Concerned outdoorsmen who take advantage of a program designed to help identify slob hunters and fishermen who break the law can rest assured rewards are being paid by Louisiana Operation Game Thief Inc.

LOGT, the wildlife and fisheries version of the popular crime stoppers programs aired in so many communities across the Sportsman’s Paradise, awarded $8,950 to diligent residents at its quarterly meeting Nov. 12 in Mansura.

An LOGT spokesman said the board reviewed 23 cases that included public tips from informants. A total of 34 suspects were apprehended and a total of 185 offenses were written as a result of the review cases, according to the spokesman.

The cases reviewed and awarded money for cases ranging from deer and migratory game bird to turkey and fishing.

We need more people to step forward to report crimes, such as out-of-season hunting, the senseless killing of bears (see related story on this page), taking over the limit of bass, speckled trout, redfish or other gamefish, reckless boating, etc.

LOGT, founded in 1984, provides cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of violators of fish and wildlife regulations. Money is raised through private donations, court-directed contributions and through donations from cooperative endeavor agreements with groups such as the National Wild Turkey Federation and Quality Deer Management Association.

If you would like to make a contribution to LOGT that can be used for cash reward, contact Lt. Will Roberts at wroberts@wlf.la.gov.

I’ve always admired and respected the wildlife enforcement agents who do their job and make the cases according to wildlife and fisheries regulations in the state. There are and have been excellent, conscientious and dedicated agents living and working in the Teche Area.

The LDWF Enforcement Division’s ranks got a boost Monday when the 33rd class of cadets was recognized at a ceremony in Baton Rouge. They are the agents of the future.

After eight months of training at the Law Enforcement Academy, 12 newly commissioned agents will start enforcing hunting, fishing and boating laws that govern the use of our natural resources.

Here’s a tip of my fishing cap to Dylan Armentor of Lake Charles (assigned to Cameron Parish; Jacob Cramer of Church Point (assigned to Acadia Parish; Michael Darbonne of Eunice (assigned to Allen Parish); Ryan Durand of Pollock (assigned to Rapides Parish); Evan Hoek of Bossier City (assigned to Caddo Parish); Garrett Kirkland of Clinton (assigned to Pointe Coupee Parish); Salvador Mangano of Harhan (assigned to Jefferson Parish); Katie Matthias of Welsh (assigned to Jefferson Parish); Dustin Nash of Jonesville (assigned to Concordia Parish); Shea Schexnayder of Metairie (assigned to Plaquemines Parish); Joshua Segrest of Abbeville (assigned to Vermilion Parish), and Jacob Stelly of Grand Isle (assigned to Lafourche Parish).

The Abbeville agent swept the awards for marksmanship, physical training and academics.

The graduates will hit the ground running to fill vacancies in the LDWF’s Enforcement Division. They will be assigned to field training officers for their first six months.

We should all wish them Godspeed as they engage in law enforcement activities that take them into forests, swamps, marshes, fields, bayous, lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.