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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah wildlife officials say they've dealt with an uptick in poaching cases before the heart of the state's hunting season begins.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources reported Tuesday it has discovered 104 animals have been illegally killed between Aug. 1 and Monday. Fish species account for most of the illegally taken animals, but the list also includes nine deer, six elk, two moose, a bear and a pronghorn.
Conservation officers also issued 849 citations over the past few weeks tied to various wildlife-related violations.
"Hunters need to take responsibility for knowing the law, having a current hunting or combination license and also knowing what species and areas their permits allow them to hunt before they go out into the field," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Capt. Chad Bettridge said in a statement.
The crackdowns come as the hunting season gets underway.
Utah's general season elk and deer archery hunts began on Aug. 17. Some of those hunts have already ended and the rest end within the next week, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. There have also been a handful of hunts tied to other wildlife species happening off and on over the past few weeks.
Most of the state's popular elk and deer hunts will pick up in the coming weeks, which is also when many poaching new cases are reported. Utah wildlife officials reported that over 1,000 animals were illegally taken in the state last year.
Conservation officers are calling on the public to help them investigate these cases. Bettridge said people who notice something suspicious should gather the person's license plate number and report it to the division with any applicable information.
People are not encouraged to confront a person over a possible violation, out of safety concerns. Information can be reported by calling the division's hotline at 1-800-662-3337, texting 847411, or reported online or through the division's app.
"We need your help. Please keep your eyes and ears open and report suspicious wildlife activity to us," Bettridge said. "With the information you share, we can enforce wildlife laws, which help with wildlife conservation and maintaining healthy populations and also keep our recreating public safe."
The state recently changed its poaching laws, implementing a new point system that helps determine the severity of a case. It also raised the restitution penalty fees for both trophy and nontrophy animals to as high as $45,000 for trophy bighorn sheep.
However, the state didn't change the punishment for convictions, which can lead to additional fines and temporary or permanent loss of hunting or fishing privileges in Utah and 48 other states that participate in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
