DWR officials claim that more than 100 animals were unlawfully poached in a single month

Salt Lake City, Utah – Officials from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are cautioning hunters not to poach wildlife unlawfully and to abide by hunting laws as the hunting season gets underway.

Conservation authorities have allegedly found 104 illegally murdered animals and given 849 citations for crimes pertaining to wildlife since August 1. Nine deer, six elk, two moose, one bear, one pronghorn, sixty fish, and twenty other types of protected wildlife were among the animals.

Before heading into the field, hunters must assume responsibility for being aware of the law, possessing a valid hunting or combination license, and understanding the species and regions that their permits allows them to hunt. This was said by DWR Capt. Chad Bettridge.

53 conservation officers are reportedly roving the entirety of Utah, DWR reports, in response to over 200 tips sent via the division’s different reporting channels. These cops can’t be everywhere, though, which increases the value of the tips.

According to Bettridge, the public can assist the Division of Wildlife Resources by reporting suspicious activities and keeping a look out for any unusual activity.

“With the information you share, we can enforce wildlife laws, which help with wildlife conservation and maintaining healthy populations and also keep our recreating public safe,” said Bettridge.

The Division of Wildlife Resources accepts tips in a variety of methods. Tips can be left over the phone at 1-800-662-3337 or by texting 847411 to 847411. Reports can also be submitted online at the DWR website or via the UTDWR Law Enforcement app.

Making a call to the local police dispatch, which will forward the information to a conservation officer, is an additional alternative. However, DWR advised against calling the police unless you saw a poaching violation that you felt needed to be reported right away.

The suspected violator’s license plate number is the most important piece of information that can be included in a tip. According to Bettridge, conservation officials can locate an individual for an interview to aid in their investigation by using their license plate number.

“Other helpful details include the type and color of the vehicle the person was driving, how many people were involved, and a description of what you saw,” said Bettridge. “And, if you can give us a GPS coordinate, that can guide us quickly to the area where the possible violation occurred.”

In order to avoid danger or awkward circumstances, DWR advised against confronting a suspected violation. If you need to relocate somewhere with better mobile reception or aren’t in a position to make the report right now, Bettridge said it’s okay to wait and submit the report.