Anyone ever called TIP?

[buddha]

Anyone called TIP before? Not looking for a reward in any form but really want to get the DNR to start looking at some area lakes I fish. I got a report of a guy that fished this lake every day this last winter and pulled out 575 crappies, can't say for sure if they were all kept as I don't know who he is. I have also watched some boats this spring pound the slabs now that they are shallow. Does TIP work for those who have used it?

Thanks

[Rich_s]

I have had to call it here once in Wisconsin on a violator. He had a triple bag right in front of us. Called the hotline and the DNR were on it right away. We were in a river and they pulled up in an unmarked vehicle and started watching. The guy got spooked and dumped the fish and took off towards the boat landing. The DNR stopped him there. It works.

[OnAFly]

Only one way to find out...

[Deitz Dittrich]

I was going to say the same as the above poster.. Its there for a reason, and only one way to find out.

I would however wait until you see a violation with your own eyes. Lets not go on here say.. or rumors. If you see a violation, get as much information for the CO.. IE--boat number, type of boat.ect.. Or clothing personal description..

T.I.P. 1-800-652-9093

or on many cell phones I think you can just dial #tip but could be wrong on that..

[porterhouse]

I have the number on my cell. I called once but it wasn't for poaching.

I almost ran over a submerged ice house a few years ago in the spring.

Brian

[Harmonica Bear]

I called it once, maybe 20 years ago?. It was for Muskie caught and kept out of season on Nakomis and was being stored in the Richfield Municaple liquor store ice chest. I drove by 30-45 minutes later. The DNR was there with the cops and they were wheeling the freezer out of the liquor store and loading it into a van. I can't remember the details what happened after that.

[huntnfish]

I called once and the officer was there is a short time. It was on a border water and I couldn't tell which state he was from since it was dark by that time. There were others telling the person what the limit was but he told them that he had a family license so he could take a limit for his wife and kids who were at home. Even when some of the other fisherman told him that wasn't the way it worked he told them to mind their own F'n business.

[elkhuntingfan]

I called it when some guys were duck hunting in a closed area of Sherburne Refuge. The CO came out and caught them. They thought they were in an open area which should've seemed odd. It was a feww weeks into the season when there aren't any ducks around other than in the refuge and there is no sign of anyone hunting there before. Apparently, they weren't too bright.

I also called when we came across guys using radios to hunt in the refuge. I was walking through the woods when I heard a guy's radio say Frank (or whatever his name was) you have one coming your way. They were doing a drive and using radios to let each other know when they saw deer. I asked if he was using a %&#@ing radio to hunt. He said yea what's it to you. I said its illegal - put it away. I got ahold of TIPS and a CO came out. He held them up for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours while he went through their stuff. They were complaining about it to my nephew the next day. The CO didn't find their radios. Too bad.

I have no problem asking a CO to check into illegal activity. The CO's are there for that reason, and the lawbreakers are affecting the resource that belongs to all of us.

[Daze Off]

I've had the reverse experience - called on some bank fishermen who were using two poles and another time on someone who was keeping smallies out of season. Neither time did anyone show up...at least within an hour or so. Won't bother anymore...will call the local PD and see if they will do anything about it.

[bobbymalone]

I've had the reverse experience - called on some bank fishermen who were using two poles and another time on someone who was keeping smallies out of season. Neither time did anyone show up...at least within an hour or so. Won't bother anymore...will call the local PD and see if they will do anything about it.

i wouldn't give up just because there weren't COs on the scene like cops to a bank robbery. It's all about whether there is someone close and the severity of the violation. I have called in to TIP about 4 times and 3 of those times a CO showed up within an hour.

I am thinking that the local PD will either not do a thing or will forward it on to the CO.

[BLACKJACK]

I called once on an over limit of sunfish, was not the best experience, the TIP line sent me to the sheriff's department who referred me to the local CO who happened to be on vacation. He called me a couple of days later and asked me if I had taken down a vehicle license number. Since I hadn't that was the end of it.

[BrdHunter01]

I've had the reverse experience - called on some bank fishermen who were using two poles and another time on someone who was keeping smallies out of season. Neither time did anyone show up...at least within an hour or so. Won't bother anymore...will call the local PD and see if they will do anything about it.

