their possession.

 

[El Jason]

Fish and Wildlife Officers may stop any person
involved in a hunting or fishing activity for the
purpose of inspecting hunting and fishing equipment,

 

[WapitiBob]

As shown above, you agree to certain things when you sign that little license.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I was checked today antelope hunting, not a check point just coincidence. We had a nice chat about cwd and corner jumping.

Its pretty clear, if there's a station setup,stop. Show tags, chat, meet warden, move on

They aren't the enemy

And what did they say about corner jumping? Asking for a friend

 

[wytex]

Not that I wouldn't stop but I can't see how it could be legally enforced if you don't stop. Prime example: I'm from Wisconsin and drive to Idaho. As I drive through the state of Wyoming in route to my hunting destination of Idaho, how am I supposed to know it's law for me to stop at a check station in Wyoming? I didn't read the Wyoming game and fish laws to know this was required when searching rules for my Idaho hunt. Maybe the stations have signs that make it very clear that even a passerby headed to another state to hunt even needs to stop? Idk seems dicey...

Because the sign says all hunter must stop. They'll be checking your game to make sure you're following CWD regulations for our state. Go ahead and blow by, the exchange won't be cordial then.
They will mark your game tag with sex and possibly age of the animal checked. Next check pint you stop at will look over your tag and send you on your way.

 

[HandgunHunter]

So do you have to stop on your way to work when you may just hunt the next weekend or you filled all your tags the week before

checkpoints collect critter data and are also about law enforcement.

You do not give up constitutional rights by signing a hunting license.

people like to use the DUI examples for field sobriety as an example of giving up rights. They have to establish a level of proof for dui before they can ask you to do sobriety tests then they have to establish enough probable cause to arrest you before they can insist you take a breath or blood test.

can a cop pull you over with no infraction just to walk around your vehicle and check tread depth? Nope. Boating “safety” checks are slowly going away across the country since those are no different than a traffic stop....

There is a color (implied meaning of a law) and a letter of the law (taking it exactly how it’s written).

Wy game and fish has a horrible problem of getting these two meanings close together. That is why I went and addressed the bullet regulations last year.....and then ended up using my wording verbatim.

Wyoming muddied the waters further by making hunting and fishing a constitutional right.

 

[MT_Chad]

I have.

Me too, he actually wasnt hunting either. Happened to have an orange hunters ed hat in the window since he taught hunters ed for 20 years. Still can't hardly believe that one, I was surprised the judge enforced it.

 

[HandgunHunter]

Me too, he actually wasnt hunting either. Happened to have an orange hunters ed hat in the window since he taught hunters ed for 20 years. Still can't hardly believe that one, I was surprised the judge enforced it.

It will just take someone with a high enough crime found where they get a lawyer or enough money and that law will be scrapped completely.

stopping someone for an orange hat sound reasonable in North Korea.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Looks like Wyoming does require a search warrant to actually search you, not sure what (b) used to say:


23-6-109. Search with or without warrant; confiscation and disposition of wildlife.



(a) Any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this act may seize and take into custody any wildlife which has been unlawfully taken or which is unlawfully in possession. Any wildlife so confiscated may be sold to the best advantage and funds received credited to the Wyoming game and fish fund.



(b) Repealed By Laws 2014, Ch. 114, § 1.



(c) Any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this act may search with a search warrant any place or property for any wildlife which he may have probable cause to believe was taken or is possessed unlawfully.


In Washington though they can search your vehicle, boat, etc without a warrant if they think you've done anything wrong, doesn't apply to living quarters, travel trailer, home, etc.

Search without warrant—Seizure of evidence, property—Limitation.
Fish and wildlife officers and ex officio fish and wildlife officers may make a reasonable search without warrant of a vessel, conveyances, vehicles, containers, packages, or other receptacles for fish, seaweed, shellfish, and wildlife which they have reason to believe contain evidence of a violation of law or rules adopted pursuant to this title and seize evidence as needed for law enforcement. This authority does not extend to quarters in a boat, building, or other property used exclusively as a private domicile, does not extend to transitory residences in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and does not allow search and seizure without a warrant if the thing or place is protected from search without warrant within the meaning of Article I, section 7 of the state Constitution. Seizure of property as evidence of a crime does not preclude seizure of the property for forfeiture as authorized by law.

 

[madtom]

Holy cow. Even the simplest thread about stopping for two minutes at a check station goes off the rails and becomes a constitutional rights discussion.

I guess I’m just a sheep for not minding stopping to show wgf my deer and hunting license

 

[Bob-WY]

And what did they say about corner jumping? Asking for a friend

Its a county attorney thing he said. In Johnson County you can be prosecuted unless you can find the state corner marker and cross there. I asked about onx and he said he loves it but it can be off by feet.

We talked specifically about a corner on the land I was on, he hunts there to and has looked for the marker on the corner i asked about. Said he can never find it

 

[nrpate05]

In my experience it is a great opportunity to chat with game wardens in the area and see what they're up to. They are also interested in how many animals you're seeing and how your experience was. They have always seemed genuinely interested.

 

[El Jason]

You do not give up constitutional rights by signing a hunting license.

Not directly you don't. However, by engaging in the activity of hunting, you are doing so with the increased regulatory oversight the courts have deemed acceptable. A Game Warden in Wyoming doesn't need probable cause you committed a violation in order to check you in the field. Simply engaging in the activity grants them that authority. All they need is reason to believe you were 1) in the field and 2) engaged in the activity of hunting.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Don't blow by one by accident. I did and got threatened with a ticket. Be watching for them when you come into town...

 

[Tradewind]

Holy cow. Even the simplest thread about stopping for two minutes at a check station goes off the rails and becomes a constitutional rights discussion.

I guess I’m just a sheep for not minding stopping to show wgf my deer and hunting license

This discussion is not "off the rails". Several salient points and counter points by all of us who partake in the activity but have legitimate questions.
The world is grey

 

[WyoDoug]

A lot of good points but a few thoughts and corrections:

1) Wyoming does require a warrant or your consent before they can search your vehicle or containers like coolers and that. If you refuse, they can detain you and get a warrant within a few hours if they think you may be in violation of the law. They have to have reasonable suspicion of something, not just because.

2) You are helping hunting and conservation efforts. They DO want to make sure everyone is following the rules and will enforce the law BUT the more important part of game checks is the data collection and control of contagious diseases like CWD. They also sometimes ask you what you saw hunting and fishing and that and that information helps in the conservation and wildlife management efforts going forth.

3) You are not likely going to get stopped if you just blow by a check point, but you are not helping with conservation and wildlife management efforts then either and actually working against it.

Do yourself and rest of us a favor and just stop. It usually lasts only a few minutes typically and you are on your way and the data they collected goes a long ways in conservation and game management.

 

[ClearCreek]

3) You are not likely going to get stopped if you just blow by a check point, .....................

This is not always true. One game check station in the north-central part of Wyoming usually has a game warden (sometimes a County Sheriff Deputy) there ready to run down those that make no effort to stop. Those vehicles may or may not get issued a citation.

ClearCreek

 

[shb]