BLM shooting interrupted by LEO

[sandiego]

[junior40er]

I have never had any inspections done in BLM land. I did have a heli come over me for a couple minutes ones and then just left.

[mikenewgun87]

Hmmmm...next time i would get his badge/id number before i let some guy in uniform walk off with one of my firearms...but other than that he "seemed" professional, but then again, I wasnt there to judge.

Thanks for the share!

[sandiego]

I forgot to mention that the Ranger poked in the contents of my vehicle (door was open). I am not sure if this is allowed without a warrant. He had a LEO vehicle and looked completely legit, but yes, getting his badge number would have been a good idea.

[Xtracrispy]

I forgot to mention that the Ranger poked in the contents of my vehicle (door was open). I am not sure if this is allowed without a warrant. He had a LEO vehicle and looked completely legit, but yes, getting his badge number would have been a good idea.

As long as he didn't enter your vehicle or rummage through anything it is ok. If it's in sight, it's fair game.

Other than that, there is a known ranger in a certain San Diego BLM area who is known to be a hardass. I personally have yet to encounter him but know people who have.

[kurac]

I thought the goverment was shut down and they were staying home?

[The Paper Pimp]

the OPs experience is one of the biggest reasons why I pay for a membership at SBRGC--I would hate being hassled by a bored and over zealous BLM officer.

[sd_shooter]

Please post the name. I had a similar experience a little while ago, will link thread when I have desktop access.

[whipkiller]

As long as he didn't enter your vehicle or rummage through anything it is ok. If it's in sight, it's fair game.

Other than that, there is a known ranger in a certain San Diego BLM area who is known to be a hardass. I personally have yet to encounter him but know people who have.

Without naming names, I think I may know who you're talking about.

I too had heard stories of him being a hardass, but when I had an encounter with him last spring, he was actually quite cool.

I think he had been watching me with binos before he rolled up, 'cuz he said something about having already decided I was okay. We had a nice conversation for about a half hour, and he drew me a nice little map of a couple other spots to shoot, gave me his card and said I could call him with any questions about fire closures, etc., and then he went back to cleaning up the area. Yes Officer "xxxx" was cleaning up our shooting area!

So I think some of the stories about him being a hardass may come from people who bring it upon themselves. (speaking in general, not about your friends) Or maybe he has a bad day now and then, I dunno.

[nastyhabts26]

I have had several run ins with BLM rangers when shooting at various locations.
Most have been positive only once were we hassled by someone with limited knowledge of firearm laws, we schooled them up and asked them to have their supervisor come on out if they didn't believe us.
They left in a huff, but they didn't come back.
Sometimes they will down right lie to you to make you pick up and move on.

[nastyhabts26]

Without naming names, I think I may know who you're talking about.

I too had heard stories of him being a hardass, but when I had an encounter with him last spring, he was actually quite cool.

I think he had been watching me with binos before he rolled up, 'cuz he said something about having already decided I was okay. We had a nice conversation for about a half hour, and he drew me a nice little map of a couple other spots to shoot, gave me his card and said I could call him with any questions about fire closures, etc., and then he went back to cleaning up the area. Yes Officer "xxxx" was cleaning up our shooting area!

So I think some of the stories about him being a hardass may come from people who bring it upon themselves. (speaking in general, not about your friends) Or maybe he has a bad day now and then, I dunno.

He was probably a re loader and was snaking your brass for his own use.

[diverwcw]

Plain View Doctrine

The Ranger poked in the contents of my vehicle (door was open). I am not sure if this is allowed without a warrant.

Under the plain view doctrine of search and seizure he was OK.

I was SCUBA diving one time and when the boat got back to the dock, I offloaded my gear into my truck. A couple of game wardens docked their boat and one approached me and started to talk to me, asking me if I had been hunting/fishing. I told him no. He looked at my gear and asked the question, "Do you mind if I look in here?" I told him he could not look. He got an exasperated look on his face and walked away. Although I had nothing illegal, I prevented his fishing expedition into my vehicle.

Truth be known, he was a young guy and his partner was a bit older. I think the warden who approached me was a trainee and his training officer told him to go get my permission for a vehicle search. I'm sure if I were in possession of a spear gun or had some other indicator of underwater hunting, the outcome might have been a bit different.

[whipkiller]

He was probably a re loader and was snaking your brass for his own use.

Ha! Well he wasn't getting my brass 'cuz I picked all that up, but I'm sure he got quite a bit of other peoples, along with shotgun hulls, ammo boxes, broken glass, broken clay bits, targets, and various other litter. He even had a rake out and I watched him fill a couple of bags.

[thospb]

There was over 50 complaints in the El Dorado National Forest about a Ranger who was taking firearms and issuing receipts for them, but then did not turn them in. I heard he was fired over it but I don't know if there were criminal charges brought against him. The result was the Sheriff filed paperwork and stripped Peace Officer status from the Forest Service. They can only enforce Federal Laws now, not state laws.

[Xtracrispy]

So I think some of the stories about him being a hardass may come from people who bring it upon themselves. (speaking in general, not about your friends) Or maybe he has a bad day now and then, I dunno.

I have seen some real douchenozzles out there, drinking and shooting their glass bottles and such. I can't really say I blame him too much for being in a bad mood with some of the people that go out there.

Honestly I think I've only seen a Ranger once when I have been down there, and he just drove on by. So either he was in a better mood, or didn't think that we looked irresponsible. I also make sure I can pick up trash before starting to shoot, just makes me feel better about a possible encounter knowing he can tell that we are trying to keep it clean.