Encounter with a Fish and Wildlife Officer

I have a hit or miss relationship with those guys ....so yes, I'm one of those "sometimes " guys who gets wrongfully harassed sometimes,  but no worries here. Answering questions with questions I like 

As an Asian diver who usually stays out on the water until or after sunset, I have had numerous interactions with fish and game over the years. Each and every one has been a positive one.

At Fort Ross I had a lady give me and my gear a ride up the hill in her truck after checking my catch and at Van Damme a new warden hesitantly agreed to let me take a selfie with him

Wow, you guys must have some serious funding down there to support the F&G to visit so many of you on the water, let alone more than once. 

Since I started kayak fishing back in 2008 up here in Oreegun, I have yet to see a F&G officer anywhere on the water.   Several times while razor clamming, but still never approached by them.

They can check me any time they want to, I have nothing to hide and do not bend or break the rules.

I have to agree. I've been stopped a few times by DFW,  mostly while shore fishing, and have never had a negative interaction. Some have been friendly and talkative and others were just there to do their jobs, but none have been rude or condescending. By signing my license, I understand that its my responsibility to know the regs. If I drop the ball and break them, I understand that there are consequences. If their increased presense means that I get stopped more often but they're catching more violators, so be it.

Wow, you guys must have some serious funding down there to support the F&G to visit so many of you on the water, let alone more than once. 

Since I started kayak fishing back in 2008 up here in Oreegun, I have yet to see a F&G officer anywhere on the water.   Several times while razor clamming, but still never approached by them.

The trooper was at the ramp at ORC this year along with a biologist.

Wow, you guys must have some serious funding down there to support the F&G to visit so many of you on the water, let alone more than once. 

Since I started kayak fishing back in 2008 up here in Oreegun, I have yet to see a F&G officer anywhere on the water.   Several times while razor clamming, but still never approached by them.

The trooper was at the ramp at ORC this year along with a biologist.

Didn't see the trooper at ORC, but did see the biodude.   
Please tell me the trooper wasn't the guy running around all dressed in pink, as I've been watching for green, blue or black outfits all this time. 
Them guys are sneaker fellers!   

I get checked a few times a year while hunting and fishing, but it has generally been a good experience. I had a brand new, shiny blm officer/kid write me a ticket around south jetty/Humboldt bay a long time ago for something stupid (my fault) and he sure loved writing it.

If you live up this way you'll inevitably hear the infamous names Dewayne Little and Brian Boyd. They are a couple gung-ho dudes and they do some straight up crazy shit to see what you are doing. But they've checked me a few times and countersigned tags (not to mention seeing how much I pay DFG a year for my addictions) so they've ended up being pretty cool dudes when I run into them.

Not that I do anything illegal, but the best way to save time is to acknowledge them, but just keep on doing what you're doing. Seems like if you just keep casting they don't usually even wanna stop to talk.

Actually did have a run in with a couple jerks last spring now that I think about it. Did a three day, two night kayaking trip down the sac arm with a few buddies and a couple dorks rolled up and started asking a ton of irrelevant questions. They checked the only guy fishing (had just finished setting up camp on an island) and then wanted to start asking us guys getting a fire going all about fishing. I thought they were gonna try to stick around for a shot or two of moonshine, but they finally rolled out to go find somebody else to harass.

Never had an issue either. Gotten to know quite a few, and have helped me find places to take kids hunting. I say they are doing beyond what is expected of them.

Like most of you, my encounters have all been positive, although I got checked once by a pair of wardens while I was pheasant hunting. We were talking across a small canal when the warden on the near side of the truck asked me to show him I could only put three shells in my gun. I held up my open side-by-side and said that might be tough. The other warden just about fell out of the truck laughing. I was glad to be able to lighten their pheasant opener.

Couple of years ago I was asked by a F&G'er "how'd you do?"  Told him I had my limit of Garabaldi.  His reply was that he didn't think there were any this far north.  Turns out that he DIDN'T know what the limit on Garabaldi was.

when it comes to Game Warden I will not joke around with them. if you do make absolutely sure you know all the RF regulations. Don't want them asking 100 questions. I want them in and out quick. btw, How did you know that he didn't know the limit? he didn't know or he was playing along with your respond?

