How many times were you checked by a CO?

[Blktail]

Regarding enforcement in the bush, please indicate how many times you were checked by a CO this past season.

[LeverActionJunkie]

Zero times..

[Big7]

Only been stopped twice, once in Chetwynd comming back from Fort Nelson with a moose and once in 6-1 during open bull season (going home with a moose)...a happy ending with both checks!!

[The Dawg]

Stopped coming out of the bush on opening day...they didnt get out of the vehicle or check tags or licenses, just asked if we got anything or had seen any other hunters....were surprised to see that they were from the DFO, not CO's....

[Will]

Zippo....never even seen a CO while out hunting.

[Gateholio]

Last time I was really "checked" was about 3 years ago, hunitng sheep in Lillooeet...

Got checked once, by the local CO (nice guy) and ever after our encounters where mostly just conversations....Although he was checking other hunters, too.

I guess once they determine that you have a Lic and tags, your rifle isn't loaded int he truck, they don't need to do it 20X, which makes perfect sense...;)

[Gateholio]

I should add that some of m buddies got checked 2X in 30 minutes by 2 different Co's, in Reg 5 this year:smile:

[Phoneguy]

Got officially? checked out twice last year (my first year hunting) and had another conversation in the bush a third time, he didn't really check us out that time so I voted (twice)

James

[RMG]

In the last 20 years, I have been checked by the CO's once, and that was fishing. In the 10 years prior, IIRC, I was checked at least once every season, more often than not several times. Never see any roadside game checks anymore, they used to be common place.

[Gateholio]

I recall about 10 years ago, a bunch of us were camping, a few anglers and a bunch of non anglers/ girlfriends...

Everyone was trying out "fishing" Few had Licenses...

Co.'s pulled up, looked us over, chatted..The anglers asked if they wanted to see licenses...They looked at the gals (who happened to be horribly inept, but having fun) and said..Naw...Why ruin a good thing?:mrgreen:

[J_T]

Once this past season, twice the season before.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

2 or 3 times since I've been hunting and zero times in the last 14 years.
Wish I had seen more CO's during that time:|.

SSS

[hunter1947]

Big fat O for this cowboy ,:frown:.

[Deaddog]

Haven't been checked for a few years, that said, the CO's certainly have a presence in the area I hunt and had a large "riverblock" just the week before I got there, would like to see them more, however with the current budgets a presence is better than not at all.

[frenchbar]

zero x for me havent been checked for yrs.

[Squirrelnuts]

I got stopped on the way home from work this year. That was the first time in probably 15 years, and I'm in the field pretty much every day.

[sealevel]

I have been checked 3 times in 35 years-- 2times on the island and once in chatwin.

[derek p]

Since moving to the concrete jungle I've been checked every year for the last 5, before that when I lived in the north never..not once, and rarely did you ever see the CO's.

This year I was checked in Squamish during the spring bear season, and again in Oliver coming home from a whitetail hunt. Nice guys, easy to talk to and with. Might be different if you up to no good though.

[scuba]

stopped 5 times this year, region 5 twice in the same day, two different co's. and region 7b 3 times all the same co, different hunting trips.

[bigwhiteys]

Stopped once last year during spring bear season... CO was waiting at a bridge (only way out of area). He checked licenses, asked if we had shot anything, and then after he determined we were alright he told us that he was looking for a Green Blazer from Victoria. They had shot a really nice 6'+ black bear and left it on the side of the road... The CO assumed they left it because it was missing all the hair under it's chest and belly. Sad.

Drove by some river boaters on our way sheep hunting that were stopped they had 2 CO's and 2 Cop cars... It looked like someone was getting in trouble.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[Spuddge]

Me and a friend were checked once last year in area 2, the thing is We weren't even hunting, just trying out the new quads. The CO just asked questions. I was checked a couple of years ago while fishing, this time the CO did check my license.

[Fisher-Dude]

Three times last fall. Kelowna has a 3rd CO now, and he lives on the Westside (watch out SSS! ;) ) so there's better coverage now.

Still, each CO has 8,360 square km to patrol in our province. It's a good time for HBCers to offer up their services to the Wilderness Watch program through their local BCWF clubs. Get out for some fresh air, get to know your COs (who are a WEALTH of information about where the game is ;) ), and help protect YOUR resource.

[rishu_pepper]

Checked twice last year, not in the bush, but while fishing. One time at Tsawassen (sp?) after a day of deep-sea fishing, and another time at Stave River for chums. Fish police are cool, they carry S&W M&P. :biggrin:

[bighornbob]

I have been checked more then a few times in my hunting days.

