Somethin buggin me, gotta vent

[Dark_Knight7096]

I went off-roading today with a group of friends. We went to the local game reserve and spent a good 4 or 5 hours just driving around off the paved road and on side paths that lead to other areas of the reserve. We ran across a group of hunters who were stuck and we pulled them out, we ran into a few people on horseback and stopped and had conversations with them, all in all a pretty fun day. On the way out of the game reserve a black SUV gets in behind us and is following us out. We get out and make a right at the next road (there's a stop sign here). I didn't come to a full and complete stop more like I idled through the stop (farmland, visibility is about a mile each way). We're driving for about 4 or 5 minutes and we come up on a group of about 15 bicyclists riding 4 wide on a 2 lane road, I had to go in the other lane to avoid hitting these cyclists. I come upon another stop with excellent visability, nobody is on the road and i idle through that stop too. Right after I do that, this black SUV throws on red lights. I pull over and a Park Ranger (it's been AT LEAST 10 minutes since we left the park) walks up to my window with his gun halfway out his holster. Asks me for all my info, i comply 100% don't argue, am totally courteous (my father is a LEO, i wanna be one too, and i know the crap you guys get for no reason).

Ranger looks at me and says, "You ran those two stop signs at an excessive rate of speed, anyone else in the car with you today?" I tell him no just me and my friend in the passenger seat, then I added, "Officer, I don't mean to be disrespectful but I don't believe I ran them at an EXCESSIVE rate of speed, I didn't come to a full and complete stop, but I don't believe it was excessive." The ranger then tells me, "You crossed a double solid line to pass those cyclists back there, that's wreckless driving, you could have hurt someone!" I look at him and ask him what he wanted me to do as the cyclists were riding 4 wide, something, in it's own right, illegal and very dangerous. At this point he seemed rather upset that I was bringing these points up so i added, "Officer please know I mean you no disrespect but I'm just saying, they created an unsafe situation by riding like that." At this point the Ranger takes all my info back to his truck with him, he comes back and hands me a written warning. For what? For idling through the stop signs? No. For passing the cyclists? No. He gave me a warning for off-roading in the game reserve, the then proceeded to look at me and says, "It's dangerous. It is unsafe for the animals you could have hit a quail or pheasant or something. You, technically, aren't even allowed on the property unless you are hunting, fishing, or bird watching. So unless you plan on doing one of those, I suggest you stay out."

My problem is, this is a state park and game reserve, unless i'm hunting, fishing, or bird watching i'm not allowed in a state park? Offroading is unsafe for the animals yet i can bring my 12 gauge and my dog, shoot the crap out of any animal i see there and bring it home to eat it? Offroading is unsafe but as we were leaving we passed the trap shooting range and there was a guy, standing 2 feet in front of a shooter, with a hand thrower, throwing clays about 6 feet in the air, 3 feet in front of himself and the Ranger didn't say a word to him. The main thing that burns me is the logic behind the fact that if I wanna go to this place and drive around and have fun, it's illegal cause it's unsafe for the animals. Yet at this same time, if i had a rifle or shotgun and I planned on killing one of the animals that live there from the start, i could have gone on every single trail i went on today and it would be totally fine, that's what really bugs me. That's BAD logic if you ask me.:fire:


Ok, rant over now.

[Petrograde]

That Ranger was a retard.

[jstevens]

Just another wannabee that feels the need for authority.

Damn shame if you ask me.

[hitchhiker]

Just be glad that he didn't write you a 'full house' of tickets.

In our state Rangers are real LEO's.

:D

[Marauder2005]

Unsafe for the animals? I think the animals would rather have the

SUVs/Trucks...

[Dark_Knight7096]

To tell you the truth, I would be less angry HAD he written me up for the stop signs. The cyclist thing was BS because they were the ones being unsafe, not me, I disagree with that. I also disagree with the whole thing about being unsafe for the animals nonsense, that's what i don't agree with. In my opinion the only thing i think i did wrong was not coming to a full and complete stop at the stop signs. That's what I thought he was coming back with a ticket for. I KNOW I did wrong with not fully stopping for the signs. The thing I'm upset about was getting the warning for off-roading due to the fact it is unsafe for animals at a game reserve where they are hunted daily. I also don't like the fact that I was told to stay out of a STATE park unless I plan to hunt, fish or birdwatch. That's all. They are real LEOs in our state too, just their jurisdiction technically ends at the park boundries, this stop occured about a mile or so away from the entrance to the park.

