A Confidential Secret Witness Program
CalTIP (Californians Turn In Poachers and Polluters) is a confidential secret witness program thatencourages the public to provide Fish and Gamewith factual information leading to the arrest ofpoachers and polluters.

CalTIP was introduced in California in 1981 in order to give Californians an opportunity to help protect the state's fish and wildlife resources. The toll free telephone number operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You do not have to give your name.

Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of fish and wildlife. It can involve hunting out of season, the taking of more fish or game animals than the law allows, and the illegal commercialization of species including abalone, sturgeon, bears, reptiles and many others. Equally devastating crimes include pollution and habitat destruction and the insidious practice of transporting and introducing non-native, undesirable fish (like northern pike and white bass) into California's lakes and rivers.

Although deer are a frequently poached animal, virtually all other species of California wildlife are also subject to illegal activity including bear, elk, antelope, marine fish, crustaceans, abalone and other mollusks, inland fish, raptors, and reptiles.

Poachers devastate nature by breaking laws designed to assure proper wildlife management and species survival. Poaching is an insult to the vast majority of hunters and anglers who obey the rules.

Because poaching is a crime of secrecy and stealth, its full impact in California is impossible to fully gauge. However, enough poaching is documented to realize that it exacts a very heavy toll.

State Department of Fish and Game wardens do all they can to combat poaching. But there are only a few hundred wardens spread throughout California. To successfully fight poaching they must have help from all Californians.

Pollution
As the population of California swells, the effects of pollution are felt more profoundly than ever.

Incidents of industrial and agricultural pollution as well as the dumping of household waste can be devastating to our fish and wildlife and the habitat on which they depend.

To combat polluting, concerned citizens who become aware of such acts can become involved and report their observations.

To Report a Poacher or Polluter
If you witness a poaching or polluting incident or any fish and wildlife violation, or have information about such a violation, immediately dial the toll free CalTIP number

1 888 DFG-CALTIP (888 334-2258), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Be prepared to give the fullest possible account of the incident including the name, address, age and description of the suspect, vehicle description, direction of travel, license number, type of violation and when and where it occurred. You do not have to give your name.

Information from the call is relayed to the Fish and Game region where the offense occurred and an investigation is undertaken locally. If the information supplied by the caller results in an arrest the caller becomes eligible for a reward. (Rewards up to $1,000 have been paid.) The case is then reviewed by a volunteer citizen's group known as the "Caltip Citizens Review Board".

CalTIP rewards come entirely from donations, no state funds are used. The CalTIP Citizen's Review Board, not the Department of Fish and Game receives and administers these funds. Money not used for the payment of rewards goes toward furthering CalTIP's educational goals (public service announcements, informational videos, billboard campaigns,

How to Help
Observe and Call
When you see or become aware of a poaching or polluting violation, call us!

Contact
For more information regarding CalTIP, please call Lt. Liz Schwall at (916) 651-9167

How can you help Cal-TIP support DFG's K-9 program? Read how here.

For more information about
the K-9 Program click on the image above