When most people think of poaching, they likely conjure up images of the stereotypical, Elmer Fudd-esque character, who shoots at everything that moves. People think of it as an almost old world problem. Poaching today is still very much alive and well. Poaching comes in all shapes and sizes, anything from killing a trophy moose with no tag, or a deer outside of your unit, to shooting over your limit of greenheads, or taking more than two fish from your local pond.

This hunting season has brought on its fair share of poaching cases and a spike in high profile cases. 

“It takes all of us,” Davis County’s DWR Conservation Officer Brooklyn Joseph said. “The truth is there just isn’t enough of us. We need the public to get involved, and to report what they’re seeing.”

In the beginning of the season alone, from Aug. 1 to Sept. 9, DWR reported over 100 illegally harvested animals, including: nine deer, six elk, two moose, one bear, one pronghorn, 60 fish, and 25 other species of protected wildlife. Many of these animals were shot, and left to rot, which are the most heinous of offenses. A pronghorn was shot and left in Emery County earlier this season, at a time in which no hunts were active. Early in October a buck deer was shot near Bears Ears National Monument, when the only active hunts were any-legal-weapon elk hunts, and another near Enterprise was killed with a firearm in archery season. Officers discovered a cow moose this September, when its tracking collar gave a mortality signal. The cow was poached during a bull only hunt. The odious thing about instances like these, is no attempt was made to harvest antlers, let alone meat, and these cases are just a sample size. 

So, what do you do if you come across poaching, or suspicious activity?

“Having a license plate number will lead us to the individual, so we can interview the person and start investigating,” DWR Capt. Chad Bettridge said. “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. And, if you can give us a GPS coordinate, that can guide us quickly to the area where the possible violation occurred.” 

If you come across an individual poaching, it is crucial that you help establish an identity. Getting a license plate number is the first step. If you can, getting a description of the car can help, especially if you don’t have the ability to get a license plate. It is important to do this in a safe manner, and always avoid confronting the individual. 

The next step, and the one way responsible hunters can fight back, is to report poaching through one of the DWR’s four channels. You can text officers at 847411, or call the Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline at 1-800-662-3337. Other options are either using the UTDWR Law Enforcement app, or reporting through the DWR website.

Poachers cast an ugly shadow on the hunting community. They get a lot of publicity, and help the anti-hunting case. There is a reason America has seen so much success in the framework of their conservation: the regulations. It’s easy to dismiss situations you come across as none of your business, or to not find it worth reporting. The truth is, it is the responsibility of every conservationist to take action, especially if you want your kids to grow up in a world where they can enjoy the same activities.