Checked last year while glassing for sheep at Spences. The CO there is good as he has a palm pilot and records who he checked etc and any info you have. Like what vehicles I saw, where they were camped, if I heard any gun shots, if I talked to anyone.

Ran into the CO in the woods on a single one lane dirt road, surprised to see him there. It was the opening day in 2003 when the whole southern half of the province was under a ban from being in the woods because of all the fires. The boundary forest district lifted their ban on Sept. 9 but the Penticton FD kept theirs on. Well I new exactly where the boundary was just south of Big White and my dad and I headed out. When the CO lit us up with his lights my dad said I better be right about the Boundary district. The CO commented to us that we were the only guys out that morning.

Got stopped in the woods above Kelowna one October while hunting deer.

Got stopped once while coming back from fishing.

Got stopped in the woods between Lillowet(sp) and Squamish in November one year.

Stopped numerous times on the road check they always have on HWY 33 east of Kelowna.

Got checked twice on the Coquihalla. Once just above Peachland in the Spring when we were going bear hunting. They had a massive road block with the police, even a chopper. The cops were looking for that guy that walked into a hospital and shot his ex wife and her mother then walked out. They thought he may be headed to kelowna.

Another time the CO's had a check at the Toll Booth. I believe it was the thankgiving long weekend. There were huge line ups and memebers from wilderness watch were directing hunters to the side where the CO's were.

Although it seems like I have been checked a lot of times, I personally dont think it happens enough. I would be happy to be checked at least once a week.

BHB

[Caveman]

I started hunting at the age of 14, I'm 45 now and have been checked a total of five times. Two times locally and three times in the north country. If you do the math that's once every 6 years, and one of the checks was just to ask me if I had seen anything, because they had a report of gun fire in the dark. By the way, it was a '75 ford pickup back firing, I did see it!! The interesting thing is that out of the 13 seperate trips up north I've been stopped 3 times. Seems that they concentrate on checks more up there than down here or I hunt the less populated areas of concern around home, I don't know.

[farside]

Never been check since I have lived in BC. Had a CO drive right by me about 3 yrs ago while I was walking a logging road in the Tsable River. He smiled and waved. I guess a female with a rifle is all good!!

[CanuckShooter]

I've been checked more often than I have been drawn for an LEH.:eek:

[Bow Walker]

Over 30 years on the Island - Vict. to Pt Mcneil/Pt Alice - and over 10 years on the Lower Mainland/Merritt area. One year up in P.G. I've only been checked twice. Once on the Isand (Nan. Lks area) and once up in P.G.

Seems strange but I haven't been check recently at all...I guess I got an honest face.

[gitnadoix]

Been running around in the woods with a gun or fishing rod in my hand for about 40 years. And have been checked twice, once was almost 200 km from the nearest road. That was comforting to actualy see that they do get a chance to patrol those areas that some may feel are lawless.

[Sharkey]

Just the one time. We were on our way down the hill on the last day of the season in Reg 3 at about 5 p.m when they drove up and flashed the lights. They were very nice - asked to see our paperwork, and the action of each rifle in the vehicle. We kibbitzed about the season and were on our way in no time.

[Fisher-Dude]

Just the one time. We were on our way down the hill on the last day of the season in Reg 3 at about 5 p.m when they drove up and flashed the lights. They were very nice - asked to see our paperwork, and the action of each rifle in the vehicle. We kibbitzed about the season and were on our way in no time.

Two chicks in the truck again? :razz:

[brksey]

This is the first year in 10 years of hunting that i have been checked. I shot my buck at 8 in the morning and it took me about 4 hours to pack him out. The c.o. said he was watching me pack my deer down the hill, and only when i was totally loaded and ready to go did he block my truck on the road and proceed to check everything. liscence, looked if my gun was loaded while driving, checked if my deer was a 4 point since it was only open for 4 poinnts. It was a pretty thorough check, but since i didn't break any laws he was actually quite a nice fellow.

[MichelD]

Got stopped by a C.O. last May with a bear in in pieces in the truck. He opened the canopy without asking when I said we had one, then asked to see fur on the pieces. We'd left the the paws on the quarters and kept the head too, so that was okay, then he demanded to see evidence of the sex of the animal.

Nowhere in the regulations does it say you have to have proof of the sex of a bear.

I asked what he wanted to see that for, and he replied that it was to make sure that I hadn't shot a female with cubs.

