You know, there is nothing that prohibits a law enforcement officer from asking you to do anything... like submit to a search. They have every right to ask. There is also nothing that prohibits you from saying NO! A police officer has to have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity or that you pose a threat to him (probable cause) in order to search you without your permission. Just being out in the woods isn't enough. However, do not physically resist a search of your person or your vehicle.
I watch "Cops" occasionally and am constantly amazed to see people meekly acquiesce when a police officer says, "Can I search your vehicle?" Of course, the police officer finds drugs or a gun or whatever, and the driver is arrested. There's no doubt that if the people said "No, you can't search my vehicle" they'd go free after a few minutes of hassles and empty threats ("Do you want us to get a search warrant?" I'd say, "Yes, if you feel you have probable cause, then please get a warrant. In the meantime, am I under arrest? If not, I'm leaving, in my vehicle, and you can follow me and bring the search warrant when you get it.")
You don't have to let them search your car, however everything in plain sight is fair game, and if they see something that looks suspicious (like a handgun butt sticking out from under a seat, or a baggie full of drugs) then they can search the car because they now have probable cause. If you are in the car, they can order you out of the car and then search the passenger compartment for weapons. If you are not in the car and the doors are shut then I think searching would be a lot more problematic. The important thing to remember is, tell the officer that you do not consent to a search of your vehicle. That way, if they do search it and find something that they arrest you for, you can challenge the search as illegal. Of course, the real secret here is don't have anything illegal in your car (drugs, illegal weapons, etc.).
The police know (they are taught this) that most people don't know their rights and that most people will submit to authority. They also know that, if you do not object, the courts have ruled that you agree to the search and therefore anything they find can be used against you.
As someone who has a healthy respect for law enforcement, an understanding of the level of risk in their job, and a deep appreciation of the risks they take and the crap they put up with, let me tell you what many of my law enforcement acquaintances have told me: the police are not your enemy, but they are also not your friends.
The police deal with human scum every day, and after a while many of them begin to view anyone who is not in law enforcement as "them"... criminals. This is a sad byproduct of having to deal with wife-beaters, murderers, thiefs, robbers, pimps, rapists, muggers, child molesters, etc., continually, and some of the nicest-appearing folks are actually the most horrible criminals. It's only human nature that a cop with any experience is going to become somewhat jaundiced. Hence, the tendency to treat everyone like a criminal until proven otherwise.
If you don't want to be searched, then don't give permission to search. You have a Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches, but you have to stand up for your rights in a respectful and nonconfrontational manner. Like, "Officer, I understand you have a difficult job to do, and I know you understand that I have my rights, too. I do not give you permission to search me, my vehicle, or my possessions." If an officer asks you questions, you generally are only obligated to tell them your name and your date of birth. If you decide to answer more questions, either answer them truthfully "My name is John Smith. Would you like to see my driver's license?" or politely refuse to answer them "Officer, with all due respect, the contents of my vehicle are none of your business." Generally, be polite and brief because the less you say the better off you are. Remember that more people talk themselves into jail than talk themselves out.
Here's another tip: if you are bothered by this official's regular confrontation of you and your group, why not tell him? And why not ask him why he is doing this? Do you match the description of someone wanted in the area? Is a manhunt underway (maybe something you don't know about)? I know that, in North Carolina, the Atlanta Olympic Bomber was on the run in the mountains for several years (he was recently caught). If you know of some suspicious activity or run across some, e.g. marijuana plot or still, then report it.
Here's a good link for more information:
http://criminal-law.freeadvice.com/arrests_and_searches/
