Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Another ODNR black eye...WTF

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Interesting information here. I know Matt Roberts personally, and think highly of him. I knew him when he was a young kid just out of school and working at our local sporting goods store. He has always been the way Joe described his WO. He is not assigned to a county I hunt, but through youth programs and hunter ed I have dealt with him while on duty. His parents live just down the road from us, and I sincerely hope he didn't get involved to a job-threatening degree. BTW, he is not in the posted picture. Dang, hate to read this kinda stuff. More importantly, it is gonna make it a lot harder to keep my mouth shut when I am checked in the field. Nothing like having a hunt ruined by a gung-ho WO...and he better be playing by the rules too!
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
Maybe you think we have an axe to grind, that's your observation. While we're making observations, Let me tell you mine. To me It appears you have your lips on their ass and choose to make excuses for them at every turn no matter the subject.

My lips aren't exactly on their ass, just close.

I hope these guys get what they have earned through their own misconduct. However what a few guys have done does not provide me the "gotcha moment" to lump the entire ODNR in one bad group anymore more than when a sheriff, city policeman, Highway patrolman, fireman, city, state or federal worker, or any other employee in a taxpayer funded job screws up does. There is always going to be misconduct in every segment of society. Working for the ODNR does not make them any more or less immune than anyone else, at any job.


They screwed up, they need to be held accountable for thier own actions.

To say that some of you don't experience some glee in reading this account just wouldn't be true. It's used as "ah ha, I told you so," justification for a much deeper view and opinion of the ODNR as a whole.

Everyone has their own opinions, I just don't share the same opinion as you on this subject.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
My lips aren't exactly on their ass, just close.

I hope these guys get what they have earned through their own misconduct. However what a few guys have done does not provide me the "gotcha moment" to lump the entire ODNR in one bad group anymore more than when a sheriff, city policeman, Highway patrolman, fireman, city, state or federal worker, or any other employee in a taxpayer funded job screws up does. There is always going to be misconduct in every segment of society. Working for the ODNR does not make them any more or less immune than anyone else, at any job.


They screwed up, they need to be held accountable for thier own actions.

To say that some of you don't experience some glee in reading this account just wouldn't be true. It's used as "ah ha, I told you so," justification for a much deeper view and opinion of the ODNR as a whole.

Everyone has their own opinions, I just don't share the same opinion as you on this subject.

There is a vast difference in those other public servants you were talking about and the woldlife officers we are talking about. Particularly the sheer amount of numbers between the two groups. I will give you an at most number of 150 wildlife officers in the entire state. The other group you're talking about has probably 150,000. 10 wildlife officers in four years getting investigated is a shitload worse than 10 state troopers because there's probably 10 times less of them.

I do not find any joy in their screwups or have a personal vendetta against the Ohio Department of natural resources. What I do hate is law-enforcement officers who constantly think they're above the law and history is starting to show the Odnr has a systemic issue with it. For as few of them as there are it should be an extremely rare occurrence. The simple fact that you are even capable of saying someone has a vendetta against them when stuff is pointed out is proof enough that this is happening WAY too frequently in the ranks of DOW officers. And for every one that is brought to light how many more aren't. The DOW has already proven they will protect their own and hide wildlife violations their officers commit. If it wasn't for the federal fish and wildlife service getting involved this would have been swept under the rug like they tried to do when they found out years ago he did it. So it doesn't even stop at the level of the officers. It continues into supervisors and management. Know what that's called when a business does that. Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Like I said. The shear fact that we can even have this conversation proves my point enough that the DOW has systemic issues in their ranks.
 
Last edited:

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Our former GW had issues with drinking AND driving, so they promoted him. Then he gets busted for another DUI and was carrying his firearm the second time. Those who know the guy I'm talking about will tell you he was the biggest asshole the ODNR had on payroll. True "little man with a badge" complex. He enjoyed being a prick...
 
Last edited:

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
There is a vast difference in those other public servants you were talking about and the woldlife officers we are talking about. Particularly the sheer amount of numbers between the two groups. I will give you an at most number of 150 wildlife officers in the entire state. The other group you're talking about has probably 150,000. 10 wildlife officers in four years getting investigated is a shitload worse than 10 state troopers because there's probably 10 times less of them.

I do not find any joy in their screwups or have a personal vendetta against the Ohio Department of natural resources. What I do hate is law-enforcement officers who constantly think they're above the law and history is starting to show the Odnr has a systemic issue with it. For as few of them as there are it should be an extremely rare occurrence. The simple fact that you are even capable of saying someone has a vendetta against them when stuff is pointed out is proof enough that this is happening WAY too frequently in the ranks of DOW officers. And for every one that is brought to light how many more aren't. The DOW has already proven they will protect their own and hide wildlife violations their officers commit. If it wasn't for the federal fish and wildlife service getting involved this would have been swept under the rug like they tried to do when they found out years ago he did it. So it doesn't even stop at the level of the officers. It continues into supervisors and management. Know what that's called when a business does that. Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Like I said. The shear fact that we can even have this conversation proves my point enough that the DOW has systemic issues in their ranks.

I'm not trying to defend anybody... because I think what they did was wrong and they deserve to be punished... But dude you don't have a clue how many investigations occur with police officers, firemen, and all the others, so how can you compare numbers and say the WO misconduct is 10 times worse? I'd be willing to bet that there are just as many violations in all the other ranks of public servants and law enforcement officials in Ohio as there are with the WO's.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I'm not trying to defend anybody... because I think what they did was wrong and they deserve to be punished... But dude you don't have a clue how many investigations occur with police officers, firemen, and all the others, so how can you compare numbers and say the WO misconduct is 10 times worse? I'd be willing to bet that there are just as many violations in all the other ranks of public servants and law enforcement officials in Ohio as there are with the WO's.

