Field operations weekly report, 2008 January 6-12

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report January 6-12, 2008
This report is a broad sampling of events that have taken place in the past week, but does not include all actions taken by the Law Enforcement Section.

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
FULTON COUNTY This past week, Sgt. Danny Crook, Cpl. Rick Dempsey, Cpl. Eric Brown, RFC Chad Cox, and RFC Byron Young attended the Atlanta Boat Show at the World Congress Center in Atlanta. Law Enforcement personnel set up and ran the fishing simulator and answered questions from the public on a variety of issues.
WHITFIELD COUNTY On January 12th, RFC Eddie Tompkins held a youth squirrel hunt on Dalton Utilities property. Cpl. Shawn Elmore, RFC Joseph Temples, and Ranger Roger McConkey assisted with the day's activities. Cpl. Casey Jones assisted with planning. There were 25 youth hunters present to participate in the event.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON AND UNION COUNTY On January 2nd through January 5th several Rangers and the DNR Search and Rescue Team were requested to assist the GBI in the search for a missing hiker. Hundreds of miles were patrolled throughout North Georgia in search of this young woman. On January 6th and 7th Rangers and Wildlife Technicians from Region II were involved in an extensive ground and air search of the Dawson Forest WMA as well as the Blood Mountain area. The body of the missing hiker was recovered as well as evidence of her murder.
MADISON COUNTY On January 2, 2008 RFC Shane Sartor received a complaint about a possible duck roost shoot in Madison County in the Ila area. By the time he got into the area he did not hear any more shots. The following night, more shots were fired in the area but RFC Sartor still was unable to find the hunters. On Monday, RFC Sartor and Sgt Elrod began looking for the area where the shooting had been heard. The two rangers found a swamp with several shot shells in the water as well as a dead wood duck. Sgt Elrod and RFC Sartor worked the area for seven nights straight until Saturday, January 12 when RFC Sartor and Sgt. Elrod were finally able to locate two subjects hunting after legal hours. Each hunter was charged with hunting waterfowl after legal hours and one was also charged for possession of illegally taken wildlife. They were both given warnings for failure to sign their Federal duck stamp.
RABUN COUNTY On January 7, 2008 Cpl. Derek Dillard received a tip that someone had shot a small doe deer from the road in Rabun County the day after deer season closed. Cpl. Derek Dillard, Cpl. Buddy Lovell, and RFC Chad Chambers went and interviewed the subject and charged him with hunting out of season, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting from a public road.

Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On 01-12-08, Sgt. Brian Carter and Corporals Julian Wilkins and Greg Colson were patrolling Elbert County for small game hunting activity. They were checking areas with prior complaints of hunting without permission. At approximately 12:20 p.m. they located a group of 9 hunters that had already killed 12 rabbits on a property in Ghost Alley. None of the subjects had permission to hunt this property and all nine subjects were charged with hunting without permission and asked to leave.
WASHINGTON/HANCOCK On January 12, 2008, Sgt. Matt Garthright and RFC Richard Tanner were working night deer hunting activity along the Washington and Hancock County line. At 9:07 p.m., Sgt. Garthright and RFC Tanner observed a spotlight being used from a moving vehicle approximately 1 mile away. Garthright and Tanner followed the vehicle for two miles while the violators continued their activities. After turning onto another road, Garthright and Tanner initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. Two male subjects, both with loaded firearms resting on their legs, occupied the vehicle. In between the subjects was a loaded Glock 40 caliber handgun. Both were interviewed by Garthright and charged with hunting from a road, hunting from vehicle and hunting deer at night.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
COWETA COUNTY On January 07, 2008 Law Enforcement and Game Management personnel Cpl. Keith Waddell and Nick Holbrook captured a Capybara (largest member of the rodent family from South America) in South Coweta County and returned it to a wildlife center in South Coweta County. On January 8, 2008 owner of the wildlife center were warned for allowing the escape of permitted animal.
On January 12, 2008, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Cpl. Wanda Roberts responded to a hunting incident in Coweta County involving a shooter and victim. Preliminary information was received from hospital personnel on the victim's injuries. The victim and shooter were hunting squirrels on property in West Coweta County at approximately 5:00 p.m. After the victim harvested 1 squirrel and retrieved it he then moved through dense cover toward the shooter. The shooter mistook the hunter for game and fired one shot striking the victim in the hand, upper arm, shoulder and back of head. Victim was taken to the hospital by his wife, treated and released.
TROUP COUNTY On January 07, 2008 RFC Jeremy Bolen and his K-9 Grizz went to visit the Rosemont Pack 14 Boy Scout Troup in Troup County where RFC Bolen gave a demonstration of the abilities of this K-9 partner.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
BROOKS COUNTY On Tuesday, January 8, 2008, at approximately 8 p.m., RFC Jon Penuel received a call from Brooks County 911 in reference to stranded boaters on the Withlacoochee River. The dispatcher advised that the person who called 911 stated their vessel had capsized south of the Hwy. 84 bridge. RFC Penuel and Sgt. David Ruddell responded to the area as well as units from the Brooks County Sheriffs Office, Brooks County Fire Rescue, Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit, Lowndes County Sheriffs Office and Lowndes County Fire Rescue. At approximately 11:45 p.m. both subjects were found unharmed.
DECATUR COUNTY On January 12, 2008 RFC Tony Cox was patrolling the Flint River in Decatur County. He observed a vessel heading in his direction, and then the vessel operator pulled into some bushes and began throwing fish out of the boat. RFC Cox inspected the vessel and found the occupants to be in possession of game fish while netting. RFC Cox issued two citations for failure to allow inspection and taking game fish (catfish) by illegal methods. He confiscated 6-gill nets & 5 fish.
On January 12, 2008 RFC Mike Binion & RFC Tony Cox were on night deer hunting patrol in southern Decatur County. They observed a truck parked in an area where they had received an earlier complaint. As RFCs Binion and Cox neared the truck, they noticed three male occupants and an odor of burning marijuana. While conducting their investigation, they also learned that there was a small quantity of crack cocaine in the truck. The case was turned over to the Decatur Co. Sheriff's Office. Charges were filed against the subjects for possession of marijuana, possession of crack cocaine, and possession of alcohol by an underage person.
DOUGHERTY COUNTY On January 9th, 10th, and 11th, Sgt. Danny Bishop, Cpl. Robbie Griner, Cpl. Scott Carroll and RFC Ben Roberts assisted the United States Secret Service providing 24 hr security for Vice President Dick Cheney.
GRADY COUNTY On Saturday, January 12, 2008 RFC Mike Binion, RFC Tony Cox, and Sgt. Rick Sellars caught two adults and two juveniles shooting a duck roost near Wolf Creek in Grady County. The adults were charged for hunting waterfowl after legal hours, non-resident hunting w/o license, hunting w/o Ga. waterfowl license, hunting w/o federal duck stamp, and hunting over bait. They were issued written warnings for hunting with illegal ammunition and hunting w/o a HIP stamp. The juveniles were not charged in this incident.

