Department of Natural Resources 
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section 
Field Operations 
Weekly Report December 21-27, 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) 
BARTOW COUNTY On December 21st, at 10 PM, Sgt. Barr responded to a complaint on Mount Pleasant Road regarding raccoon hunters. Upon arrival, Sgt. Barr spoke with a homeowner. She stated that two raccoon dogs had come onto her back porch where her cat slept and had killed the cat. Sgt. Barr interviewed the raccoon hunters who stated their dogs had gotten off the property they were hunting and had ended up at the house. The homeowner did not want to prosecute for hunting without permission. The hunters apologized and assisted in burying the cat. 
On the morning of December 27th, Cpl. Chip Cox, RFC Brooks Varnell and his K-9, Rock, patrolled Lake Allatoona on the south side of the lake checking duck hunters. They checked a hunter who had all his licenses, but had failed to sign his federal duck stamp. He was warned for the unsigned duck stamp. 
On the night of December 27th, Sgt. Mike Barr received a call about 7:30 PM that a possible poacher had just spotlighted a field and shot 3 times on Calico Valley Road. He described the shots as three-shotgun blast. Sgt. Barr went on duty and patrolled by ATV but could not locate a vehicle, persons, or shot deer. Also about 7:30 PM, RFC Bart Hendrix, RFC Brooks Varnell, and his K-9 were setting up to work a night hunting complaint in Bartow County about five miles away on Cass-Pine Log Road. At 8:00 PM, an S-10 Blazer came by their location and spotlighted a field they were watching. The rangers followed the vehicle and witnessed them spotlighting a second field. The vehicle was stopped. Inside were two seventeen-year-olds and a thirteen-year-old. They admitted that they were spotlighting for deer. They had a shotgun in the vehicle loaded with buckshot. The two seventeen-year-olds were arrested and charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a motor vehicle, and hunting from a public road. The thirteenyear-old and the S-10 Blazer were turned over to a family member who came to the scene. 
GILMER COUNTY On December 27th, Sgt. John VanLandingham and Gilmer County deputies responded to a complaint of a deer being killed at night. The officers went to the area and located a buck deer that had been shot in the eye and was drug up to the side the road. Sgt. VanLandingham located a spent .300 magnum casing near the deer. The officers observed a set of ATV tracks leaving the road and going into the woods. The officers followed the tracks and located an ATV and three subjects sitting in the woods. They were armed with a loaded .300 magnum rifle. All the suspects were arrested and charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, hunting from a motor vehicle, possession of illegally taken wildlife, and hunting on lands of another without permission. Additionally one of the suspects was charged with hunting while his hunting license was suspended and another for operating an ATV on a public road. 
 
 HARALSON COUNTY On December 23rd, Cpl. Eric Brown and RFC Chad Cox assisted other local officers with the Shop with a Cop Program. Each child got to spend $100.00 at the Bremen WalMart. They were also treated to a free breakfast at McDonalds. 
MURRAY COUNTY On December 25th, Cpl. Casey Jones received a call from a landowner who stated that he had a hunter on his property who did not have permission to be hunting. Cpl. Jones responded to the incident and found the hunter at his truck along with the landowner who had made the call. The Murray County man was charged for hunting without permission. 
On December 27th, RFC Eddie Tompkins was patrolling Cohutta Wildlife Management when he observed an SUV pull over and park abruptly. While pulling over, the driver threw a beer can out of the window. As RFC Tompkins approached the vehicle he smelled the distinct odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. RFC Tompkins removed both occupants from the vehicle and located a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle. Both subjects were charge with possession of marijuana and the driver was also charged with littering. 
POLK COUNTY On December 23rd, RFC Chad Cox received a call from a Polk County Police Officer in reference to locating a van parked on private property off Lindsey Chapel Road. RFC Cox responded to the officer's location and talked with the landowner. A white male returned back to the van and was dressed in camouflage. He stated he was not hunting. RFC Cox was able to locate a rifle and backpack on the adjacent land. The subject was charged with hunting without fluorescent orange and warned for hunting without permission. 
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast) 
UNION COUNTY On December 22nd, Union County Emergency Management officials contacted RFC Kevin Dyer to assist in a search and rescue effort for a 19-year-old male who was hiking on Gumlog Mountain. The hiker had been on the trail since December 20th and had failed to check in at his designated time using his SPOT satellite GPS tracking system on December 22nd. RFC Dyer looked at the hikers' previous SPOT tracks on the Internet and was able to determine where he would cross a woods road if he continued in the same direction he had been traveling over the last 2 days. After an approximately 3-hour search, the hiker was safely located on the woods road. The hiker had failed to turn on his SPOT system and check in at the scheduled time. 
 
