# Warning !!!!!!!



## Snag06

Take this as a warning to anyone that hunts or is planning to hunt doves at Salt Fork. I was out Saturday morning along with about 30 others in 1 field off of SR 22 near Salt Fork and recieved a ticket for shooting a dove off of a powerline. For the record I did no such thing but according to the warden his 2 field officers called him and said that when a "guy with a brown hat and camo pants" comes out that he shot a bird off a wire. So now based on "here say" I have a $40.00 fine to pay. However I can contest in court but the court costs are $80.00 not to mention lost wages. What a great state we live in! When I asked to talk to the "field officer who falsly accused me" I was ignored! The warden said he was "just the messenger" and didn't want to here a word I had to say! I now refuse to hunt in Guernsey county and set myself up to be falsly accused by our great wildlife officers who's apparent adgenda is to write tickets to make the state money! Had I done somethig wrong I would quietly pay the fine and let it go but I have a real hard time with signing a ticket and admitting guilt to something I did not do. What choice do you have the way the system is set up. It cost you more $ than the fine to fight it and there is no reprocusion for the accusing officer. A win win situation for them! And Ohio wonders why people aren't buying hunting license!


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## CasualFisherman

Snag,

I would dispute it. It costs the ticketing officer a day in court too. I would subpeona both the ticketing officer and the field officer. That way the state has twice the resources as you going to waste. A few hard heads like that would make them start thinking twice about writing crap tickets when their field agents start getting tied up in court with disputed tickets rather than where they should be (ticketing actual violators)


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## freyedknot

ditto on that


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## Hook N Book

Why on earth would you sign the ticket...???  Fight it, you were accused based on the clothing you were wearing...! Sounds like a classic case of profiling to me (that was a joke, sort of)...!  Though he was only the messenger, he's got some damn explaning to do.

My .02...GOOD LUCK...!


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## Snag06

I didn't sign it. The question is is it worth the cost to me to fight a $40 fine? Do you think for a minute that he would try to pull this on a local? They are banking on a person 60 miles away just paying the fine! What bites is that my time and money spent fighting it won't be reimbersed to me. Either way I'm the one who loses! Our great judicial system!


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## Hook N Book

Snag06 said:


> I didn't sign it. The question is is it worth the cost to me to fight a $40 fine? Do you think for a minute that he would try to pull this on a local? They are banking on a person 60 miles away just paying the fine! What bites is that my time and money spent fighting it won't be reimbersed to me. Either way I'm the one who loses! Our great judicial system!


Okay, your original post sounds like you did sign it...but since you didn't, that's a good thing. I'd say at this point. how important is it to you...? Pay the $40 or take your chance on TOTAL VINDICATION? I wouldn't settle for anything less than walking away without paying any fine or court cost based on the info you posted. It's your decision, again good luck with whatever you decide...!


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## johnny fish

I WAS DOWN THEIR SATURDAY TO DO SOME FISHING WHILE i WAS TALKING TO THE FELLA AT THE BAIT STORE HE ASKED IF I WAS GOING HUNTING TODAY. I SAID NO WHY? HE SAID THE WARDEN THEIR REALLY WANTS TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF AND WOULD PROBABLY WRITE HIS OWN MOTHER A TICKET IF HE COULD . HE WAS SAYING HE DOESN'T CARE IF YOUR LOCAL OR FROM OUT OF TOWN YOU BETTER DO EVERYTHING PERFECTLY.


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## Smallmouth Crazy

I had a similar experience several years back with a new Trooper who just happened to be running around in a state park, I was hunting and noticed him pulling people over left and right up on the road, when I moved to another spot he pulled in behind me and ask for my hunting license..I showed him...then he asked for some ID..I gave him my drivers license...when he couldnt get anybody to run my license over the radio he copied down all my info and said he would run it later(I knew he was a rookie because there was a older officer in the passenger side just watching) while he was trying like the dickens to run my license I ask him if there was a problem??? and he said that I was on State property and he had the right to check me out at any time for any reason(or no reason) when push came to shove there wasnt any harm done and it only took up about 10 minutes of my time...its just that I felt like a crook the way he was running all my info.


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## Lewzer

Aren't you required to sign the ticket? Signing is not an acknowledgement of guilt. It just for proof that you received the ticket.
Regardless I hate when politicing or ladder climbing takes priority over fair enforcement of the law.


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## Nikster

CasualFisherman said:


> Snag,
> 
> I would dispute it. * It costs the ticketing officer a day in court too. * I would subpeona both the ticketing officer and the field officer. That way the state has twice the resources as you going to waste. A few hard heads like that would make them start thinking twice about writing crap tickets when their field agents start getting tied up in court with disputed tickets rather than where they should be (ticketing actual violators)


He gates paid for court, & it sounds like this guy gets his ROCKS off by doing what he's doing.
If its a clear violation then fine, but in my opinion you got a RAW DEAL! Me, I'd fight it. Principle overwhelms my thinking, just the thought of it is *&#$*&# WRONG!
Nik,


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## billybob7059

I would fight it was well. If you win you won't have to pay court cost or anything. Good luck really sucks for you. He shouldn't have wrote the ticket if he didn't see you do it him self b/c how many guys are in there with a brown hat and camo pants????? I bet a bunch.


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## GETTIN' THERE

Been hunting in Ohio for 20 years. Only time I have had any run in with
wildlife officers has been opening weekend of Dove season on state land.
Every time I hunted doves on state land since dove opened in Ohio, officers were there waiting on the trail to the parking lot. Never was in violation, but got tired of running through the hoops. Stopped hunting public land for
doves. Never even asked for my license when pheasant or rabbit hunting
despite running into officers and talking to them in the field while hunting.

