How often do you get checked by law enforcement?

Rarely. I’m mostly on metro lakes. I did get checked on Green Bay this year. Only time I’ve been checked this year in probably over thirty outings.

Been checked numerous times over the years on various MN lakes. See the CO or Sheriff’s water patrol on Rush Lake near Rush City quite often. Only been stopped a few times. Have seen them watching from a distance and then swoop in to check on people.

A couple stories:
Fishing French lake near Faribault we were fishing about 300 yards from the access. CO comes up to us on a jet ski, after the check he headed to shore and must have been going off shift. Another CO got on the jet ski and he heads right out to check us again. No alcohol involved and we had hardly moved. Granted there was only 3 or 4 boats on the lake but seriously?

Another time on Rush Lake my son was landing his first every muskie and the CO was coming to check us but they politely waited till the fish was landed photographed and released. Very nice guys, congratulated him on his fish and wished us luck. We do have a picture of my son holding the fish with the CO’s boat in the background.

I get checked in Minnesota and Canada way more than my home state. In regards to Minnesota I am guessing the reason is the area I fish is popular. Got checked twice ice fishing on Kabatogama in three hours last year. Got checked ice fishing on Mille Lacs and Lotw, love the jump off the sled at high speed and run into the shack attack. Nipigon in Canada almost yearly. Last check they jumped on my boat as I was docking. They really thought they had something only to find nothing, that day my wife and I were actually keeping fish for the trip home, after they measured all the fish I invited them into our camp, offered up our coolers and then a cold beer. Another thing about Canada: When I get checked on the water they usually have a Canadien mounted police officer with them. Those guys are bad ass and you do not want them talking to you. Cant remember the last encounter in Wisconsin.

Getting checked by the DNR/conservation officers in MN? Almost never and certainly not often enough IMO.

In over 35 years of licensed hunting and fishing, I believe it’s been 12 or 15 times total. And 7-8 of those times involved a CO pulling up every single time we were pheasant hunting the same CRP on the same 400 acres my uncle owns in SW MN. It was weird. We started to joke with the CO that we had called the TIP line asking where he was because we’d been there 15 minutes and he hadn’t showed up yet. I can only assume some local busybody was calling us in and making up lies to get a CO out there to check us in hopes that we would be ticketed for something.

Because I hunt in a HEAVILY hunted deer area, I find it odd that in almost 35 years of deer hunting, I have never seen a CO during deer season. To me that is a sign of just how under-staffed COs are in MN.

Grouse

I fish (mostly ice) alot of central MN, and some other lakes. I feel like I get checked 2-5 times a year. I’m on the ice roughly 30-50 times a year. I’ve been checked 8-10 times on Sauk, 3-4 times on Osakis, 3 times on Mary by Alex, 3-5 times on Mille Lacs, 1 on Reno and several others. I love it, cause I feel like they’re out and active. Hopefully keeping the poachers on their toes.
I’ve also been checked on Devil’s 5 times out of the 20ish times I’ve been there.

Once when shore fishing at Blackdog and he seemed more interested in letting us know to keep our heads on a swivel due to some illicit activities that are well known in that area.

Once when launching out of the Blackdog area and going about a mile upstream. We were tied off and catfishing and he was nice, thanked us for wearing PFDs, etc. We asked how far his patrol route was and he said he’d launched at Carver and was heading to the mouth of the river. I think he had 4-5 6 gallon gas cans in the boat!

CO, I’ve only been checked twice by if I remember correctly. Both times it was on the water. Once ice fishing and one open water. Sherrifs I’ve been checked what feels like a lot. It’s always on the same lake too. Always different Sherrifs though.

I’m more than happy to be checked. I’ve got nothing to hide ever. But man do the Sherrifs come rolling up at the worst time. They idle up to me 30 mins before sunset and take what feels like forever to check on a couple things.

