# Burned by the "Fuzz"



## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

There is a member of law enforcement in my area that is an avid goose hunter and I feel he is using his position unethically to gain permission. I don't have direct proof but have been told by others that he will approach a landowner in his squad car and in uniform to ask permission. This year...on property we hunted last year quite successfully, the wife just told me no because "this cop" pulled her husband over for no seatbelt & when he realized who he was, asked if he could hunt the property and let him off with a warning. Now how bad is that? The wife feels very badly...would prefer I be the hunter but her husband has ruled on this. Offered a different field that birds never use. I hesitate to file a complaint but this just isn't right.


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## EMU_Flyer (Aug 23, 2010)

Those are very serious allegations to make without hard proof. The pullover story aside, I think its a great idea to wear a uniform (police, nurse, military uniform, etc) to help gain permission. I think wearing my business clothes actually gets me more denials than when I wear jeans and a beat up tshirt. I have a friend that wears his volunteer firemen coat and almost has a 100% success rate.

If I were you I'd leave this one alone or try joining up with this individual sine you're in the same area. Having a police officer on your crew definitely has advantages.


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## greenheadsmacker (Aug 14, 2008)

EMU_Flyer said:


> If I were you I'd leave this one alone or try joining up with this individual sine you're in the same area. Having a police officer on your crew definitely has advantages.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Exactly right!


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## Mike L (Sep 8, 2003)

A few pie plates swinging in the breeze comes to mind.....a field close by with shooting as birds are close kinda puts a damper on certain fields as well.
Just a thought, if you would decide to go that direction.
Gotta be careful with this one, it may cause further repercussions down the road. Or ? Just chalk it up to the ***hole wins this time category, and move on. He who has the power wins most of the time..........


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Because of the possible perception, I have turned down many offerings to hunt private land and all but exclusively hunt the SGA property. 


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

We have a CO (and lurking member of this site) up here that did that to us on some cat hunting ground. He is a trapper and traps cats on the same ground we used to run them on. 

No big deal, he needs a place to enjoy his outdoor activities as well. 

I'm sure there are other geese out there. Just stick close to the wife, send her a christmas card and if/when the cop screws up, she'll let you know you are back in.


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

Oh I know this is one to let go...burns me though. I have tried to be friendly with this guy but he has "his" group and that is it. I'm guessing his supervisor might not think too much of his activities while on the job. I don't know but he might be part of the crew.


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## doug1810 (May 29, 2008)

You would have to catch him in the act or get the husband to confess what happened. But IMHO that is not going to fly if you brought it up to his boss. Do you thing your job/boss would be happy if you used your postion for personal benifits while at work. I know at my job i had to sign papers that said i knew it was wrong when hired .


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## WACKNSTACK (Dec 9, 2010)

We have a Dnr biologist that pulls this crap around here. Even uses a Dnr truck to go talk to land owners 

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## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

Is seems to me without proof, like other stated it would be though. But mentioning it to his boss might be enough to detour him from doing it again. I'm not sure with this but is their a confidentiality law, with talking with his boss.? So you don't get negative effects from the perp?

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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

WACKNSTACK said:


> We have a Dnr biologist that pulls this crap around here. Even uses a Dnr truck to go talk to land owners
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I500 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Wait just a second there. The OP is claiming that he was told a LEO gave someone a break if they let them hunt on the property. You're apparently saying that a DNR staffer goes to ask permission in his uniform/work clothes and vehicle. COMPLETELY different than what the OP said...at least if I understand what you're saying. Let me ask you this...if you were a DNR staff person, or a conservation officer, or a police officer, wouldn't you go to ask permission that way? I know I would, because you would be approaching them with an immediate sense of credibility and trust. BIG ADVANTAGE. If you worked in those fields, why not use it to your advantage? What's unethical or wrong with that? Again, the OP had an entirely different argument...using their employment to cut someone a deal in order to gain access...that would not be ethical.


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## hunting man (Mar 2, 2005)

I feel the police officer did something illegal. If he is a state trooper that's a big no no and in the rules. You hunting on the west side of the state by any chance? Might be some of his crew on this site as members


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

As a taxpayer I'm outraged, elbowing out a civilian on taxpayer's dimes.

I've been reading disturbing trends about LEOs taking liberties lately...


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

waxico said:


> As a taxpayer I'm outraged, elbowing out a civilian on taxpayer's dimes.
> 
> I've been reading disturbing trends about LEOs taking liberties lately...


IF...and I say IF, the LEO cut someone slack in order to get access to a property, I agree with you Jerry. But if I guy is a trooper/CO, gets off work and on his way home (in full work clothing) stops to ask permission, no foul in my mind. In fact I wish I had that advantage....


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## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

not even considering the pull over story, I know that if i went looking for property for my benifit, wearing dept issued uniforms, or driving my cruiser (especially on the clock), I guarantee my LT would discipline me if not find a new officer to replace me. I would definately say it is unethical. I would never think about doing it. Then again, not everyone is ethical. We all know the stories. Sorry about your experience, not all cops are a-holes.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

I would not feel comfortable making the leap that the farmers was let off for a seat belt violation in turn for hunting. The LEO could very well have been already planning on letting him off and noticed the address. Like Dead Short said though, a big no no in order to avoid any perception of inpropriety such as in this case.

