Have been checked a few times, always produce anything they ask for and have always been treated with the same respect I show them. Asked some of them if they were ever going to be on Lone Star Law, usually gets a laugh or two. Surprised how many know some of the wardens on that show. One of the last times I was checked, I was back in fairly heavy cover and I noticed they were heading my way, I put down the rod and made my way out to the channel and open water and began pulling out life jacket and a fire extinguisher before he was quite to my boat. He said he appreciated me coming out to the channel, (maybe 25 yards) and just asked if we had our fishing licenses. We said yes and he said thanks and have a great day. He didn't even look at our licenses. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Keep something in mind when you have interactions with game wardens. Contrary to the "protect and serve" propaganda, game wardens are not in place to keep anybody safe or protect wildlife. Game wardens are revenuers. Their main purpose is to collect money for the state. Everything else is secondary. I'm not bashing them. That is just the simple truth. Game Wardens have A LOT of pressure on them from Austin to keep the money rolling in, so don't ever expect a simple warning from a game warden without a costly citation.

WHAT??? Oh... April fools. Got it. I thought for a minute you were seriously saying GWs job is not to protect and serve wildlife.....

Apparently you need a reading refresher course, because I did not say that. I said collecting revenue comes first. Everything else comes second. The word "Everything" includes "protecting wildlife." Next time read the entire post instead of billowing out a lie the first time your knee jerks.

There is revenue generated by citations, but TPWD doesn't get as much as one might think.
Here's an example of how the money gets dispersed ......
Citation is issued for whatever violation, let's use no fishing license. Judge sets fine at 150.00.
The actual "fine" is 50.00. The county court costs and fees are 100.00.
Of the 50.00 fine, TPWD gets 85%, or 42.50 and the county pockets 107.50.
Also, if the GW citation is issued for something that is not a PWC violation, like MIP or drug paraphrenia or whatever,
the county with retain all of the fine and court cost money.

Similarly, with boat sales tax collected, TPWD only retains 5% of the tax paid. The rest is placed in the State fund.
So you buy a 20K boat, the sales tax collected is 1250.00. Of that amount TPWD will receive 62.50 for operating costs.

Where you might really get hammered financially is in the civil restitution (civil penalty) for taking game or fish illegally.
Restitution for fish is determined by the length of each fish, for game the amount is set by each species and gender.
Like a doe deer is less restitution and a buck deer.

I really don't think there is much incentive on the part of game wardens to write more to collect more.
They are not paid more for writing more citations. 1 citation or 50 citations, same paycheck.
Some of them just like to F with people and take joy in dishing out misery because they can.

CDS you got a lot of growing up to do. You sound like an angry person. Relax.

HMMMM.... "Contrary to the "protect and serve" propaganda, game wardens are not in place to keep anybody safe or protect wildlife."........ Who was that needing a refresher?

WTH....

Last one I talked to was chippy about livescope too, does make me wonder what discussions are going on with the DNR about it, then I brought up Fairfield and he got real butthurt Oh and lone star law is a sore subject as well, comment was something to affect "some need to worry about doing the job and not trying to be movie stars"

I have only been checked once in 60 years and that was on creek off Lewisville. My license expired that exact same day and when he ask for them I told him to pay close attention to the expiration date. He got a big chuckle off that one.

Did you make this up all by yourself or did some drunk in a bar tell you that?

A warning is sufficient for first time...... hard to agree with having to pay the kings ransom to fish in a supposed free county........ maybe you think differently.

He isn't wrong, who the hell is a GW protecting? I get not poaching deer, road hunting etc..... but fishing without a license? Very minor! Dynamite fishing .......... I can see getting a small fine for that.

If you don't know by now you never will.
Small fine for Dynamite Fishing