There times when I wished one was around.  Here's some occasions: 

A spear fisherman shot a 20 inch ling and cleaning it next to me.  He says he wasn't sure but still shot because there was nothing else around.

A kayak fisherman came in with 2 Canaries.  I told him about it and his face turned white. I don't know what did with the fish.

Then there was a first timer who keep 3 short lings.  The limit back then was only 2. I asked him why he did it.  He said he didn't know the difference between a RF and LC. 

There times when I wished one was around.  Here's some occasions: 

A spear fisherman shot a 20 inch ling and cleaning it next to me.  He says he wasn't sure but still shot because there was nothing else around.

A kayak fisherman came in with 2 Canaries.  I told him about it and his face turned white. I don't know what did with the fish.

Then there was a first timer who keep 3 short lings.  The limit back then was only 2. I asked him why he did it.  He said he didn't know the difference between a RF and LC.

All cases of people spending hundreds of dollars on gear without taking 15 minutes to read regulations that can save them hundreds of dollars in fines...imbeciles

What are the requirements to answer questions from wardens?  If I decide I don't want to engage in a conversation with them, do I have that right? 

I do a lot of off road dirt bike riding and am stopped regularly for noise and registration checks.  They ask me all sorts of stupid questions, like; is this bike currently registered, when the sticker is right in front of their eyes.  I just take off my helmet, put on my sunglasses and keep my mouth shut.  Before long, they leave. 

Questions like; where you been riding?  Has the bike in your truck been unloaded and ridden here today?  I'm not saying.  I just sit there.
As near as I can tell, anything can and will be used against me, so why would I want to give them any reason to write me up?

If had been doing something illegal, and they had me on it already, they wouldn't be asking me questions.   

But back to fishing; my gear and my catch speak for me and I do not choose to engage in conversation with a stranger. 

What are the requirements to answer questions from wardens?  If I decide I don't want to engage in a conversation with them, do I have that right? 

I do a lot of off road dirt bike riding and am stopped regularly for noise and registration checks.  They ask me all sorts of stupid questions, like; is this bike currently registered, when the sticker is right in front of their eyes.  I just take off my helmet, put on my sunglasses and keep my mouth shut.  Before long, they leave. 

Questions like; where you been riding?  Has the bike in your truck been unloaded and ridden here today?  I'm not saying.  I just sit there.
As near as I can tell, anything can and will be used against me, so why would I want to give them any reason to write me up?

If had been doing something illegal, and they had me on it already, they wouldn't be asking me questions.   

But back to fishing; my gear and my catch speak for me and I do not choose to engage in conversation with a stranger. 

You do not have to talk to them.  You do have to produce a license and produce all sport caught fish upon demand.  They also have broad warrantless search rights.  But you don't have t answer questions.  Just produce catch and allow search.

There times when I wished one was around.  Here's some occasions: 

A spear fisherman shot a 20 inch ling and cleaning it next to me.  He says he wasn't sure but still shot because there was nothing else around.

A kayak fisherman came in with 2 Canaries.  I told him about it and his face turned white. I don't know what did with the fish.

Then there was a first timer who keep 3 short lings.  The limit back then was only 2. I asked him why he did it.  He said he didn't know the difference between a RF and LC.

All cases of people spending hundreds of dollars on gear without taking 15 minutes to read regulations that can save them hundreds of dollars in fines...imbeciles

You've got the perfect mentality to be a DFW warden!  You should be out there helping to catch these imbeciles.

Now as for myself, I've never claimed to NOT be an imbecile, but I've read the regulations top to bottom and if quizzed, would probably remember a third of it.  This is why I brush up before going out, but my memory still isn't what it used to be.  There are also 20-30 different rockfish species, and there are dozens of threads and hundreds of posts within this very website trying to figure out how to identify rockfish species.  There are laminated cards to bring out on the water specifically because ID'ing rockfish isn't a piece of cake.

I can't speak for the spear fisherman in the example above, but I'd hope for a little leeway in criticizing the second and third guy.  The second guy obviously didn't realize he was running afoul of the regulations, based on his physiological response.  The third guy was a first-timer who also likely didn't know any better.  I would like to think that as community, we could point them in the right direction (e.g. this forum), rather than call them imbeciles.