I may have told this story here a few months ago but it is worth repeating and is told from the view of spite baiters. At one time in the lowcountry of South Carolina, the State allowed private landowners arrest powers by having empolyees "deputized" as game wardens. One plantation nearby took extremes to see that locals couldn't hunt the tidal creeks around their rice fields. The Rabbit Sheriffs would patrol the river and creeks harassing the local hunters. The eve before the opening of the season, several locals (Harry, the last of the group, died recently), including a member of the Army National Guard who was a full time helicopter pilot for the unit, flew a Huey at night over a pond and spread corn just before the season. The Feds were anonymously alerted by the spite baiters. Multiple arrests were made the following opening for shooting ducks over bait and the landowner eventually figured out what was going on. He called off the dogs and an informal truce was obtained with the local hunters. Not long afterwards, the SCDNR stopped the practice of allowing private wardens. Gil
