'Wardens' producer fined for filming without permit in Montana national forests

The producer of the popular cable TV show “Wardens” pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal district court to illegally filming on national forests in western Montana. Mitch Petrie, the producer of Muddy Boot Productions, said he takes full responsibility for using U.S. Forest Service lands in Montana without a special use permit on five different occasions between Jan. 1 and June 24, 2013. The crime is a misdemeanor. Petrie was fined $1,500 and ordered to forfeit the footage he shot. Even though this was the second time Petrie has been cited for shooting on federal lands without the proper permit, he said it was an honest mistake. “It was an administrative error on our part and an oversight,” Petrie said. “We were in the process of having the permit renewed. ... We had a positive working relationship, but unfortunately it was a little too casual at the time. They said that since we were getting the paperwork signed and everybody on the forest knew what we were doing, that it was OK to film.”  However, one of his videographers was filming a segment and ran into a Forest Service law enforcement officer, Petrie said. The next day, the officer checked to see if they had a valid permit, and once he found out they didn’t, an investigation began. “Once law enforcement gets involved, it’s pretty black and white,” Petrie said. “Once we found out we weren’t in compliance, it became my responsibility and that’s why I pleaded guilty.”...more

So here is a show about law enforcement officers and they get caught by a law enforcement officer.  I wonder if they filmed that part.  Anyway, the will learn, just like ranchers have learned, if you are dealing with the Forest Service you better get it in writing.