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Operation
Game Thief |
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WILDLIFE'S
ANSWER TO 911
 NEW
Report a violation
online
OPERATION GAME THIEF
is a public awareness program that allows
people to call in on a toll free hotline,
24 hours a day, 365 days a year to report
wildlife violations. Poaching is serious business
in Arizona. There are only 156 commissioned
officers in the Arizona Game and Fish Department
and many of these officers only do enforcement
part-time. The Department relies on the honest
citizens of the State to assist in the reduction
of wildlife violations.
POACHERS
are thieves, and they are stealing from the
citizens of Arizona. They are jeopardizing
the future of wildlife resources in this state.
This adversely effects everyone, not only
residents, but those that come to Arizona
to hunt and fish or simply enjoy the beauty
that this State has to offer.
CALLERS
will be kept CONFIDENTIAL
if they so desire. This program began in 1979
and is the second oldest in the country providing
a long record of proven credibility. Last
year almost 720 calls were received on the
hotline that resulted in cases being forwarded
to officers.
CELLULAR PHONE
calls to the OGT hotline have proven to be
extremely beneficial. An officer's chances
of apprehending the violator while he is
still in the woods is greatly enhanced when
the
offense is reported immediately. Most calls
to the Operation Game Thief hotline are
now
TOLL-FREE.
If your service is provided by either Verizon
or Alltell, simply dial # HUNT and you
will be connected to the hotline.
THE HOTLINE
has long tentacles. A caller may place a toll-free
call not only within Arizona's boundary, but
also from its border states, including Utah,
New Mexico, Nevada and the southern half of
California.
REWARDS
are offered in certain cases, from $50-$1,000,
for information leading to the arrest of wildlife
violators. Many states require a conviction
before a reward can be offered. Not so in
Arizona. If the information provided is enough
to warrant a citation or physical arrest,
rewards will be paid immediately. If desired,
the reward will be offered confidentially.
Funding for rewards comes from fines and civil
penalties assessed to the poachers. In essence,
the bad guys are paying the good guys for
the crimes they commit.
OPERATION GAME
THIEF
1-800-352-0700
24 HOURS A DAY |
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