Hard call to fight it or not, if money is tight guess I would pay it and never hunt there again.


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## Snag06

I called the District office and it fell upon deaf ears as well. Go figure. You know it is a real shame that we are to teach our children that police officers are our friends. When my 7 yr old asked why I was so upset you can guess what I told him! I hope this officer can sleep at night knowing the image he potrays as a law enforcement officer.


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## cheezemm2

Take plastic gun, act like your shooting at Doves, get ticketed again, then take it to court 

It would be nice if this could happen, but I'm assuming you only get to hunt on the one day drawn?


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## lastv8

its all about how much $$$$$$ they can suck out of you. I for one would of told him I didn't do it and I will see you in court.


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## Snag06

The problem is they get paid to be in court so they could care less! What's a real shame is that "we" pay them to treat us this way!


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## ab8jc

This kind of thing happens -- because WE ALLOW IT to happen.

In a democracy, folks get the kind of government they deserve.

Stand up for your rights, or kwitcherbitchin.


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## bronzebackyac

ab8jc said:


> This kind of thing happens -- because WE ALLOW IT to happen.
> 
> In a democracy, folks get the kind of government they deserve.
> 
> Stand up for your rights, or kwitcherbitchin.


Okie dokie. 
I guess you deserve the ticket since you live in a democracy. Deep, real deep. Wow.


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## H2O Mellon

Dang man, sounds like a raw deal. Right is right so man I'll donate $4 to your cause. Now get 19 others to do it and we'll pay the $80 court costs. I am serious. A man is only as good as his word and it sounds like you are telling the truth and I have no reason to think your lying. Come on folks, are 19 more people good for $4.00?


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## BiteMyLine

It's a true shame to the respectful outdoorsmen when things like this happen, public land or not. 

My Honest Opinion, couple of guys didn't meet their quota so they stick together taking it out on whomever they want and nobody can do a thing about it. Your word against his or theirs doesn't mean a thing.

I got a traffic ticket a couple of years ago for disobeying a police officer at the scene of an accident. Green light, he was out in the middle waiving his flashlight telling me to go on at 20mph, then starts yelling and screaming and telling me to pull over, I did and got a ticket for it. Even had a witness with me when I went to the courthouse the day to fight it and the judge said its you or him I have to believe, even after he talked to my witness and read the report and I told him exactly what happened, I still got the ticket and paid for court costs. Cop even told me that he had somebody else not pull over earlier and his chief chewed his ace out, guess he took it out on me, and left that out of the report. I say suck it and pay it and keep it at a minimal although nobody would expect things like this to happen your going to be on the losing side. Sucks bad...I feel for you. Better to spend 40 then 80 and lose a day of work.


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## Snag06

Mellon,
I appreciate it but I'll probably minimize my losses and just pay the $40.00. I will however not sign it! I stand to lose much more by taking off work and driving 60 miles each way!


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## Hook N Book

While minimizing your losses consider penning a letter to the Judge/Magistrate as to how the entire incident occurred. Plus the fact that the officer never saw you and could not have possibly made a postive I.D. as being the offending individual. This entire situation amounts to a money making and reputation building racket.


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## missingND

On Monday the wardens were waiting for a guy with black shirt and black dog at CC. They told me they got a call that the guy shot a hawk. The only guy left in the field matched the discription but having seen him shoot on the first two days I don't believe it. I also asked him and I believed him when he told me he didn't do it. I was less than 50 yards away from him most of the day and never saw a hawk fall or even get shot at. Officer claimed the "caller" yelled hawk again I never heard it.

One officer took him back in the field with his dog to look for the bird. I don't know how it ended but it sounded like BS to me.


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## Lundy

If you are really innocent I feel for you. I'm sure the field officers saw something or someone that led them to their accusation. Whether it was you or not only you know for sure.

The sad fact of the matter is if you go to court to fight this you chances of winning are about zero.

I would probably still go, knowing I would lose, and accepting the fact that it will cost me more money. The principal of the issue would force me to go to court just to have my say. I would also continue a letter writing campaign to express my displeasure with the situation. None of this would change anything, but I would feel better not taking this lying down.


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## Smallmouth Crazy

I think that the officer writing the ticket should have to have witnessed the act in which he is writing the ticket for, or at least be able to go into the field and confirm beyond any reasonable doubt that the complaint that he recieved the call on did indeed happen and that this person is responsible, I mean if the officers can just wait for you at the car ticket in hand and say heres your ticket and the judge backs him...whats to stop me from making a phone call on someone who I might have a beef with and say he poached a deer and here is where he is at.


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## Snackmans Dad

If you gotta go down for it, at least go down swinging! That kind of stuff makes me mad!


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## Snag06

Case Dismissed!! Arresting officer didn't turn in paperwork to the prosecutor nor did he show up for court! Justice prevailed!


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## H2O Mellon

Good to hear!


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## CasualFisherman

Great news! You did all of us a service by sticking in there.


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## C J Hughes

Great news on the no show . If you should ever have to obtain a lawyer it is better to have a local lawyer rather than one from out of town . It is a shame that officer doesn't recieve some type of action against him . You should call his district office and complain .


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## CARP 104

Did you get the name or badge number? They have to give this information up on the scene if you request it I believe


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## lastv8

good news on the no show


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## Snackmans Dad

Way to keep swinging! that's good news!


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