DNR chief suspends mobile snowmobile patrol in northern Wisconsin

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eyeman

Member
ridindirty800 said:
I posted on a thread that was started on area conditions about this that in my experience with cops vs DNR that all my stops by police have been very friendly and no problems. And most of my stops by DNR have been not so friendly. I am sure this is only a coincidence but just what I have noticed. I am also assuming that the county car you were talking about was police and not DNR.
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Police not DNR - you got it. I don't know about your coincidence however, most experiences with the DNR by we law abiding citizens is not a pleasant one. Those breaking the law or putting others in harms way, I say go ahead and have at it boys. Treat em like they're treating others, in an unsafe, illegal manner, but leave the other 99% of we self policing riders alone. I like to think the professional trail racers and other dangerous riders would be chastised off the trails by our own. Okay, I'm taking off my rose colored glasses.
 
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dognvenus

Member
Questions on WI. DUI laws

I am a former LE officer from Indiana and do not know Wisconsin law for the record, but my questions and comments are solely for information and research purposes.

Is a PBT (portable breath test unit) pass legal muster for evidence for DUI in Wis.?
In Indiana, a PBT is only a field test item to be used to determine an approximate level of intoxication. It is not a certified device and cannot be used to determine DUI. In Indiana you have a blood, urine, or breath test is the only evidence court admissible. You would have to be transported to a police , sheriff, or state police post to be tested on a certified machine by a certified operator.
A PBT can vary greatly in cold weather. Just being in a pocket is not enough to keep it a an optimal testing temp.

My wife and I don't drink and ride. We wait till after the sleds and all snuggled up in the trailer.
If I had been 'ambushed' by the female DNR 'broke down' scenario, I would have refused.
In a normal street situation 'probable cause' is needed before you can intiniate at stop. Someone stopping to help a broke down sled would not be considered abnormal behavior. Is it something a normal person would do, is the test. Speeding, reckless operation, near accidents... are not normal and would be reason to make a stop.

I would have told her respectfully, sorry but I refuse. Now, she next, probably, would called for back-up. Then I would have been 'cuffed and stuffed' me, impounded my sled and transported me for a breath test. When she got the results that I was not intoxicated in anyway, this is when I would be bringing up the fact that my attorney will need all the names of all the officers involved in this situation to make sure that we get everybody's name right on the TORT suit that will be filed.
I have nothing to hide but these type of 'tactics' are close to entrapment.
This goes for them wanting to search your sled or vehicle. I have nothing to hide but if they think I have something on me, then they are going to have to make a case for, get it to a judge, get a search warrant and serve it. They might be DNR but they aren't going on a 'fishing expedition' at my expense.

We have rights, rights to refuse intrusion. It is not a right to ride, it comes with restrictions but also with rights.

Don't tread on me...

Please take the time to research your own state's legal definition of intoxication and dui laws and what constitues dui. Its worth your time.

Dog (ex-deputydog)
 
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united

Active member
PBT results are not admissible as evidence in a court of law in WI. Only a Preliminary tool, coupled with standard field tests, used for evaluation on whether or not to proceed to the next step (arrest / real breath test, blood, urine, etc.).

Edit: I should say for operation of a motor vehicle on normal streets, roads, highways etc. I am not sure what seems to be going on with snowmobile laws. It appears the normal laws do not apply, according to these anecdotes anyway.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
Michigan DNR have always been cool with me. In 06 I even tried to out run 2 of them, after a 17 mile chase I realized my 600 wasn't doing the job. They were a little geeked up at first but I told them that I was giving the boys (guys who were with me) a run for the money and I did not know it was them chasing me. We had a few laughs and I took my ticket for rolling stop at a stop sign. They explained how to pay online to get a $10 discount on the ticket and no points on my drivers license. This was on a very long straight railroad grade/trail. I think they actually had fun. Met DNR in Wyoming and Montana who were equally nice. Sad to hear about WI DNR and their methods. In Montana we called them "Fish Police" and they laughed.
 

