We have plenty of reasons to love autumn in Wyoming, but many residents eagerly await one particular pastime above all others: Hunting.

Hunting is a way of life in Wyoming, whether it’s deer, elk, bighorn sheep, antelope, bison, pheasants or other wildlife. With our state’s deeply-ingrained hunting heritage, many families take pride in preserving wildlife and passing on hunting ethics to the next generation.

That’s why poaching infuriates so many Wyomingites. It’s appalling and maddening when an animal is illegally killed and left to rot — it goes against everything ethical hunters stand for.

In a perfect world, every hunter would be responsible and ethical, but we’ve seen too many cases where people show blatant disregard for Wyoming’s laws and no apparent respect for wildlife.

Unfortunately, poaching is a problem every year, both in our region and statewide.

A former Cody resident recently pleaded guilty to taking a buck mule deer out of season. The 29-year-old man shot the deer just east of Yellowstone National Park this spring and must pay $7,540, in fines and restitution. He also lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for three years.

Another recent local case was a bull elk that was poached and left to waste in Hunt Area 66 near Meeteetse. A concerned hunter came upon the abandoned elk earlier this month and reported it to Wyoming Game and Fish.

Also this month, two pronghorn bucks were killed on private land north of Gillette.

In another poaching incident earlier this year, a grizzly bear was killed in the Shoshone National Forest. A group of people horseback riding on the Pahaska Trail discovered the dead bear in early May.

Questions remain in those poaching incidents, and the public can play a key role in finding answers. Without tips and information from residents, many poaching crimes would go undetected or unsolved.

“The information people provide is critical to allow game wardens to follow up on a case,” said Aaron Kerr, law enforcement coordinator with the Wyoming Game and Fish, in a news release.

Through the department’s Stop Poaching program, people can submit tips by calling the hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP, texting the key word WGFD to 847-411, or through an online form at wgfd.wyo.gov/law-enforcement/stop-poaching. Individuals can choose to remain anonymous.

The Stop Poaching Hotline received 451 tips in 2013, and resulting cases accounted for fines totaling more than $350,000.

Those who submit information that leads to a conviction may be eligible for a monetary award through the Wyoming Wildlife Protector’s Association.

If you know something about a poaching case, it’s important to contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. You may be the only one who saw or heard something suspicious.

Thanks to phone calls and tips from the public, a mule deer poaching case in the Mountain View area was solved recently.

In a news release this month, Mountain View Game Warden Allen Deru thanked the public and also noted that hunters can make mistakes, such as misidentifying the number of antler points or killing the wrong gender or wrong species.

“Regardless of the mistake, if the hunter contacts us directly and lets us know they made a mistake, the situation will be handled in a positive and fair manner,” Deru said.

We also understand that honest mistakes happen.

A recent example of a hunting mistake involved Wyoming’s Chief Game Warden Brian Nesvik, who reported himself for being an accessory to taking an extra cow elk earlier this month. During a recent hunting trip in the Washakie Wilderness in Park County, Nesvik instructed his 14-year-old son to fire a second time when it appeared that he had missed an elk with his first shot at 280 yards. Nesvik later discovered his son had killed two cow elk, according to The Associated Press.

He did the right thing by contacting Game and Fish investigators and reporting what happened. Nesvik paid a $420 citation, and his son was not cited, because Nesvik was responsible for his son’s actions.

By taking responsibility and reporting the incident, Nesvik set an example, not only for his son, but also for hunters statewide. We appreciate and respect his honesty and ethical handling of an unfortunate situation.

We also encourage others in the state to report what they know about illegal hunting cases and to follow ethical practices.

Hunters and anglers are required to buy licenses and tags so that Game and Fish can continue to do the work necessary to keep wildlife viable for sustained hunting and fishing. Those who violate the law by hunting or fishing without a license are not contributing to the agency that ensures aspiring hunters and anglers can continue to enjoy these activities.

Before you go hunting, know the regulations and hunt legally and honestly.