As it turns out, my partner had asked if we should leave the testicles and penis on the bear when we skinned it and I had agreed that it wasn't a bad idea even if it wasn't required, so we showed him the parts he was asking for.

I was checked more times in 2007 than ever before. Another time up at Sylvester Road by a massive RCMP, provincial and federal C.O. check, and four times waterfowling. It has reached the point where I am on a first name basis with one of the federal conservation officers now.

[curt]

I really like to see the co's out in the bush, there is a lot of crap going on out there simply because it is a damn free for all. A co in the field is about as common as a bigfoot sighting and most time it's no fault of their own BC government has environment issue's and concerns at the very bottom of the most unimportant list so they never get the time or man power they need and man power is the biggest reason there arent even remotely close to the numbers of officers we should be seeing!! The last I heard those was roughly 156 officers in the whole province and im sure that has gone way down, but hey what the hell do i know i just keeping paying the ever so increasing licencing fee's oh refresh my memory those fee's went to support what exactly???

[Th0r]

Never checked. Last time was 16yrs ago fishings for cutts on the beach near Campbell River.

[happygilmore]

in koot hunting for turkeys we had gammies stop in 3 times in 4days. only got stopped arount kamloops once by female co - wish I had done someting illegal.

[Fisher-Dude]

I'd say by deduction, this is the part of the regs regarding bear sex ID being retained:


NOTE

: It is not an offence to possess bear

genitalia attached to the hide or carcass,
and, after it is no longer needed on a bear
carcass as evidence of sex, the genitalia may
be removed from the hide at the above
locations if immediately destroyed and
disposed of at that location. Leaving
evidence of species and sex on the carcass
will not spoil or in any way contaminate the
meat.


And, this section includes ALL game animals:


Removing Evidence of Sex & Species
Evidence of species and sex may be removed
from the carcass or the hide of game:

after it arrives at a person’s normal

dwelling place and is butchered and stored
there for consumption on the premises,


after it is taken to a meat cutter or the
owner or operator of a cold storage plant, or


after it has been inspected by a qualified
Compulsory Inspector.



As for CO numbers in the province, the last figures I have are 113 FTEs in 2005/6, which doesn't include the few seasonals they get.

[johnes50]

Checked our licences and asked if our guns were safe then proceded to tell us how to get were we wanted to go. He asked where we were camped cause he was dropping off a black bear and didn't want to drop it off near our campsite. Downright considerate I thought.

[Dayto]

Every years moose trip to region 5 (LEH) We got stopped in the trucks and our camps checked every few days , this year the CO was the worst straight up Rookie on a power trip.

[boxhitch]

As for CO numbers in the province, the last figures I have are 113 FTEs in 2005/6, which doesn't include the few seasonals they get.


That only part of the story. They are now enviromental enforcement, too. Spend lots of time looking at spills, contamination, logging shows, sewage, mining ops, road builders, resort impacts, noise complaints, burning of all sorts,..........
I bet the current job description and work week/day contain less than 20% dedicated to wildlife.

[Fisher-Dude]

Checked our licences and asked if our guns were safe then proceded to tell us how to get were we wanted to go. He asked where we were camped cause he was dropping off a black bear and didn't want to drop it off near our campsite. Downright considerate I thought.

Much more considerate than a certain former E Koots biologist who dropped off a trapped grizzly beside our camper. She later married the outfitter in the area (now deceased due to a cape buffalo attack). Go figure...but we were just lowly resident hunters after all.:roll:

Not mentioning any names here...;) but it kinda rhymes with Saturday Night Live's old character Rosanne Rosannadanna. :lol:

[115 or bust]

2 times in the last 12 years

[bruin]

Was checked once in Alberta last year while bowhunting elk and once when I was about 10 and had shot my first buck on my dad's tag. He was one of the most intimidating guys I have ever seen and scared the crap outta me but my dad says he was a really nice guy, I thought he was going to take my deer!

[MichelD]

On page 20 bottom left-hand corner it starts a list of what critters you have to leave evidence of sex on, and the list does not include bears.

I agree that it says the following also on page 20:

"It is not an offence to possess bear

genitalia attached to the hide or carcass,
and, after it is no longer needed on a bear
carcass as evidence of sex, the genitalia may
be removed from the hide at the above
locations if immediately destroyed and
disposed of at that location. Leaving
evidence of species and sex on the carcass
will not spoil or in any way contaminate the
meat."

But there is no other reference to being required to keep evidence of sex for bears.

More ambiguity in the regs synopsis.

[stanway]

Only once for me, but I didn't spend as much time hunting this year as I wanted to.

