Page 11 - 2020 Jan/Feb Outdoor Oklahoma

OPERATION GAME THIEF MARKS 40 YEARS

Oklahoma Game Wardens
have been nabbing poachers
with your anonymous tips to Kristen GiLLman/oDwc
the Operation Game Thief
(OGT) phone line since 1979.
Call OGT toll-free at (800) 522-
8039 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
weekdays and you could receive
a cash reward if your informa-
tion leads to a conviction.
OGT is a 40-year-old
program of the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Con-
servation designed specifi-
cally to stop illegal killing of
the fish and game that belong
to everyone, whether you’re a
sportsman or not.
“Our average Oklahoma
Game Warden covers about
750 square miles, and most
counties are only assigned one
Game Warden,” said Marni The Oklahoma Wall of Shame is displayed inside the Wildlife Department’s Operation Game Thief trailer. It
Loftis, operations manager contains examples of wildlife stolen by poachers and seized as evidence by state Game Wardens.
and Operation Game Thief coordinator for the Department’s overheard conversation at someone’s workplace. “Not only did
Law Enforcement Division. “We can’t be everywhere in the coun- the violator brag about shooting a deer from the road, but they
ty, so we really depend on the public’s help to gather information also mentioned the crossbow used in the violation was hidden
about wildlife violations.” in an attic. When we interviewed the suspect, we found the
Anyone can call the local Game Warden anytime they sus- poached deer on the property and were able to get a full con-
pect a wildlife violation, but tips about a known violation are fession before gathering the bow for evidence. I would not have
especially helpful. “Maybe you see someone spotlighting, see made the case without getting that initial phone call.”
a poached animal, or even overhear a conversation about a Sometimes small details can help lead to a conviction. “If a vehi-
poaching incident — we want to hear from you.” cle was used, knowing the license plate or vehicle color can help.
Loftis recently worked an OGT case that started with an But oftentimes the reporting party is too far away to see the license
plate. Details like any decals, broken windows or taillights can
give the Game Warden enough clues to start their investigation.
“Tips from the public are extremely helpful, but we don’t want
anyone to jeopardize their safety to help us get information. Shar-
ing any detail you can safely observe is more than enough.
Donations to OGT make rewards possible. Reward payments
are made so that no one will ever know who received the payment
—not even the officer who answers the phone. To make a tax-de-
ductible donation, send a check payable to Operation Game Thief
to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Operation
Game Thief Fund, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
To contact your local Game Warden, go to https://www.
wildlifedepartment.com/law/game-warden-directory. Learn
more about OGT at https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/law/
operation-game-thief.
“As Game Wardens, our main goal is to make sure we have
fish and wildlife for future generations. We’re passionate about
Oklahoma’s natural resources and our hunting and fishing
traditions. We cannot express how much we appreciate the
sportsmen and sportswomen who help us with that goal.”

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