I did get a written warning last year for not having a whistle. He asked if I had an on board horn and I said yes. Which is true, it doesn’t work, but it’s there. So then he asked if I have a whistle… Well I showed him I can whistle really loudly. He said no I should have one clipped to my life vest. Then he says Well what if someone else has your boat, and I said that doesn’t happen ever. Well what if someone you take fishing falls overboard and needs a whistle? Well I’ll whistle, regardless, if the whistle is clipped to me, whats the point… Anyway. Seems like a pointless rule. Unless someone is mute and can’t yell its a pretty poor law to have.

rjthehunter wrote:

Well I’ll whistle, regardless, if the whistle is clipped to me, whats the point… Anyway. Seems like a pointless rule. Unless someone is mute and can’t yell its a pretty poor law to have.

Vocal cords get tired and sore much sooner than you might think. A whistle will continue to work, even when your mouth is sore and dry.

Started fishing and hunting in WI around 1963. Have stopped hunting but still fish winter and summer. Have moved to MN and still fish. Never been stopped or checked. Did see a CO once in MN. But he never came around. Once on MN. ND border, a city police officer asked if I had license but did not look at it.

I think I have been checked on average once a winter but I can’t say that I have ever had a CO check me in the open water months.

I am checked about 2 times each year.
I have never been checked on the croix or pool 3. The CO/sheriff always drives past me and I wave. I fish it multiple times each week (except this summer). I don’t understand, but can’t complain.
I have been checked while duck hunting on private land in west central MN a couple times. They sneak up on you and make you jump a little. I have also been checked fishing from Kab to ML to LOW to Osakis and the Grand Rapids area. Never once have I had any problems as I always follow the laws. I am always nice to them and they are usually nice to me.

I get checked once a year on average. I fish pool 4 and its tributaries probably 45-50 times a season in the boat and another 25 times through the ice. I’ve never received a ticket or warning, nor have I ever encountered a CO who was anything but a polite professional. I just wish there were a few more of them.

munchy wrote:

One week on Namakan I was checked 4 times. That lake had a CO that was a stickler, he has since retired I believe.

We get checked a couple times every time we spend a week up on Namakan. I think we get checked so often because of all the different agencies out there (Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Park Ranger, C.O., Sheriff). I probably only get checked maybe twice a year on all other bodies of water, soft or hard.

rjthehunter wrote:

Anyway. Seems like a pointless rule.

Totally disagree with that statement.

CO Brittney on P4 two years ago…swung in with the sheriff. Once I saw it was her I immediately started to give her s hard time in a fun polite way.

Then when it came to my horn, it didn’t work. Yes, I checked everything and it worked earlier but it didn’t when it counted. She told me to start my motor and try it… still nothing. Then she pointed at the air horn I had on the floor…and my FW said “don’t blow that!” before I even had it in my hands.

I haven’t met the new WI CO yet but I have to admit, we have a great group of LEO’s on Pool 4.

Now the guy that had expired registration that caused the Sheriff to interact with him and had a warrant out for his arrest might not agree with me as his boat was towed in and he was placed, cuffed in the back of a squad.

rjthehunter wrote:

CO, I’ve only been checked twice by if I remember correctly. Both times it was on the water. Once <em class=”ido-tag-em”>ice fishing and one open water. Sherrifs I’ve been checked what feels like a lot. It’s always on the same lake too. Always different Sherrifs though.

I’m more than happy to be checked. I’ve got nothing to hide ever. But man do the Sherrifs come rolling up at the worst time. They idle up to me 30 mins before sunset and take what feels like forever to check on a couple things.

I did get a written warning last year for not having a whistle. He asked if I had an on board horn and I said yes. Which is true, it doesn’t work, but it’s there. So then he asked if I have a whistle… Well I showed him I can whistle really loudly. He said no I should have one clipped to my life vest. Then he says Well what if someone else has your boat, and I said that doesn’t happen ever. Well what if someone you take fishing falls overboard and needs a whistle? Well I’ll whistle, regardless, if the whistle is clipped to me, whats the point… Anyway. Seems like a pointless rule. Unless someone is mute and can’t yell its a pretty poor law to have.

I was interested in this as I didnt know a whistle was a requirement so I looked it up. Top of the picture reads a whistle or a horn. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but to me it reads one or the other not both.

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4 times in 15 years. 3 of which came probably in a 5 year period. 2 hunting and 1 open water 1 ice fishing. If you fish big stone lake or hunt that area enough you’ll be stopped.

