Wild Justice

[CRAZYBUCK]

Anyone else catch the season opener of wild justice. Does the azgafd have a task force for these poachers

[AZLance]

task force??? they don't even have a wildlife manager for every unit. It has been almost 10 years since I last had a G&F officer check my license. And this is with 60+ days a year in the field guiding and hunting.

[MangeyJoe]

A G&F task force in AZ is necessary in my opinion, Poaching is a serious matter. (+1 AZLance) I've never been asked to show my licence for hunting and fishing, now that I think about it.

[tomgobbler]

i've been checked probably 10 times in the last 10 years.... was out squirel hunting with the kids a few weeks back and they had a truck in the middle of the road with the officer standing and checking everyone that went through....

[msgbarney]

Good show, going to catch the next episode tonight, but I do agree, Arizona needs to get on board, I have only been hunting here 3 years and yet to see a G&F warden.

[AZLance]

From what I heard, correct me if I am wrong, they are 20 officers short of the minimum, and only had 4 in the last academy...

 

The first thing they need to do is a pay raise. The G&F looses many to other departments that pay more. I think AZ is one of the lowest paying agencies.

[HVY DROP]

Guess I just found my next job. I have always wanted to have a job where I was out in the woods (desert) every day. Didn't realize I would end up in Afghanistan. Lol... maybe when I get back to the states. I have looked into it, but they only hire once a year in AZ.

[EagleEye]

Do you guys know if it is afunding problem or not many people signing up. I have seen them once in 5 years.

[deercrazy]

I thought the show was well done. There have been a couple of episodes so far. I was checked the first time I went out hunting in AZ. Thought I was way out in the boonies, popped up out of the desert onto a two track, and along comes the warden. He told me about some javelinas he had just seen, and I went and wacked one. They are good people doing a great job for OUR wildlife.

[Coach]

The only time I get checked is when I flag one down. Forest Service on the other hand was all over me during my ML hunt. First they found ashes in my campfire and dumped about 5 gallons of water on it, and wrote me a warning for leaving an "unattended fire". The pit was useless for the rest of the next several days except for a steam bath. Then when I moved, the first day out I came back to find a note reminding me of the 14 day limit...I had been there 4 hours, and one of the spots I was hoping to camp had an unattended toy hauler in it for 3 weeks.

 

Back to the topic, I haven't seen the show but have heard others say that it really paints hunters in a bad light - like we're all either law breakers, or right on the edge. Just what others who saw it said.

 

Personally, I'd like to see WAY more G&F officers in the field - but not doing things the way the currently have to. Seems like they are restricted to setting up checkpoints here and there during the hunting season when just about everyone they encounter will be legal. I'd like to see more of them patrolling at night looking for spot-lighters, or focusing on areas that are getting hit hard by poachers.

 

Overall, I think G&F officers have a tough, thankless job. Most of them are very dedicated, and do the best they can with the resources they have available. Every once in a while you find the guy with something to prove who makes it tough for the guys following the rules, but after hearing horror stories from other states, I'd say ours are very well intentioned, polite and professional. Just spread way too thin.

 

 

 

[desertdog]

Back to the topic, I haven't seen the show but have heard others say that it really paints hunters in a bad light - like we're all either law breakers, or right on the edge. Just what others who saw it said.

 

I would not say it paints hunters in a bad light I would describe it more as you just see the most ignorant, crooked, poor excuse for sportsman among us. I guess from their point of view how boring of a show would it be if all you see is the Wardens checking the responsible hunters out there. Of course we all want to see the action. I do wish that there was more references that what you are watching are the extreme exception and that the great majority of hunters are responsible sportsman that try to uphold the laws. I can definitely see some non-hunters watching the show and coming away with a sour taste in their mouth for hunting and sportsman as a whole. Not because the show is bad or paints sportsman in a negative light but just for the sole reason that they are not hunters and don’t realize that most hunters are not like what you see on television.

 

As for the Game Warden shortage in AZ I was talking to a Warden a few years back and seem to remember him telling me that you also have to have a biology degree to become a Warden. Its not like normal law enforcement where they can just hire someone off the street and send them through the academy to teach them what they need to get started. So if I am correct I can see why there are not to many people lining up to fill those spots when in my opinion they are grossly under paid for all that is in their job description.

[.270]

you guys do realize that this is a tv show that is scripted and about as real as dog the bounty hunter or the tow truck show with all them fat ugly wimmin on it, don't ya? don't you think there might a little something on the news every once in awhile if they were as active as they want you to think? and don't think for a second that Azgfd doesn't have spooks working for em. they dang sure do. i watched a couple of em arrest a couple wannabe gang bangers that were smokin' dope while fishing at big lake once. there is, or was, he might be retired by now, a famous or infamous spook that worked outta the pinetop office. several dorks i used to work with got to know him a lot better than they wanted to. and there are others. this is a tv show that sensastionalizes everything in order to get ratings. might be sorta fun to watch, but it ain't even close to real. Lark.