Colorado elk poacher fined $11,000

Thanks to a tip from a responsible hunter, a Colorado elk poacher has been caught and ordered to pay $11,000 for the illegal take of a 6x6 trophy bull in Game Management Unit 2 (GMU2). Because the tip resulted in the arrest and conviction of Agapito Alarid II, the hunter who reported the crime earned a chance to draw a license in GMU2, a unit that can take a hunter more than 20 years to earn enough points to draw.

“Ethical hunters wait patiently for years just to qualify for the chance to hunt in a unit like this,” Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Mike Swaro told the Post Independent. “Those that violate the law and take away an opportunity from conscientious hunters are a serious problem. We are very grateful the person who witnessed this gave us the information we needed to convict this individual.”

Alarid, who shot the bull during an off season in the unit, admitted his guilt when approached by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officer. Because the bull had at least 6 points on one antler beam, Alarid had to pay more than the typical fine of $1,000; “Samson Law” added another $10,000 to his total. In addition to the hefty fine, he will also most likely lose hunting and fishing privileges for up to five years in Colorado along with 43 others states under the Wildlife Violator Compact.

Yet, without a tip from a concerned hunter, Alarid may be still be walking free.

“Most poachers commit their crimes because they believe they can get away with it,” says Swaro. “But anyone that breaks the law should know that CPW officers get tips from concerned citizens every day, which is a great help. Even the most insignificant detail may be the information we need for a conviction, so please help us out and let us know if you think someone has committed a wildlife crime.”

If you spot anything suspicious, you can report suspected poachers to your state's wildlife management department. Most states even have special contact info for reporting poaching:

• Colorado: Call Operation Game Thief at 877-265- 6648 or email game.thief@state.co.us
• Alabama: Call Operation Game Watch at 1-800-272- 4263 or email dcnr.enforce@dcnr.alabama.gov
• Alaska: Call Fish & Wildlife Safeguard at 1-800-478-3377
• Arizona: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-352-0700
• Arkansas: Call Turn in Poachers at 1-800-482-9262
• California: Call the Cal-TOP at 1-888 DFG-CALTIP or email lschwall@dfg.ca.gov
• Connecticut: Call Turn In Poachers at 800-842-4357
• Delaware: Call Operation Game Theft at 1-800-292-3030 or email james.graybeal@state.de.us
• Florida: Call FWC Wildlife Alert Reward Program at 1-888-404-3922
• Georgia: Call Turn in Poachers at 1-800-241-4113
• Hawaii: Call the Dept. of Land & Natural Resources at (808) 643-DLNR
• Idaho: Call Citizens Against Poaching at 1-800-632-5999
• Illinois: Call Target Illinois Poachers program at 1-877-236-7529 or email jsample@dnrmail.state.il.us
• Indiana: Call Turn in a Poacher/Polluter at 1-800-TIP-IDNR
• Iowa: Call Turn in Poachers at 1-800-532-2020
• Kansas: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-877-426-3843
• Kentucky: Call Report a Poacher at 1-800-252-5378
• Louisiana: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-442-2511 or email KLaCaze@wlf.louisiana.gov
• Maine: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-253-7887
• Maryland: Call Catch a Poacher at 1-800-635-6124
• Massachusetts: Call the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife at 1-800-632-8075
• Michigan: Call the Report all Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800
• Minnesota: Call Turn In Poachers at 1-800-652-9093
• Mississippi: Call Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks at 1-800-BE SMART
• Missouri: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-392-1111
• Montana: Call Turn In Poachers Montana at 1-800-847-6668
• Nebraska: Call Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers at 1-800-742-7627
• Nevada: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-992-3030
• New Hampshire: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-344-4262 or email law@wildlife.nh.gov
• New Jersey: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-222-0456
• New Mexico: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-432-4263
• New York: Call Stop Poachers & Polluters in Their Tracks at 1-800-847-7332 or email r5dsptch@gw.dec.state.ny.us
• North Carolina: Call the NC Wildlife Resources Commission at 1-800-662-7137
• North Dakota: Call Report All Poaching at 1-800-472-2121
• Ohio: Call Turn In A Poacher at 1-800-POACHER or email wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us
• Oklahoma: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-522-8039
• Oregon: Call Turn In Poachers at 1-800-452-7888
• Pennsylvania: Call Turn In a Poacher at 1-888-PGC-8001
• Rhode Island: Call the Department of Environmental Management at 401-222-3070 or email kurt.blanchard@dem.ri.gov
• South Carolina: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-922-5431 or email McCulloughR@dnr.sc.gov
• South Dakota: Call Turn In Poachers at 1-888-OVERBAG
• Tennessee: There are different hotlines for different regions:
• West Tennessee - 1-800-831-1173
• Middle Tennessee - 1-800-255-8972
• Cumberland Plateau - 1-800-241-0767
• East Tennessee - 1-800-831-1174
• Texas: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-4263
• Utah: Call the Help Stop Poaching hotline at 1-800-662-3337 or email HelpStopPoaching@utah.gov
• Vermont: Call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-752-5378
• Virginia: Call the VA Wildlife Crimeline at 1-800-237-5712 or email wildcrime@dgif.virginia.gov
• Washington: Call Stop Washington Poachers at 1-800-477-6224 or email enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov
• West Virginia: Call the DNR at 1-800-638-4263 or email law@wvdnr.gov
• Wisconsin: Call the DNR at 1-800-847-9367 or email LE.Hotline@dnr.state.wi.us
• Wyoming: Call the Stop Poaching TIP program at 1-877-943-3847