Those inspectors ain’t all that bad. A few weeks ago I just loaded up after fishing Lake Independence and an AIS lad helped pull weeds off my rig. He even crawled under the boat to get some weeds caught in the lower inside bunks! I was appreciative!
Those inspectors ain’t all that bad.
Certainly not!
They just signed up for a job that’s backed by bad laws. 
(for the most part)
What is a federal wildlife officer?
They enforce federal game laws. Things like migratory species that are hunted, Lacey Act, ect…
They patrol a lot of the federal Minnesota River Valley Refuge.
What is a federal wildlife officer?
Also, he’s not breaking any laws or rules. That I know of at least.
That is a photo shopped truck…. it is the US Fish and Wildlife… not Federal Wildlife Officer….
us-fish-and-wildlife.jpg
It’s not photo chopped. That’s what their trucks say. I see them once in awhile deer hunting and duck hunting and most have that wording on them.
Truck.jpg
If you fish lower pool 4, the backwaters below Wabasha, and Pool 5, 5A and 6 you’ll bump into the Federal Wardens occasionally. Moreso during duck season. Nice enough guys if you stay on the right side of them. This whole stretch falls under the jurisdiction of the USFWS.
These are the enforcement side of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
In my 40+ years of hunting/fishing, I have NEVER seen a truck like that…must be my clean living 
Believe it or not, they check non-violators licenses and bags too.
Wasn’t trying to be a Cliff Claven on you, there’s a lot of Federal Refuge land around the south metro and we see these guys at the accesses all the time. I’ve talked to a few of them while archery hunting and they offer up some good insight on the area I’m hunting which is much appreciated. 
This whole thread is kind of a mute point as the AIS laws are written for public roadways and I don’t believe an access parking lot falls under that designation.
Won’t be any issues / AIS inspectors once all the lakes are considered infested
^^ Then we’ll have to use State funds to find these people new work. 
^^ Then we’ll have to use State funds to find these people new work.
A Job?????
Why would we do that?
49.2 percent of Americans received benefits from one or more government programs, according to data released by the Census Bureau.
^^ Then we’ll have to use State funds to find these people new work.
To the few dedicated AIS inspectors that have earned their value they will be promoted to our new buetifcation of our roadways agenda I mean program. They will have a supervisory postion in our mobile wash tow vehicle and boat program. A vacume cleaner will be added to each station. Since the station has been constructed the added feature will have a savings that will ony cost $10000 a station. We look forward to helping beutify our roads.
Talked to one at my local lake yesterday. Took me 2 minutes and have gave me 2 free gel freezer bags for my cooler
Talked to one at my local lake yesterday. Took me 2 minutes and have gave me 2 free gel freezer bags for my cooler
OOOH! What lake? I need gel bags! 
So now there buying their popularity???
Went out on a trout lake to day. Got there at 6:50 and no inspector, of course, but a decontamination station truck just pulled up. Got off the lake at 12:45 and the inspector was there and checked us going out and asking question that make no sense. Where & when do I plan on putting the boat back in a lake?? He was pleasant enough and I went on our way. I drove past the decontamination station and you could tell it had not been used all day. This lake is at least 30 miles from any size town. The total trucks that were at the landing were 8-10 and I am sure some were from weekend cabin people. Doesn’t make sense. IMHO
PS: Also there we’re some scuba divers that came out of the water when I did but they never were checked over for AIS whats with that?
No reason to check scuba divers. The different AIS species (if they are that) attach ONLY ON BOATS USED FOR FISHING. No need to check anything else.
gizmoguy wrote:
“What I can’t understand is why does it matter what lake I was last on as I am launching my boat into a lake that contains every AIS there is already???”
They are asking for DNR data. Data thats all Public knowledge. Tell them you are not interested in talking survey. It’s not required. But inspection entering a body of water or exiting when Watercraft Inspectors are on duty is not up for debate; it is LAW.
Inspectors can look in livewells and baitwells. If you do not cooperate it is up to the discretion of the inspector to call a CO.
It is what it is… Deal with it. Remember fishing is like driving, its a privilege not a right.
Was at a WI landing yesterday and they were more worried about tilting motor down to drain gearcase. would let me drive up ramp until I did. Never even checked for weeds etc Just made sure water ran out of motor and trailer on the slope of the ramp.
Mwal
gizmoguy wrote:
Deal with it. Remember fishing is like driving, its a privilege not a right.
Bull s**t. I will not deal with it without resistance.
MN passed an amendment declaring the outdoor pursuits as a right.
I stand corrected Timmy.
AIS Watercraft Inspectors have these rights….
I refuse to answer any questions or to engage them in trivial conversation. They ask to look, I show them the livewell. Nothing more nothing less…..
After an inspection at Kab, an inspector an inspector handed me a sticker and said, “Please place this on your trailer”. I replied, “No”. She told me “you have to display this to show you complied”. I launched my boat and went fishing. I don’t need anymore stickers on my trailer. There are already enough showing me that I should not put my fingers in the winch gears, where to add brake fluid, etc…
SL.
I stand corrected Timmy.
AIS Watercraft Inspectors have these rights….
Ok Bruce the description of the authority of an inspector is so vague, by design I suspect, where does it say an inspector can enter private property? If he/she wants to view the live well they can do it from the ground. If the inspector wants to call a co that’s fine because I would have fullfilled my obligation for the inspector in my interpratation of the rules. If your interpratation differs from mine that’s ok by me.
And another reason why i have ripped the live well out of every boat i’ve owned!
They never ask me “What’s in that cooler”
But i have had SHeriffs jump in my boat and unlawfully open my coolers. CO’s can do that, Sheriffs need to ask to board and ask to search…But what are laws for if they can’t redily break them.
This i what i found at one of our landing. Granted he park and was out on the lake. But why did he take the time to clean it off to show that he cares. Make sure you read the tail gate!!! Maybe the weed police (AIS) should inspect them! LOL
Now that one is classic.
I was fishing at Lake City today and the inspectors, a guy and a gal, were enjoying their cold drinks under a shelter near the launch site for the marina. They never moved when the one boat I saw in four hours left the marina’s ramp at Roschen Park. Lots of boats coming and going from the public ramp and no inspectors there. Another instance of our tax dollars hard at work.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bruce Barnum wrote:</div>
I stand corrected Timmy.AIS Watercraft Inspectors have these rights….
Ok Bruce the description of the authority of an inspector is so vague, by design I suspect, where does it say an inspector can enter private property? If he/she wants to view the live well they can do it from the ground. If the inspector wants to call a co that’s fine because I would have fullfilled my obligation for the inspector in my interpratation of the rules. If your interpratation differs from mine that’s ok by me.
Inspectors are not allowed into a boat; but are allowed to ask to you open the baitwells or livewells for inspection.
What I mean by calling the CO’s is if a boater completely ignores to go through the inspection process, either entering or exiting a body of water, a Watercraft Inspector is then to call state dispatcher for the CO’s.
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