Once in a
while I learn news about blatant acts of poaching. I see are stories of
fishermen catching three or four times the daily limit of fish. News is made
when a trophy deer is found to have been shot by a poacher hunting with
artificial lights at night. There are occasional accounts of shady operators
netting, snagging or using other methods to catch fish they then sell at the
back door of restaurants to illegally profit from their illicit works.
Luckily, these
reports are few and far between. By and large, the number of illegal operators
perpetrating these overt acts is small. That’s why when a serial poacher or
poaching ring is nabbed, it’s newsworthy.
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| Most anglers don't use illegal nets or other methods |
Unfortunately,
far more total damage to fish and wildlife populations occur by illegal hunting
or fishing by individuals or small scale operations. The spotlighting poacher
who goes out several nights each week and bangs down a deer or two each time is
easy to notice and an easy target for Conservation Officers. Chances are, the
guy who gets “his buck” this way once each year or guns down a doe only when
his freezer runs low on venison has a much better chance of getting away with
the crime.
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| Call 1-800-TIP-IDNR if you notice deer spotlighers |
It’s the
same thing with illegal fishing operations. It’s much easier for a skilled
poacher to occasionally catch an overload of fish than for a skilled bank
robber to occasionally stick-up the local Fifth-Third.
Here in
Indiana most counties have one Conservation Officer assigned. Only a few
counties have two or three DNR officers - and the counties with multiple teams
are those with high human populations and/or are high outdoor activity counties
such as Parke County with two state parks, a major reservoir and numerous other
places outdoor oriented people hunt, fish, camp or hike.
Realistically,
the vast majority of hunters, trappers and fishermen are by-the-book operators.
They pay more attention to fish and wildlife regulations than they do to motor
vehicle laws. This strict adherence to “rules following” is a part of hunter
ethics taught in hunter education programs and fishing legally is ingrained as
parents or others mentor young anglers as they progress from being a first
timer, to novice to experienced. To the vast majority of outdoors people,
shooting past the limit or using illegal methods to catch a fish seems as
foreign, stupid or unconscionable as driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
Another
reason is due to the fear of being caught.
Why do they
fear being caught? Didn’t I already say
their chance of encountering a Conservation Officer is low?”
I did!
However, the Indiana TIP (standing for “Turn in a Poacher”) is more feared by
wanton violators (whatever the scale of their violations) than their worry of
being caught by an officer. The TIP program effectively deputizes every citizen
of Indiana to watch for illegal hunting, fishing, trespassing and other outdoor
activities and gives everyone an easy-to-remember way to turn in a bad
operator.
The easiest
way is to call the TIP hotline which is manned 24/7 using the easy-to-remember
phone number: 1-800-TIP-IDNR (800-847-4367).
That’s the best way to get an immediate response. An online TIP form can
be accessed at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/7608.htm. The call comes in and
the details are turned over to a Conservation Officer as soon as possible.
All tips to
TIP can be anonymous. If a tipster wants to be rewarded, they can still be
anonymous to the perpetrator, but if the tip leads to an arrest, a reward up to
$200 can be given.
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| Indiana Conservation Officers respond to a TIP - tip. |
Since 9/11
officials have been advising people, “If you see something, say something.” The
same thing can be said for people wanting to keep Indiana’s fish and wildlife
healthy for all citizens to enjoy, legally. If you suspect a fish or wildlife
law is being broken, report it. Jot down all the pertinent details, what’s
going on, the violator’s description, details about the car, boat or other
equipment (including license or registrations numbers), the time, place and
anything else which will make the investigating officer’s job easier.
Commit the
phone number to memory - 1-800-TIP-IDNR.