Same here, I called a couple different times about people breaking the law (the same people, same resort). Not sure if they were conducting an investigation or what but both times no CO ever came.

Also the 1st time I called TIP the lady I talked to said she had someone call about a week or two earlier about the same violation. Seems strange that after 3 calls I never saw a CO check anyone, although they did "drive by" the resort many times. Again not sure if they were conducting an investigation or what but as far as I know these people were never ticketed!

MANY "oversized" illegal walleyes were taken out of one of our greatest bodies of water.... Its a shame, although I'm sure the natives would have taken them anyway next spring

[mpester]

I call the CO directly for the area where I see someone breaking the law. I called on a guy filling a wetland next to Demontreville Lake last year and the next week in the CO Report in Outdoor News I saw that a lakeshore owner was caught and that "enforcement action was pending".

The list is at:

CO Phone Numbers

I keep the list in my boat and truck.

[Fish Head]

Reading these posts, I just put the number on my cell phone. I don't know why I didn't have it there before. Never thought about putting on my cell I guess, but it's a great idea.

[MinDak Hunter]

If you call the CO directly you will get his office number...

If he is out in his truck it might be a while before he even gets the message. The BEST thing to do is call TIP and ask to speak a CO that's on-duty in the area you are calling about. TIP's can be general but it's best to have specific info if possible. As an LEO there is some info I would want to hear: license number from boat or vehicle, make/model of vehicle or boat, color, suspect info, how many suspects, what makes you think there is an illegal act taking place, and LAST BUT NOT LEAST your contact info (you can still remain anonymous to the suspect).

I would like to point out that TIP is not run by the DNR it has nothing to do with the CO's in your area.

From the TIP HSOforum:

Turn In Poachers, TIP Inc., is a private (501C-3), non-profit organization of conservationists concerned about poaching problems. TIP Inc., provides all reward monies for the program and receives no state/DNR funding. The enforcement division cooperates with the TIP program, which was started to encourage the public to report natural resource violations. The information and the person reporting can be kept confidential. Persons reporting violations are asked to obtain as much information from observation as possible, and to report all violations as soon as possible. If an arrest is made, the person reporting the violation may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000, depending upon the seriousness of the crime. The reward amount will be determined by an impartial panel. Since its inception in 1981, this program has been a deterrent to the senseless waste of wildlife and is extremely beneficial to the DNR Enforcement Division.

Statewide toll-free: 1-800-652-9093

24 hours a day, 365 days a year or dial #TIP from your cell phone.

[Brad B]

I had called once on a group of people fishing with unattended lines and more than one line each( this was on a inland lake not on border waters). the CO called me the next day and said he would keep a eye out for the vechile since I gave him the license plate number. I asked him what is the best way to get a hold of him or any of the other CO's. He told me CO's are dispatched by the state patrol and to call the local state patrol dispatch in your area. for me this is the st cloud office. the state patrol dispatch numbers should be listed on the same sheet as the CO's office numbers so check the dnr HSOforum.

[fishinfey8]

I was an eyewitness in a situation in which the TIP line was used, and used effectively I might add. I was fishing with a friend when a guy came out of his house with a shotgun and unloaded on a bunch of geese in his yard. I guess it wasn't the first time he had been called in for doing this.I guess he was angry cus the geese would cra p on his yard and kill the grass....HA!

[Urbanflyguy]

I dont call for the money, I enjoy calling tip just to see the look on the faces of the wildlife abusers when any one of our conservation officers gets there to wreck their day of ill gotten gains. I have called 5 times now and have been there 4 times when they CO arrived. Even showd a CO to family that had cursed me out when i told them walleye was closed and thus could not keep the 5 gallon pail they had full of eyes. Funny thing was they forgot english when the CO appeared, well until i informed him they knew enough english to curse me out with, they then all of a sudden remembered english well enough to curse me out once more. It was very satisfying to see all the rods taken and tickets given out. There is no excuse in my eyes for the greed some people show with a resource that belongs to us all and needs protecting from so many so i say call away

it does work

_________________________

[coombia21]

After reading this post I went and put every county sheriff office number in my phone of the coutnies that I fish in and I also put the tip line in there just in case.

[blakeb]

i have used the tip line three times, stay at the place that i am fishing, no one ever shows up.

