Whats going on at Sacramento Refuge?

[The Lone Angler]

My buddies and I went to Sac last sunday and drew blind 34. It was 1.3 miles from the parking lot. We walked about a mile through the dark when 2 figures appeared out of the darkness. One asked if my buddy had a weapon??? and lightly frisked him. He never ID'd himself, but I knew the drill. The other warden raced ahead to get to our other two buddies. Our guy went through our jackets, backpacks, camera cases, etc and found no extra shells. The other warden checked my friends jacket, finding shells in both pockets. He told my buddy to take his hat off. My friend was stubborn and said it was too cold and he could take his own hat off to count shells into. He warden was not happy. It irked me that he allowed the only other group of guys that would pass by their hiding spot to pass by w/o being checked.

I know they were just doing their job, but why did they get dropped a mile from the parking lot to check 4 guys??? They could have been closer to the lot and checked 50 guys? I've been analyzing their motives and our blind was the farthest from the lot. I guess their reasoning was that maybe we would think that since we were so far from our truck, we might be most tempted to bring more than the allowed 25 shells.

Interestingly, they then asked us what blind we'd be heading to. We told them and thought nothing more of the encounter.

After hunting and getting a sprig, 2 widgeion, and a hen scaup, we pick up decoys and wade toward the road. Here comes a green truck driving fast....WTF? We expect to get shaken down again, but instead, one of the same 2 wardens and a DFG guy just stop their rig and proceed to visit with us w/o even getting out of the truck???

I don't mind being kept honest, but it seemed like we were possibly specifically target for some reason.

Arriving at the check station on the way out, the warden is sitting there as a female DFG lady incorrectly ID's the hen scaup. The warden thinks it is a hen goldeneye, the other DFG guy thinks it is a hen ringneck.

On the drive back through Colusa, my buddy is driving 45 in a 25 when I tell him to ease up a little as it is a small town and the cops are bored. He ignores me and passes a cop in a parking lot w/a radar gun on. The guy pulls us over and I tell my buddy to ask if my buddy is working today(trying to get out of the ticket)..........turns out it is my buddy!!!!!!!!!! We get a good laugh and he sends us on our way!

Just though I'd share our adventure.

BTW, we were not cited for any infractions that day.

Phil