Law Enforcement...Really!

Spent last evening on the pier and enjoyed every minute of it. Also discovered Linn had been out checking passes and coolers. Then to my surprise, myself and several others were checked by an actual Fish & Wildlife Game Warden. First time I had seen this on the pier in a while.

Glad to see some checks being done and wish it would happen a little more often. What's the old saying? Never a cop around when you need one!

The Warden did explain that most salt water enforcement is left up to Marine Resource people and that Alabama Fish & Wildlife normally only handle fresh water issues. That explains why we seldom see a Warden on our pier.

So, if you fish the pier, better behave.

Good fishing everyone...

For those out there who are less experienced and just don't know, eventually you WILL be approached by a conservation officer. He's going to ask you how you measure your fish to know that you're in compliance. I keep a tape measure in my tackle box for that purpose. It costs less than two bucks. That, plus the size/limits for each species taped on the inside of my tackle box shows the officer that I'm serious (eym_sirius) about compliance with game laws.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I'm serious (eym_sirius)

---

Call me dense, but never got that till now.

This is good news! I've never been checked on the new or old pier. I complained to the the game warden last year about folks takeing under sized and over the creel the limit fish but nothing ever came out of it. Aggressive enforcement is the only way to keep the fishing on Alabama's gulf coast top notch!

Some of you might be happy about modern day "law" enforcement, but I am not. As far as I'm concerned, modern "law" enforcement is at best a slap in the face to the founding revolutionists of this country. At worst it is a spit in their faces. They sacrificed their lives in an attempt to provide you and me freedom from tyranny, and the extortion of your money, for breaking their [modern government] rules is: absolutely, "tyranny".

I know I know, you're all gonna tell me that rules are necessary for society blah blah blah.... To this, I would reply: their [the revolutionists] fight wasn't to promote society, it was to promote true anarchy. Anarchy and freedom are synonymous. Anarchy is NOT the total absence of rules and consequences, rather it is the absence of tyranny.

Yeah yeah I know the standard argument is that we'll all die in anarchy. That is utter bull-malarkey. Humans have survived since the beginning of humanity in anarchy. We've only been subject to the tyranny of "the state" less than 10% of human history.

"The state" meets every single definition and exhibits every single characteristic of the mafia, and meets its own criteria for a "Racketeering Influenced Criminal Organization" aka RICO.

The supreme "law" of the land, our u.s. constitution, explicitly forbids any rule, or "law", to be created that contradicts its fundamental premise which is to defend individual freedom from tyranny. Yes, the u.s. constitution's main purpose is to protect and promote the individual's rights, NOT the rights of "society". So the entire premise of conservation is unconstitutional as is extorting any individual's money and violating their individual rights for the profit of "the state" and or "society".

So you'll never see me applauding an enforcement officer of "the state".

Obviously Bmhjones doesn't realize these same law enforcement officers are sacrificing their lives to protect his and our freedoms. I hesitate to think what a mess we'd be in if it were a free for all every time we stepped out of our homes.

BHMJ - you do what you feel you need to do. I'm going to support law enforcement and respect our representative form of government. If I have a problem with a law or the way it's being enforced, I'll take it up with my representative in the state house or in Congress. Make up your own definitions if that tactic, in your own mind, straightens the convolutions of your misconceptions of freedom and anarchy.

I'm thankful that there are conservation officers around to keep the takers in our society from depleting the resource that we enjoy so much!

I was checked on the pier last summer. I get checked everywhere I go.....I must look shifty or something.:horse He did ask me about my pier wrist band from the day before which I was using because I was there at 0530 which they told me was ok. Checked my license and fish as well. I've never been cited but if a Warden is within 5 miles....they seek me out.

I think that guy just doesn't like having to follow laws. He wants to be able to do whatever he wants, or has been on trouble before. That's the ones that are always criticizing law enforcement. But always the first one to complain about others not following laws.

Most laws, not all that are in place to protect and conserve fish and game are good for society as a whole. If those laws did not exist and there was no one to enforce them there would be no game or fish to harvest, they would have gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon long ago. The Indians only took what they could use. The white man took everything that walked, flew or swam and let a lot of it rot in the field. Twenty years ago deer and turkey had almost disappeared from most southern states. Just seeing a fresh track was a big deal. Today because of good laws and conservation officer's they are thriving and hardly a challenge to hunt. Commercial fishermen would turn the earth's waters into fishless dead seas if there were no laws and people to enforce them.

Lol anyways........ mr Todd you say u spent the evening, what time frame were u there and did you have any luck?

Conservation works, no one can argue that... Please try.
The best conservationists are 'We the Sportsmen' who wish for our future generations to have available sufficient healthy habitat for the fish & game we pursue.
There are those among us who've no respect for our environment, for the habitat of our fish & game, and who would take until the system crashes.
So we need people willing to help us protect what we cherish, this requires they be given authority & trust.
I support them in their jobs and am thankful for their time/efforts.

That said, I'm not always happy with the bureaucracies involved and the choices they make.
One prime example is the current debacle involving recreational Red Snapper fishing vs Charter & Commercial, i.e. Sector Separation.

