Howdy fellow Cheeseheads, I did my first weekend of vending @ a gunshow this last weekend and as usual it started to slow down in the afternoon. So I bought a back issue of GunDigest from a co-vendor, the March 2, 2009 issue, and found a disturbing article.

Page 12 article talks about volunteer Hunter Safety Instructor Mark Palan, owner of Palan's Outpost Sporting Goods in Highland Wisconsin, and how he could/would not instruct new hunters to surrender their firearms to any DNR warden. That's right, this DNR policy says you have to surrender your firearm to any warden without any probable cause. Palan researched the policy in it's entirety from local statutes, Wi. Law, and Federal Law and found this policy to be unconstitutional. I am not one to spout off with anti-DNR rhetoric, let's get that straight up front, but I find this really disturbing for a couple of reasons;

a.) I am being told to unconditionally surrender a firearm for the safety of a conservation warden, and am being therefore considered guilty of something right off the bat. Who's to say the guy saying he is an agent of the DNR in the capacity of a Warden, is really a warden? Maybe he's the guy running the meth lab in the woods that i'm about to stumble on to, posing as a cop. It's been done before.

b.) My training from the Army is drilled into my skull; NEVER surrender your weapon. Period. We were disciplined SEVERLY if we ever turned our weapon over to someone asking to see it. I'm sure it wasn't any different for the Nat Guard, A.Reservists training, or any other branch?

If you are also uncomfortable with this policy tell the warden to get a back up officer to witness the procedure before you hand over a weapon. That's what I'm going to do.

Is this just a WI thing or is this state wide? I have a hard believing all CO's would ask for you rifle straight off the bat unless they encountered a bunch of drunk hunters, poachers, etc.
As a law abiding citizen I would be extremely reluctant to hand over my rifle to anyone.

Um, why wouldn't you hand your rifle to a uniformed officer presenting state ID and badge?

Asking for a backup officer or a witness is likely going to cause you some issues. LE, if they feel uncomfortable with your holding a loaded firearm while they conduct a lawful stop to check your hunting license, will take your firearm. It's part of the same kind of safety training that you got in the Army. Never let someone, who might be a meth head posing as a hunter (it's happened before), keep a loaded visible firearm while you're conducting business.

I've read about this case before. If this guy doesn't want to teach what the state tells him to, they do have the right to fire him. And telling students to argue with a law enforcement officer out in the woods over a loaded firearm is going to get someone hurt, possibly killed. His attitude seems not only against the content provided by the DNR, it is very irresponsible.

I have had to let TWRA inspect my shotgun when going on dove hunts on public lands. But it is understood that you may have to get it inspected before you hunt. A dove is a federal migratory bird so you can only have a gun that holds 3 shells max.. Therefore, any pump or auto is suspect of holding more than the legal amount. The only way to tell if it is properly plugged is to check it. I am ok with that if I am dove hunting. Other than that TN has no mag restrictions on hunting. If I want to go yote hunting with a beta-mag it is legal.

The next step in Gov. Doyle's anti-gun movement; Background check fees will go from $8 to $30, AND you will be required to purchase a $100 license in order to purchase handguns. Just found out today this is moving through WI legislation NOW.

A standing direct order in the Army is to pass your weapon to NOONE but the armorer. Even if your CO asks to see it to verify the Serial #s, that's a NO GO. Unreasonable seizure is unconstitutional, but if you want to hand it over, that's fine. I'll legally wait for my witness to show up.

This post has been edited by doneroman: March 17th 2009 6:21 PM

I live on the Horicon marsh! They can also check for non lead shells!! I will unload it for them but if they want it they Will need a witness! They dont travel too far from back up TRUST ME

Good luck with that guys. Telling a LEO that you're not going to put a gun down, or hand it over when you're lawfully stopped will not end well. If in the course of my work I have reason to ask someone to hand over a firearm, I also have reason to make them should they refuse. THis isn't the SHTF moment that some armchair commandos are praying for, this is a game warden, enforcing the law. If no hunters ever broke the law, they wouldn't need the game wardens. Knowing that some hunters break the law, then they have a reason to temporarily disarm hunters while they do what they need to do.

In over 25 years of hunting I have only seen a warden a few times, and was never asked to surrender my weapon. Stay out of trouble, be respectful, and you will have no problems. You won't win anyway so just relax.

LEO. Proper I'd. Ok he can look at my gun military rules be darned. I also know if a MP says turn over your weapon and he has good reason you had better.