87 



that there was a State duck stamp. Lo and behold, two wardens 

 appeared — a Federal warden and a State warden — and I was asked 

 to pass out my shotgun, license and so forth. I noticed as I was 

 passing out, the license, a stamp fluttered out. I asked if I could 

 have a pen. Apparently, I said, you have a State duck stamp this 

 year, and I'd like to sign it. At that point, I was humiliated — that 

 would be the best way to describe it — in the way I was treated, the 

 way I was brought out of the blind. I thought if there were passing 

 motorists on Route 50, they would think there was a big drug bust 

 going on, and that the wardens had collared some capital criminal. 



And I realized, my gosh! Why would you use such tactics for 

 something as essentially innocent of wrongful intent as an un- 

 signed State duck stamp? When the fme was levied, the head of 

 Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement called me, and he said 

 he would let it go; he was waiving it. I said, no, you don't. I don't 

 care what you do with the agent, but I said I am paying the fme, 

 because I want to write a story about it. I want to write a story 

 about how far we have drifted in our law enforcement perspectives 

 from what should be prevention and cooperation between the 

 sportsman and law enforcement people for the benefit of the birds 

 to this kind of commando distortion of what the relationship should 

 be. Yes, it has deteriorated mightily in my lifetime. 



Ms. Chenoweth. That is very interesting. And, you know, you 

 brought out the point that at one time, they were educators and 

 people who trained us. 



Mr. Reiger. Oh, they worked with the community. You still find 

 parts of the country where that is true, I believe. I know it is cer- 

 tainly true of the State wardens. When I travel to Maine, I find 

 that local sportsmen have excellent relations with the State war- 

 dens. They are members of local clubs and regularly show up for 

 meetings. In Minnesota and elsewhere, I see this happening. To 

 some degree it's regional. But in most cases, the Federal folks, 

 since they are transferred around a good deal, they never do de- 

 velop the kind of community rapport that the State people nec- 

 essarily have, and there is a sense of alienation that certainly is 

 not leavened at all by the no-fault attitude of law enforcement: no 

 warnings allowed; just get in there and write the tickets up. That 

 is a very unfortunate situation. 



As I said, one of my concerns in having a preventative policy is 

 that we restore some measure of respect between the sportsmen 

 and the wardens. They do essential work. There are times when 

 the work they do is truly unsung glory. But so much of the kind 

 of thing I see happening now and the kind of correspondence I 

 get — my constituents are the readers of Field and Stream, after 

 all — reflects a growing unhappiness with the role of government 

 and the part particularly that Federal law enforcement policies on 

 baiting play in all of this. 



Ms. Chenoweth. Thank you. I also wanted to ask Mr. Boynton — 

 both of your testimonies are outstanding. This is a great piece of 

 work, and I am looking forward to getting into my office and study- 

 ing it. 



Mr. Boynton. Thank you. 



Ms. Chenoweth. I thank you for the depth of research and the 

 information you have provided us. 



