I would call first, no doubt. You never know what kind of mood the Game Warden is going to be in, like others said, it's not worth the risk.

Years ago (before I was born) my father was attackedin camp (camp director at a summer camp) by a black bearin far northern Wisconson. It happened during pre-camp before the kids showed up,at night in the pitch black.This was before theyhadlamps up in the camp (1963), he was only armed with a .22mag Ruger sixgun.Well to make a very long story short aftera longpainfull fight with this bear that lasted for some time, he was able to kill it. In the morning he called the game Warden.

When the Game Warden arrived my dad showed him the area that it took place and the chunks of skin the bear "removed" fromhim. Well the Game Warden was pissed and told my father he shouldn't go around shooting the bears and accused him of poaching. Well that charge didn't last too long and the whole matter was settled with a call to the wardens supervisor. The Warden did however take the bear, my dad thought he should have been able to keep it after what he went through to get it!but understood why he took it.