[TAF]

The cyclist thing was BS because they were the ones being unsafe, not me,

One of my latest pet-peeves....I HATE CYCLISTS THAT TRAVEL IN LARGE GROUPS BLOCKING TRAFFIC!!!! They ARE unsafe...so now...I just pass them in "Big Yeller" and let them choke on the smoke...makes me tighten up my STROKE.... - The Ohio Players

http://LensCapOffPhotography.smugmug. com/photos/43348490-M.jpg

[Bigdogjim]

One question?

Was there a sign posted that read no vehicles past this point?(or anything to that effect)

[Donny Carlson]

See that big a-hole sitting in the stands directly above your rear crewcab window? Look familiar?

http://LensCapOffPhotography.smugmug. com/photos/43348490-M.jpg

[Dark_Knight7096]

One question?

Was there a sign posted that read no vehicles past this point?(or anything to that effect)

There was a sign posted on one trail, it said, "REGISTERED VEHICLES PROHIBITED BEYOND THIS POINT" We got to that sign and turned around and went back the way we came and did not travel that path again. There were no signs saying vehicles were not allowed on any trails that we were travelling on. There were several other trucks and SUVs there covered in mud and appearing to be offroading as well, to the best of my knowledge nobody said anything to them. Had we seen those signs we wouldn't have travelled there. The warning reads: "VIOLATION: Did Operate Vehicle Off-Road" two boxes are checked, they read "You are directed to adhere to the prescribed regulations in future hunting, fishing, or trapping activites" and "You are directed to correct the above listed violations immediately", then in the remarks field it says, "Do not operate off-road". THE WHOLE RESERVE IS OFF-ROAD!!!! There is not one single paved road in this game reserve, how would this guy like me to not operate my vehicle off road there? The more I think about this, the more it angrivates (my own work angry + aggrivate) me. Like i go there all the time to go trap shooting, does this mean i won't be able to drive to the trap range anymore because i'm not allowed to operate off road during any future activity. This is such a joke, I'm gonna frame this warning, it'll be good for a laugh.

We were at a game reserve in upper freehold.

I'll have to check out that 4X4 club, because me and my friends will need a new place to go offroading. We always used to go to this place and now i probably won't go back because god forbid i run into this same guy again, i don't feel like bein ticketed or worse for just tryin to unwind you know.

[CBT]

I feel your pain. I had 2 good experiences and one bad one in a little state park in Florida. 3 different days(not in a row), three different officers. It had nice curvy paved roads that were perfect for a little seat of the pants driving. I was clipping along one time and heard "SLOOOOOOOW DOWN." coming from somewhere, I checked the rear view and damn if there wasn't a big ol' state park 4X4 with a mega-phone speaker thingy on top. I slowed down, he turned off. The next time, same type driving, I get stopped. I noticed his name on his badge, very unusual last name, so I said "Not to change the subject but do you have relatives in Tennessee?" Turns out I dated one of his cousins in high school, got a warning(for the driving, not the cousin). The third time I was actually NOT speeding because I had a passenger (no, it wasn't his cousin!) and we were actually enjoying the scenery and talking. I come putzing around a curve and a motorcycle cop is standing in the middle of the road with his hand up. Writes me a ticket for speeding. I thought he stopped me for running over a squirrel or something, I know I wasn't speeding and was probably under the limit by a few miles an hour. Oh well, I took it like a man and figured the 2 warnings made the one ticket okay in the grand scheme of things.

[ckadiddle]

Martin, I think it was the dude's second day on the job. ;)

[Dragcity]

If you were in New York, you would probably be in jail. No driving off designated roads in State Parks. No damage to land and flora/fauna. Can't even shoot a tree or trim a branch on State lands.

Rangers have as much, if not more authority than State Police out here, I imagine it's the same everywhere.