Even off duty and in uniform or in a state owned car, I think is not fine. When asking it should not even come into the relm of possible perception that you are in any sort of official capacity when asking.


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

Cops and corrections officers in my crew and they leave it up to the damned real estate agent to get most of the permission.:lol:


I do remember a fiasco years ago where a big crew that was filming for a certain TV show were hunting ground that they really should not have been hunting and they had the audacity to complain about another crew nearby.

They must have thought that they were above the law as they had cameras and at least one cop but the dummies weren't even bright enough to realize that the land that they were hunting on had become annexed into the city and they were unlawfully hunting there.

Hey, I am no cop but, so what if a cop in uniform gets permission. And there is no way to prove that the verbal warning from the cop was a result of permission to hunt.

Ya win a few, ya lose a few. That is just the way that it goes.


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## chemo13 (May 10, 2006)

I wear scrubs to work most every day. If I see some birds on a property I stop and knock on the door. The Dr. thing helps, but by no means surefire success. Maybe some free samples of Viagra would increase my success ratio.

Hell, just by getting out of the truck and knocking on the door I've exerted more effort than 90% of guys reading this.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

chemo13 said:


> I wear scrubs to work most every day. If I see some birds on a property I stop and knock on the door. The Dr. thing helps, but by no means surefire success....


I guess that's exactly what I'm saying. I happen to be a landowner, and if you came to my door in your scrubs, I may give you some extra points (I have soft spot for nurses ) Maybe an auto mechanic is on his way home from work, and they stop to ask, and the owner is also an auto mechanic, so he gets extra points...is that unethical? I'm sure some landowners may appreciate having a cop or CO on their property, without them trying to use their employment in some kind of unethical fashion. Or in some cases, a cop or CO in uniform may get a DEFINITE NO! So I think it goes both ways guys. I just think some of you are stretching this a bit. IMO


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

chemo13 said:


> Hell, just by getting out of the truck and knocking on the door I've exerted more effort than 90% of guys reading this.


Ain't that the truth????

Gaining access is a year round process for me.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

WoW. said:


> Ain't that the truth????
> 
> Gaining access is a year round process for me.


If I had a day job where I had to get out and drive, you can damn well bet I would be a professional "permission gainer" :lol: I have a bunch of properties that I need to get to, and in the process of going from point A to point B, I would make a sidetrack to farm XYZ  Having an office job sucks for that :sad:


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## chemo13 (May 10, 2006)

just ducky said:


> Or in some cases, a cop or CO in uniform may get a DEFINITE NO! So I think it goes both ways guys. IMO


Exactly! I have a buddy who is a cop (and on this forum) and he says he would get access using his uniform cause most people don't don't like cops.

Maybe Adam will chime in on this one?


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

I respect Law enforcement a great deal. This guy just stretches my comfort level a bit. I would pursue this if not for the landowner involvement. If I knew the supervisor was a straight up guy who would keep this confidential that would also help. The officer would pretty much know who turned him in...as in the other hunting party...


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## GVDocHoliday (Sep 5, 2003)

just ducky said:


> Wait just a second there. The OP is claiming that he was told a LEO gave someone a break if they let them hunt on the property. You're apparently saying that a DNR staffer goes to ask permission in his uniform/work clothes and vehicle. COMPLETELY different than what the OP said...at least if I understand what you're saying. Let me ask you this...if you were a DNR staff person, or a conservation officer, or a police officer, wouldn't you go to ask permission that way? I know I would, because you would be approaching them with an immediate sense of credibility and trust. BIG ADVANTAGE. If you worked in those fields, why not use it to your advantage? What's unethical or wrong with that? Again, the OP had an entirely different argument...using their employment to cut someone a deal in order to gain access...that would not be ethical.


If I did I'd get fired.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Retiredducker said:


> I respect Law enforcement a great deal. This guy just stretches my comfort level a bit. I would pursue this if not for the landowner involvement. If I knew the supervisor was a straight up guy who would keep this confidential that would also help. The officer would pretty much know who turned him in...as in the other hunting party...


kind of related to this issue, but kind of not...there is a well known club in the western UP which does everything to keep trespassers out. They've gone so far as to hire off-duty LEO's up there to be security guards roaming the property. Problem is apparently some of them wear their _*on-duty*_ uniform when doing their security guard job, and have tried to intimidate people to stay out that way. AND their supervisor...an elected official up there...has condoned that. It's made big news up there and is a constant legal battle. 

