It’s not dicey. It will clearly say “all hunters”. That’s how you know.
wy check points
- Thread starter Tyler1215
- Start date
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I don't think it's much to worry about. It's not a law enforcement activity but a data collection one to start with. They are not worried about people passing through but instead people who hunt or fish in Wyoming. I never heard of anyone getting a ticket or being busted blowing past a stop yet. You are only helping with the wildlife and conservation efforts to stop and get your data recorded even if you didn't get anything. Kind of like them surveys they send that you are supposed to fill out.
I have.
Art Vandeley
Well-known member
What if you have just cracked a cold beer? Do you still have to stop?
WyoDoug
Well-known member
Sure. Be sure to offer the officer one too though.
I mean, perhaps I’m under thinking this...just flippin’ stop. Man does EVERYONE think their sh*t’s getting infringed these days?
They wanna check out your dead animals and make sure you’re following rules.
“NOT ON MY WATCH I’M FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!!”
They wanna check out your dead animals and make sure you’re following rules.
“NOT ON MY WATCH I’M FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!!”
WyoDoug
Well-known member
As far as the guy that asked about passing through the state but hunted in another, it is near universal that you are supposed to stop no matter which state you hunted or fished in until you get home. That is for any state in the compact according to the email I just got from WGF.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I have been known to buy donuts or a couple pizzas and drop them off if I know a game check station is on my route home. I like to show my appreciation for what they do and sometimes you get useful information for next years hunt by doing that. Them guys have a hard enough job to start with, we should not make it harder.
Wildabeest
Well-known member
See Dick run. See Dick get shot. Don’t be a Dick. Pretty simple.
Wildabeest
Well-known member
As for the “just passing thru”, if that’s the case you’ll likely be doing that on interstates. They don’t setup game check points on interstates, so it’s moot point.
kwyeewyk
Well-known member
I'm no lawyer, and I'm sure it's different from state to state, but my understanding in Washington state is that when you purchase and sign your license you are forfeiting your right for due cause to be searched. The fact that you possess a license enables state game wardens to search your person, vehicle and residence for game or violations with no need for probable cause or for a search warrant (not that they actively search random residences). I might be wrong but that's the way I understand it. I'm guessing it's similar in other states and that's why a warden can just drive up and "check" you or pull you over if they see you pass a check station and think you're a hunter, they can stop you and see.
Edited, in WA they can't search living quarters including residence, camp trailers, boat living quarters, etc without a warrant. They have to say they think you've violated the law for some reason (easy bar for them to meet) to search you or your vehicle/boat without a warrant.
Edited, in WA they can't search living quarters including residence, camp trailers, boat living quarters, etc without a warrant. They have to say they think you've violated the law for some reason (easy bar for them to meet) to search you or your vehicle/boat without a warrant.
Last edited:
Some states do.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I wasn't hunting at the time but I saw signs at the two ports of entry in Cheyenne with signs requiring hunters, boaters and anyone fishing to stop. Also once at the Welcome Center on I-25 on exit 7 (High Plains Road). I think they were after CWD for hunters though and zebra mussels on boats for most part.
You’re wrong.
kwyeewyk
Well-known member
So can a tell a warden to get bent when he pulls up behind me on a dirt road and stops me for no reason and asks to check my papers and kill?
WyoDoug
Well-known member
Hunting and fishing is a privilege not a right. Same with driving, your drivers license is a privilege not a right. If you refuse a sobriety check, your right can be revoked on the spot and that affects your fishing and hunting privileges in every state in the compact. Similarly, if you refuse a sobriety checkpoint or blood draw, your license can be taken and is effectively revoked on the spot until you go to court and get it restored or pay the penalty.
Not trying to be a dick, but your misuse of terminology tells me you know just enough to be dangerous.
Purchasing a license does not have anything to do with due cause, whatever that is. In order to be searched, there have to be conditions present. I’d suggest you read up on exceptions to search warrant requirements. That will help you better understand when a warrant less search may or may not occur.
Purchasing a license does not have anything to do with due cause, whatever that is. In order to be searched, there have to be conditions present. I’d suggest you read up on exceptions to search warrant requirements. That will help you better understand when a warrant less search may or may not occur.
This is simply untrue and you shouldn’t repeat stuff like this.
A warden has to have reasonable suspicion you are engaged in hunting or fishing. Again, please do some more reading on definitions and case law if you’re going to throw this stuff out there.
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.
kwyeewyk
Well-known member
Thanks, I don't think you're being a dick and I appreciate the detailed reply. I don't want to repeat misinformation, so glad to be educated. Reading the Washington regs ( a summary so would need to read WACs I guess for real law), it sounds like you are required to produce license, tags, etc and game if asked by a warden. 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. I suppose that's technically different than searching without probable cause, but they don't have to have any more probable cause than they think you might be a hunter to stop you in the first place. A normal cop can't just stop you to check your drivers license unless you've giving probable cause for a stop. Is that not true?