 RABUN COUNTY On December 27th, Cpl. Derek Dillard received a complaint of someone hunting without permission on Persimmon Creek Road. Cpl. Dillard responded to the area and located a vehicle parked in the area. Cpl. Dillard watched the vehicle until it began to leave the area. As Cpl. Dillard followed the vehicle a short distance, he observed two other male subjects, who were not wearing orange and carrying rifles, exit the woods and jump in the bed of the truck. Cpl. Dillard then activated his blue lights and stopped the vehicle with the three male subjects in it. Cpl. Dillard charged all three subjects with hunting without permission and warned the two other subjects for not wearing their fluorescent orange. 
HABERSHAM COUNTY On December 27th, Cpl. Buddy Lovell received a complaint about people dumping deer carcasses on Shook Road. Cpl. Lovell relayed the complaint to RFC Chad Chambers, since he was patrolling near this area. RFC Chambers went to investigate the area and found a vehicle from North Carolina parked on a power line. RFC Chambers hid his patrol vehicle and waited on the hunters to come back to their vehicle. RFC Chambers watched as 4 hunters eventually returned to the vehicle. One hunter was not wearing any fluorescent orange. RFC checked everyone's hunting licenses and issued one subject a citation for hunting without wearing his fluorescent orange. 
WHITE COUNTY On December 25th, RFC Anne Alexander received a complaint of a man trespassing and hunting without fluorescent orange. The complainant provided a tag number and description of the violator. On December 27th, RFC Anne Alexander and RFC Mitchell Crump interviewed the subject and received a confession to hunting without orange and failure to record his deer harvest. He also said he had permission from a friend to hunt on the property. The rangers spoke with the landowner who stated he did not give this person permission to hunt on the property, but the landowner did not want to prosecute for the trespassing violation this time. RFC Alexander charged the male subject for hunting without orange and warned him for failure to record his deer harvest record. 
GWINNETT COUNTY On December 21st, RFC Mark Stephens and Sgt. Lee Brown conducted and Online Hunter Education Test and Review Course at the Corp of Engineer Office on Lake Lanier. During this course 36 students were certified in Hunter Education. 
 
 On December 26th, RFC Pamela Shelton and RFC Mitchell Crump were patrolling the Chattahoochee River south of Hwy 20, an artificial bait only portion of the river. They noticed two men on the Gwinnett County side of the river fishing with bait and possibly smoking marijuana. They contacted RFC Mark Stephens to try to locate the men while they watched the men. The men then walked down stream. The Rangers met at Settles Bridge and RFC Crump and RFC Stephens walked up the river to try to locate the men while RFC Shelton stayed at the parking lot in case the men returned there. RFC Stephens and RFC Crump found the two men and issued citations for fishing without license, fishing without a trout license, and fishing with illegal bait. 
On December 27th, RFC Mark Stephens was patrolling in the area of Puckett Road. While on patrol he encountered a vehicle with no one around it and without a tag. RFC Stephens notified Gwinnett County P. D. for assistance. The vehicle had been confirmed stolen out of Dekalb County and during an inventory search of the vehicle, drugs were found. 
Region III- Thomson (East Central) 
RICHMOND COUNTY On December 21st, Cpl. Ben Payne was checking a complaint of hunting without permission. After checking the interior property for illegal hunters he went to the back of the property to check deer stands constructed by an adjacent landowner. While checking the stands he observed a hunter duck down in a stand across a ridge. Uncertain if he had seen movement from the wind he moved closer to check the stand. Once at the stand he announced his presence to the hunter. No one responded. He then observed that the rifle pull rope was in the stand indicating that the hunter was in the stand. He could also see the outline of a person's back in the stand 20 ft. above him. He called again for the hunter to respond to his request to show himself and he did not. After retrieving his state issued patrol rifle, Cpl. Payne called for back up. After calling once more to the hunter he finally showed himself. Cpl. Payne directed the hunter to unload his weapon and come out of the stand. The hunter was taken to jail for interference with a rangers duties and hunting without Hunter Safety Certification. No citations were written for without permission. The hunter was hunting from a tree on the property line tree. 
On December 26th, Cpl. Payne received a complaint from Sgt. Boswell of hunting deer at night on a road in south Richmond County. Cpl. Payne worked the complaint that evening and around 10 pm a vehicle shined a light in the field Cpl. Payne was sitting. The vehicle shined the field and turned around to shine the field once more. After observing the spotlighting, Cpl. Payne initiated a stop on the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle had a loaded .270 rifle in the passenger seat. The driver was charged for hunting deer at night and warned for hunting from a public road and hunting from a vehicle. 
 
