COLUMBUS, OH -- Ohioans seeking information about the upcoming white-tailed deer hunting seasons and people seeking to report violations of Ohio wildlife laws can take advantage of extended call center hours during the last week of November and the first week of December, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
The 1-800-WILDIFE (945-3543) general hunting information hotline will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, November 22-23, for the inaugural youth deer-gun season.
"We expect that there may be questions among the participants in our first-ever youth deer-gun season and we want to make sure the Division of Wildlife is available to assist," said ODNR Division of Wildlife Chief Steven A. Gray.
Staff will also be available to answer 1-800-WILDLIFE calls from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 28; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, November 29-30; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, December 1-5, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7. Ohioans are encouraged to help enforce state wildlife laws by reporting wildlife violations to the division's Turn-In-a-Poacher (TIP) hotline at 1-800-POACHER (762-2437). Established in 1982, the TIP program allows Ohioans to anonymously call toll free from anywhere in the state to report wildlife violations.
The 1-800-POACHER hotline will open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, November 22-23; and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day from Friday, November 28, through Sunday, December 7.
Callers may be eligible to receive a cash award for information and are encouraged to leave a message during closed hours with as much information about the suspected violation as can be provided. Tips can also be submitted online at the division's web page at ohiodnr.com . Both the 1-800-WILDLIFE and 1-800-POACHER hotlines will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.