Guys- interested in your take on a run-in my son and I had last night w a PA conservation officer.
We were archery hunting on our family farm, property's been in my family for 4 generations, son and I are the only ones that hunt it, we know all our neighbors and control the property well.
I finished hunting last night, was 110% dark, walked out to my truck, which was parked on the edge of a cornfield ~50 yards off a road. I was not using a light.
When I got to my truck a CO lit me up w his hand torch, blinding me, he's clearly on our property, standing next to my truck, he asked if we were the guys "banging away over there" (a doe only muzzleloader season ran concurrent w either sex archery for 1 week, ended last night). Thought it an odd question as I was standing there holding a Mathews, and I had only heard a couple distant shots, nowhere near us, and definitely not "banging away".
I answered no, got the prompt for my license, which I produced, was then asked where my orange hat was, wasn't in possession of one, had a large orange vest on.
Was told PA law requires a vest and hat, I was polite, did not argue, was keeping the comment of an orange hat in total darkness not being much use to myself.
I explained the background of our property and that we were the only hunters ever on it, knew all the neighbors, but wore vests nonetheless.
Assumed he'd warn us and move on, wrong.
Was told if he did that it would "set a bad example" so we were both getting written up.
He went back to his vehicle, I told him we were going to change clothes while he wrote the citations. His truck was ~75 yards away.
We're sitting in the back of my truck changing, putting our clothes and gear away, and another Game Commission truck pulls up 10 feet off my back bumper, turns on his light bar, completely blinding us.
I politely asked if he could turn it off and was told "can't do that".
Looked like a murder scene at this point, my son was amazed.
So this week we're getting fines mailed to us, can't wait to see how much.
The issue I have is this guy, w no reason/suspicion, sets up in the dark behind my truck, on our property. Does he have the right to come onto the farm at any time for any reason?
I knew the old CO for this area, he told me they love getting guys for details like this, generates revenue. he called it "getting a pinch".
Now that I'm on the pinching end I think it sucks.
What say you?
We were archery hunting on our family farm, property's been in my family for 4 generations, son and I are the only ones that hunt it, we know all our neighbors and control the property well.
I finished hunting last night, was 110% dark, walked out to my truck, which was parked on the edge of a cornfield ~50 yards off a road. I was not using a light.
When I got to my truck a CO lit me up w his hand torch, blinding me, he's clearly on our property, standing next to my truck, he asked if we were the guys "banging away over there" (a doe only muzzleloader season ran concurrent w either sex archery for 1 week, ended last night). Thought it an odd question as I was standing there holding a Mathews, and I had only heard a couple distant shots, nowhere near us, and definitely not "banging away".
I answered no, got the prompt for my license, which I produced, was then asked where my orange hat was, wasn't in possession of one, had a large orange vest on.
Was told PA law requires a vest and hat, I was polite, did not argue, was keeping the comment of an orange hat in total darkness not being much use to myself.
I explained the background of our property and that we were the only hunters ever on it, knew all the neighbors, but wore vests nonetheless.
Assumed he'd warn us and move on, wrong.
Was told if he did that it would "set a bad example" so we were both getting written up.
He went back to his vehicle, I told him we were going to change clothes while he wrote the citations. His truck was ~75 yards away.
We're sitting in the back of my truck changing, putting our clothes and gear away, and another Game Commission truck pulls up 10 feet off my back bumper, turns on his light bar, completely blinding us.
I politely asked if he could turn it off and was told "can't do that".
Looked like a murder scene at this point, my son was amazed.
So this week we're getting fines mailed to us, can't wait to see how much.
The issue I have is this guy, w no reason/suspicion, sets up in the dark behind my truck, on our property. Does he have the right to come onto the farm at any time for any reason?
I knew the old CO for this area, he told me they love getting guys for details like this, generates revenue. he called it "getting a pinch".
Now that I'm on the pinching end I think it sucks.
What say you?