Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    I'd be inclined to work the action, ejecting the shell and
    leaving it open to view. Probably lean it against a tree 
    after doing so. (_Not_ before doing so.)
    
    Game wardens should be using the same caution as a policeman
    pulling over a speeder. You never know if the person you're
    dealing with has just comitted a crime. Plus, a warden _knows_
    you have a gun. 

    I agree with .1.  If you ever have a run-in with one of the wardens,
    I would say it is best to open the action.  I had a warden come over to 
    check out my buddy and I last year in Georgetown.  This was before sun
    up and he was just checking to see if we were loaded (the guns and not
    the guts :-) ).  No problems....As far as the position on the gun, I 
    would say any way in which the barrel is pointed away from the warden,
    yourself and any other hunters near by.  I usually point it upwards.
    He is only trying to protect himself.
    
    Kevin "7 days till pheasant and 20 days till >>>----->, can't wait!!!"

    I would never lean it up against a tree as I saw a rifle taken away
    from a hunter once because it was leaning up against a tree, it was
    unloaded too. The guy had to to the auction the fish and game dept. had
    to buy his rifle back. I just lay mine on the ground when they show up.
    But I would also point it away from the warden. 
    							Bret

I Bird hunt with an over/under.  I always open the breech when a warden or anyone
shows up to talk.

Bob

    FWIW
    When I was 16, my father and I used to hunt on the Colonial golf course
    in Lynnfield. The town was discharge by land owners permision then, I
    don't know if it has changed.  Anyway, we were approched one evening by
    three men.  I remember telling my dad, "look at these guys, they only
    have one gun."  My dad told me to unload my gun, and get my license and
    duck stamps ready.  They began talking to us like they were hunters,
    looking at the ducks and geese we had shot, saying what a great place
    this is to hunt and so on.  Then one of the guys whips out his badge
    and tells us to empty our pockets of ammo.  This one guy pulls me aside
    and makes me load an unload our guns.  I'm only 16, the other two guys
    have my father cornered and are giving him the third degree.  I'm
    scared shitless!!!!!!
    
    My father tells me to relax and throws the guy a look that could kill.
    These guys start cutting our clearly marked #2 and #4 shells, and
    actually disect one of the geese we had shot.  They were looking to see
    if we had any 00 or BB's.  When they find nothing they tell us we were
    shooting after legel sunset and are going to be fined.  There are
    gunshots going off in the marsh the whole time these guys are with us.
    
    My dad is bullshit!!!! He identifies himself as a police officer and
    starts telling these guys off. The guys start asking why he didn't
    inform them from the start. He explained how it was because we weren't
    doing anything illegal.  At this point the guys try to make like we had
    been best friends. Dad wants no part of this and we leave.
    
    After the wardens spent all their time checking our ammo, licenses,
    guns, permits from the owner, and even ruined a goose "because it had
    large holes in it" and found nothing they were going to fine us anyway.
    If my dad wasn't a cop, I have no idea what would have happened.  We
    were not shooting after dark, the hunters in the marsh were blasting 
    away the whole time we were with the wardens!!!  After I had seen the 
    "three hunters with one gun" dad checked his watch, we had about 15min
    to go.  The wardens showed up in 5min.
    
    I know that their are always a few bad apples in every bushel, but to
    all who run into a warden, watch yourself. I have run into wardens many
    times since this, and they have been very nice and even told me of
    better places to hunt, but I'm sure these three are still out there.
    
    Jim
    

    
    
RE:                     <<< Note 1209.3 by SALEM::MACGREGOR >>>
                  -< Never lean a firearm up against a tree >-
    
    
    	why was this hunter relieved of his rifle because he leaned it
    against a tree? Color me stupid, but I don't understand the logic
    behind this..(or recall a law against it)
    
    
    		jim s.

    
    Jim,
    
    Probably for the same reason you can't lean a gun against a vehicle.
    You don't have control of it. Who knows for sure, I'm willing to bet
    every game warden is different and would handle the situation
    different. BTW what color is stupid? I got my paint brush ready 8')
    
    BTW how's the wife and kids? I don't see ya around much anymore. Josh
    is crawling, what a terror! I don't get a moments peace. Wouldn't trade
    for anything tho, not even a new rifle 8')
    
    Walt

    
    Walter! you ol' dog, you.....:)
    
>    Probably for the same reason you can't lean a gun against a vehicle.
>    You don't have control of it. Who knows for sure, I'm willing to bet
>    every game warden is different and would handle the situation
>    different. 
    
    	I admit that not having control of your firearm is a bad thing, but
    I didn't realize there was an actual law that they can confiscate said
    firearm! :*} That would ruin my whole day....
    
>	BTW what color is stupid? I got my paint brush ready 8')
    
    	Looked in the mirror lately? :*) Just joshing......:)
    
>    BTW how's the wife and kids? I don't see ya around much anymore
    
    	Wife and kids is good....we're all eatin' anyhow...:)
    
>Josh is crawling, what a terror! I don't get a moments peace. Wouldn't trade
>for anything tho, not even a new rifle 8')
    
    	hehe....:) You shure you wouldn't trade the little bugger for a
    .375H&H or an original Colt Dragoon? :)
    
    	Up for some hunting come grouse season Walt? Send me mail....(it's
    almost the magic day!)
    
    						jim s.
    

       Thanks for the thoughts. I suppose unloading is the best advise.
    But I would never lean my gun against a tree or lay it down unless 
    ordered to by the warden. Goin back out Friday for Grouse! Can't wait.
     
                                                         Scott.

    re .6 The reason the Game Warden gave was that every gun should be
    treated as loaded, even though you may have unloaded it, and if it fell
    over it might go off and wound or kill someone. The way he said he
    would like to see it if not in the arms of the hunter is lying flat on
    a hard surface, such as the ground. I never lean mine up against
    anything, I don't want to lose mine. I always lay it across my lap or I
    lay it top of my gloves on the ground. 
    						Bret

    	This reminds my of what happened to me so time back. I was driving 
    down this service road next to these railroad tracks in Lancaster, MA
    I see this Warden stoped in the road and he's in the middle of writing
    these two guys up. I stop my truck becouse he is in the road and he
    comes running up to my truck shouting "give me your gun". Now I'am
    sitting in a mini pick up with a pump shotgun next to me with the
    chamber open and the butt of the gun resting on the floor and the stock
    against the seat. This flipping idiot is shouting at me "give me your
    gun" and shoving his hands in the window of the truck. So with out time
    to think and shaking up over this I grap the barrel of the gun and move
    the gun to his hands. Then after he got his hands on the barrel of the
    gun ha drags it out the window and makes sure its unloaded and and
    starts choowing me a new ass hole about pointing the gun at him. Now
    like I said this is a mini pick up truck and a pump shotgun with a 30"
    barrel with this idiot screaming at me. I couldn't give him the gun any
    other way and he was so set on catching me with a loaded gun in the
    truck that he wouldn't let me get out. 
    	I personelly know some good Wardens but, I lost a lot of respect
    for MA Game Wardens that day

    re -.1
    
    Sounds like one of the wardens in .5 
    
    Jim