Rangers

[bamboo bob]

Does anyone know what Park Rangers do if they find you doing something bad in the Smokies? You know like stealth camping, doing a bong, or burying an animal carcass that you were eating, or whatever. Do they write a ticket? Escort you out of the park? Arrest you? Perhaps shoot you and string up the body as a warning to others? Being a good doobie I have no plan to violate the rules or the law, but you know... just asking.

[George]

plenty of tickets for tenting by the shelters if you are not a TH, if you are caught you are not stealth camping, just stupid camping, if you feel the need anywhere to be stealthy, get off the trail, do not set up till dark, knock down at first light and leave the area, if confronted about where you camped, you did some nighthiking

NPS can take you into custody, but it is certainly not how the ranger wants to spend his day

[bamboo bob]

In two thruhikes my trips through the smokies were pretty uneventful. The only Rangers I saw were at Newfound Gap parking area and a guy shooting pigs that I think was actually a contractor. I wasn't sure they actually went into the back country at all.

[restless]

If caught, and depending on the severity of the offense, it could range anywhere from a warning to immediate arrest. Most Park Rangers though that you would see in the backcountry do not have law enforcement capabilities, although they usually have radios and can contact one if necessary. Most violations I am aware of, with the exception of DUI and poaching, have resulted in citations. Chances of being caught are slim, but I wouldn't take any chances.

[swjohnsey]

Ranger ain't gonna walk far. I was at a shelter in Shandoah, arrived late, very crowded. A couple of ranger walked in from a parking area maybe a half mile down the trail. Chased a couple of guys off that were camped next to the water source and told a bunch of us to find other places to camp. They were also checkin' back country permits.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well Bamboo Bob its not the dark ages... but you have a lot of good questions and here is usual outcome.

CLICKETH HERE MEN.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyE1q7ZUw0" target="_blank">
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvtveexHCg8&amp;feature=related
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyE1q7ZUw0)

[restless]

Break the rules...pay the piper.

[JAK]

Aren't those the guy's that Santa put on his naughty list ?

[ekeverette]

pepper spray man!!! thats what i,ve had to use on folks like that.... i'm a small dude, if that don't work, i swallow my pride and run like hell... cause if i shoot him.... well you know what will happen then.

[peakbagger]

In the Smokies there is a AT shelter near Clingmans very close to a road. I was there one evening when a park ranger stopped by. He checked permits and wrote some tickets. The folks he wrote a ticket to were laid back about it. Apparently this is popular one to check as it is quite acessible.

[lemon b]

Ran into one after a couple days rain in 78. He showed us a stash of dry wood on the map 10 clicks North. Showed up the next morning with a fry pan, bacon, eggs with cheese and onions, potatoes sliced thin. Even had a can of food for Chestnut the dog that was trailing us. Good feed and dry out.

[hikerboy57]

kind of a strange question, like asking if the ref dont see it is it legal?
character can be defined as doing the right thing when noone is looking.

[Old Hiker]

kind of a strange question, like asking if the ref dont see it is it legal?
character can be defined as doing the right thing when noone is looking.

Roger that. Thank you.

[BlackCloud]

Do we have a criminal element here at whiteblaze?

FYI, there are interpretive rangers and law enforcement rangers. The former can only tell you what to do and not do; the latter can arrest you for any federal violation to include speeding, but rarely do of course. You will however be facing a ticket from one of them that could exceed $100 for a 1st offense, even for minor stuff.

Now burying an animal carcass that you illegally killed in a national park? Violations of the Lacey Act is a 99% sure way to get your ass to jail on the spot & you will have your day in federal court!

[Mike2012]

They are just people doing a job and lots of different kinds of people do that job. Most of them are pretty great people, but some can be a little over zealous. By and large they are out there because they love the wilds just as much as we do and are fully involved in the protection against threats to the public lands and their visitors. My impressions having worked alongside them and from traveling through dozens of National Parks, Monuments and Forests. Yes sir, no sir and a non crazy smile works for me. If you're lucky you might get a good story out of them from time to time.

[naturejunkie]

Don't taze me Ranger-bro!

[bamboo bob]

kind of a strange question, like asking if the ref dont see it is it legal?
character can be defined as doing the right thing when noone is looking.

Thanks for the insult. Why not take the question how it was written. if you choose to interpret the question in a negative way you should move over to the curmudgeon page and discuss trail magic with the other whiners.

[Ironbelly]

Does anyone know what Park Rangers do if they find you doing something bad in the Smokies? You know like stealth camping, doing a bong, or burying an animal carcass that you were eating, or whatever. Do they write a ticket? Escort you out of the park? Arrest you? Perhaps shoot you and string up the body as a warning to others? Being a good doobie I have no plan to violate the rules or the law, but you know... just asking.