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fatdaddy

Member
I remember all the hoopla regarding the issues in the woodruff area last year. I have seen the DNR 3 times this year and was pulled over twice in one day. the first time was a mile from our cabin checking reg and the same day up in the UP just south of marenesco also checking reg. I have never seen so many DNR in my 35 years up there. I don't drink and drive and I was 100% legal but it seems to me that alot of money spent for just checking reg. I'm all for police, dnr and laws but goverment can and has taken things to far, I'm all for people living with less control and fewer laws
 
harski

harski

Member
Dennis said:
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Why cant thy Smile and at least not be such a-holes.I like getting out and I'm not doing anything wrong but every time thy are out its like I just stole something.I think thy all should have to be wal-mart greeters for a month and than maybe thy would appreciate there jobs and that most people are just out releasing some pressure and taking in the places you could not see any other time of the year.I know we need them but put down your big attitudes its not like we are all running drugs.I've only came across two officers that had the right attitude and must really liked what thy were doing sent us on are way with you go have a good day and be safe attitude.the rest act like I'm going to get you for something.I don't know what but its something.This is one of the reasons I don't snowmobile anywhere around any of the outlying areas of the twin cities I will pack up and travel at least an hour or two just for a day ride if need to.I just wish thy would go back to being safety officers and not revenue officers.
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X2! The officers don't need to act like jerks! The thing that bugs me about this article, as someone else had mentioned too, is that FOUR agencies were there and not communicating to each other? What a waste of time and tax payer MONEY! Minocqua can do a better job too in coordinating efforts with the DNR, state wardens and others mentioned in the article. I was there during this years cruiser fest in which I didn't see one officers anywhere. So, not sure where they were?

Harski
 
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mustardbucket2

Member
harski said:
X2! The officers don't need to act like jerks! The thing that bugs me about this article, as someone else had mentioned too, is that FOUR agencies were there and not communicating to each other? What a waste of time and tax payer MONEY! Minocqua can do a better job too in coordinating efforts with the DNR, state wardens and others mentioned in the article. I was there during this years cruiser fest in which I didn't see one officers anywhere. So, not sure where they were?

Harski
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I only saw 2 LEOs on Saturday 2/12 - they were south of Minocqua on the Bearskin at the road crossing by Jacobi's in Hazelhurst. It was about 11 AM and they were just sitting off to the side watching sleds go by. Just gave them my best John Candy salute/wave from the Blues Brothers movie, and went on down the trail!
 
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michaeladams

New member
arctiva said:
If your not doing anything wrong whats the problem with getting stopped 3 times in 40 miles? Is it really that much of a inconvience?? How many stop signs in that 40 miles did you have to stop at? Was it to many? Guess my thought is if a person is really worried about Law Enforcement on a public trail maybe they should stick to private land so they can do whatever they want to.

So the consensus i get is the DNR/police should look the other way when it comes to
events like cruiser fest or any given weekend for that matter because people are on vacation and should be able to do whatever they want because they spend money.
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as a matter of fact,yes it is inconvienient,harrasment,waste of my tax dollars and is just plain wrong.getting stopped by them takes way longer than a stop sign.you must not like to ride in peace or are in fact a warden or something.
 
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fusion

Guest
The day these guys get so over zealous that they think sitting on the trails with radar guns is an appropriate use of tax dollars, is the day I will sell my sleds and go back to cross country skiing.

DNR should never be checking peoples registration without visible cause. Check points stops are unconstitutional. Unnecessary harrassment is completely unwarranted. I have no problem with DNR stopping someone, but how about just make sure you can observe people doing something wrong first?
 
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michaeladams

New member
stealthv said:
Here's another perspective to think about - If everyone was following the rules, the DNR would quickly be bored. With no revenue being generated, their existence in a society of bankrupt governments woudn't be justified.

The problem with that scenario is not all snowmobiliers are following the rules. So here's my challenge to the snowmobile world -- Have your registration and trail stickers in order, stop at the stop signs, don't drink and ride and stay off private property. Drive the DNR insane with perfect riders. Seems pretty simple to me.
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that is how i roll
 
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