[cobirds] Re: CO DOW

I was on Joey Kellner's DFO trip to Prewitt Reservoir yesterday. I was "caught" by a park official without a fishing or hunting license. He gave me the option of purchasing a license on the spot (the 1-800 number is posted on the Prewitt entrance sign board), or being issued a $75 fine. Somewhat surprisingly, I was able to get sufficient mobile phone reception and was able to purchase a fishing license over the phone on a Sunday afternoon.

Bob Spencer, the younger

Erie, CO 

On Sunday, August 25, 2013 4:57:23 PM UTC-6, Steven Mlodinow wrote:

Greetings All,

No, this has naught to do with dowitchers.

I find the behavior of the DOW enforcement agents in this state baffling. I've had more run-ins (all at Banner Lakes SWA and St Vrain SP) with state wildlife enforcement agents than in 20 years in WA (where the number was a lovely zero, though the number of locations roughly equal). 

The Banner Lakes guy didn't like where I parked, even though it was not on SWA area land and totally legal. He threatened to have my car towed and fine me even though he had no jurisdiction to do so. I don't argue with folks carrying guns and yelling at me, so I hiked the two miles back to my car and left.

The most recent St Vrain incident on Co Rd 7 occurred a month ago when the officer claimed that a clearly unused Osprey nest built along WCR 7 still required a 1000 m clearance, even though it was unoccupied because it "might be used." In mid-July. Really. 

This Prewitt thing is odd. I've talked to rangers there a dozen or so times over the 3 last years, usually chit-chatting about what birds I was seeing. No one mentioned a permit. Now they are ticketing folks. I wonder, has anyone in COBIRDS land received a warning during the last 3 years? My guess the answer is zero, or close to it. None of us regulars out there have received such that I know of.

And I could not find, in 20 frustrated minutes, anything about a special permit about Prewitt or that any permit was needed simply to enter Prewitt. Maybe there is a sign at Prewitt that says such, but their website says naught (as far as I can tell) about a Prewitt/Jumbo permit.

This erratic behavior just confounds and irritates me. Signs at Andrick Ponds SWA outright contradict themselves and their website. I've encountered this at other locations. Most of the officers I've bumped into (like at Prewitt in past, and at Andrick recently) have been exceptionally nice, but then you get this weird aggressive angry behavior.

I truly wonder what the underlying cause is.

Best Wishes

Steve Mlodinow

Back in Longmont

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