But when I have problems with such, there is another system for us to address our concerns.
Thankfully, that system is not anarchical in nature.

I heave been to the pier 3 times in the last 2 weeks and have been checked twice. Never had them ask for my license, just look in my cooler. I think they were looking for liquid contraband.

KM: Time frame was from about 3PM to 7PM. Stopped fishing about 5:30 though due to limits and then helping others. The bite, however continued until I left.

good fishing...

"Twenty years ago deer and turkey had almost disappeared from most southern states."

BD, Agree completely with your post, but you need to adjust your timeline a little!!
Back in the 50s and 60s, deer and turkey were still scarce down south, but by the 1980s, had almost completely recovered, except for a few areas where turkeys were still struggling.

But yes, unfortunately, if left to individuals, public trust resources like fish and game would have been long gone by now.
While we may not like some of the regulations and laws, we need most of them to protects ourselves from ourselves.

Croakergun,
i suspect the persons checking you were Rangers from the state park who check the pier on a regular basis. They are enforcing pier rules, hence the wristbands, alcohol, number of rods etc. They do have authority to enforce fishing laws but usually don't target that area or will call someone else in if serious enough.

Licenses, creel and size limits are usually done by the Marine resources guys who normally don't bother with the pier rules.

hope this clears this up for you.

good fishing...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by fshntime

I hesitate to think what a mess we'd be in if it were a free for all every time we stepped out of our homes.

---

Baltimore this week would look like heaven.

I don't know many anarchist manifestos which begin like this -- or else Monroe, Jefferson, et.al were the least. Competent. Anarchists. Ever.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Even Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence says this about government:

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. . . .

and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.


So if the 13 colonies were states with the powers of ANY government, it hardly seems likely that these so-called anarchists would pledge their Lives, Fortunes and Honor and then subvert those goals a mere 15 years later. You and I may believe that not all the powers of government today have been well-exercised, but don't libel the Founders by making them idiots who did not recognize the value of cooperation.

An absence of law and order is perfect, for those who wish to rule by tyranny. A state of lawlessness is great for those who desire to trample on the on the weak and helpless members of their society. But I will have none of that, even if it kills me.

And bhm, has how many posts . ??????? HUMMMM !

[QUOTE=CarlF;91079]"Twenty years ago deer and turkey had almost disappeared from most southern states."

BD, Agree completely with your post, but you need to adjust your timeline a little!!
Back in the 50s and 60s, deer and turkey were still scarce down south, but by the 1980s, had almost completely recovered, except for a few areas where turkeys were still struggling.

Carl, your right it was more like 50 years ago. Sorry for the error, but when you get as old as I am one does not remember what happened yesterday let alone 50 or 60 years ago. :bang

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...uff/Dangle.jpg

I know that this may be Pollyanna thinking, but I tend to see my license fee as my donation to the preservation of the sport I hold so dear. I hope it is around for when my kids areold farts...like me!

If you don't want to pay up because "it's tyranny or unjust", don't fish! Do something that gets your negative attitude out of my earshot.

Shore Thang, A Dear friend once said to me "Amen Brother"

I welcome being checked by ANY Law Enforcement Officer.....nothing to hide here and donate money for licenses too....I have land that I don't need a hunting license to hunt but buy one anyway just in case I might go somewhere else .....a small price to pay for the benefit of all wildlife (my opinion)

I, too, welcome them to check me. We have had an influx of certain populations in nearby areas who don't respect game laws or creel limits, and it can be a challenge sometimes if they are fishing nearby. When our game wardens got wind and started checking them, they were found to be in possession of hundreds of fish, with many undersize, and obviously way outside the creel limits. They had bass, crappie, and catfish. The only time I have ever been unhappy about being checked was during a quota deer hunt when a warden watched me drag a deer up a giant hill and then checked me. He could have helped me drag it up the hill. :D

Central Mississippi had a rogue game warden that made life miserable for everyone. My brother in law was checked four times in a single morning. The guy was a real smarta** and his actions cast a shadow over all the good guys. He was eventually caught on the wrong side of the law and sent to prison. Lots of applause was heard. Support the good ones and report the bad ones..........

i always do all i can to ensure i am 100% legal on game and fish laws. i have never had a bad experience with a wildlife officer.

I think Ranger Lynn is one of the best things to happen to the pier.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stik

i always do all i can to ensure i am 100% legal on game and fish laws. i have never had a bad experience with a wildlife officer.

---

Same here. There are less-friendly or less-reasonable persons in any job, but that is simply more incentive to give less reason for negative interactions. That "can't you give me a break" you think you're owed was used by the person ahead of you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by travis

I was checked on the pier last summer. I get checked everywhere I go.....I must look shifty or something.:horse He did ask me about my pier wrist band from the day before which I was using because I was there at 0530 which they told me was ok. Checked my license and fish as well. I've never been cited but if a Warden is within 5 miles....they seek me out.

---

LMAO ! Once many years ago in California, I was "arrested" for about 20 minutes, because I " matched the description" of a culprit ! Sheeesh! Also have been pulled over because I was "in a new car" and didn't appear to be the owner ????? gotta wonder........