Field operations weekly report, 2008 April 6-12

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report April 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)
FANNIN COUNTY On April 9th, Sgt. John VanLandingham, Cpl. Casey Jones, and USFS Officer Mike Tipton served a search warrant at a residence in Dial Georgia. The search warrant was the result of a complaint of a subject shooting a turkey from Double Head Gap Road in the front yard of a residence. Stated charges are pending on the suspect. Charges were filed in federal court for possession of a USFS sign.
On April 12th, Sgt. John VanLandingham and RFC Eddie Tompkins patrolled the delayed harvest section of the Toccoa River. They issued three citations for violations of delayed harvest rules.
FLOYD COUNTY On April 12th, RFC Ben Cunningham and Cpl. Shawn Elmore were patrolling the Coosa River due to high fishing activity. The officers issued several citations and warnings for fishing without license and various violations of the Boating Safety Act. During the patrol, the officers came upon a small v-bottom boat occupied by two males and they noticed a five-gallon bucket full of fish. One of the Rome men did not have a fishing license and when asked how many fish he had caught he said, "5 or 6." The other Rome man did not know how many he had caught. The five-gallon bucket contained 31 white bass and 6 yellow bass. Citations were issued to the men for fishing without license and possession of over the daily creel limit. The 31 white bass were confiscated and donated to the Salvation Army of Rome.
GORDON COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Shawn Elmore and RFC Byron Young entered Spring Creek Hunting Club on Shirley Road to check a baited area Cpl. Elmore had located earlier in the week. The area was baited with crack corn and grain sorghum. Two Murray County men were located approximately 51 yards from the active feeder and charged with hunting big game over bait.
Later in the afternoon on the same day, Cpl. Elmore returned to check the baited area again and checked a hunter as he walked down the roadway from the baited area. It was determined that the hunter had not been hunting the baited area. He was issued a warning for hunting without a big game license.
MURRAY COUNTY On April 11th, Sgt. John VanLandingham and RFC Eddie Tompkins assisted officers with the US Forrest Service with a license checkpoint on Cohutta Wildlife Management Area. The officers issued one citation for driving without a license, and one for open container. One suspect was arrested and charged with open container and DUI.

Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON COUNTY On April 11th, Cpl. Jason Roberson and Ranger Pamela Garrison were checking an area that was baited for turkeys. As Cpl. Roberson was approaching the area of the bait he noticed a subject that was hunting. Cpl. Roberson approached the subject and upon inspection the subject had the appropriate licenses. The subject was charged for hunting big game over bait and issued a warning for hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
GWINNETT COUNTY On April 6th, Sgt. Lee Brown and Cpl. Eric Sanders were patrolling the Chattahoochee River down river from Abbott's Bridge boat ramp in the artificial only section of the river. The rangers checked a subject fishing from a boat. Upon further inspection the subject was found to be fishing with two poles, power bait and was over the daily creel limit. He was charged with possession of over the daily creel limit and issued two warnings for the other infractions.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
WARREN COUNTY RFC Brian Adams assisted the GBI and the Warren County Sheriff's Office in the search and recovery of over a million dollars worth of stolen heavy equipment. Items included 2 bulldozers, 1 track hoe, 1 backhoe, 18-wheel truck and a low boy. The items were mainly found in wooded areas. Adams observations from the aircraft assisted with the aerial search.
MORGAN COUNTY On April 12th Ranger Ricky Boles was checking a baited turkey spot and located a person hunting over the bait. Upon inspecting the person's shotgun it was found that he was in possession of buck shot and No.5 turkey shot. The individual was in possession of various turkey calls but could not produce a valid hunting license. He was cited for hunting big game over bait, hunting without a license and given a warning for hunting turkeys with illegal ammunition. Ranger Boles then went to another baited site on the same property and located a person hunting from and elevated tree stand. This person was in possession of a rifle but stated that he was hog hunting. This person did not have any turkey calls in his possession and was cited for hunting hogs over bait.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
MUSCOGEE COUNTY On April 11, RFC Oliver and RFC Bolen patrolled the Chattahoochee River in Columbus by truck searching for boating and fishing violations. The officers made contact with several fishermen and issued 13 citations for fishing w/o license.

