I have used the "chat" several times and always had great responses. I even asked a legal question and was referred to the proper authority to answer that question on ATV licenses.
I have even had the local warden at the house - we used the "chat" to recover some information. As usual the folks on the chat came through and provided the right information.
Never had a problem and have had good service!
Personally I like the "talk" with the warden as my first option. But I make sure who I am talking to so I dont get caught in the "this warden said" - I say "Warden Joe Smith said".
WRONG! Whether you contact the phone number, chat session or email contact ALL parties are Wisconsin DNR representatives and WDNR employees.
How do I know?
I used the chat line to ask!!
I was advised of that on the chat line and in fact the gal I chatted with me assurred me she was born and raised right here in WI like many of her WDNR co-workers.
The gal related that I could pass that information along and if anyone had a question -feel free to use the chat line!
Further Rut - I guess I was unaware of your "legal beagle" status as a matter of law as you appear to be handing out legal advice concerning a person and a written "chat" document. Both pieces of information you have passed along - well, can you say "me bad?"
These have been great folks from my experience. Now - do they make mistakes. Well, I suppose they do. I know I do.
I am willing to bet you a paycheck you do as well Rut! Fact be told, ya made several here.
As a law officer I know someone without any legal background should not be dispensing legal advice.
What you wrote was: "If you have a printout of something a chat person told and get a citation for it, will that transcript get you out of said citation? NO. it won't."
Now what legal background do you have to make such a statement? Work in the DA's Office? Warden? How about a deputy sheriff, defense attorney? Or perhaps, John Q Citizen taking a wild stab at what will or will not happen in a court of law? I suspect the latter.
It's our responsibility to know the law before going afield. The WDNR provides us with several different ways to make sure your abiding by the law. The "chat" session is just one way and not necessarily the best way. I like/suggest the warden route myself, but to each their own.
You seem to think I am being argumentative here. That's not the case, I'm just saying people should get their info from the source. In this case if the OP feels the warden is wrong, talk to a supervisor. Better yet stop into the area DNR info center and speak to whomever you need to face to face.
And no - this is what you said.
(A). "The chat is a joke, the people working it are NOT DNR employees"
Reply: You're wrong - they are WDNR employees!
(B). Well if these people are not DNR employees, or even WI residents/hunters. How can we take their interpretation of a law/rule seriously
Reply: They are, again, WDNR employees.
And finally...
(C). "If you have a printout of something a chat person told and get a citation for it, will that transcript get you out of said citation? NO. it won't. The best bet is to talk to a local game warden."
Reply: Wrong again - you have no legal background or familiarity with the legal system to make such a statement. How do you know that wont help a person? At best you're guessing or assuming. You know what they say about assuming!
So really that is simply what I am saying. You're wrong! Some folks dont like to hear that. You apparently dont as well.
Hammer - "Wildlife Division" I'd be willing to bet we dont have a department in the WDNR called the "wildlife division."
Even if we "did" they would have "employees" as well. They would have too speak to us and us to them - so how is that meaningless? And how does the "wildlife division" of the WDNR qualify as the "horses mouth"...
Just wondering?
Here in MI you can ask to speak directly to someone who knows their stuff in a particular area like regulations and licensing and I bet you its the same there. I would never trust an online chat myself but that is just me and there is no sense in arguing about the validity of a chat over that of the horse mouth IMO.
BTW what difference does it make if you think you are correct and someone else thinks they are correct about them being "employees?" I mean as far as the OP it makes no diff to settle his questions in his mind or why have the thread to start with. lol. To each their own though right? When in doubt take the next step and call to be sure you didn't get faulty info so you don't get caught making an error.
IMO it is better to be safe than sorry and if I was the OP and had any question to the validity of what I was told on a chat I would call the division that handles the exact area in which I had a question and rest assured there is one. I would call anyway regardless because I don't trust the net period unless it was an email directly from the DNR to me addressing my exact question.
Example: The other day I got a little info on the Xbow facts from a DNR employee but when I was transferred to Brian the horses mouth who actually dealt with the survey for the Xbow and knows all the facts I was able to get a more accurate pic of what was fact and what was fiction and what was just being misconstrued.
However, this is the Wisconsin site and we are talking the Wisconsin DNR here.
Like I have said before, I have used the "Chat" service and found them to be credible folks. Our local warden and I have together used the "Chat" and found them to be credible.
They are WDNR employees - you ask a question - they answer it. If they dont know...they make a referal.
I once asked a legal qusetion about ATV enforcement - they admitted they didnt know the answer, BUT they provided me with the name and number of the person that did - that being the ATV Safety Warden. My question was answered quickly with a follow up phone call!
Use what you want in Michigan and here in the cheese State you use what you want - dont like the "chat" hey, dont use it! Pretty simple. When looking for the "horse's mouth" however, be sure to get a person's name. Termonology like "horse's mouth" does not hold much water in the Wisconsin court system from my experence.
When someone claims that these folks are NOT DNR employees and they are most likely out of state - and then they go about dispensing legal advice with a zero background in same, dont expect me to stand there with my thumb in my butt!
After some thought, I think the best way to get your answer is to email the WDNR with your question. Print the reply, fold it up, place it in your wallet. I would follow that information to the letter. If you run into a problem, show him/her your response. That should take care of that in no time flat.
Hammer's Link
Like Brian right? I have his last name too but I think when something is in question it is always smart to get the persons name and speak directly to the department that for sure knows the correct answer.
" Termonology like "horse's mouth" does not hold much water in the Wisconsin court system from my experence."
Neither does I spoke to a person in a chat room! I will take that I spoke directly to such and such at the DNR in this specific department tasked in a specific area of question to that of a chat room conversation in a court of law any day.
Maybe the chat people are 100% full on employees of the DNR but it doesn't matter as to the OP question of using his tag in metro units.
I included a link to each counties office with phone numbers for each. Look for your co and call the number to get your answer or just call 1-888-936-7463.
Another good way to find an answer quick to whether something is a violation would be to call 1-800-847-9367 and ask them. That is the violation hot line and chances are they know the answer to the OP question. lol...
I have hunted in WI multiple times but never had to call the DNR yet. If I have a question I always go to the horses mouth but to each their own. No point in arguing over it.
Hammer - Looks like your a "horses mouth" kinda guy - good luck with that and congratulations on the site map.
If you would have checked further you would see that the "Chat Room" you refer to is actually titled "WDNR customer service representative" so you get the same information if you called anyone of your sites.
The only difference I see is the chat is opened and available to DNR customers late, late into the evening.
I checked further and that service representative on the chat informed me that all chats are kept for a 60 day period and can be retrieved for review. Customers may also "print" the written response.
Yep, no point in arguing over it.
:o)
By the way I did "check further" and did not care if the chat feature is customer service or not. We have customer service here in MI too by way of phone and I bypass it and go to the horse mouth every time. If the chat feature can put you in contact with the horse mouth that works in the violation and regs section of the DNR then it would be fine under that circumstance for me providing I didn't have to wait very long to speak to the person when I can do so in minuets by way of phone.
I still will put my faith in a live person on the other end of the phone in the exact department that handles the area that my question covers. It's just the way I roll I guess but then again I have found the info to be so accurate I never have had an issue doing it that way. Almost ZERO chance of a misunderstanding and really no chance of bad info or partial info etc that way IMO.
Regardless who is correct or more correct or which is better blah blah blah it really is irrelevant to the OP question on metro units at this point.
Here is a great idea. Use the chat feature and then call your local DNR office and validate the info by talking to someone in the specific department that deals with regs and violations that are in question. Then you have double conformation and ZERO chance of error.