Yes, you only need one noise making device

Funny; I’ve gone out probably close to 500 times on the st croix over the last 15 years, and have yet to be stopped by the dnr (sheriff twice though). I mainly troll and use planer boards; maybe they don’t want to make me deal with the hassle of reeling everything in, or just think I’m a serious angler who will follow the rules (which, in fact, is true)

crappie55369 wrote:

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but to me it reads one or the other not both

Correct.
I carry both because compressed air horn can fail.

phoyem wrote:

maybe they don’t want to make me deal with the hassle of reeling everything in,

Most of the Co’s that are just checking for licenses won’t make you reel in. Just hold up your license and they’re good.
Boat safety inspections make bringing in your line a necessity.

phoyem wrote:

Funny; I’ve gone out probably close to 500 times on the st croix over the last 15 years, and have yet to be stopped by the dnr (sheriff twice though). I mainly troll and use planer boards; maybe they don’t want to make me deal with the hassle of reeling everything in, or just think I’m a serious angler who will follow the rules (which, in fact, is true)

On the St. Croix I think they are more concerned with people being drunk and dumb or stopping a little Bass Boat with 10 people on it. I swear on the weekends the St. Croix can be like a Zoo, lots of different things to see…

Brian Klawitter wrote:

There are LEO’s from
WI DNR
MN DNR
Washington County Sheriff
St Croix County Sheriff
Pierce County Sheriff
US Park and Wildlife
WI Park Service
and once in a great while the
US Coast Guard

Patrolling the waters.

I would guess I fish these waters maybe 40-50 times a year between fishing boat, pontoon, and ice and I would guess I get checked 5-7 times a year. However, of the most recent 20-25 times on pontoon fishing with the fam I have seen LEO’s of all types drive by and check others but never once been checked. Not a recommendation, but apparently if you want to get away with shady fishing activities, bring your fam and fish from a toon.

I’ve been checked twice in my lifetime and I’m getting old as dirt. Once was a federal warden (Hershbeck) and he was very cool. I saved his cell number and he helped me find the owner to an ice shack I found on highway 61 this last winter. If you ask me, they need to hire 10x the wardens we currently have and really get better enforcement of our hunting/fishing regs. Too much for the handful of wardens we do have!the second was up on the st croix last August. Very nice fella, chatted about fishing spots my grandkid & I could get some fish.

Good friend of mine works for Washington County. Trust me when I say they are watching & seeing.

I’m trying to draw a correlation between most people wanting to see more leo and why.

Do you guys believe that more enforcement of game and fish laws equates to better fishing/hunting?

If so, why?

I feel like as a general rule, each fishery is what it is and quantity of enforcement is not linear to better fishing/hunting.

I believe poachers in general impact hunting/fishing in an insignificant amount with few exceptions.

Vehicle accidents are through the roof… But I don’t hear complaining about a lack of leo on the highways keeping folk strictly following the rules. That’s life and death… Seems more important to the general population than fish #’s… But I see no support or complaints on here… Other than folks comment how badly they want someone punished when they do cause harm.

Not poking, more curious the reasoning behind more leo’s.

I have fished regularly in Minnesota for 50+ years. I do not remember every encounter with a CO, but maybe 5 times, no more than 10 times. The vast majority of those times were when I was renting an ice shack on either Mille Lacs or Leech.

Only get checked ice fishing. Happens two three times a season.

I see CO’s all the time while musky fishing the St. Louis, but I think they just see the big sticks, run my boat registration and move on….Honestly good on them, there are plenty of over limits of walleye being pulled from that system.

crappie55369 wrote:

I was interested in this as I didnt know a whistle was a requirement so I looked it up. Top of the picture reads a whistle or a horn. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but to me it reads one or the other not both.

I’m assuming this has something to do with his horn being broken.

I like seeing LEO’s on the water. I do think there would be more people keeping over their limit (or undersized fish or not buying a license). All these actions will hurt the fishery. I also like in the more general since that having LEO’s out emphasizes the fact we all need to play by the same rules.

I’m sure some exceptions exist, but I believe 99.9% of CO’s do their job in a fair and just way and I commend the work they do.

One day this last winter everyone within sight but me got checked. Didn’t know I exuded that much lawfulness..