TALBOT COUNTY On April 11, RFC Bolen was checking a hunting club with baited turkey blinds on the property. While walking around the camp, RFC Bolen noticed a vehicle in camp. RFC Bolen checked the baited areas and did not locate anyone around them. RFC Bolen decided to perform a surveillance detail on the baited areas. At approximately 10:30 a.m. RFC Bolen noticed a hunter walking up the road towards the baited areas. The hunter stopped at three different locations and called for turkeys. The hunter did not hear anything and proceeded towards the camp. RFC Bolen notified RFC Oliver (who was parked down the road) that the hunter was returning to camp. RFC Oliver met the subject at the camp while RFC Bolen measured the distance from where the hunter called from to the baited areas. The individual was in violation of hunting big game over bait at two separate locations. RFC Bolen walked back to the camp, and the subject was charged with hunting turkeys over bait.
TROUP COUNTY On April 12, Cpl. Railey patrolled West Point Lake and checked several fishermen. The weather was cool and wet so the traffic was light. He wrote one warning for operating a vessel with no PFD's and a warning for operating a vessel with no registration.
MONROE COUNTY On the afternoon of April 10, Cpl. Goodson and Cpl. Wynne patrolled Lake Juliette by boat to check for compliance with boating safety laws and fishing regulations. During the course of the patrol several people were cited for fishing without a license and one person was cited for exceeding the creel limit for striped bass.
JASPER COUNTY While patrolling Jackson Lake for fishing activity and boating safety concerns on April 12, RFC Smith and RFC Bryant encountered a disabled vessel tied underneath Water's Bridge fishing. The men told the Rangers they paddled from the Marina to the bridge because their motor would not run. One of the gentlemen was in his late twenties and readily admitted to never having purchased a fishing license in his life. The other gentleman had a fishing license that was expired, but less than thirty days out of date. The Rangers towed the vessel back to the marina for the men. The man with a recently expired fishing license received verbal guidance from the Rangers to purchase a fishing license before returning, and the man who had never purchased a license in his life was issued a citation for fishing without license.
BUTTS COUNTY On April 8, RFC Smith received a call from Butts County 911in reference to a zebra on Interstate 75. RFC Smith went to Exit 201 on I-75 North where he and Butts County Sheriff's deputies located the zebra. The zebra had been hit by vehicle but was walking around and eating. RFC Smith called Noah's Ark in Henry County and asked them if they could help. RFC Smith helped take the zebra to Noah's Ark and assisted the veterinarian treat the zebra. The zebra was later sent to Auburn University for advanced treatment. Ownership of the zebra is still under investigation by RFC Smith.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
QUITMAN COUNTY On April 6, Cpl. BJ Foster issued 2 citations to one person for hunting turkey without a license and not having a big game license Another citation was issued to a turkey hunter using illegal weapon. The person had a .270 caliber rifle.
LEE COUNTY On April 7, Ranger Randy James discovered an illegal dumping site while checking a creek bridge along Hwy.32. Ranger James was able to identify the person responsible for the dumping by information gathered at the site. After conducting an investigation and interviews, Ranger James issued a citation for unlawful dumping of waste.
WORTH COUNTY On April 11, Cpl. Robbie Griner and Sgt. Danny Bishop were patrolling when they noticed a very dark plume of smoke. They stopped to talk with the owner of the property and discovered plastic materials were being burned. The fire was less than 10 feet away from the corner of the house. After extinguishing the fire, a check on the identification of the owner revealed that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest involving a domestic violence case. The person was arrested and taken to the Worth County jail
DOOLY COUNTY On April 6, RFC Clint Martin received a complaint from a local landowner in reference to hunting without permission on his property. On April 12, while working the complaint, Ranger Martin observed two turkey decoys in the open field that the subjects had permission to hunt. While observing the decoys in the field, Ranger Martin heard a shot from the vicinity where the decoys were located. Ranger Martin approached the hunters and found one of them had shot a turkey that was on the adjacent property, which they had no permission to hunt. The subject was issued a citation for hunting without permission and the illegally killed turkey was confiscated.