RANDOLPH COUNTY On the morning of January 12, 2008, Sgt. Butch Potter patrolled northeast Randolph County in response to a citizen complaint of antler restriction violations. Eight deer hunters were checked and two warnings issued for hunting without fluorescent orange and failure to record deer harvest.
STEWART COUNTY On January 12, 2008, Cpl. Steve Robinson checked several baited deer stands he had found on hunting leases. Two citations were issued for hunting deer over bait. Cpl. Robinson also assisted the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge manager with waterfowl patrol on Lake Walter F. George. Robinson and cited one subject for hunting without a Georgia waterfowl license.
TIFT COUNTY On January 8, 2008, at approximately 12:30 a.m.., Corporal Tommy Daughtrey received a call from an Abraham Baldwin College (ABAC) Public Safety officer. He stated that a recently killed eight-point buck was in the bed of the truck on campus. Corporal Daughtrey set up surveillance on the vehicle and observed a white male walk to the truck and drive away. The subject was stopped and it was determined, through Cpl. Daugherty's investigation, that the deer was killed a couple of days earlier and that he was a convicted felon. The subject was charged with, possession of big game without a big game license. ABAC Public Safety officers charged the subject with possession of a firearm by convicted felon, operating a vehicle w/o insurance and operating a vehicle with suspended registration.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
COOK COUNTY On January 7, 2008 while checking for fishing license and boating safety equipment on the Little River in Cook County, Cpl. Greg Moody and Ranger Keith McDonald escorted 2 boats back to the landing. Neither vessel had life jackets on board. Operators of each boat received warning tickets for operating vessels without Coast Guard Approved Personal Floatation Devices.
ATKINSON COUNTY On January 12, 2007 RFC Tim Hutto patrolled for deer dogging violations in Atkinson County. While checking hunters in one of the clubs, RFC Hutto noticed a truck that was being used for hunting without a permit number displayed. The hunter was questioned about the violation and was issued a warning for operating a motor vehicle without permit number displayed and a warning for hunting without a license on person.

LANIER COUNTY On January 12, 2007 at around 8:30 a.m. RFC Tim Hutto entered a tract of property in Lanier County that was baited for deer. One subject was in a baited stand and was escorted back to his truck. Upon arriving back at the truck, RFC Hutto noticed two sets of fresh deer antlers in the back of the subject's truck and a cooler with fresh blood on the side of it. After a short investigation, the subject was given a verbal warning for failure to record deer harvest and was cited for hunting big game over bait.
BERRIEN COUNTY On January 6, 2007 while checking boating and fishing activity at Paradise PFA, RFC Tim Hutto and Ranger Keith McDonald noticed a boat being operated without any registration numbers. Upon checking the boat, RFC Hutto discovered that there were no personal flotation devices on board. RFC Hutto also located a cooler containing several fish. The operator of the boat was cited for operating a vessel without coast guard approved personal flotation devices. The other subject on board was cited for fishing without a license.
COFFEE/IRWIN/BEN HILL On Saturday January 12, Cpl. John Allen Stokes and Sgt. David Reckley checked deer hunters on four properties leased by two hunting clubs. They cited 5 subjects for hunting over bait and 3 for hunting without the required fluorescent orange.
CLINCH COUNTY Just before midnight on January 5th, 2008, Sgt. Patrick Dupree, in cooperation with a concerned citizen and deputies from the Clinch County Sheriff's Department arrested two individuals for hunting deer at night. The two subjects had pulled their vehicle into a dead-end roadway leading to a residence off GA37 west of Homerville and shined a light into the nearby field and located a deer. After shooting, the subjects left the area only to return several minutes later to attempt to retrieve the deer. The nearby resident had heard the shot and saw the vehicle leave and then return. He called 911 and proceeded to block the vehicle so the subjects could not leave. When deputies arrived one of the subjects fled on foot, but after several minutes surrendered to the deputies. Each individual was charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle and hunting big game from a public road.
DODGE COUNTY On January 13th, 2008 Cpl. Johnny Ashe and RFC Rodney Horne were checking property in the Chauncey area and found (5) subjects from Florida hunting deer without fluorescent orange. The subjects were checked for licenses and 1 of the subjects did not have any licenses at all. The subject was also found to possess marijuana and was hunting under the influence. This subject was arrested and taken to Dodge County jail and the other four were issued citations for the orange and one for not completing the required Hunter Education to obtain his licenses.

