I was in MMSF today looking for chants when a conservation officer came through with his dog. I thought nothing of it greeted them both, and as I was about to ask him what's going on he asked what I was doing. I replied, " Im hunting chants, what are you up to? Looking for troublemakers?". He chuckled and replied, " Yeah. Hey do you mind if I search you and your bag?" My response was " I don't mind but may I ask why?" "Just to see what's in it and make sure your not digging ginseng." He said.
As I'm opening my bag I say, " I still don't understand, I told you what I was doing." He replies, "Just to see what's in it." "OK" I say as I go through the like 8-9 things in my bag. After going through it he asks to search my car. I ask, "what reason do you have to search my car, doesn't everything check out?" He replies, " well, what's with the little shovel in your car?" " You mean hand trowel? Its from planting flowers at my GMA's yesterday. " I say. He asked " so you haven't been digging anything out here with it?" Told him, "No, I already told you what I'm doing, and besides it's illegal to dig in the soil here isn't it?" He replies, "it is, so if you don't mind can I see what's in your car?" "Well I'm going there now, so okay. Though I still don't see a reason why?" Again he says, "just to make sure you don't have any ginseng."
We go to my car and go through the few things in it, and after wards he says " I appreciate your cooperation, here have a good day." As he sort of puts his head down, I say, "You too." And i get in my car. I've spent and still do spend loads of time there and never had this happen before, so it was a surprise to me.
So I ask, can a conservation officer just up and search you for walking/ mushroom hunting on state property during ginseng season? Does a trowel in a car give probable cause to search?
As I'm opening my bag I say, " I still don't understand, I told you what I was doing." He replies, "Just to see what's in it." "OK" I say as I go through the like 8-9 things in my bag. After going through it he asks to search my car. I ask, "what reason do you have to search my car, doesn't everything check out?" He replies, " well, what's with the little shovel in your car?" " You mean hand trowel? Its from planting flowers at my GMA's yesterday. " I say. He asked " so you haven't been digging anything out here with it?" Told him, "No, I already told you what I'm doing, and besides it's illegal to dig in the soil here isn't it?" He replies, "it is, so if you don't mind can I see what's in your car?" "Well I'm going there now, so okay. Though I still don't see a reason why?" Again he says, "just to make sure you don't have any ginseng."
We go to my car and go through the few things in it, and after wards he says " I appreciate your cooperation, here have a good day." As he sort of puts his head down, I say, "You too." And i get in my car. I've spent and still do spend loads of time there and never had this happen before, so it was a surprise to me.
So I ask, can a conservation officer just up and search you for walking/ mushroom hunting on state property during ginseng season? Does a trowel in a car give probable cause to search?
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