# Conservation officers



## det07 (Mar 26, 2006)

ducksarge said:


> Why are duck hunters targeted so often by CO's ? I have been checked twice so far this season. It is no big deal, but it seems to be an awful lot. While deer hunting I have been checked only once in my life. While fishing I have never been checked. I have no clue how many times duck hunting I have been checked. Just seems like a disproportionate amount.



Waterfowl enforcement is a very high priority for the DNR. Migratory birds are a shared resource and if Michigan slacks off on it's enforcement efforts, it can negatively impact the resource for other states along the migration route. 

Waterfowl populations are very succeptible to over harvest using illegal hunting methods and therefore hunters are closely monitored. 

Example: see the baiting/over limit case that is making the news now. That is exactly what we are trying to avoid. Unfortunately, law abiding hunters have to go through the same routine checks in order to find the violators. Hope this helps. Good hunting. Matt


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Quack Addict said:


> Then again, I've encountered CO's duck hunting that couldn't properly ID ducks.


I have run into CO's who don't have a clue about duck ID.Luckily, I have not had any problems due to their lack of knowledge. I have been checked a few times, both hunting and fishing, and, for the most part, those encounters have been positive.


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## GT Charter Service (Jul 18, 2007)

We got checked at 9 AM in the morning in the marsh he came up on a kayak wasn't to happy he said he was behind us the whole time we were all good just should've left us alone Checked Us at the ramp


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

craigrh13 said:


> The CO's stated that we all need to fill out the surveys and complain about the teal season dates. He said we had three options and the state chose the 1st-7th. He said there was a later option...like the 7th-14th which would be much better. He said they will listen if they get a lot of recommendations from the hunters.


Contact your local CWAC rep. as well and your local biologist and area manager. I'll bet I knew the CO's that were in the middle grounds. One or two of them were probably friends of mine. Good guys who both are hard core waterfowlers. I got checked on the forth day of teal season. They knew right where our blind was. I think they GPS'ed every blind they could find. Good for them, hopefully it keeps people honest.


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## BVG (Nov 18, 2004)

I wish I saw more COs.
Get checked at least once every year duck hunting, once getting back in my truck after a turkey hunt, and once while steelhead fishing. 
IMHO
One reason they check duck hunters so often is we line up in the marsh and are easy to find. Just hop in a boat and drive to the next blind. We also get concentrated at the boat launch. Easy for them to make contact with many hunters in a short time. Better odds of finding a violator.
Besides, I would much rather a CO stop by my duck blind for five minutes than walk through the deer woods, make me climb down a tree... Or worse yet, walk in on a turkey set. They are not there to mess up your hunt and I think they avoid that as much as possible.


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## Blacklab77 (Jun 21, 2006)

fsamie1 said:


> I think because CO checking you hangs out in same area you are hunting. They do not go out of their way unless they get a call. Used to be checked by COs on boats, not any more. they are just patrolling ramps. That is why there are so many violators.


Can you tell that to the CO that motored up to us on Saturday morning at 8:41 AM on the bay and said I know its prime time hunting so I'll try to make this brief.


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## WoodyMG (May 29, 2013)

I've only been checked once. By a CO in a canoe out in one of the Great Lakes.


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## Bayport (Aug 29, 2009)

craigrh13 said:


> CO's were out on the middle grounds Sunday. They were nice guys. We also talked to one at the gas station who worked around quanicassee. They all said everyone was good for the most part and no big issues. I even asked them about back in teal season and they said everyone was good. The one guy even filled us in on some good spots up on the bay and down where he used to work which is near my house. I was impressed. Some of the best CO's I've ever came across.


We were also che


craigrh13 said:


> CO's were out on the middle grounds Sunday. They were nice guys. We also talked to one at the gas station who worked around quanicassee. They all said everyone was good for the most part and no big issues. I even asked them about back in teal season and they said everyone was good. The one guy even filled us in on some good spots up on the bay and down where he used to work which is near my house. I was impressed. Some of the best CO's I've ever came across.


Sounds like the same two guys that checked us Sunday. If you are legal, should not matter. Both were very polite, checkedd guns and shells, said have a good day. We were picking up.


