Be a good witness

Do not attempt to stop a wildlife violation yourself. Get the information that wildlife officers need. Before you report a violation, try to get as much of the following information as you can. The more information we have, the better we can investigate the report.

1. What happened: Tell us what you know about that was illegal. Knowing the date, time, location and number of shots will help us investigate.
2. The suspect: Tell us about the suspect(s) and provide a physical description. For example, the suspect's approximate age, height, hair color, clothing and other identifiable characteristics will help us locate the suspect(s).
3. Weapons: Was there a weapon involved? Was it a rifle, a shotgun or archery equipment? Were there shots fired?
4. Vehicle: Was the suspect using a vehicle? A license plate number is extremely helpful! What kind was it — a truck, car, SUV, ATV? What color was it? The make and model of the vehicle is also very useful.
5. Witnesses: Were there witnesses? Who are they? Having their names and contact information will help.
6. Evidence: Is there physical evidence? If so, don't disturb it. Obtain GPS coordinates or mark the area, but do not move anything or touch anything.

Call our hotline or send an online report that contains as much of the above information as possible. Delays might result in lost evidence or allow the poacher to get away.