The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said its anonymous reporting program has been helpful in apprehending poachers since launching last year.
The new anti-poaching program has led to the conviction of more than 20 people.
NC Wildlife launched its NC WILDTIP program last November, allowing anonymous reports of poaching through text message and an app.
Captain Chad Arnold, who leads the program, said it has received 723 tips since launching, with 22 people convicted for poaching this year based off those tips. One Duplin County incident resulted in two men having to pay thousands of dollars, plus have their hunting licenses revoked, for illegally killing 15 deer in one night.
Poaching could also look like leaving out processed food to bait and hunt black bears, Arnold said.
“Our big game species is what we tend to see the most as far as the poaching taking place,” Arnold said. “That is black bear, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey, and then a lot of our migratory bird species as well, such as waterfowl.”
NC WILDTIP reports were down for July with less than 40, but Arnold said that’s expected for the summer. Hunting violations tend to increase in the fall and winter.
In addition to being illegal, Arnold said poaching is also harmful to state conservation efforts.
“It's a science that is used to determine when the appropriate time is to harvest game, to set rules and regulations for the safety of the public, as well as to maintain a sustainable population for all of the natural resources located in North Carolina,” Arnold said. “A lot goes into it to make sure that future generations can enjoy our natural resource of North Carolina.”
NC WILDTIP pays rewards of up to $1,000 for some reports. Arnold said that more than $3,700 has been awarded this year.
The commission's fishing, hunting and trapping regulations can be viewed online. If someone sees a violation in progress, Arnold encouraged people to call 800-662-7137. Other reports can be made via text, or the NC WILDTIP app or website.