GRADY COUNTY On April 6, Cpl. Mike Binion was patrolling fishing areas along the Ochlocknee River. He observed 3 male subjects loading a boat at the Hadley Ferry landing. While checking the subjects, he noticed a marijuana pipe and Crown Royal bag in the vehicle. Following a brief investigation, one subject was charged with possession of a controlled substance and warned for operating a vessel with insufficient lifejackets. The other 2 subjects were charged for fishing without a license.
COLQUITT COUNTY On April 10, Cpl. Jason Shipes attended a Kiwanis Club meeting at the Moultrie Country Club. Cpl. Shipes was presented a "Distinguished Service Award" for his exceptional contributions and dedicated service to the State of Georgia and Colquitt County.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
LOWNDES COUNTY On April 12, Cpl. Morty Wood and RFC Tim Hutto checked a hunting club that was baited with sunflower seeds for turkeys. While checking the site, the officers located a decoy in the road near the feeder. Two subjects were sitting behind the decoy. Both hunters were cited for hunting big game over bait. Additionally, one received written warnings for hunting without a big game license and hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
On April 12 at 6:10 a.m., RFC Tim Hutto entered a Wal-Mart in Valdosta to pick up rope for his patrol boat. Shortly after entering, he noticed a man in the women's clothing section acting suspicious. He observed the subject stuff items in his pants. Hutto arrested the shoplifter and turned him over to the Valdosta Police Department. The subject had numerous articles of women's under clothing inside his pants and one razor blade inside his jacket pocket.
On April 11 & 12, Cpl. Morty Wood, RFC Tim Hutto, Sgt. Patrick Dupree, and Cpl. Gary Simmons initiated and completed a recovery operation concerning a drowning incident at Lake Alapaha off Hwy. 84. The 56 year old victim was attempting to re-fill fish feeders and is believed to have fallen out of the boat. The body was located by Camden Co. S.O. Side Scanning Sonar unit and recovered by Cpl. Simmons and Sgt. Dupree. No lifejackets were found at the scene of the incident.
BERRIEN COUNTY On April 13, RFC Tim Hutto and Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey patrolled Paradise PFA for boating and fishing activity. The officers located an individual fishing at a dock and drinking beer. After interviewing him, he was cited for illegal consumption of alcohol on a PFA and issued a written warning for fishing without a license. At another lake, a boat was observed operating with no registration numbers displayed. Upon inspection, the officers found that the operator was in possession of over the limit of bream and had no life jackets on board. He was cited for possession over the limit of fish, issued a written warning for operating a vessel without CGA PFD's and given a verbal warning for the boat registration infraction.
WHEELER COUNTY RFC Rodney Horne and Cpl. Johnny Ashe were patrolling the Stuckey area on April 6th, and found three turkey hunters. All of the non-resident hunters were hunting without the appropriate licenses, one was using an unplugged shotgun and another was hunting over bait. They were given citations for the violations.

LAURENS COUNTY On April 13th, Cpl. Larry Dean and Cpl. Johnny Ashe were conducting surveillance at the Hugh Gillis PFA and issued three citations for improper licenses. They then met RFC Horne and conducted a surveillance detail at the Shady Field river landing where two subjects had been reported to be racing their boats. The two boats were watched and checked as they loaded out, both were given citations for no registration and warnings for not having required fire extinguishers. They were also warned for reckless operation.