 WILKES COUNTY On December 26th, RFC Nick Jenkins and Sergeant Brian Carter located 2 baited dove fields in Wilkes County. Ten hunters were issued a total of 18 citations and warnings and 96 doves were confiscated. 
COLUMBIA COUNTY On December 27th, RFC Bobby Timmerman patrolled the Betty's Branch area of the Savannah River for waterfowl activity. While at the boat ramp RFC Timmerman checked several groups of duck hunters coming off the river. One subject was warned for hunting without a GA waterfowl license. Another subject was cited for operating a vessel without PFD's and one for failure to obey regulatory markers. 
MORGAN COUNTY On December 27th, Ranger Ricky Boles was checking baited deer stands when he encountered one subject hunting deer over bait. The male subject was not wearing any fluorescent orange clothing as required and did not possess any hunting license. The deer stand he was hunting from was also located on property he did not have permission to hunt. The subject was charged with hunting big game over bait, hunting deer without fluorescent orange, and hunting without a license. He was also warned for hunting without permission and hunting without big game license. 
GREENE COUNTY On December 25th, Christmas Day, Corporal Derrell Worth responded to a boating incident on Lake Oconee. A boater was traveling on the lake during hours of darkness when he struck a fixed object causing damage to the boat's lower unit. Cpl. Worth assisted the boater in safe return and completed a boating incident report. 
Region IV- Macon (West Central) 
HENRY COUNTY On December 27th, RFC Kevin Godbee located a subject hunting deer over bait off Parker Rd. in Henry Co. RFC Godbee had been checking this location throughout the season. The violator was charged with hunting big game over bait. 
FAYETTE COUNTY On December 21st, Rangers Adam Jacobs and Kevin Godbee checked a baited deer stand off of Hwy 92 in Fayette County where they found one individual hunting over bait. After speaking with the hunter he stated there were two other hunters in his party. The rangers found the other persons in his party and also three other hunters on an adjoining property. One citation for hunting big game over bait and a written warning for failure to record deer harvest were issued. 
 
 LAMAR COUNTY On December 23rd, RFC Keith Page and Cpl. Tony Wynne assisted the Lamar County Sheriff's Office with the search of a missing man. RFC Page and Cpl. Wynne used small boats to drag the bottom of a pond on Potts Pond Rd. in search of the body. The search was unsuccessful. However the search continued the next day and the man's body was found in a nearby field on Rhama Church Rd. 
Region V- Albany (Southwest) 
DOUGHERTY COUNTY On December 26th, Rangers Ben Roberts and Randy James were conducting an operation to address landowner complaints of people hunting deer from public roads and hunting without permission. Shortly before dark, the officers observed a truck occupied by two individuals enter the area and shoot at a deer from the road. The vehicle was stopped and the occupants were charged with hunting without permission, hunting from a vehicle, hunting big game from a public road and discharging a firearm from a public road. 
BAKER COUNTY On December 22nd, RFC Randy Davis completed an investigation of hunting without permission on a local plantation. Based on information provided by a complainant, officer Davis located the violator and cited him for hunting without permission, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting big game from a public road. 
THOMAS COUNTY On December 27th, as Sgt. David Ruddell was investigating a hunting without permission complaint, an evening duck-roost shoot began some distance away. Ruddell located the hunters' ATV's parked near a swamp and contacted RFC Jon Penuel to assist with the apprehension. Upon exiting the swamp, the hunters were interviewed and cited for hunting waterfowl after hours, hunting over bait, hunting waterfowl with lead shot, taking over the daily bag limit, and hunting without a federal duck stamp. 
STEWART COUNTY On the morning of December 27th, Sgt. Butch Potter and Ranger Jack Stripling issued seven citations and seven warnings to three duck hunters. Violations included nonresident hunting without a license, no Georgia waterfowl stamp, no federal waterfowl stamp, hunting with unplugged gun and hunting with lead shot. 
Region VI- Metter (Southeast) 
LOWNDES COUNTY On December 26th, Ranger Keith McDonald received a call about two individuals setting nets in the Little River. After investigating, he located freshly set limb lines but no nets. Two individuals were later checked while tending the limb lines and trotline laws were explained. 
 
