Text to TIPWDNR

[GatorBait]

There's a new way for you to help protect Wisconsin's great outdoors. The Department of Natural Resources has added text-messaging as a way for citizens to report hunting, fishing, recreational vehicle, and environmental violations.

DNR Regional Warden Byron Goetsch sees many advantages with the new Text-a-Tip program.

He says texting is a common communication tool for many people today and it allows you to be discreet.

"It will give people the opportunity to provide information where they're in an environment where they really can't be talking," Goetsch noted. "I was thinking about, you're in a closed building or you're close to where the violation is taking place, it's not uncommon for people to be texting, so you could reach down, text the information and the person standing next to you probably won't know what you're doing."

It takes just seconds to text a tip to the DNR's violation hotline.

Here's how it works: You start a text on your phone and on the first line type in TIPWDNR. Add a space and type in the tip information.

You then send the text to 847411 (TIP411).

Within seconds, you receive confirmation hotline operators received your text message.

The service is confidential. Goetsch said, "We won't know where that, the origin of that phone number, so the confidentiality is even going to be heightened from what the current tip line is."

Wardens say the vast majority of violation cases are a result of citizen tips.

"We depend heavily on the eyes and ears of the public. Our budget our dwindling; we don't have the ability to get out there as much as we have in the past, so the tip line is more important than ever."

[Nick Kuhn]

Just a reminder that if you see anything unlawful to utilize TIP. The number is on the back of your license if you forget. Just think of how many fish the 2 callers in the story below saved. I'm guessing their attitude is a warden will never check them, but with TIP everyone can act as a warden, hopefully deterring such behavior.

Quote:

13 fishermen arrested, 2,238 fish seized on the Flowage

Sawyer County Conservation Warden Sue Miller, Conservation Warden Tom Heisler from Winter and Flowage Ranger Roy Zubrod arrested13 adult males and seized 2,238 fish on Friday, May 21 on the Chippewa Flowage, after two complaints were called in on late Wednesday and Friday. The complaint received on Wednesday came in on the anonymous/confidential hotline for overbagging. The other complaint received on Friday was regarding keeping bass, Miller said.

“We went out Wednesday but they (the men) were already in,” said Miller, who then said that “on Friday we worked these guys all day.”

[snoozebutton]

I hope those guys lose there fishing privileges for life but what do you want to bet they'll be out there again next year.

[snoozebutton]

The more I think of this, the madder I get. I looked up the story but it didn't have their names of where they were from. I think the word needs to get out on these guys so they're known wherever they go, that way more people can keep an eye on them and have their Tip number on speed dial.

[snoozebutton]

The most they got was a loss of license for 2 years and 5 of them only lost there license for 1 year meaning they could very well be back again next year to do it again. Some of them have been coming up here for 12 years and admitted to overharvesting for the last 3 years.

[Nick Kuhn]

They may be back but they are on the DNR's radar now. I'm sure around the same time next year they will be out looking for those same guys.