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## Swamp Boss (Mar 14, 2003)

I was actually disappointed I didn't run into the CO at the bay. I wanted to hear his story of a now notorious poaching case last year! I will find him one of these days!


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## ducksarge (Jul 3, 2011)

Don't get me wrong, I am happy to get checked and I more than glad they are out there.


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## trapper ryan (Jan 24, 2013)

ducksarge said:


> Why are duck hunters targeted so often by CO's ? I have been checked twice so far this season. It is no big deal, but it seems to be an awful lot. While deer hunting I have been checked only once in my life. While fishing I have never been checked. I have no clue how many times duck hunting I have been checked. Just seems like a disproportionate amount.


It seems to me that waterfowl hunters are easier to find. A lot of shooting, decoys out exct. It's a lot harder to find someone in their private land woods deer hunting compared to just jumping in a boat and finding the next group of duck hunters in the marsh.


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## Zorba (Jan 24, 2007)

I think that access is limited when hunting waterfowl. The ramp acts as a focal point for CO's to stop and check hunters. Deer hunters have way more access and don't have as much of a focal point making it harder to find a common spot to check hunters


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## bigbore450 (Apr 27, 2012)

I was checked a couple times last year duck hunting. Nice CO's doing there job. I appreciate them checking in the areas I hunt seems to be a lot of so so hunters nearby sometimes. Prior I had only had one encounter with a CO while deer hunting.
I welcome The CO's in my experience they are very professional and I appreciate the fact there are trying to stop or deter bad behavior. No complaints.


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## mikecatt13 (Dec 16, 2014)

It seems that violators are too common these days in the waterfowl world. From some of the crap I've witnessed this season already I wish I would see more COs. I follow the rules and they've always been nothing but nice when I've been checked. I've called RAP a couple times and no results, not that I won't call in the future if needed but I would welcome a bigger presence

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## Nicoli7153 (Oct 9, 2012)

You get checked more frequently while waterfowl hunting because it's one of the few resources that are hunted that have fragile population numbers, especially among different species.

When the CO asks what kind of ducks you have its because they want to know what YOU think you have. They receive intense waterfowl training.

Oh and a box of lead has the potential to kill hundreds of ducks by lead poisoning! A priority enforcement item because of its detrimental effect on waterfowl populations.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Nicoli7153 said:


> They receive intense waterfowl training.


That's funny. My wife was working in the Monroe County Ducks Unlimited booth at the Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival this year. A question came up about the ID of a duck. Two CO's said it was one species. I told her that was incorrect and to ask a biologist. I was right, it was NOT what the CO's said. It was in fact a bird, a long tail, that has a distinct "summer" phase, as well as the normal phase that most other species have. 

Many CO's know their ducks, just as many don't. Most do a good job in a polite manner but there are a few that go out of their way to look for ways to write tickets. I once heard one say his goal was to write 200 tickets during the "late" 2 day season and set out to do it. This person is not the norm, but they do exist.


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## Nicoli7153 (Oct 9, 2012)

Every profession has them! Duck ID is like playing a piano ...... you have to stay in practice! If you are not stationed in a high waterfowl area, you don't get to practice.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Nicoli7153 said:


> Every profession has them! Duck ID is like playing a piano ...... you have to stay in practice! If you are not stationed in a high waterfowl area, you don't get to practice.


They are subject to the same human failings as anyone else.


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## mikecatt13 (Dec 16, 2014)

Boatown said:


> Most fines are for unplugged guns over the limit and shooting before and after hours


I wish they would Crack down on shooting hours. I've passed birds almost every hunt as close to hours as 30 seconds and there's always at least a couple groups 10 min before...not even close. Opening day was so bad it started over 20 min early and there were probably 100 early shots, in my opinion it hurt the hunt horribly, there were tons of birds flying and it was done by shooting time. If everyone had waited till legal time and we all had that 20 min to shoot before they got spooked it would've been awesome 

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## fsamie1 (Mar 8, 2008)

no way, disagree, most fines are for life vest and navigation lights.


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