Wardens, do you give your cell number to other hunters?

Conquistador

New member
Really what I'm wondering is, how would you feel if a friendly hunter asked for your cell number in case they stumbled across illegal activity, wounded animals, or got into trouble etc.?
I'm a new hunter hunting in an area with 3 wardens working it I'm told. I hope to be on a first name basis with these guys and was wondering if it is common for a hunter/angler to ask for a game warden's cell? Have you ever exchanged numbers with anyone before?
 
like you, i'm fairly friendly with a couple of the local game wardens, specifically the guys who manage the local stretch of the Huron River in proud lake state park. They do a premium trout stocking here so it draws anglers - of all sorts - from all over going after the large (2-5lb) rainbows and browns they drop in here every year as they clear out retired hatchery breeders.



i asked, and was told to just call the RAP (report all poaching) hotline if there was a problem. they would in turn route the report to the best available on duty officer for the area the report was in.

MI-RAP Hotline: 800-292-7800
 
I've seen NM wardens put their cell numbers on their business cards. I also had a couple Border Patrol agents give me cell numbers in case I saw something fishy while out deer hunting close to the border.
 
Several wardens have given me their number. Turns out I tracked poached animals for them and ended up being friends, hunting together, sharing Bbq's and holidays.
They are people with a job, as in some might write their own grandma a citation given a chance.
 
I have the cell numbers of all of the wardens where I normally hunt. It is a rare occasion that I use the numbers, and I would never give them out to others.
 
I believe that in NE their cell phone #'s are posted on the game and parks website. I had to call our local GW last year. Got # off website and was able to talk to him directly while he was in the field.
I like that.
 
I've helped the game warden in my area catch some guys keeping illegal fish at night. He gave me his cell phone number so that I could talk to him while I was in my boat following the poachers one night to the launch ramp. The game warden was waiting for them at the launch ramp and gave the older man a ticket for keeping short fish. They turned the fish back into the lake at the dock so they got to live another day.

If you see people catching little fish and they don't even bother to measure the length of the fish that's a dead giveaway that they are poaching. I've seen grown men teaching their kids to poach and it makes me sick.

We have a turn in a poacher program here where I live and it's very effective if everyone helps the Game wardens. They can't be every where at one time and there is a lot of poaching going on around here. Right now it's deer gun season and they are bush watching the deer hunters and the deer poachers who like to spotlight and shoot deer at night from the roadways.
 
When ever I go out I always have Wardens phone numbers and Sherriff’s phone number, just in case I need it as do my Wife and my friends Spouses along with where we are Hunting.
 
My advice is to be a good witness. Never attempt to contact suspected law violators.

I would, in a heartbeat, aid any cop who was in trouble or imminent danger of harm or death. Other than that, I'd be a darn good witness. A live witness beats the heck outta a dead hero.
 
I am a retired LE and worked with G&F in my State. They have more calls than they can really work and have to prioritize calls. Since I have retired I mind my own business pretty much and just keep my eyes and ears going to watch for suspicious behavior like road hunters etc. I found several poached deer 5 years ago and videoed the evidence, posted to youtube channel and sent to The State office. I then deleted the videos from my channel. Within a year they had the guy caught not only with poaching but stolen property. He went back to Prison. I never bugged them about my videos, no need to, they got to it when they could and did their job well. I am careful only to bring good solid information and absolutely no chicken little stuff. They know that out of me and when I call they know I have something good. I have a thing I have found out about Poachers, they are usually involved in other criminal activity as well and approaching them directly is usually gonna lose the case. I just glean the info like a tag number or a picture of the vehicle or gut piles or animals or casings arrows etc. In this one case, the crossbow bolt was in the gut pile bad broken and matched the guy's bolts and broadheads. I especially dislike Wild Turkey poachers worse than anything in my State unless they are killing Family pets or livestock too.
 
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