 While checking fishing activity on the Withlacoochee River on December 27th, Sgt. David Nugent and Ranger Keith encountered three individuals fishing without licenses. Citations were issued. One Hispanic indicated that he did not speak English, had no form of identification, and could not remember his birthday or address. He was transported to the Lowndes County jail to post a cash bond. Shortly after arriving at the jail he started speaking English. After a GCIC check, it was determined that he had an extensive criminal history. He admitted to giving a false name at the river. He was cited for giving false information to an officer. 
CAMDEN COUNTY On December 21st, Cpl. Gary Simmons was requested to assist the GBI with a triple homicide investigation in Kingsland, GA. Special Agent Richard Dyal asked that Cpl. Simmons bring his canine partner Jake to look for evidence in the homicides. Gary and Jake checked several wooded areas for evidence. After a thorough search of the areas, no evidence was found. 
CLINCH COUNTY On December 26th, RFC Jason Shipes was checking baited deer stands on property north of Fargo. While checking the area, RFC Shipes made contact with one subject hunting big game over bait. He was issued a citation for the violation. 
WARE COUNTY On December 22nd, Cpl. Gary Simmons was requested by an officer with the Georgia State Patrol to assist in tracking two subjects that fled from a traffic stop in Waycross. Using his canine Jake, Cpl. Simmons tracked the driver several blocks before losing the track. The passenger was also tracked several blocks before locating the passenger's shoes. The passenger was then tracked to a busy highway before losing the trail. 
On December 21st, RFC Brad Cox was on dog-deer hunting patrol on Indian Mound Rd. and documented two violations of hunting deer with dogs without dog-deer license. 
On December 27th, RFC Brad Cox and Sgt. Patrick Dupree checked a dog-deer hunter off of Ben Mac-Horseshoe Rd. and documented a violation of hunting deer with unmarked dogs. While patrolling the deer-dogging lease the officers heard a dove hunt occurring on the Manor-Millwood Rd. and discovered several hunters on a harvested peanut field baited with cracked corn and oats. Fourteen violations of hunting over bait, four violations of hunting without license, three violations of failure to participate in HIP, four violations of hunting with a unplugged shotgun, twelve violations of possession of illegally-taken wildlife and one violation of hunting without hunter education certificate were documented. Forty-two doves were confiscated. 
CHARLTON COUNTY On December 26th, Cpl. Gary Simmons was checking hunting leases for deer hunting activity and located parked vehicles with shelled corn in the bed of the trucks. Utilizing his canine partner Jake, both hunters were located. The hunters were charged with hunting deer without fluorescent orange and hunting big game over bait. 
 
 BULLOCH COUNTY On December 26th, RFC Debbie Brannen and Sgt. William Vickers checked a deer dog hunting club resulting in two warnings being written for non-member hunting without written permission and operating a motor vehicle without permit number displayed. 
On December 26th, Cpl. Dave Sims was notified about a hunting accident, which occurred in the Statesboro area on Christmas morning. The investigation revealed that a hunter tripped and fell while looking up and walking backwards around a tree trying to get a shot at a squirrel. When the hunter struck the ground the .22-caliber rifle he was carrying with the safety mechanism in the off position, discharged and the bullet passed through the hunters left calf muscle. The hunter was able to hobble back to his residence and was taken to the hospital by family members. The hunter was released from the hospital the next day. 
On December 27th, while checking a complaint of a known baited deer stand, Cpl. Dave Sims located and cited a hunter for the violation of hunting big game over bait. 
On December 26th, Cpl. Eddie Akins and Sgt. William Vickers patrolled the LeefieldStilson area for hunting activity. Several individuals were checked hunting deer with dogs. Two individuals were found to be in violation of dogging laws. One was hunting without a deer-dogging license and the other individual had failed to properly display the permit number of the dogging club on his vehicle. Later that morning, Akins and Vickers checked a dove shoot that proved to have several individuals in violation of the law with a total of five violations being documented. The violations consisted of three people killing twelve robins (taking non-game species) and two people hunting with unplugged shotguns. 
On the morning of December 27th, Cpl. Eddie Akins patrolled in lower Bulloch County for hunting activity. Akins encountered two individuals with various violations that were documented. One hunter was hunting without a fluorescent orange vest and another hunter was hunting without a license and without a big game license. This hunter had also allowed his under age child to hunt without supervision since the child had not had hunter safety. 
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On December 28th, Cpl. Shaymus McNeely responded to a reported hunting accident on Edwards Loop. A fifty-six year old male subject had last been seen before going hunting behind his residence. A neighbor discovered the man's body lying under a tree stand. Cpl. McNeely and the Effingham County Sheriffs Dept. investigators processed the scene. Sgt. William Vickers, Cpl. Eddie Akins, and RFC Jeff Billips assisted with the investigation. The victim appeared to have sustained substantial injuries to his head in a fall. An autopsy later determined the exact cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the victim's head. 
 
