MT Check Stations

[S.Clancy]

Has anyone noticed less enforcement this year in MT? I hunt ALOT, have yet to pass thru an enforcement check station (many CWD check stations out there) and have yet to see a warden out hunting. Prob just the oddities of life...

 

[MTSasquatch]

I’ve seen them out and about my way, but I do know my area has a shortage of wardens. Half of those I see I know are helping outside of their responsibility area. Shoot, in some country we haven’t seen enforcement folks out in the woods at all, for years. The random stop stations manned by a warden or two out of the back of their truck I used to see? Haven’t seen one in years.

I also know there’s been some shakeups in the enforcement division the last pile of years. Has made things shaky with them, so to speak. I think they’re doing less beat cop stuff, and simply focusing on investigations based on the tip line and local contacts. Just not enough of them to do both my way.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

In 7 years I’ve seen one warden in an area I was hunting (MT). Probably average several months a year.
Wish there was a much bigger presence.

 

[hunterjmj]

Never seen one deer hunting. But I see them all over during antelope season.

 

[bsnedeker]

Never seen one deer hunting. But I see them all over during antelope season.

This has been my experience as well. I did run into one during archery elk season a couple of years ago, but he just waved to me as I passed by...he was talking to another group and never stopped by my camp.

 

[Erict]

Been hunting deer seasons in MT for 7 years and this was the first year I saw a warden, just outside Forsyth. Nice kid, Logan Moore - just graduated in April. Said they had 76 wardens statewide. I will say that they have been very easy to contact by phone and very helpful.

 

[Dust Rider]

I see them out and about when driving to and fro. Ill see them more often when the elk are moving in and around the migration corridors

 

[MTSasquatch]

Been hunting deer seasons in MT for 7 years and this was the first year I saw a warden, just outside Forsyth. Nice kid, Logan Moore - just graduated in April. Said they had 76 wardens statewide. I will say that they have been very easy to contact by phone and very helpful.

The majority I’ve had interactions with the last ten years have been great folks.

76 statewide equates to one every country, with the 4-5 densely populated counties having 3-4. That leaves lots of hunters and country, the majority acreage of the state, with limited enforcement presence. The amount of malfeasance I hear hunters engaging in on the regular at the small bars and diners I frequent is astounding and embarrassing. Being a warden would be a tough and frustrating job. Hats off to them on trying to keep folks honest and enforcing our wildlife laws.

 

[KNOPHISH]

At the check stations I think are usually college kids or bios, maybe the wardens will stop by but don’t think they hang out there.

 

[S.Clancy]

At the check stations I think are usually college kids or bios, maybe the wardens will stop by but don’t think they hang out there.

There used to be dedicated enforcement stations years ago. I grew up in Park City (west of Billings), and there was always one at the last rest stop on top of the hill. It does seem that almost all "check stations" now are biological ones with little to no enforcement presence.

I also worked at check stations in WY after college. We always had an enforcement presence.

 

[MTSasquatch]

At the check stations I think are usually college kids or bios, maybe the wardens will stop by but don’t think they hang out there.

The handful of remaining and long-standing check stations have been used to collect varying data on hunters and critters. The two that closed down years back where I’m at used to have a warden around most days, along with area biologists, techs, and volunteers (undergrads). Tags were verified for enforcement, but it was primarily for biological purposes. Heck, I checked a mountain goat in once where they didn’t even ask to see my license until I was about to leave.

There also used to be impromptu check stations wardens would set out, almost entirely for enforcement purposes. They would check validated or still useable licenses, inquire about violations or issues, and ask hunters about kill site locations, and attempt to uncover any possible wrongdoings or violations. The ones I would encounter more than a decade ago collected very little biological data, aside from sex and species, and it seemed it was more focused on the enforcement side, rather than the wildlife side.

 

[Wapiti406]

The game checks and what little reporting done is a joke. In 22 years Ive only been through two game checks and talked to a warden once. But, it is a giant state, so it shouldn't be expected to have a game check on every road and a warden in every drainage. Why there is no mandatory harvest report is beyond me.

 

[mtwarden]

I ran into an enforcement check station on I-94 this year on the way back from antelope hunting. Probably 10-12 wardens; I knew three of them- the rest are young!

When I was in Region Seven, we ran at least two or three big interstate check stations per year. At the time, I think we probably ran more than most other regions.

Impromptu (one or two wardens) check stations were always a staple enforcement activity. I always thought it was a very efficient way to check hunters & harvest. I'd be surprised if they actually moved away from those, but anything is possible????

 

[MTSasquatch]

I ran into an enforcement check station on I-94 this year on the way back from antelope hunting. Probably 10-12 wardens; I knew three of them- the rest are young!

When I was in Region Seven, we ran at least two or three big interstate check stations per year. At the time, I think we probably ran more than most other regions.

Impromptu (one or two wardens) check stations were always a staple enforcement activity. I always thought it was a very efficient way to check hunters & harvest. I'd be surprised if they actually moved away from those, but anything is possible????

Well shoot, you’d know better than us!!

 

[LeftyWilbury]

Hit up an impromptu check station outside of townsend on Sunday of antelope opening weekend. Must have been seven wardens. They said they'd been down in Dillon on Saturday. My buddy and I were a bit shocked. Figure we only have seven wardens in this entire state, one for each day. To have em all working the same day, that's crazy.

Haven't seen em since....

 

[BFR]

The one in Augusta is manned by volunteers, I go through it every year. The only GW I ran into stopped to see if I was OK. I was parked just off a very muddy road watching my buddy sneak up on a mulie doe. Couple shots and a deer down. GW walked out with me and proceeded to help drag it out of the field, we’ll actually he did most of the drag while a couple 70+ year old guys tried to keep up.

 

[MTguy0341]

In 16 years out hunting the area I do, I've only seen the game warden in the woods twice. Both times on the road. Talked to a few, they've got a ton of area to cover. I have noticed more wardens on the highways than previous years.

 

[KNOPHISH]

Well just went through game check and it was a warden, questions were if we seen any bears, wolves or moose. weird part was they only manned it on weekends.

 

[303TrophyHusband]

I ran into an enforcement check station on I-94 this year on the way back from antelope hunting. Probably 10-12 wardens; I knew three of them- the rest are young!

When I was in Region Seven, we ran at least two or three big interstate check stations per year. At the time, I think we probably ran more than most other regions.

Impromptu (one or two wardens) check stations were always a staple enforcement activity. I always thought it was a very efficient way to check hunters & harvest. I'd be surprised if they actually moved away from those, but anything is possible????

I probably hit the same one, saw it set up again last week or the week before as well. Stopped in and they just asked if we'd harvested anything and what area(s) we were hunting. They had a testing station set up as well.