[bsa30-06]

only been checked once in 5 years by the CO's, that was down the east side of harrison.It was painless, he looked at my license handed it back and stood around bs'ing for twenty minutes.

[kloosterboer]

Zero for me.

[Islandeer]

Much more considerate than a certain former E Koots biologist who dropped off a trapped grizzly beside our camper. She later married the outfitter in the area (now deceased due to a cape buffalo attack). Go figure...but we were just lowly resident hunters after all.:roll:

Not mentioning any names here...;) but it kinda rhymes with Saturday Night Live's old character Rosanne Rosannadanna. :lol:

Anna, hmmm, we had them both at our EK camp a while back, nice folk, too young for Bob to go.... Back on thread, been 10 years in the EK since ,by the "ferret" and his taller and more reasonable partner. You Elk valley guys should know them. Gave us the old "Who shot the deer" routine, brother-in-law was doing the bear point, and didn't hear the request, so we directed the "ferret' over to the sweet spot. Chuckles all around, especially from the other CO.

[longhairmtnman]

Got checked in Mcleese lake hwy 97 road block this past fall when we got my moose. All good. Then again on fsr in 3-29 nov. long weekend (Co's looking for some a-holes that shot a doe and left it!). And then again in 3-29 on the last day of deer season while hunting with the wife, was checked by a real cutie lady Co. It was way the hell and gone back in the bush too with about 10" of fresh snow and 15 below. Gotta admire that gal! I have been checked on average about twice a season the past few years.. and never before that.

THe real question is, how many times have you been checked by the R.C.M.P.?

[Big Daddy Ryan]

4 times this year and 2 times last year...all but one road block were in region 8. Most of the CO's that i've dealt with are really nice people but there are definatly a couple out there on pretty good power trips...

[brotherjack]

I've only ever made one year without getting checked at all. Usually once or twice a year. Was three times this last year.

[Canuck2]

Four of us travelling together in 2 trucks were heading home from our moose trip last fall and got stopped on the gravel road about 4 km before it hits the highway at Riske Creek. Two CO's - a veteran and a newbie - each took a truck. We had all our i's dotted and t's crossed for the one moose our group got and they seemed happy with us. Chatted for a bit and then we all carried on. Good to see them out there.

On the same road 7 or 8 years ago, 2 CO's stopped 2 of us in our truck as we were transporting 3 moose in quarters - mine, the driver's, and one belonging to a third of our crew. He had elected to stay in camp a couple more days with another guy. Fortunately we had all the tag, etc information required and all was well - but you could see the wheels going around for a few minutes.:wink:

[Steve W]

These are some of the best posts.

I've been a CO for 20+ years and I've never seen you guys out there either! I'm sure I'd remember someone named CanuckShooter, Big Daddy Ryan, GateHouse, Longhairedmtman, SquirrelNuts and especially Farside.

:razz::-P:razz:

Steve W

[islandstalker]

4 or 5 times this year . checked guns and licenses each time. then chatted it up after the first couple times it was no big deal. same co each time.

[Poguebilt]

none this year!

seen them everywhere on the hwys though!

[Sharkey]

Two chicks in the truck again? :razz:

You know it!!! :cool: Last day of the season... on our way home.

[Frango]

4 times for me.Twice in the Chetwynd area and twice on the island.Had a 6x6 elk in the back on one.He checked it asked a couple of polite questions and we where on our way.Evertime they have been polite and friendly.This all in 25 years of hunting in BC .In Alberta I was checked a lot.I think they have way more CO's there.We should have as many or more..

[Sharkey]

You know it!!! :cool: Last day of the season... on our way home.

It was a female CO too....

[moosinaround]

none this year. 5 years ago I come back to the truck after a day surveying and therre was a CO business card on my winshield wipers, and before that once. We had our tags checked down the blackwater road in our hunting camp. Moosin

[Fisher-Dude]

It was a female CO too....

The one that was posted here for a summer was HOT. She was datin' a cop though...:icon_frow

[Stone Sheep Steve]

The one that was posted here for a summer was HOT. She was datin' a cop though...:icon_frow

And I'll bet your were doing every violation in the book just trying to get her attention:tongue:!!
It was a dead giveaway when you kept turning yourself in more than once a day:redface:!

SSS

[Fisher-Dude]

These are some of the best posts.

I've been a CO for 20+ years and I've never seen you guys out there either! I'm sure I'd remember someone named CanuckShooter, Big Daddy Ryan, GateHouse, Longhairedmtman, SquirrelNuts and especially Farside.