 EVANS COUNTY On December 26th, RFC Debbie Brannen received a deer dogging complaint that resulted in two citations being written for failure to keep hunting dogs on permitted property. 
On December 27th, RFC Debbie Brannen and Cpl. Dave Sims checked hunting activity resulting in two warning written for failure to record deer harvest. Verbal warnings were given for a 13 year old and his father for allowing his 13 year old to hunt without hunter safety certification and hunting with an unplugged gun. 
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On December 25th, at approximately 10:15 p.m., RFC Britt responded to a night deer hunting complaint and charged two subjects with hunting deer at night, hunting big game from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle. 
DODGE COUNTY On December 27th, Cpl Johnny Ashe was called out to the Gum Swamp area for a night hunting complaint. After making contact with the Dodge County deputies, two subjects were charged for hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road and hunting from a vehicle. 
EMANUEL COUNTY On December 18th, Cpl. Jon Barnard investigated a complaint of hunting deer with dogs on un-permitted property in the Garfield Community. Cpl Barnard located and charged one hunter with hunting deer with dogs on un-permitted property. 
RFC Jamey O'Brien patrolled the area of Fannie Brewer Rd and Antioch Ch Rd for allegedly illegal deer dog hunting called in by a nearby landowner. This area was patrolled periodically for 3 days and no violations were detected. 
MONTGOMERY COUNTY On December 20th, RFC Danielle Partin responded to a boat accident and drowning incident on the Oconee River. Search and rescue efforts were started by DNR as well as other state, local, and volunteer agencies. The victim was riding his jet ski and fell off the back of the jet ski after hitting a wake. The victim was not wearing a PFD at the time of the incident. Dive teams, Side Star sonar equipment, and helicopters have been brought in from different agencies to assist with the search. Corporal Don Dasher, RFC Clint Jarriel, RFC Rodney Horne, Sgt. Keith Byers and Captain Scott Klingel have all assisted with the search and rescue efforts. 
The search for the drowning victim continues as of December 27th. Rangers from different work sections have assisted with the search, including RFC Danielle Partin, RFC Clint Jarrriel, RFC Rodney Horne, RFC Barry Britt, Cpl. Don Dasher, Cpl. Jon Barnard, Cpl. Larry Dean, and Cpl. Johnny Ashe. The victim fell off a jet ski on December 20th. Local and state agencies have been on site running side scan sonar and have brought in cadaver dogs throughout the search. 
 
 TATTNALL COUNTY RFC Jamey O'Brien responded to an in-progress deer dogging complaint on Hillview Rd. The complainant stated he had caught someone's deer dogs on his property and that no one had permission to be running dogs on his property. The deer dogs were returned to their rightful owner and the dog owner was given a written warning for failure to keep hunting dogs on permitted property. 
CANDLER COUNTY During the week, RFC Jamey O'Brien worked an area where night deer hunting had been reported. Officer O'Brien heard a shot near his location and went to investigate. Subjects in a red jeep were located in a field shining lights into the field attempting to locate the deer they had just shot at. Three subjects were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle. 
JENKINS COUNTY On December 27th, Cpl. Don Dasher was checking baited deer stands. He found three hunters on the stands. All three were cited for hunting big game over bait and hunting deer without fluorescent orange; and one of the hunters was cited for non-resident hunting without a license, and non-resident hunting big game without a big game license. 
BACON COUNTY On December 27th, Corporal Jimmy Williams was on routine dove hunting patrol and stopped to listen for shots. He heard what sounded like a dove shoot and located the field. Nine hunters on the field were hunting over bait and a total of 10 violations were documented. 
On December 28th, Corporal Jimmy Williams was checking an area known to have had deer baiting activity. He located two hunters who were both charged with hunting big game over bait and one was charged with hunting without fluorescent orange. 
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)