A visit with Mr. Greenjeans

[Vincent Vega]

Well, I had an interesting phone call this afternoon. Almost didn't answer the call, since I didn't recognize the number, but figured I could mess with a telemarketer. The voice on the other end identified himself as our local game warden. He asked me to confirm my identity, and then proceeds to question me about my killing of a doe last week. He asked me if I recorded the kill? Yep, I sure did. He tells me there is no record of it. I tell him I received a confirmation. In fact, I received one for each deer I killed. Now he's really excited, cause he can't find either one. He wants me to give him the confirmation numbers that I have written on my harvest record. When I told him that it was at my farm, cause that's where I hunt, he proceeds to tell me that I should have that on me. Oh, and the law requires that you don't move the carcass before filling out the paper tag. Blah blah blah.
After a lengthy conversation, he tells me that I need to get the numbers and send them to him. Finally, I found one of the confirmation emails on my home computer. With that, he was able to find the other one. I guess he was disappointed that he couldn't find anything to write a ticket for. I told him to come by the farm anytime he wants, as we are totally law abiding.

I guess this early in the season he doesn't have much else to do, but good grief. That was 15 wasted minutes of my life. Anybody else experienced a "random" check like that?

Yeah. I'll tell you about my friend Tony next time I see you. Guarantee it's the same guy. He dropped his deer off at Garners and didn't even make it back to Atlanta before he got a call from the guy.

 

[jeep78]

It is quite easy to butcher your own deer. Unless you are going to mount it, I see no reason to pay someone to cut it up.

I have been doing it for 40+ years, not going to stop now.

 

[Swampbogger]

My wife will shoot one, get it home and quarter it up for the freezer by herself.

 

[rbstern]

I've had two encounters, both on public land when I first started hunting. First was an older DNR ranger, was completely cool, checked my license, offered me some hunting tips when I told him I had zero experience. Second was a younger guy, was rigid and far less personable. Felt like he was trying to trick me into an admission of doing something wrong. Not a very pleasant encounter.

 

[rbstern]

I DID record them both on the app. He went by the deer cooler and was checking deer. Sorry, I didn't state that.

I don't think you had any obligation to tell him anything over the phone. You have a right to be free from unreasonable searches, per the 4th Amendment. Random phones calls asking for info are unreasonable.
And the idea that you have to have your game harvest record available 24x7 so they can ask you about it is laughable.

If you're in the field hunting, you have an obligation to provide your license and harvest record. Short of that or a subpoena from a court, you have no obligation to provide info.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I don't think you had any obligation to tell him anything over the phone. You have a right to be free from unreasonable searches, per the 4th Amendment. Random phones calls asking for info are unreasonable.
And the idea that you have to have your game harvest record available 24x7 so they can ask you about it is laughable.

If you're in the field hunting, you have an obligation to provide your license and harvest record. Short of that or a subpoena from a court, you have no obligation to provide info.

Agree. This seems reasonable.

 

[Buck119]

….. Oh, and the law requires that you don't move the carcass before filling out the paper tag. Blah blah blah.
….

​

On a paper tag ?? This is not what their 2020-2021 publication says (emphasis is mine):

GEORGIA GAME CHECK
All alligator, deer, and turkey harvests must be
reported through Georgia Game Check within
24 hours. For reporting requirements for deer
harvested during Check-In hunts on WMAs and
State Parks see page 40.

HOW TO REPORT YOUR
ALLIGATOR, DEER, OR TURKEY:

CELL PHONE HANDY?
If you have a cell phone, enter the harvest date and
county on the Harvest Record through the GA
Outdoors App, online at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.
com, or by calling 1-800-366-2661 before moving
your harvest from the site of the kill.
You can report your harvest through the GA
Outdoors App when your phone has no service.
Enter your harvest date and county on the
Harvest Record through the App. When you
get to a location with service, access the App
and sync to receive your confirmation number.

NO PHONE? NO PROBLEM!
Log It—Enter the harvest date and county on
your paper Harvest Record before moving the
harvest from the site of the kill.
Report It—Within 24 hours of the kill, report your
harvest by going online to GoOutdoorsGeorgia.
com or calling 1-800-366-2661.
Record It—Copy the confirmation number
received onto your paper Harvest Record.

 

[shotgun 01]

It is quite easy to butcher your own deer. Unless you are going to mount it, I see no reason to pay someone to cut it up.

I have been doing it for 40+ years, not going to stop now.

Yep, I agree. Sometimes I shoot a deer for a friend that likes venison, but doesn't hunt. I get to thin out some does, and he pays for the processing. I am not going to shoot, clean, and process one for anybody.

 

[rtaylor112]

Yep, I agree. Sometimes I shoot a deer for a friend that likes venison, but doesn't hunt. I get to thin out some does, and he pays for the processing. I am not going to shoot, clean, and process one for anybody.

I agree, if I shoot you one the processing is on you unless I shoot one for mama then I process it like I do my own.

 

[shotgun 01]

I don't think you had any obligation to tell him anything over the phone. You have a right to be free from unreasonable searches, per the 4th Amendment. Random phones calls asking for info are unreasonable.
And the idea that you have to have your game harvest record available 24x7 so they can ask you about it is laughable.

If you're in the field hunting, you have an obligation to provide your license and harvest record. Short of that or a subpoena from a court, you have no obligation to provide info.

I politely told him that I keep my license and harvest record at my farm, cause that's where I hunt. There really wasn't much he could say, and No, I don't have to have it on me when I'm not hunting.