JEFF DAVIS On Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, RFC Britt conducted a surveillance detail at Burkett's Ferry Landing along the Ocmulgee River checking for illegal duck hunting activity and commercial shad fishing activity. At 6:25 p.m. he observed a vessel approaching the landing from up river without navigation lights or any other lights (sunset was at 5:39p.m.). Two duck hunters were in the boat and both had two wood ducks apiece. Both had legal license, stamps, weapons, and ammunition. The operator of the vessel was issued a citation for operating a vessel at night without navigation lights and issued a warning for insufficient PFD's.
ECHOLS COUNTY On January 12th, 2008 Sgt. Patrick Dupree was patrolling a high deer-dogging complaint area at Sardis Church Road. Several pickups were observed parked along the roadside with hunters standing beside them. A routine check of the hunters and their vehicles resulted in six individuals hunting deer with dogs without a deer dog license. All six were issued citations for the infraction. Two individuals were operating a motor vehicle without the deer dog permit number displayed and were issued written warnings.
BULLOCH COUNTY On January 12, 2008 Cpl. Dave Sims tracked and located an illegal deer hunter on private land in southwest Bulloch County. This hunter possessed none of the required licenses and was not wearing fluorescent orange. The illegal hunter was cited for violations and released at the scene.
On Friday January 11, 2008 Cpl. Eddie Akins along with officers from game management and the department's special permits office inspected two fox pens in Bulloch County. All records and activities of the fox pen proved to be complete and proper and no violations were noted.
On Saturday January 12, 2008 Cpl. Eddie Akins responded to a complaint about individuals hunting deer with dogs on a tract of land that was not permitted. Cpl. Akins met with the president of the club that was hunting the area. It was determined the tract of land in question was properly permitted and capable of being hunted with dogs. Cpl. Akins and the president of the club discussed all stipulations and requirements of dog hunting.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On Friday January 11, 2008 Cpl. Eddie Akins along with officers from game management and the departments special permit office inspected two fox pens in Effingham County. All records and activities of the fox pen proved to be complete and proper and no violations were noted.

SCREVEN COUNTY During the week of January 6-12, 2008,Corporal Shaymus McNeely conducted fox pen inspections with game management personnel in Screven, Bulloch, and Effingham counties. As a result of the inspection, two written warnings for failure to maintain records and exceeding legal density of foxes in commercial fox pen were issued. Also issued was a citation for failure to maintain a proper facility for animal care.
CANDLER COUNTY On 01/09/08 RFC Jamey O'Brien worked a night hunting detail on Quick Rd. RFC O'Brien observed a truck driving slowly down the road. When the truck got to his location a spotlight was shined from the truck into the fields on both sides of the road. RFC O'Brien stopped the truck occupied by two individuals with a loaded rifle. RFC O'Brien issued both individuals citations for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, hunting from a public road and a warning for hunting without permission.
JENKINS COUNTY On 01/12/08 Cpl. Don Dasher was at a complainants' home answering a deer dogging complaint when he observed a light being shined from a vehicle in a field. The vehicle stopped and a shot was fired. Cpl Dasher walked across the field and found three men in a golf cart with a .22 magnum rifle and a dead rabbit. The three men were given citations for hunting at night and possession of illegally taken wildlife.
TATTNALL COUNTY On 01/11/2008 RFC Clint Jarriel responded to a property owner's complaint about illegal dumping of deer carcasses, oil and trash on Hwy 280 at the Ohoopee River. The case is still under investigation.
EMANUEL COUNTY On 01/10/2008 Sgt Donny Peebles completed an investigation about illegal dumping of tires. Using a bar code from one of the tires, Sgt Peebles was able to local the business responsible for the dumping. Sgt Peebles along with and EPD officer met with the owners of the local business and they agreed to remove the tires within two weeks or pay $ 4,000 dollars in fines and restitution thus saving the elderly landowner approximately $1,000 dollars to have the tires removed.
On 01/12/2008 Cpl Don Dasher was patrolling southeastern Emanuel Co. when he entered a club and found seven hunters dogging deer on non-permitted property. The hunters were issued ten citations for wildlife violations.
TOOMBS COUNTY On 01/07/2008 Cpl Jon Barnard conducted a CD ROM Hunter Education Course at Southeastern Tech. One student participated and received a hunter education card.

Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
MCINTOSH COUNTY On 1-06-08, while patrolling federal waters by vessel under the authority of a Joint Enforcement Agreement with NOAA, Sgt. John Harwell, Cpl. Ron Harris, Cpl. Jimmy Finn and Ranger Rebekah Fuller boarded a shrimp trawler offshore of Sapelo Island. During the inspection of the nets, licenses and permits, it was discovered that the ByCatch Reduction Devices (BRD's) were blocked with a sack tied in the openings. The BRD is a device used to allow fish to escape through an opening lessening the by-catch of finfish that is associated with using trawl gear. The captain of the vessel was issued a federal citation for Commercial fishing with illegal gear. The case is being turned over to the NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Law Enforcement for prosecution.
WAYNE COUNTY On 01-12-2008, RFC Randy Aspinwall responded to a dog hunting complaint on Bennett Rd. After arriving, he found several trucks in an area where they were not permitted to be. Upon questioning of the hunters they stated that their dogs had crossed onto this property and they were trying to catch them. This was their first violation so warnings were written to 5 individuals for allowing deer dogs off of permitted property.
LONG COUNTY On 01-12-08 Cpl Bobby White and RFC Randy Aspinwall were working a night hunting detail in northern Long County when a truck came by Cpl White's location shining a clear cut. When Cpl White and RFC Aspinwall stopped the vehicle there were five individuals in the truck. Citations were written to all five for hunting deer at night and hunting from a vehicle.
BRANTLEY COUNTY On 01-12-08, Corporal Billy Reed was checking hunting licenses when he observed a hunter was not wearing an orange vest. Upon closer examination it was determined the hunter was also hunting over bait. A citation was issues for hunting big game over bait and a warning for hunting without a fluorescent orange vest.
GLYNN COUNTY On 01/10/08, Glynn County 911 called Sgt. John Harwell and Cpl. Ron Harris to Village Creek boat landing on St. Simon's Island in regards to a possible drowning. Eyewitness accounts report the man was on the bow of his vessel waiting for the tide to rise to trailer his vessel. When the witness looked back at the vessel, the man was in the water. Autopsy reports indicated the cause of death as a heart attack.

LIBERTY COUNTY On 01/07/08 RFC Isaac Strickland, Corporal Jay Morgan and Corporal Cindy Miller were checking offshore reefs for fishermen. Of the seven boats checked, five of these boats were charged with federal violations of undersized fish, mainly black sea bass.
On 01/08/08, RFC Isaac Strickland and Ranger Randy Tinley were patrolling looking for deer bait. RFC Strickland was on foot patrol and located two traps with raccoons in both of them. After 15 hours of working the traps, RFC Strickland saw an individual working the traps and stopped the individual to check for license and other equipment. RFC Strickland charged the individual with trapping without a license and possession of illegally taken wildlife. He also issued a warning for traps not being properly tagged and verbal guidance was given for other violations. RFC Strickland and Ranger Tinley then released the two raccoons and an opossum and confiscated three live traps.
On 01/12/08 Cpl. Cindy Miller was patrolling when she came across two trucks parked on the CSX railroad tracks. Two dog hunters were checked. One subject was written a citation for hunting without permission and a warning for hunting deer with dogs on unpermitted property. The other subject was issued a citation for hunting deer with dogs without a deer dogging license, and a warning for hunting without permission, and hunting deer with dogs on un-permitted property.
BRYAN COUNTY On 01/11/08, Cpl. Cindy Miller and Cpl. Jay Morgan were checking for duck hunters at Morgan's Bridge Boat Ramp on the Ogeechee River. When the rangers pulled into the boat ramp parking area, they observed three men sitting underneath the bridge with two open containers of beer. Two of the men admitted to drinking the beer and were issued citations for possession of open container at a DNR ramp/pier.
On 01/12/08, Sgt. James Shelton and Cpl. Jay Morgan were patrolling near the Richmond Hill Wildlife Management Area, when they found two men fishing off the private dock at the old Bryan Fishermen's Co-op on Kilkenny Creek. Both men were charged for fishing without permission.