[flyfisher03]

I thought about it on one occasion my brother and I went out to an are when the crappies were spawning for about a week. We took home a limit apiece throughout the week, but there was this one individual who took home fish everyday and even gave some away and stated that he had "plenty" at home. This was a few years ago and I still think about once in a while and what if I would have called.

[jigginjim]

I have called tips a few times, once last summer when a group were fishing, they put all the fish in one 5 gallon pile, ask how many they had? 1 guy said don't know the pile was to full to count, all were sunfish. While 2 people a full pile to the car, everyone else stayed fishing. There were only 6 people but had 4 piles, each person put fish their fish in one bucket then some one would come pick it up and leave. I figured only 2 people in the car with all those fish. was worth a call.

[Pooh]

neighbors boyfriend was called in by my wife. (live in a small town she called CO's house.) It took about 4 days of the CO investigating, but on the way out to my bowstand one night the CO happened to be at the boyfriends parents house talking to the boyfriend. the head-cape and all the meat was taken, and his licence (hunting and fishing) for 2 years. My wife recieved a nice reward when it was all said and done. It does work if you give it a chance, it may not everytime, but you will never know unless you make the call.

[GRH]

CO's have large areas to cover and can't get to every call. It's always worth a call. even if it works only one time. I used it last year and the CO. responded as soon as possible. which was about an hour after I called. He ended up finding the guys and with some investigating on his own. Ticketed them both. It does work, just not every time. Keep calling

[KyleM.]

Anyone called TIP before? Not looking for a reward in any form but really want to get the DNR to start looking at some area lakes I fish. I got a report of a guy that fished this lake every day this last winter and pulled out 575 crappies, can't say for sure if they were all kept as I don't know who he is. I have also watched some boats this spring pound the slabs now that they are shallow. Does TIP work for those who have used it?

Thanks

If he fished the lake every day during the winter you should give him a pat on the back and that a boy, we should all be that lucky. Now I failed math but by my calculations (using calculator here) there were give or take 100 or more days of ice that means he could have LEGALLY caught and yes kept 1000 as he is allowed 10 a day 100x10 equals 1000 "I think" and Catching a ton of panfish which I do a lot in the spring, releasing what seems like hundreds by the way I can't find in the rulebook where that is illegal either... not to be a smart alack here it's just sometimes things can get out of context real quick.

I think the T.I.P is one of the best things that MN has to offer to help keep our outdoors and heritage safe for generations to come cause how else could 1 officer possibly catch even 1% of the violators so it is a great tool.

This reminds me of an incredible joke... A husband was out fishing in the morning and left his gear in the fishing boat. His wife took the boat out on the water to tan with one of her girlfriends after work, neither of which had a license, About 1/2 an hour into their tanning a dnr officer pulled up alongside and asked to see if they had their fishing license, of course they didn't have one and proceeded to cite them for fishing without a license. Upon protest the wife explained her husband had left left his gear in the boat this morning obviously she wasn't even fishing all the gear was in the locker! The CO said it didn't matter the law was the law and since they had possession of the equipment, he had caught her attempting to fish so he began writing up the citation. Once he had handed her the ticket, she said I would like to have you arrested for attempted rape! He said what are you talking about, I never touched you....she said well I found you in possession of the equipment and according to you that means you have broke the law and by your math means you intend to rape me.

common sense unfortunately doesn't seem to be so common anymore, two things about T.I.P. I would request to be changed based on what some people have posted...

1. Anyone who reports a violation must understand the law and refer to the paticular violation in the rulebook...(including page)

2. Anytime it can be proven that the reporter falsely made a report and the alleged offender is proven not to be guilty the reporter shall be fined not a lot just say 20 bucks to make sure we keep everyone honest and not doing it to spite people who are well within their legal rights.

I know a lot of people will think from this post that I'm some redneck who doesn't care about the outdoors and hates the government and wants anarchy...

(might slightly be right about the redneck and not wanting uncle Sam in my hip pocket looking over my shoulder every time I want to take a pee.)

The law is the law and though we may not always agree with a law or think it needs to be changed it is not o.k. to sick the CO on someone who is just catching more fish than you can. and if they are breaking it, I have T.I.P. on my speed dial as well fyi.

just my .02