What should you do if you come across persons taking part in poaching activities?

DIAL 08616-87225  or use your TrackBox App to report POACHING IN PROGRESS

Reporting Poaching

TrackBox Technologies and KZN Wildlife encourages any citizen who witnesses wildlife offences to report the violation. The effectiveness of officers to curb the activities of poachers is dependent upon US!

Witnesses are encouraged to report violations by calling Trackbox Technologies on 08616-87225 or by using your TrackBox App. You always have the choice to remain anonymous when reporting.

What Is Poaching?

Poaching is the illegal taking of or possession of animals: protected, threatened, or endangered wildlife species. Poachers have different motives for what they do. Some kill illegally for food, others strictly for a monetary profit. Some poach in order to secure what they consider to be valuable trophies. And a few individuals poach just for the thrill of seeing how many animals they can kill in a given time frame in competition with others. Poaching is a growing problem that occurs year-round. Regardless of the reasons, poaching is a serious crime that cannot be justified or condoned.

Poaching Repercussions:

It is not known exactly how many animals poachers kill, but it’s quite probable that they can illegally take just as many as legitimate hunters do in some areas during the regular hunting season.

What To Look For:

• If you believe you have just witnessed a wildlife violation, gather all the necessary information to report.
• Vehicle licence plate number, make, colour, model, year if known, general condition (4X4, camper/canopy, etc.).
• Description of person(s) that committed the violation (sex, approximate age, race, hair colour, general build, name/address if known).
• Type of violation, where and when it occurred (time, Game Management Unit if known, GPS coordinates, road junctions) and species involved.
• Immediate reporting will significantly increase the ability of an officer to locate the violator while still in the field. Use your cell phone if you are in a coverage area.
• Never confront a poacher.
• Avoid getting too close to or examining a dead animal because such actions may contaminate the site and make an investigation difficult. Don’t disturb the crime scene.

Why Should You Report A Violation?

• Poachers are thieves. Poaching steals the legitimate opportunity from those that correctly follow legal regulations. A true sportsman is safe, ethical, responsible, and legal. Poachers meet none of these
• All poaching/violation reports are important. Wildlife officers routinely follow-up with individuals making reports to clarify and gather further information.
• Given the size of officer patrol areas, we need your help to apprehend poachers. We depend upon help from the public. Together we can make a difference for the fish and wildlife resources of the state.
• Poaching often occurs against protected species which places a major strain on the population and threatens the survival of the species.

Sharon Gumede (SA33)
TrackBox ERPC National & International
08616-TRACK
08616-87225
https://trackbox.world/

by: Chuck Moore
FALL 1996

Wildlife poaching is one of the biggest complaints Department of Lands and Forestry conservation enforcement officers receive. Poaching includes not only hunting wildlife illegally at night, but also taking any wildlife illegally, such as taking a second deer for someone else or taking wildlife out of season.

Each year in Nova Scotia, 50,000 to 60,000 lawabiding, safety-conscious people enjoy 1.5 million recreational days of hunting. Unfortunately, some people have always operated outside our wildlife management regulations. For the department to apprehend and prosecute a poacher, the wildlife officer and poacher, must be at the same place at the same time. This is not always easy to arrange.

The Department of Lands and Forestry has 50 conservation officers working out of 22 offices across the province. Each fall the department hires 45 assistant conservation officers, including 13 aboriginal persons. Wildlife enforcement is effective where there is strong community involvement. Poachers must feel they have to watch out for everyone, not just the conservation officer. Anyone may become aware of wildlife violations, but it is important that they pass the information on to local officers. A rumour or information that seems insignificant to you may be the missing link in an investigation or the beginning of a major operation.

It is not uncommon for officers to receive information that a person has illegal wildlife in a freezer. The action taken depends on the circumstances and the information. Officers must have legal grounds to obtain a search warrent. Even if no action is taken this time the information is recorded and it may help the officer the nest time a call is received. If you are willing to give your name and go to court to give evidence, the officer may be able to lay a charge using you as a witness.

The public can report illegal activity through the department's Report a Poacher Program or by calling 1-800-565-2224 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-8477. You do not have to give your name and you could be paid for your information. Hunters and non-hunters are asked to provide community support by reporting any information they become aware of. Poachers are not hunters, they are criminals. Only a small percentage of people are involved in this illegal activity.

Conservation officers enforce a variety of acts and regulations, including the Wildlife Act. Copies may be obtained from the provincial Government Bookstore (1-902-424-7580 or e-mail at ). The following is an overview of some of the regulations.

• The general open season for hunting deer is the last Friday in October until the first Sunday in December, includsive, every year. This year (1996), it runs from October 25 to December 7.
• Anyone hunting other harvestable wildlife may possess a shotgun loaded with shot no greater than .24 inches in diameter or a bow and arrow with or without broadheads.
• No one may hunt of discharge a firearm within 728 metres of a school, hunt with firearm loaded with a rifle cartridge, singleball or slug; or discharge a firearm within 400 metres of a dwelling, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation, place of business or public building; discharge a shotgun or bow within 182 metres of a dwelling, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation, place of business, or public building.
• The owner or occupier of a dwelling may discharge a firearm or bow or hunt within the distances stated if the point of discharge is not within the prescribed distances from any other dwelling or a school, public building, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation or place of business.
• The following wildlife may be taken without a licence or permit: coyote (anytime), red squirrel (November 1 to February 28), crow (September 1 to March 31), snapping turtle (July 15 to September 30), and bullfrog (July 15 to September 30).
• No person shall sell the meat of white-tailed deer, moose, bullfrogs, snapping turtles or game birds unless permitted by regulation or licence.
• With certain exceptions no person shall hunt between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.

Questions concerning hunters trespassing are common during the fall from both hunters and non-hunters. What can be done depends upon the individual circumstances of each case. Conservation officers cannot enforce trespass laws, although police can under the Protection of Property Act. Trespassing is usually a civil matter and a landowner must charge the person and take them to court.

Everyone should do their part to help us protect our wildlife resource.

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