Outdoorsmen all share a common trait: They practice their sport lawfully and ethically. They purchase their licenses, tags and stamps and wait until the season opens on their favorite game animal. They also pay attention to size limits and bag limits when applicable.

Unfortunately, a few “bad apples” make a habit of disregarding the rules. These unethical people are not hunters or anglers at all; they are poachers. In general, poaching means the illegal taking, killing or processing of fish, game or nongame wildlife. Poachers are thieves who steal wildlife that belongs to each Indiana citizen. Poachers rob licensed, ethical anglers, hunters and trappers of the recreational opportunities they purchased through license fees.

Ordinary citizens and outdoorsmen can help eliminate poaching by reporting these illegal activities whenever they see them. DNR law enforcement officials and conservation officers take poaching very seriously and would like the public’s help in putting an end to poaching activities.

For example, back in September, conservation officers discovered a group of four people who had been using a cast net at the Nasby Dam in the Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area in northern Indiana. Three out of the four people did not have a valid fishing license, and they were in possession of buckets filled with fish of various species, including more than 84 gamefish. This included largemouth bass, bluegills, rock bass, logperch and many others. These poachers were using the cast net to catch anything they could, regardless of bag limits and size limits—and despite that it is illegal to use a cast net to catch and keep gamefish like bass (and others).

Poachers who use cast nets to catch fish in lakes, ponds and rivers have become a serious problem in recent years in many parts of the Midwest. This illegal practice has stripped large populations of fish from some bodies of water. Luckily, concerned citizens and anglers who are on the water and observing these acts can fight back by getting involved and reporting fishing violations. It’s called the TIP hotline.

Getting involved is very easy. If you see a poacher at work, simply call your local Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and talk to a law enforcement officer. It doesn’t matter if the violation concerns fishing, hunting, trapping or even polluting. All Midwestern DNRs have officers available to handle cases of poaching. You can find their phone numbers and more information on the DNR websites.

Poaching is a crime, and as we all know, crime does not pay. Poachers are stealing from each one of us when they illegally take fish or other wildlife. If we all stay vigilant and contact the DNR when we see violations in the field, it will help put an end to poaching. That’s something we can all be proud of.

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