We have more cops in Springfield than I bet the dnr has in the entire state. Yet how often do I hear about it on the Springfield news? Rarely. We just had a Clark county sherifs deputy get fired and that's the first one I've heard of in the 7 years i've lived here. How many deputies do we have compared to how many wardens? So that really doesn't hold water man. It appears there is a bigger issue with wildlife officers thinking they're above the law.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
We have more cops in Springfield than I bet the dnr has in the entire state. Yet how often do I hear about it on the Springfield news? Rarely. We just had a Clark county sherifs deputy get fired and that's the first one I've heard of in the 7 years i've lived here. How many deputies do we have compared to how many wardens? So that really doesn't hold water man. It appears there is a bigger issue with wildlife officers thinking they're above the law.
See that is my point. I wish no one any hate lundy and for you to imply that bothers me. Its good to inform sportsmen and woman that these issues are out there. Like it or not sportman are in direct competition for hunting land wih these guys
 
Last edited:

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
See that is my point. I wish no one any hate lundy and for you to imply that bothers me. Its good to inform sportsmen and woman that these issues are out there. Like it or not sportman are in direct competition for hunting land wih these guys

Don;t let it bother you man. He does that a lot. He also said some people kill coyotes not because of their destructive nature but because they have a blood thirst for killing.. You'll never catch ole lundy say anything negative about the DNR. I don't know what the connection is he has with them, but there's one there somewhere. They could take a crap and he'd argue it's a diamond, then say you have a vendetta against diamonds.
 
Last edited:

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
No connection in any manner with the ODNR.

I just have my own personal opinions, just as everyone else.

Milo, I don't understand what you mean by this; "Like it or not sportman are in direct competition for hunting land wih these guys"

Jackalope, so there are not ANY hunters that shoot coyotes just for the their personal fun of shooting coyotes, they are all only motivated by saving other wildlife? I would assume then that ALL groundhog hunters do so with the sole intent to save the farmers fields?

I just don't see many issues ending up as black or white. To me, for most, there almost always seems to be some varying shade of grey when all is said and done.

You seem to tend of classify any issue as black or white, I offer my opinion that differs to some degree and it results that I must be kissing someones ass or have some relationship that wrongly influences my opinion. I have be wrong because you certainly can't be, you already made that black or white distinction about me and my opinion. :D
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Lundy, you will have to excuse me if i dont expand those thoughts/facts any further out of not "having an ax to grind"...
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
No connection in any manner with the ODNR.

I just have my own personal opinions, just as everyone else.

Milo, I don't understand what you mean by this; "Like it or not sportman are in direct competition for hunting land wih these guys"

Jackalope, so there are not ANY hunters that shoot coyotes just for the their personal fun of shooting coyotes, they are all only motivated by saving other wildlife? I would assume then that ALL groundhog hunters do so with the sole intent to save the farmers fields?

I just don't see many issues ending up as black or white. To me, for most, there almost always seems to be some varying shade of grey when all is said and done.

You seem to tend of classify any issue as black or white, I offer my opinion that differs to some degree and it results that I must be kissing someones ass or have some relationship that wrongly influences my opinion. I have be wrong because you certainly can't be, you already made that black or white distinction about me and my opinion. :D

your opinion never "varies to some degree". It's ALWAYS pro DNR and they could never do anything wrong. Matter of fact, about the only time you show up here and post it's to defend them in some manner. It's almost as certain as the rising of the sun. Make a post about the DNR and lundy will show back up to offer his opinion that "differs to some degree" which really means always defend them tooth and nail
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Lundy, I also agree with the statement of many of us sportsmen and women are in competition with these WO! For hunting ground! Many if not all love to fish and hunt, that's why they trained for the job in the first place I reckon. They also use their positions to their advantage to get access to prime hunting land. I don't have much of a problem with that as I would dang sure do it too but some have used questionable methods. I will say not all WO do unethical things but like capital hill and wallstreet these days, the ones who do bend the rules often get self-absorbed and greedy then they become careless and get busted.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
We have more cops in Springfield than I bet the dnr has in the entire state. Yet how often do I hear about it on the Springfield news? Rarely. We just had a Clark county sherifs deputy get fired and that's the first one I've heard of in the 7 years i've lived here. How many deputies do we have compared to how many wardens? So that really doesn't hold water man. It appears there is a bigger issue with wildlife officers thinking they're above the law.

I agree with this statement. I know several of the Sheriffs in our county and the ones I know, are good guys. My dad's cousin has been a deputy for 30 some years and has never once been in trouble. The big wig has been there for a long time know and no issues. I know 3 deputies and one drug enforcement officer, all 4 have a long standing tenure with no violations. Not sure as if I ever remember hearing of trouble from our Sheriffs department. On the flip side of that was the former GW who as I mentioned, had a notorious reputation for barging on to your land and making an ass of himself when he wasn't liquored up and behind the wheel of a vehicle. That was good enough for the DNR to promote him to the District 4 head before his second offense...

http://www.wtap.com/home/headlines/93894764.html

Read the comments on this article if you have the time. I'm not sure a more hated man ever lived in this county and it wasn't just because he was a GW. He is a prick through and through. Off all the other law enforcement offices in this county, I'm not sure you could drum up as much hate as you'd get when you talk about Stone...