Ohio § 1531.13

§ 1531.13.

The law enforcement officers of the division of wildlife shall be known as “wildlife

officers.”  The chief of the division of wildlife, wildlife officers, and such other employees

of the division as the chief of the division of wildlife designates, and other officers

who are given like authority, shall enforce all laws pertaining to the taking, possession,

protection, preservation, management, and propagation of wild animals and all division

rules.  They shall enforce all laws against hunting without permission of the owner or authorized

agent of the land on which the hunting is done.  They may arrest on view and without issuance of a warrant.  They may inspect any container or package at any time except when within a building

and the owner or person in charge of the building objects.  The inspection shall be only for bag limits of wild animals taken in open season

or for wild animals taken during the closed season, or for any kind or species of

those wild animals. The chief may visit all parts of the state and direct and assist wildlife officers

and other employees in the discharge of their duties.  The owners or tenants of private lands or waters are not liable to wildlife officers

for injuries suffered while carrying out their duties while on the lands or waters

of the owners or tenants unless the injuries are caused by the willful or wanton misconduct

of the owners or tenants.  Any regularly employed salaried wildlife officer may enter any private lands or

waters if the wildlife officer has good cause to believe and does believe that a law

is being violated. A wildlife officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or officer having a similar

authority may search any place which the officer has good reason to believe contains

a wild animal or any part of a wild animal taken or had in possession contrary to

law or division rule, or a boat, gun, net, seine, trap, ferret, or device used in

the violation, and seize any the officer finds so taken or possessed.  If the owner or person in charge of the place to be searched refuses to permit the

search, upon filing an affidavit in accordance with law with a court having jurisdiction

of the offense and upon receiving a search warrant issued, the officer forcibly may

search the place described, and if in the search the officer finds any wild animal

or part of a wild animal, or any boat, gun, net, seine, trap, ferret, or device in

the possession of the owner or person in charge, contrary to this chapter or Chapter

1533. of the Revised Code or division rule, the officer shall seize it and arrest

the person in whose custody or possession it was found.  The wild animal or parts of a wild animal or boat, gun, net, seine, trap, ferret,

or device so found shall escheat to the state. Each wildlife officer shall post a bond in a sum not less than one thousand dollars

executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in this state for the

faithful performance of the duties of the wildlife officer's office. The chief and wildlife officers have the authority specified under section 2935.03 of the Revised Code for peace officers of the department of natural resources for the purpose of enforcing

the criminal laws of the state on any property owned, controlled, maintained, or administered

by the department of natural resources and may enforce sections 2923.12 , 2923.15 , and 2923.16 of the Revised Code throughout the state and may arrest without warrant any person who, in the presence

of the chief or any wildlife officer, is engaged in the violation of any of those

laws. A wildlife officer may render assistance to a state or local law enforcement officer

at the request of that officer or may render assistance to a state or local law enforcement

officer in the event of an emergency.  Wildlife officers serving outside the division of wildlife under this section shall

be considered as performing services within their regular employment for the purposes

of compensation, pension or indemnity fund rights, workers' compensation, and other

rights or benefits to which they may be entitled as incidents of their regular employment. Wildlife officers serving outside the division of wildlife under this section retain

personal immunity from civil liability as specified in section 9.86 of the Revised Code and shall not be considered an employee of a political subdivision for purposes of

Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code.  A political subdivision that uses wildlife officers under this section is not subject

to civil liability under Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code as the result of any action

or omission of any wildlife officer acting under this section.