I have had approximately 1/2 dozen interactions with GW over 56 years and all were to just check licenses, and in each of those encounters they were courteous and professional.
One experience sticks in my mind. Many years ago my son and I were fly fishing on one of the major trout streams in Western Virginia. This stream has a hiking trail that runs along the bank of the river, or very close to it, for most all of its length. At that time Virginia permits were a yearly permit that were good from January 1st thru December 31st of that year no matter when you purchased the license. Each year the license was a different color. The GW checking licenses that day brought a pair of binoculars and he would ask you hold up your license while he looks at it thru the binoculars. If the color was right your fishing was not interrupted and everything was good. I thought this was very respectful of the GW to do this and avoid having you wade across the river, which might mean going up or down river several hundred yards to cross, just to show your license.