Moral of the story...you never know who you can trust to report something like this


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## Po'Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

just ducky said:


> I guess that's exactly what I'm saying. I happen to be a landowner, and if you came to my door in your scrubs, I may give you some extra points (I have soft spot for nurses ) Maybe an auto mechanic is on his way home from work, and they stop to ask, and the owner is also an auto mechanic, so he gets extra points...is that unethical? I'm sure some landowners may appreciate having a cop or CO on their property, without them trying to use their employment in some kind of unethical fashion. Or in some cases, a cop or CO in uniform may get a DEFINITE NO! So I think it goes both ways guys. I just think some of you are stretching this a bit. IMO


I'm sort of on the fence on this issue. However, I do see a very distinct difference between your mechanic/nurse examples and an officer of the law. 1. Mechanic/nurse uniform and vehicle privately owned and issued. 2. Mechanic/nurse no real or perceived authority.

I'm not appalled by the thought of one using this to their advantage, but seems a bit sketchy to me.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

GVDocHoliday said:


> If I did I'd get fired.


Then your employer obviously has a policy against that. I know several LEO's well, including a brother, and it's common for them to dress before driving to work. Does that mean they can't stop at some business, or anywhere for that matter? I've been WITH my brother in years past, when we stop for a pop at a convenience store, and the cashier tries to give it to him free, and he turns down the offer and pays. 

A hunting buddy of mine works for a major manufacturer of farm equipment. He often wears his polo shirts, with the company logo on them, for hours after he leaves work. So is it unethical for him to go to a farmers house in that shirt, asking permission to hunt, knowing the farmer has a barn full of their equipment?

No matter what job I work at, I'd love to see an employment policy that requires me to take off my work clothing prior to leaving my place of employment. Again, unless I'm using that work clothing to gain some illegal or unethical treatment,


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## caffeineforall (Jul 6, 2011)

Time to bust out my old acus a knock on doors lol.


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## 3006 (May 16, 2000)

I know of a few cops that hunt. Don't like them because they abuse their position a bit. Just because your a LEO, doesn't mean your going to be the best hunter to allow on the property...


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

I lost fields to both a dnr biologist and a monroe county LEO, beat that. Lol Sucks but the farmers musta felt they were more worthy than plain ole me. The pisser was a "detective" card on my truck stating "you no longer can hunt here, contact me if questions"
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

3006 said:


> I know of a few cops that hunt. Don't like them because they abuse their position a bit. Just because your a LEO, doesn't mean your going to be the best hunter to allow on the property...


no one's arguing they are (at least I'm not). Just like in any profession, there are bad apples.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Divers Down said:


> I lost fields to both a dnr biologist and a monroe county LEO, beat that. Lol Sucks but the farmers musta felt they were more worthy than plain ole me.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


but here again, you say that, but do you know for a fact it's because they were a DNR biologist and a LEO, or are you just speculating? Probably most of us have lost spots to someone else, for whatever reason. Only the landowner can tell you why.

I recall friends of mine who deer hunt up in Clare County had a whole bunch of Detroit Lions come up there and start hunting a piece that they had hunted for years. They speculated that they paid big dollars for it, but never did get the real story.


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

just ducky said:


> but here again, you say that, but do you know for a fact it's because they were a DNR biologist and a LEO, or are you just speculating? Probably most of us have lost spots to someone else, for whatever reason. Only the landowner can tell you why.
> 
> I recall friends of mine who deer hunt up in Clare County had a whole bunch of Detroit Lions come up there and start hunting a piece that they had hunted for years. They speculated that they paid big dollars for it, but never did get the real story.


His dept detective card on my wind shield while hunting with "you can no longer can hunt...". Walks like a rat, smells like a rat, probably...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## o_mykiss (May 21, 2013)

just ducky said:


> but here again, you say that, but do you know for a fact it's because they were a DNR biologist and a LEO, or are you just speculating? Probably most of us have lost spots to someone else, for whatever reason. Only the landowner can tell you why.
> 
> [/QUOTE
> 
> ...


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

The officer in question has a specific duty...not a typical road patrol guy. We have seen him scouting in the vehicle way off the beaten path which would be the highway....


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

So my real issue is what he does WHILE ON DUTY..


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## post126 (Sep 9, 2011)

Chemo, just reading this post proves that a lot of people do not like LEO. I do not ask for permission to hunt when on duty, but what is the difference if I ask when in uniform and on the clock vs a heating and cooling guy working at a farm and he asks for permission. 

I give out way more warnings then I write tickets. Probably 80% warnings, I'm not giving warnings for something in return. I think people hear stories and always assume the worse when it deals with LEO.


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## caffeineforall (Jul 6, 2011)

The problem is the uniforn gives off the notion of authority abd intimidates people.

Knowingly using that authority for your own ends is highly irresponsible.

If you didnt figure that out your first week otj then you are very niave.


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## bronc72 (Nov 25, 2008)

It is called waste,fraud and abuse, when you are on duty looking for places hunt. Plumbers are not on the taxpayers dime.


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## post126 (Sep 9, 2011)

Not talking about driving around scouting and asking for permission. I'm saying if I get dispatched to a residence for a complaint and I start chatting it up with home owner about hunting, is that wrong?

Obviously we get paid to protect and serve and I agree it is wrong to go to a residence for the soul purpose of getting hunting land access.


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