Steve W

Steve, welcome to the discussion! If you ever saw this guy at a road check, what would you do? Call in reinforcements?


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e70/Fisher-Dude/prohpet023-1.jpg



PS - you would definitely remember Gatehouse! :biggrin:

[Fisher-Dude]

And I'll bet your were doing every violation in the book just trying to get her attention:tongue:!!
It was a dead giveaway when you kept turning yourself in more than once a day:redface:!

SSS

I was hoping she would cuff me then frisk me to see if she could find a seventh trout. :redface: :biggrin:

[boxhitch]

I was hoping she would cuff me then frisk me to see if she could find a seventh trout. :redface: :biggrin:May get pinched for keeping undersized.

[Fisher-Dude]

May get pinched for keeping undersized.

Not if she was around. More likely busted for two over 50 cm.

[happygilmore]

May get pinched for keeping undersized.
HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAAA AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA AHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH HHAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH:p

[frenchbar]

May get pinched for keeping undersized.

Thats friggin hilarious!!! post of the yr so far !

[Sharkey]

The one that was posted here for a summer was HOT. She was datin' a cop though...:icon_frow

She was from Kamloops.

[brianscott]

Had them drop out of the sky on us twice, once near Spatsizi and once in the south okanagan.
Kinda pointless to hunt an area after they come roaring in and out in a chopper.

This year I was not checked, I didnt even see one except when that ram was hit @ Mt. Paul in Kamloops

In total I would say about 3 or 4 times and once was because we were in a LEH area which we had a draw for.

[Ramshot]

Haven't been checked for a few years, that said, the CO's certainly have a presence in the area I hunt and had a large "riverblock" just the week before I got there, would like to see them more, however with the current budgets a presence is better than not at all.

I got pulled over on the Muskwa river in a game check last september. The game wardens were good guys and so was the transportation officer, but the two youngs cops were pricks. Jumped onto the front of the jet-boat like they were going to catch us doing something. Seen our beer stash and accused us of going up to bootleg:roll:. Long story short they did get us for being short one life jacket ($200 fine). Guess that satisfied them and they let us go.

[browningboy]

One of my daughters friends Dad is a CO, seems like a nice enough guy, always has a set of rubber gloves with him though?:shock:

[mooseless]

One of my daughters friends Dad is a CO, seems like a nice enough guy, always has a set of rubber gloves with him though?:shock:

rubber gloves? ouch!

[mooseless]

I have been checked off and on over the years fishing and hunting, two weeks ago ice fishing was most recent. In the kootneys I was checked afew times over the years, on the ocean in tofino, Boston Bar once, 100 mile once, Kamloops icefishing twice, probly forgot a few too.

[Deerwhacker]

only ever been checked once ,11 years ago fishing. did see the co's checking people while i was fishing the chedder this past weekend.

[BigBanger]

I was checked 3 times this year driving on the same back road in sechelt.
Once right out side 20 mile bay , two atv's and two trucks . nice guys.

[browningboy]

only ever been checked once ,11 years ago fishing. did see the co's checking people while i was fishing the chedder this past weekend.

Checked while fishing the "Chedder??" Sorry had to laugh, sounds funny!:lol:

[duckslayer]

Got checked once here in Ontario this year, loading the boat up at long point waterfowl unit. Up north moose hunting we used to see CO's every year but have not seen any for four years but now we see the O.P.P. instead
Slayer

[daycort]

4 times, but I work in a hot zone for hunting and fishing. It really sucks going out after work to one of the 5 local stream/rivers to catch fish, and then go elk hunting in the morning before work, I think I might have to find another job with less distractions!!!! Ya right!!

[Leaseman]

Got checked 4 times this year Dino fishing below Mission, all nice gents and had a good talk...:smile:

The ones I hate is the checks at the Coq. tooll booth or Cache Creek, guys are usually grumpy and I have had to sit up to an houe at the toll booth....:mad:

[Shooter]

was checked twice last year around Campbell River

[Buchaneer]

I had four hunting trips this year in three different areas. Stopped once by RCMP and checked twice by CO roadblocks. But usually checked only once or twice per year. Never a problem with any RCMP or CO's checking - a great bunch of guys! I appreciate thier work.

[freeman6]

Been checked a lot of times over the years.

Does it count when your kid plays hockey on the same team with his kid and you both are sitting in the stands together?

