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DO YOU CARE
ABOUT WILDLIFE?
OPERATION GAME THIEF (OGT) is a program of the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation designed specifically to stop illegal killing of the
fish and game which belong to YOU, whether you’re a sportsman or not. It’s a
big problem with no simple solution. Help from the public sportsmen, makes a
difference.
One day before the opening of a recent deer season, two
men killed four whitetail bucks.
Late one summer night, three men steered their boat across a state
reservoir, stopped at their illegal net site and hauled in a load of striped
bass and other open-water fish they could sell for $1 a pound on the
commercial market.
In each of these examples, you were the loser. You lost hunting and fishing
opportunities or the chance to view wildlife in their natural surroundings.
At the same time, law-abiding sportsmen received a bad reputation from those
who fail to distinguish between legal and illegal hunting. OGT is something
everyone can do to help wildlife and help us apprehend the poachers.
What to
Look For When Reporting a Violation
GETTING THE
INFORMATION A GAME WARDEN WILL NEED
When reporting a violation, please note as many facts
as possible. You will be asked a variety of questions and the more
information you can provide, the better chance the violator can be caught,
and the case successfully prosecuted.
Do not attempt to stop a violation yourself or to
detain those responsible. Be safe, and be a good witness!
- What happened? What type of violation was it? When
and where did it happen? Give the date, time and location, number of
shots, etc.
- Give as much information as possible about the
suspect or suspects- name, address, telephone, physical description
(age, weight, height, hair color, eyes, clothing and any other pertinent
information).
- Were firearms involved in the violation? Was the
firearm visible or is it concealed in some way? Describe the number and
type of weapons.
- Describe the suspect's vehicle - make, year,
color, style. License number and any other distinguishing feature like
rusted spots or mismatched paint and dents?
- What animals or fish were involved, how many, and
where are they now?
- Do you know about any other physical evidence -
like hides, entrails, guns, cartridge cases, knives and such?
- Has the illegal game or evidence been moved or
will it be moved soon? How is it being transported, and where is it
being stored?
- Were there other witnesses? Give their names and
any other information about the violation, suspect or violations that
you may have noted.
You may not be able to remember everything, but the
more information you supply, the more likely there will be an arrest and
conviction.
It is always better to call the game warden
stationed in the county in which the violation occurred. Game wardens
numbers are listed in the printed regulations or online. You can also
report a violation by calling 1-800-522-8039 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday. You can remain anonymous.
You can download the
Operation Game
Thief Reporting Form fill it out and send it as an attachment to
ddeckard@odwc.state.ok.us.
DO NOT use this
number or form for general information requests. General information may be
obtained by phoning the Wildlife Department at (405) 521-3851.
Reward payments are made so that no one will ever know who received this
payment. —not even the officer to whom you spoke with the telephone.
Remember, the poacher is a criminal. His illegal activities steal from all
of us, and takes hard cash out of the pockets of hunters and fishermen who
pay for wildlife conservation programs through their license and permit fees
and taxes on their equipment.
If you see a violation, or have knowledge of illegal fishing and hunting
activity, do something about it: report it on the Operation Game Thief
hotline or call your local game warden.
ANOTHER WAY TO HELP
The funds to provide rewards for information on fish and game law
violations come entirely from donations. Anyone with an interest in
conservation can help stop poaching by sending tax deductible donations to
help finance the Operation Game Thief rewards.
The poachers lay waste the efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation, sportsmen, conservationists, naturalists, ecologist and
everyone who cares about wildlife. Here’s your chance to stop them cold with
a call or check.
Make your
check payable to:
OPERATION GAME THIEF
Send it to :
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Operation Game Thief Fund
P.O. Box 53465
Oklahoma City, OK 73152 |