Park Rangers

[biff]

okay man i know this one for sure, park rangers have ZERO authority, they cant touch you or anything, if you get caught by one just leave. only thing i would be worried about is them getting my license plate and forwarding it to the cops, but as far as park rangers go i would just take a huge it and blow it in their face and leave...

[Fengzi]

In National Parks they can definitely arrest you. I know a number of people who've been arrested and spent a night in the Yosemite Valley jail for shit like being drunk and disorderly in public.

At the state and local level it probably depends on where you live. Out here in California the rangers carry guns, write tickets for shit like speeding (on mnt bikes LOL), etc. They are considered to be law enforcement. That being said, I know from personal experience that most are extremely lenient and will often look the other way. people become rangers to be part of nature, people become cops to enforce the law.

[Free iPod]

Yeah, in all of the state parks in Illinois that I've been to, park rangers carry guns and have badges. I think they are also considered state troopers.

[wonderbear]

NP rangers piss me off to the nth degree; by the way, the national parks pass is going up in cost this new year from $50 to $100; so get one in nov. or december before the rate hike if you need one; i can't believe the arrogance of teh national parks service. i'm not allowed to park my truck and sleep in the back, but there's no problem with building all sorts of hotels, gift shots, all sorts oof crap that impacts the environment (yosemite and yellowstone are prime offenders) because it makes money. it's bullshit. john muir, a personal hero of mine, would roll over in his grave, and so would teddy rosevelt, who instigated the NP system. these days (and i spend lots of time in teh outdoors), you need a national parks pass, national forest, state parks, fish and wildlife, fishing licenses, hunting licenses, fees to camp, fees for certain "attractions..... it's insane. none of this has to do with the entire point of keeping wild areas wild: PROTECTION....building hotels, a jail, and un-fucking-believable gift shops in yosemite valley is unbelievable, how fucking dare they put a line on a map around an area, charge me to get in, then completely disregard the entire purpose of its being. i have no love for rangers either who think that the fucking forest would die if they weren't there to care for it. BTW, i'm on a roadtrip right now and have been to yosemite, lassen, and olympic national parks this month; i'm in central washington and am coming back down the country along the coast to socal; i'm livid with hate for how this country treats its wild areas

[partyguy420]

well lots of park rangers are just regular people that work for the forrestry service. but some are game wardens to which makes them federal, so they can search your property withought a warrant. they passed that law so poachers could not get rid of skins or poached meat before the warrant was served..if they dont carry a firearm, there not warrdens..not trying to scare ya just be carefull..

they can only search your house if they have a reason to do so,(they see the pochers skining a deer in the middle of summer in there kitchen {deer season is fall and winter as far as i know} game wardens are basicaly just cops in different uniforms)

[itsthatguy]

damn man the yeag was right on i googled it

[JackdaWack]

I would just stick to the simple rule that on park grounds, you have little to no rights, because you are on federal property. thats a good rule to live by, i wouldnt assume anyone is powerless becuase why else would they be there. Around NJ we have a couple reserves/parks and then some in s. NY but any way i would rather have a run in with a cop then a ranger. Also just because they have guns, doesnt mean the ones that dont, have no power. Its there property its there law. Like stated there main purpose is the protection of park welfare and wildlife. to think they find some one killing an animal off season they wouldnt let him just walk... And in most cases i do belive because it is federal property there is a dramatic incline in offenses and your ganna get a shit load of fines.