I was fishing for springs on the Skeena at the Hazeltons and the CO helped a guy from Saskatewan land a fish on a trout rod with a spin-casting reel. The fish wasn't legal to keep, but the CO asked him if he wanted it and the farmer, who didn't know one salmon from another, said yes. The CO bonked it, helped him clean it, made sure he got it up the bank without getting it in the dirt, came back down, checked all our licenses and told us that what we saw never happened. There was a guide with a couple of clients there and I thought he was going to raise a stink, but I think he wanted to stay dry.

To tell the truth, I haven't had a really bad experience with a CO, but I play it straight. Got caught without my license once on the way out of the bush with no game, (changed my pants and left my wallet in the dirty ones). Gave me a chance to get it and leave a photocopy in the mail slot at his office.

Another time at a multi-agency road check, a pickup pulling a drag car on a trailer came into the road check pretty fast and the CO sent him to the side of the road. It was almost an hour before anyone asked the CO why the truck was sitting there. CO said that he was giving the driver a time-out to think about speeding in a school zone.:biggrin: Police got over $600,000.00 out of the trunk of a car on the same road check. Also got a dog food bag (18 kg size) of BC bud out of another one.

I thought that kind of stuff only happened in American tv shows, but it seems to happen on Hwy 5 regularly enough to have them do those checks about every two months now.

[dana]

It never fails that I seem to run into the CO's when I'm working hard at hardly working. A couple winter's ago, I dropped one of my work partners off and I took the sled a few kms up the road to recce some beetle ground. I got done early and sledded back to where my work partner was going to be coming out of the bush. It was a nice sunny afternoon, so I kicked back with my legs up on the handle bars and waited for my partner. Along comes two CO's on their sleds. The one CO was laughing saying 'dana, don't you ever work?' I said, 'I am working'.
The 2 full-time CO's we've got here do an excellant job and it is very common to run into them numerous times in a year.

[CanAm500]

Never in the 3 years ive been hunting..... I havent even seen a CO out in the "field".

[bckev]

Once about 25 years ago, bushwacking down a mountain popped out of the trees into an opening and there is a guy with a monster sidearm. Scared the crap out of me. Turned out to be a CO in plain clothes, a bit of a jerk I might add.

[Spokerider]

Once about 25 years ago, bushwacking down a mountain popped out of the trees into an opening and there is a guy with a monster sidearm. Scared the crap out of me. Turned out to be a CO in plain clothes, a bit of a jerk I might add.

That sound similar to my first encounter with a CO when I first began hunting, except I was driving out form my hunting area just at dusk. One moment I was alone on the logging road, the next thing I know I was being charged from a side road by another pick-up and quickly cut off. Next thing I see is a guy running at me with his hand on big shiny sidearm. I had no idea what was happening until he told me he was a CO! My fear quickly turned into surprise, disgust and anger at how someone merely driving along would be *attacked* [ yes, that's how it felt ].

My next CO encounter was worse than the first, as I was about to be wrongfully charged with bowhunting in a residential area. Just because some neighbour of the friend I was visiting that morning driving by, happened to see the tip of my unstung longbow through the window of my pick-up parked and unoccupied beside friends driveway. He called the RCMP, and they in turn called the CO. The encounter soon turned into a pi$$ing match, as I was told that I must plead my case and prove my innocence to the satisfaction of the interrogating CO. I said that I'd been bowhunting elsewhere the previous evening, and that's why my bow and treestand were in my truck, but he still didn't believe me when I said I had not been hunting this morning. He said people had illegally hunted there before, and in his eyes, I was it....... He let me off with "a warning".

The third encounter while out moose hunting resulted in a 30 minute vehicle search / interogation at the side of the road. Same technique used to stop us this time as in my first encounter.....our truck quickly cut-off by the CO's truck. My hunting partner and I were asked to get out of the truck after showing that our rifles were unloaded and had answered the customary questions. When I asked why, I was told that we "looked guilty" and that a search was inorder. Following the search, we were told that he would "let us go this time....." I bit my tongue, swallowed my anger and kept my thoughts to myself.

My fourth encounter, just last year was very different than my last three encounters. My buddy and I were out hunting and it began snowing heavily, and we figuered it be best to call it a day and head back for home. Approaching the truck, we were met with a uniformed CO [ a first for me ] asking to inspect our rifle's chambers. A short and pleasant chat later about hunter success in the area, we were on our way.

I could certainly have done without the first three CO encounters, the last encounter was for a change not a negative experience and the way it ought to be.

[Angel]

wasn't stopped once this year but have had a few wilderness encounters in the past. Nothing too exciting to yap about. i was surprised we didnt even see any this year.