Arizona Game and Fish Department law enforcement officers want the public to report wildlife violations, but there are actions you should and shouldn't take at a potential crime scene.

"The desire of the public to help us catch violators is great. However, there are instances when that desire can actually hinder law enforcement efforts," said Gene Elms, manager of the department's Operation Game Thief (OGT) program, which maintains a 24-hour hotline for people to call in wildlife violations.

First, don't tell a violator that you're going to call a game warden.

"At that point the violator vacates the scene before law enforcement personnel can arrive," Elms said. "A better approach is to avoid contact, leave the scene, and call the OGT hotline as soon as possible with details."

Elms said that license plate numbers, names (if known), vehicle descriptions, and GPS coordinates are all important pieces of information an officer can use.

Another common mistake is getting too close or examining a dead animal.

"Additional footprints, tire tracks, and general disturbance of the area makes an investigation difficult, if not impossible," Elms said. "If the death of a wild animal appears to be suspicious, people should assume a violation has occurred, call the OGT hotline, and provide the location. Do not disturb the area around the site.”

You should also remember that confronting suspected violators in the backcountry could be dangerous.

"Approaching a violator is not the best course of action," Elms said. "Allow trained law enforcement officers to handle such situations. Individuals should focus on being a good witness, but should never put themselves in harm's way."

If you wish to salvage the remains of a game animal found dead in the field, big game salvage tags are the legal way to be in possession of game animals when you don't have a hunt-permit tag.

"In the case of a natural cause of death, including predation, vehicle collision, or lightning, individuals can file a claim for the remains or parts,” Elms said. “It is important to remember that only Game and Fish officers can make this determination about the cause of death and they can only do that when the animal is in the field."

If you witness or suspect a violation, call the OGT toll free hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-352-0700. You can remain anonymous and may earn a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in the case.