SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 26, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — In the run-up to the state’s most popular big game hunt, the state’s game wardens have already come across hundreds of illegally killed protected animals.
With several fall hunts already underway, officers are bracing for the state’s biggest hunt – the Oct. 22 opening day of the general deer hunt, according to a press release from the state Division of Wildlife Resources detailing poaching enforcement efforts already taking place.
“During this fall’s hunts, conservation officers have contacted roughly 13,700 individuals and inspected the hunting licenses of 4,347 people from Aug. 1 to Sept. 23,” the DWR said Monday.
“During those interactions, the officers discovered 319 illegally killed animals, including big game animals, fish, waterfowl and furbearer species. Of the animals killed, 39 were big game species.
“During that time frame, officers issued 569 citations, and they will continue to investigate other violations and turn them over to the court system.
“Hunters need to take the responsibility of knowing the law, having a current hunting or combination license and knowing what species and areas their permits allow them to hunt before they go out into the field,” DWR Capt. Chad Bettridge said.
From Aug. 1 to Sept. 23, conservation officers have also received 240 tips through their reporting tools, which they say is incredibly valuable in helping them investigate poaching cases, the DWR post said, noting 53 DWR officers patrol the entire state “and they can’t be everywhere.”
“We need your help,” Bettridge said.
“Please keep your eyes and ears open and report suspicious activity to us. Working together, we can enforce wildlife laws, which help with wildlife conservation and maintaining healthy populations, and also keep our recreating public safe.”
The Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline, or UTiP, at 1-800-662-3337, is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The number is also printing on hunting and fishing licenses.
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