Columnist Barb Henderson: Game Thief designed to stop poaching

Barb Henderson

Friday, Oct. 4, 2002 | 10:28 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Many of the hunting seasons will open this week in Nevada.

Hunters will be traveling toward their hunting area, setting up camp and enjoying the outdoor experience with hopes of filling their tag.

Sportsmen/women have gone through an application process and Nevada tags were allocated through the computerized random draw system in June.

Unfortunately, hunting season could be a time when a poacher might try to masquerade as a hunter. There's a huge difference between poachers and hunters.

Prior to 1980, the state had fewer game wardens and poaching continued to create concerns for proper wildlife management. Operation Game Thief (OGT) was implemented and approved by the Nevada State Legislature in 1981. In 1982, OGT began taking telephone calls reporting possible poaching incidents.

Deputy Chief Game Warden Rob Buonamici said poaching for deer and elk appear to be on a slight increase in Nevada. In the Southern Nevada region, the OGT program has received numerous calls that involve the limits of fish, using nets to catch fish or illegal guiding.

Officials remind the public never to approach a potential poacher -- leave that responsibility to law enforcement.

The OGT toll-free phone number (1-800-992-3030) receives approximately 300 calls each year and can be found on your hunting/fishing license.

The OGT Citizen Board works throughout the year to raise funds for a reward system, paid upon the poacher being convicted.

For more information on OGT click on the Internet: www.operationgamethief.org.

Outdoors digest

Until next week, enjoy the Great Outdoors.