TWRA ruled against - AGAIN!

[BigJohnJTP]

Has anyone noticed that TWRA was told AGAIN to stay off private property without a warrant? In a second punishing judgement against their attempts at government overreach into the private lives of citizens the Tennessee state appeals court just unanimously told TWRA to get a warrant before they quietly (and without notice) put up surveillance cameras in people's backyards. This will soon be big national news as it is being watched by other F&W agencies nationwide and is now being covered by:

Tennessee Media:

Appeals court: Wildlife officers' warrantless searches of private property are unconstitutional • Tennessee Lookout

A Tennessee appeals court has ruled the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency warrantless searches violate the state and U.S. Constitutions.

tennesseelookout.com

ABC News affiliates:

TWRA loses appeal to continue wildlife protection under Open Fields Doctrine

In what some call a major blow to protection of wildlife in Tennessee, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency lost its appeal to continue to protect wildlife u

newschannel9.com

Libertarian Leadership Media:

Tennessee appeals court rules against wildlife agents who planted cameras on private land

In December 2022, Reason reported that both state and federal wildlife agents routinely trespass onto private land and plant cameras. Two Tennessee

reason.com

and legal system social media commentators on YouTube like Steve Lehto (over 500,000 subscribers)
Appeals Court Says Wildlife Agents Need Warrants to Put Cameras on Private Property


This appeal was funded by the Institute for Justice - "IJ is a nonprofit, public interest law firm. Our mission is to end widespread abuses of government power and secure the constitutional rights that allow all Americans to pursue their dreams.[/center]" - (https://ij.org/)

 

[Rakkin6]

Personally I could not agree with this ruling more. While I am obviously in favor of punishing poachers has well has other criminals we have that pesky little thing called the Constitution. TWRA or any other law enforcement agency whether it's city, county, state, or federal need to be held to that document. The Bill of Rights are the civil liberties that CAN NOT be infringed by the government. This should have never been allowed to take place in the first place. I can say with confidence that the large majority of people on here are against the federal governments recent decision to allow warrantless searches of Americans through FISA section 702 of the patriot act. Well if they don't like that they shouldn't like this either it's no different just because it's wildlife.

 

[DeerCamp]

I support TWRA and understand the difficulties they face.

But no enforcement of Wildlife law is worth trading for violation of privacy of everyone. Period.

 

[tickweed]

I support TWRA and understand the difficulties they face.

But no enforcement of Wildlife law is worth trading for violation of privacy of everyone. Period.

agreed!

 

[Spurhunter]

Has anyone noticed that TWRA was told AGAIN to stay off private property without a warrant?

Yes. This is at least the 3rd thread on the issue. All totaled there have been over 150 comments and counting.

 

[Spurhunter]

https://www.tndeer.com/threads/twra-warrantless-searches-ruled-unconstitutional.452485/page-3#post-5901655

https://www.tndeer.com/threads/twra-loses-appeal.452599/page-2#post-5903408

 

[Rakkin6]

Yes. This is at least the 3rd thread on the issue. All totaled there have been over 150 comments and counting.

I thought this was another decision that came down since the last one a few weeks ago. Honestly I don't have cable or satellite so I don't really get a lot of news, truthfully I get a lot of state news on here. National news I usually go to Breitbart. I did download Salem News on my TV which is pretty good also The Blaze. Salem is pretty new so the production is not has good of a quality as say Fox but the content is great. Sorry I kind of went off script from the topic.

 

[Spurhunter]

Sorry I kind of went off script from the topic.

I wasn't responding to you Rakkin. I was just answering the OP's question if anyone had heard so he could read the comments in the other threads if he so desired.

 

[Rakkin6]

I wasn't responding to you Rakkin. I was just answering the OP's question if anyone had heard so he could read the comments in the other threads if he so desired.

Oh I know, I just thought the OP was talking about a different case.

 

[Spurhunter]

Oh I know, I just thought the OP was talking about a different case.

All good brother!

 

[MidTennFisher]

TWRA wanting to sneak onto private property, without a warrant, to set up surveillance is like a wildlife version of the Patriot Act. It was trash when it was first introduced, and has been used to abuse your rights for about 20 years.

Hard pass on this one, TWRA, stay off private property unless you have a warrant.

 

[Omega]

I thought this was another decision that came down since the last one a few weeks ago. Honestly I don't have cable or satellite so I don't really get a lot of news, truthfully I get a lot of state news on here. National news I usually go to Breitbart. I did download Salem News on my TV which is pretty good also The Blaze. Salem is pretty new so the production is not has good of a quality as say Fox but the content is great. Sorry I kind of went off script from the topic.

Get a Truth Social account, bunch of news the mainstream doesn't cover. I had a Mastodon account to get some of the foreign news but have been suspended for mentioning the rash of crimes committed by the cross genders, bunch of lefties all over those sites.

 

[Coker]

I thought this was another decision that came down since the last one a few weeks ago. Honestly I don't have cable or satellite so I don't really get a lot of news, truthfully I get a lot of state news on here. National news I usually go to Breitbart. I did download Salem News on my TV which is pretty good also The Blaze. Salem is pretty new so the production is not has good of a quality as say Fox but the content is great. Sorry I kind of went off script from the topic.

I wouldn't bother getting any news stations. They are ALL fed by propaganda and pushing their agenda. It doesn't matter what side they sit on. You would be better off not knowing.
I have not watched the news, besides the weather report, since the election was bought and paid for in 2020.

 

[RealtreeVol]

I wouldn't bother getting any news stations. They are ALL fed by propaganda and pushing their agenda. It doesn't matter what side they sit on. You would be better off not knowing.
I have not watched the news, besides the weather report, since the election was bought and paid for in 2020.

Same - I won't even watch the weather and just look online.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I agree with the decision

 

[mike243]

Looks like a lot of folks are jumping for joy, it won't change the way I hunt or the rules I live by, ymmv

 

[Spurhunter]

Looks like a lot of folks are jumping for joy

In these days of the police state take over anytime our rights are upheld it's a reason to jump for joy. This is WAY bigger than hunting.

 

[BigJohnJTP]

I wouldn't want to put individuals on the spot but I bet a lot of TWRA officers don't actually agree with this level of overreach but wouldn't want to be put in a position to have to disagree with their bosses or TWRA lawyers. Most of the TWRA folks I have dealt with over the last 30 or so years have been reasonable, responsible individuals. (Most.) Unfortunately there are a lot of lawyers that see things only through the lens of "billable hours" and will probably relish the idea of possibly getting a case to present before the US Supreme Court. Whether they win or loose. Look at the weaponization of the legal system against Trump. It's not "the rule of law". It's the "rule of lawyers." A book was published about the problem exactly twenty years ago.

Amazon.com

 

[BSK]

Honestly, I have no problem with the Game Waren entering my land without a warrant if he believes a game violation is occurring. However, entering a property to install cameras to spy on the hunters is so far over the line I don't even know where to start.

 

[Spurhunter]

Honestly, I have no problem with the Game Waren entering my land without a warrant if he believes a game violation is occurring. However, entering a property to install cameras to spy on the hunters is so far over the line I don't even know where to start.

You probably know this, but I would contact the game warden and give him written permission to enter the property in advance. The last time I caught someone on camera I had to do that. If he already has permission it will go faster.