Calls to DNR's poacher line nearly double
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it got nearly twice as many calls on its Turn-in-Poachers line last year than the year before.
More than 2,000 calls led to 359 arrests, mostly for fish, deer, and waterfowl violations.
Roger Tietz, operations support manager for the Enforcement Division of the DNR, said stories in the media probably contributed to the unusual spike in calls.
"When the public sees that ... they feel comfortable in using it," Tietz said.
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People are also paying more attention because of a new crackdown on deer-baiting, Tietz said.
He said calls to the TIP line are essential for the work of conservation officers, who each cover about 650 square miles on average.
"It's the eyes and ears of the public having the opportunity to tell us what they're seeing," Tietz said. "Then we're able to react to that information."
The TIP line can also be used to report environmental violations, such as illegal dumping.