[joe8768]

The other day I was in a gun shop in New Milford when an elderly gentleman came in with his old lever action rifle because he needed a gunsmith because his rifle kept getting jammed. I overheard him telling the owner that he got fined by the game warden because he had a loaded firearm on his ATV.

He stated his jammed rifle was in his gun rack when he drove to the end of his driveway to get his mail when the warden stopped and checked him out. He said this young warden helped him clear his rifle and knew their was a problem with the rifle and fined him for the loaded rifle. He also got another fine for having an old license in his possession.

I felt bad for the guy because he also mention that he hasn’t shot a deer in 15 yrs and his hunting season is over for the year because it would take two weeks for his gun to be looked at by a gunsmith.

 

[frank1969]

If he was on his property with no hunter orange on he was doing no wrong. Plus that the warden helped him clear the gun and seem a problem with it he shouldn't have wrote a fine maybe explain the violation to ticket him

 

[JJ4D]

Is there more to this story? I feel as though there must be.

 

[joshb729]

From a few of the Wardens and DCNR Forestry guys I've come across, this doesn't surprise me at all. I swear they get a cut of the fines.

 

[Retaks]

I believe this. My cousins husband just got off a 3 year license suspension for hunting over bait. The bait was a bird feeder at the house on a 250 acre property he has permission to hunt. His stand was over 300 yards from the house and bird feeder but due to being on the same property they called it baiting.

 

[Potter Co. Joe]

Sorry Retaks
I find this hard to believe.

 

[joe8768]

Is there more to this story? I feel as though there must be.

I only heard what he said so yes there are always two sides to the story

I did say to my two buddies that is unbelievable about getting a fine.

 

[Hammer47]

If he was on his property with no hunter orange on he was doing no wrong. Plus that the warden helped him clear the gun and seem a problem with it he shouldn't have wrote a fine maybe explain the violation to ticket him

Actually he did violate the law. It is unlawful to have a loaded rifle in or on a motor vehicle on any property whether you own it or not. It wasn't the officers fault the guy decided to drive around with a loaded rifle on his ATV.

 

[limbhnger10]

If true...sorry but the guy should have taken care of the "kept getting jammed" issue immediately....gun "jams" once..you take care of the issue ..simple as that..gun safety 101.....he should have left the gun at the house... he got caught breaking the law....sounds like that "jam" may have been his excuse to ride around with a loaded firearm...maybe not?

 

[loridr]

Actually he did violate the law. It is unlawful to have a loaded rifle in or on a motor vehicle on any property whether you own it or not. It wasn't the officers fault the guy decided to drive around with a loaded rifle on his ATV.

Also against the law to possess an out of date hunting license, whether in the act of hunting or not. Stupid law but the law none the less.

 

[Bob_Hildenbrand]

If I had my gun jam, the last thing I would be doing is carrying it on my quad while I went to get the mail.

 

[BCozhunter]

If I had my gun jam, the last thing I would be doing is carrying it on my quad while I went to get the mail.

That's what I was thinking. Accident waiting to happen.

 

[Bigbrownie]

Years ago I had a Remington 11-87 jam up. I couldn’t get the shells out of the tube fed magazine. I don’t see where I had many options other than put it in the truck and take it home with shells in it. It took a gunsmith to clear the problem.

Had I been fined for that, I would have been at the District Magistrate.

 

[frank1969]

Actually he did violate the law. It is unlawful to have a loaded rifle in or on a motor vehicle on any property whether you own it or not. It wasn't the officers fault the guy decided to drive around with a loaded rifle on his ATV.

So if I have a CP I'm not aloud to have my weapon in my vehicle that's what u are saying, and yes I can have a loaded rifle, shotgun AR ect in my vehicle as long as I legally own it

 

[loridr]

So if I have a CP I'm not aloud to have my weapon in my vehicle that's what u are saying, and yes I can have a loaded rifle, shotgun AR ect in my vehicle as long as I legally own it

May want to bone up on the law:

A Heavy Load: Carrying a Long Gun in Pennsylvania... - U.S. & Texas LawShield

Do you know the law about carrying a long gun in Pennsylvania? Test your knowledge and see if you know the ins and outs of Pennsylvania's gun law.

www.uslawshield.com

.

TRANSPORTING A LONG GUN

Keep in mind that this all changes as soon as you get into a vehicle. Generally speaking, it is legal to transport long guns in or upon a vehicle in Pennsylvania so long as they are unloaded. You may not have a loaded long gun in or upon a vehicle in Pennsylvania even if you possess a valid License to Carry Firearms. This often surprises people and is something for Pennsylvanians to be aware of.

 

[flintlock hunter]

I really don't like bringing this up, but again, it needs to be said. This is the sort of thing that makes guys shudder at the sight of a warden. Too many pull stuff like this, just like this, the man is on his property, and not hunting. One of the other stories involved a bird feeder? Really? We had one warden claim a member of our club was littering, ON OUR OWN LAND, and the coffee cup in question was FROZEN INTHE GROUND. The warden was out of bounds just as much as if he wanted to cite him for parking his truck in the middle of his own field.

Enough can be too much, and yes, some guys just try to get out of getting caught, but the times wardens overstep themselves, and/or could have used a little discretion are the reason they are disliked, or at least viewed in a cautionary light.

My apologies to the honest, hard working Conservation Officers that get lumped in with those who seem to enjoy being bullies.

 

[Hunter8319]

I believe this. My cousins husband just got off a 3 year license suspension for hunting over bait. The bait was a bird feeder at the house on a 250 acre property he has permission to hunt. His stand was over 300 yards from the house and bird feeder but due to being on the same property they called it baiting.

What county? I know of two game wardens (Clearfield & Lebanon) that would write that ticket. But I can’t imagine that holding up in court.

 

[BIGGAME]

I have a property right outside of New Milford. Borders the gamelands. I've heard about this wco.

 

[NorthernPotterCo]

A former foreman of mine when I worked lived in Red Lion south of York was cited by the local warden for not having orange on in archery season. My boss believed a neighbor turned him in. The warden was at his house when he came back in and wrote him up. While there my boss had his garage door open and the warden started to write his license plate number down . When objected he stopped. They went before the district judge and each presented their case. When it was over my boss won his case and the warden got a lecture for not being better prepared. It was told to me by my foreman

 

[RyanR]

I really don't like bringing this up, but again, it needs to be said. This is the sort of thing that makes guys shudder at the sight of a warden. Too many pull stuff like this, just like this, the man is on his property, and not hunting. One of the other stories involved a bird feeder? Really? We had one warden claim a member of our club was littering, ON OUR OWN LAND, and the coffee cup in question was FROZEN INTHE GROUND. The warden was out of bounds just as much as if he wanted to cite him for parking his truck in the middle of his own field.

Enough can be too much, and yes, some guys just try to get out of getting caught, but the times wardens overstep themselves, and/or could have used a little discretion are the reason they are disliked, or at least viewed in a cautionary light.

My apologies to the honest, hard working Conservation Officers that get lumped in with those who seem to enjoy being bullies.

Yeah lawbreakers usually do shudder at thr sight of LEOs especially if they know they're in the middle of breaking the law. The story sounds very hokey but if true the old man was not very smart. Yeah, let me put my loaded, jammed rifle on my 4 wheeler and go get the mail. Is getting the mail that dangerous that he needed to risk putting an unsafe gun on his 4 wheeler to get it?