Be a good witness

Providing us with the right information helps us investigate the report.

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 job we can do.

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 at 1-800-662-3337 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.