LEO Encounter While Legally Hunting
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 10 months ago
My family and I had a pretty wild encounter with a deputy sheriff last year. The legal case has ended and I guess I can share the story with people now.
Every year my father in law sets up a legal dove hunt on opening weekend. This is private land in an extremely rural county. While the field last year was setup only about 1/2 mile from a road, the land is part of a fairly large cattle farm and we were over a mile away from the nearest neighbor.
We didn’t have that many birds coming in, but we were having a good time when at about 7:30AM a deputy sheriff pulled into the field with his lights on. He rolled down his window and said the hunt was over and we needed to pack up and leave.
My father in law said that we wouldn’t be doing that and asked if he was lost. The deputy went on to be a smart ass and then said that he would take everyone to jail if we didn’t leave. A few more words were exchanged and by this time myself and my husband had walked up to his window. The deputy proceeded to get out of his car and ordered my father in law to put his gun on the ground (it was a o/u with the beach open). When my father in law refused the deputy reached for his pistol. The sound of the safety clicking off on my husband’s Citori stopped the deputies hand immediately and my stomach knotted up.
My father in law knew his son would pull the trigger if the deputy threatened his life. I knew he would, and I’m pretty sure the deputy figured that out as well. To de-escalate a extremely tense situation my father in law wisely said we would leave.
Later, a game warden became involved. Visit the reddit/firearms link to see what happened. Also check out the comments.
One thing is for sure. At number one on my list of people I don’t want as enemies is game wardens.
On February 17, 2021 at 10:32 pm, Frank Clarke said:
Yet, until some game warden winds up on a gurney because he pulled his gun on the wrong nigger, such situations will recur.
(Yes, I absolutely understand the origin of that phrase.)
On February 17, 2021 at 11:01 pm, BRVTVS said:
I can’t help but wonder if that deputy was on the take and didn’t want them stumbling upon his benefactors’ reefer field. Why else would he go to such lengths to break up a legal hunt?
On February 18, 2021 at 12:06 am, JebTexas said:
That’s the stone truth! A job that requires one to roll up on people using guns? Not 10% of the time, like a normal cop, but 90% of the time? No thanks! All the game wardens I’ve known (three of them in central Texas over the years) have been the best of friends, and the absolute worst of enemies.
On February 18, 2021 at 2:23 am, skybill said:
SO!!!!??? HAT HAPPENED!!
skybill
On February 18, 2021 at 7:15 am, Wes said:
@skybill Your host highlighted the link to the full story at the top.
On February 18, 2021 at 9:25 am, Herschel Smith said:
@skybill,
It’s bad internet form to lift the prose of the entire report here without sending traffic back to the source.
On February 18, 2021 at 9:44 am, Okanogan Offgrid said:
That sounds like the same kind of thugs we have a deputies in Okanogan County, Washington.
On February 18, 2021 at 11:53 am, Fred said:
Properly define an “illegal hunt” and you find the root of the problem.
On February 19, 2021 at 1:51 am, D said:
This type of article really detracts from your otherwise informative blog. No names, counties or court docs, fake news. Nobody bats a thousand. Ty.