I think he took it exactly how it was written. If you got insulted by that then so be it. But the last sentence of your original post pretty clearly hints at doing something that is 'illegal'. I mean come on, read what you wrote. It doesn't outright admit that you are going to, or planning to do something illegal but it does a heck of a good job at hinting at such.

[hikerboy57]

Thanks for the insult. Why not take the question how it was written. if you choose to interpret the question in a negative way you should move over to the curmudgeon page and discuss trail magic with the other whiners.read your own question and tell me how i misinterpreted it.i didnt mean it as an insult, but if you took it as one, then where exactly did you bury that carcass?

[hikerboy57]

in response to your question, rangers are no different from cops, theyre just doing their jobs. some look the other way if you're not being a jerk, others will enforce the rules to the letter.just be a good boy.its just good karma.

[kayak karl]

Shortened your first post...............Does anyone know what Park Rangers do. Being a good doobie I have no plan to violate the rules or the law, but you know... just asking.:sun

[Hikes in Rain]

I've met several rangers and ridgewalkers in my Smokies hikes. Great folks, but then, I'm not ever doing anything wrong, and always let them know I'm pleased to meet them, and chat with them for a while. Walking south from Newfound Gap, I met one late in the evening, when it was clear I wouldn't easily make Molly's Ridge that day. The ranger asked to see my pass, pulled out his pen, and "corrected" it to say I was cleared to stay at Russel's Field, instead. Saved me a longer painful hike.

[Blissful]

character can be defined as doing the right thing when noone is looking.

Excellent......

Anyway, I never saw any rangers in the Smokies. I saw a few ridgerunners, but it depends on the season. The most they were concerned about was the shelter reservation list they possessed, esp from March on.

Now in SNP - I have had a few look for my permit.

[Praha4]

Don't taze me bro' !!!

[curtisvowen]

Does anyone know what Park Rangers do if they find you doing something bad in the Smokies? You know like stealth camping, doing a bong, or burying an animal carcass that you were eating, or whatever. Do they write a ticket? Escort you out of the park? Arrest you? Perhaps shoot you and string up the body as a warning to others? Being a good doobie I have no plan to violate the rules or the law, but you know... just asking.
Just kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on pops...u got one foot in the grave....lucky to get another 10 years of hiking or living under you belt...and your asking a question like this????
p.s. I was a Ranger in the da Park...... U stupid? U get ticket.

[Lion King]

True story:

was on a trail in a national park relaxing in the sun on a rock, smoking a fat joint...I hear footsteps, too late to hide the long burning smell or roach, I look up, its a ranger...I almost ****...

He shakes his head, says be careful, then goes on to inform me if Im going to do what I am doing to do it a bit further off trail in case families or others who dont approve come along.



Then he tazzed me.

No, not really, but he was cool about the joint.

[BlackCloud]

Just kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on pops...u got one foot in the grave....lucky to get another 10 years of hiking or living under you belt...and your asking a question like this????
p.s. I was a Ranger in the da Park...... U stupid? U get ticket.

That's the perfect post!

[WingedMonkey]

For those that do get a ticket, and think they may fight the citation, remember that it's in Federal Court and not one close to the trail. Probably why most are just paid.

[rocketsocks]

balif whack his pee pee!

[Kookork]

Aside from being a moral question or not I think the answer would be like this:

Stealth camping: Ticket or no ticket but they will be smillig anyway

Doing a bong: They try to Ignore If they can especially if a person in OP's Age or may ticket you(depends on many other things) there is a 30 percent chance of even sighting a smile on their face.

Burying a carcass: You better know that for rangers protecting animals is the job that most of them take pride of it. You will go to court and possible heavy fine. The chance of sighting any smile?: Close to ZERO.

[Sir-Packs-Alot]

Wow guys - here's my 2 cents before they shut this thread down ... There are not nearly the amount of rangers around to make it a good chance of being caught most times - but C'mon - imagine a kid asking you that kind of question (...not that I'm gonna do anything illegal, but...) wouldn't ANYONE assume that the kid had - or was considering it ? If the rangers do get ya' - I hope they are open minded to treating you commensurate to whatever you were (or weren't) doing. Of course this discussion doesn't help them as a deterence - so I'm sure any ranger reading this ... more than ever ... would want to crack down on you extra hard. (not that we want them to ... you know ... we were just saying...)

[bamboo bob]

Seriously, the question was only half joking. Because shelters can be full and stopping early is a big bore. Some shelters can be along haul if you don't stop early. So now that I've been threatened by exposure as a scofflaw even after attesting to my good doobiness. Please Ranger Rick I'm a follow the rules Back packer of the first order but with new rules and rumors of new rules I don't think I can make it to the next shelter in time and might feel the urge to hike late and camp. But I swear to GOD I wont! Especially now that you have all these deputies who likely will call you on their cell phones, Mt Ranger, to report a possible stealth camping violation. I will reconsider asking any more questions. As my Dad used to say, "loose lips sink ships"