Think about it, if you're driving right where people are legally hunting, might you or your vehicle be SHOT ?

I am hunter and feel there is a big difference between going afield to kill game and eat it versus running it over and leaving it in the mud...

Just my personal opinion. You opened it up....

[Dark_Knight7096]

If you were in New York, you would probably be in jail. No driving off designated roads in State Parks. No damage to land and flora/fauna. Can't even shoot a tree or trim a branch on State lands.

Rangers have as much, if not more authority than State Police out here, I imagine it's the same everywhere.

Think about it, if you're driving right where people are legally hunting, might you or your vehicle be SHOT ?

I am hunter and feel there is a big difference between going afield to kill game and eat it versus running it over and leaving it in the mud...

Just my personal opinion. You opened it up....

I understand all this and I was saying, had signs been posted saying we were not allowed back there we would not have gone. Also we were not off the beaten path, the trails we were on are the trails that all the hunters have to drive on to get to the hunting grounds. Had there been a sign saying we weren't allowed in, or had the Ranger told us we were not allowed to do that because of our own safety I would have not been upset and totally agreed with him. If he is told by superiors to ticket people he sees off-roading, then I cannot fault him for that, he's doing his job. What I am faulting is the logic used behind it. The fact that it is "unsafe" for the animals in a place where they are hunted and shot everyday. I just think there should be a sign posted at the entrance saying something to the effect of no off-roading, that's all my gripe was. Not the fact that I got the warning, not the fact that the Ranger had to stop me, but the logic behind the warning I recieved. My truck driving down a path is considered more dangerous to a deer than a .30 caliber rifle aimed at it's head is the message i got from it.

[SergntMac]

Ditto to Dragcity ^ there.

Not preaching at you, just filling in some blanks.

Here in Illinois, Dept of Conservation officers are state police. If this incident would have taken place here, someone would be under arrest, booked on a Class A misdemeanor of Damage to State supported land, fingerprinted, mug shot, cash bond, impounded vehicle with it's own 500. bond and subject to seizure, the whole nine yards, not to mention the traffic violations observed by the officer.

Warning ticket? Priceless, IMHO. But, don't do it again. You're in the system as being stopped and warned.

Why did he wait so long to stop you? Waiting for the computer inquiry to come back I presume. Maybe waiting for a better location, or, closer back up? I worked the DOC detail back in the late '70s, guess what? Vehicles in the state parks and forest preserves have a higher rate of guns in the car, than not. Also, an astronomical homicide rate, considering that no one calls it home. DOCs face it all, alone.

[King Fubar]

In FL if you were off the road in a management area with a firearm in your truck and no hunting permit, you're poaching..

[Dark_Knight7096]

My thing is, what I did was considered against regulations. Yet if I had a shotgun or rifle in the truck with me, I could have done everything I did and it would be ok. Had I been there hunting I would have been perfectly fine doing everything I was doing, yet I didn't go there with the intention of killing any animals and that made what I did wrong. That's the part I don't understand. Why is it had I been hunting earlier in the day I could have done everything I did and been fine? Also I can understand that they don't want a bunch of idiots back there in jacked up trucks tearing up the reserve (which,btw, was not what we were doin), but if this is the case post a sign or something saying: "Hunters and Fishermen only past this point", or something to that effect. I didn't know what we were doing was illegal, if I had known, I never would have done it.

PS: I didn't have a firearm.

[Dragcity]

D_K, I mean no disrespect, but I'm sure you do realize that the likelyhood of your vehicle INJURING a DEER is much greater than my likelyhood of the same with rifle, especially a 30 cal. I have seen a ton of deer walk away (or limp) from a totaled vehicle. I don't expect one to get up from a clean shot to the head? preferably neck or heart....

If you stop and think, the dude wasn't too unreasonable, maybe that he waited so long to pull you over. As stated above, the officer was probably running you throught the system to be sure you weren't a threat.

So, good for you you didn't have anything threatening on your record. Brush it off. Might want to be pro-active and ask him where a suitable place would be to do the things you want. Most of those guys are pretty decent people. Just people, like you and me....