The Wildlife Violator Compact
In 1989 Colorado, Nevada and Oregon entered into the newly formed Wildlife Violator Compact (WVC). In 1991, Idaho and Arizona joined the compact. Today, 19 states spanning the country have become members of the WVC.
The Wildlife Violator Compact (WVC) assures non-resident violators receiving citations for certain wildlife violations in participating states the same treatment accorded residents who are in violation. Procedures are established which cause a non-resident violator who fails to comply with the terms of a citation issued in a participating state to face the possibility of the suspension of his wildlife license privileges in his home state until the terms of the citation are met. Safeguards are built into the WVC to assure that a non-resident violator is afforded all due process protection.
The WVC provides for the reciprocal recognition of the suspension of license privileges by participating states. The reciprocal recognition of suspensions is intended to address the problems associated with the mobility of many violators.
Finally, the WVC provides that information on convictions in participating states shall be forwarded to the home state of the violator. The home state shall treat such convictions as if they had occurred in that state for the purposes of license suspension actions. The WVC not only assures equal treatment of residents and non-residents of participating states, but also enhances the law enforcement services and deterrent value of time spent patrolling by uniformed officers.
| Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact Member States, Effective
Dates and Suspensions 2004 through 2007 |
| State | Effective Date | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | Total |
| Arizona |
10/14/1991 |
52 |
24 |
593 |
75 |
250 |
| California |
1/1/2002 |
19 |
70 |
47 |
111 |
247 |
| Colorado |
2/25/1991 |
263 |
0 |
582 |
168 |
1,013 |
| Florida |
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
46 |
48 |
| Georgia |
9/1/2003 |
37 |
49 |
40 |
37 |
163 |
| Idaho |
3/15/1991 |
216 |
294 |
251 |
292 |
1,053 |
| Illinois |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
68 |
68 |
| Indiana |
10/31/2000 |
13 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
15 |
| Iowa |
8/31/2001 |
167 |
251 |
543 |
409 |
1,370 |
| Michigan |
10/1/2005 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Minnesota |
3/1/2000 |
212 |
240 |
252 |
221 |
925 |
| Missouri |
12/20/1999 |
162 |
89 |
161 |
164 |
606 |
| Montana |
2/3/1996 |
243 |
190 |
231 |
302 |
966 |
| Nevada |
2/19/1991 |
7 |
19 |
23 |
12 |
61 |
| New Mexico |
8/30/2001 |
396 |
116 |
175 |
75 |
762 |
| New York |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
68 |
69 |
| North Dakota |
8/15/2001 |
37 |
58 |
38 |
89 |
222 |
| Oregon |
2/19/1991 |
0 |
0 |
425 |
577 |
1,002 |
| South Dakota |
|
0 |
0 |
532 |
433 |
965 |
| Tennessee |
2/19/1991 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
363 |
384 |
| Utah |
3/1/1993 |
112 |
112 |
108 |
168 |
500 |
| Washington |
3/15/1991 |
43 |
60 |
85 |
66 |
254 |
| Wyoming |
8/3/1996 |
30 |
27 |
25 |
176 |
258 |
| Grand Total |
|
2,009 |
1,659 |
3,583 |
3,920 |
11,171 |