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On April 1st, RFC Barry Britt responded to a complaint of illegal deer hunting off Hall Swinson Road. The hunting was supposed to have occurred on March 31, 2008 at 10:20a.m. RFC Britt discovered a dead deer approximately 130 yards off the roadway in some small planted pines. After collecting and documenting evidence, RFC Britt went to the suspect's residence to interview him but did not get a chance to talk with the man until April 8th. The suspect was a 76-year-old male and admitted to shooting the deer from out of his truck window with a Winchester 30-30 rifle. He was charged with hunting from a vehicle, hunting big game from a public road and warned for hunting deer out of season.
ECHOLS COUNTY On April 11th, Sgt. Patrick Dupree responded to an anonymous complaint of an abandoned building that had been bulldozed into a nearby creek. Sgt. Dupree met the landowner at the scene. She was advised that the debris would need to be removed from the stream and either stored on-site or transported to a proper landfill. The landowner agreed to have the debris removed from the creek and disposed of properly. Sgt. Dupree issued verbal guidance and offered to re-check the site for compliance after the clean up.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On April 9th Sgt. William Vickers received a complaint of possible illegal turkey hunting in Effingham County. The next day he conducted a 2-hour foot patrol of the area and located evidence of a recently killed gobbler and a freshly fired shotgun hull in another spot. No evidence of bait was found. He and Cpl. Eddie Akins patrolled the area on a later date and checked one hunter. No violations were found.
On Friday April 11th, Cpl Shaymus McNeely responded to a call for assistance from the Effingham County Sheriff's Office. Cpl. McNeely participated in a multi-agency search for an escaped prisoner from the Effingham County Prison. Officers searched a wooded area near the Effingham / Screven County line where the escapee was last seen. The prisoner was caught on April 12th in Wayne County.
On April 8th, Cpl Jon Barnard and RFC Clint Jarriel conducted two informational programs about the duties of a Conservation Ranger and two K-9 demonstrations for 47 students at the Effingham County High School, Public Safety Class.

SCREVEN COUNTY On Saturday April 12th, Sgt. William Vickers and Cpl. Shaymus McNeely worked a complaint on the Savannah River in reference to unknown persons turkey hunting from the river on private property without permission. No illegal hunting was found.
BULLOCH COUNTY On April 10th, Cpl. Dave Sims located nine steel-traps on private property in Bulloch County. Cpl. Sims located the coyote trapper and issued warnings for an untagged trap and trapping without written permission.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CAMDEN COUNTY On April 10, Cpl Jesse Cook was requested by the Camden County Sheriff's Office to assist with the search of a missing elderly person. Cpl Cook responded to the scene and began searching the area by all-terrain-vehicle. The elderly female was found unconscious, but alive near the residence and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
On April 12, RFC Craig Smith and Cpl. Chris Hodge responded to a drowning in a small county owned lake. The victim was located with the use of Camden County Sheriff's Office side scan sonar. Divers then recovered the body and turned him over to the Camden County Coroner Office.
LIBERTY COUNTY On April 7, Cpl. Jay Morgan and Cpl. Cindy Miller conducted a boating safety program for over 250 Ft. Stewart soldiers. The officers went over basic safety requirements for all vessels, distributed handouts, and answered questions for the soldiers.
On April 8, Cpl. Cindy Miller patrolled the salt waters of Liberty County checking commercial crabbers. Cpl. Miller checked several commercial crabbers and some were citied for possession of undersized crabs.
On April 10 and 12, Cpl. Jay Morgan conducted Hunter Safety Classes at the Richmond Hill Wetlands Center and at Ft. Stewart. A total 18 students were certified between the two classes.
CHATHAM COUNTY On April 9th and 10th, Cpl. Bill Bryson along with Cpl. Phillip Scott, Cpl. Curtis Wright and Ranger Justin Heyward confiscated 22 commercial crab traps from the Forest River area. These confiscated traps came from three commercial crabbers that were crabbing with illegal traps.

BRANTLEY COUNTY On April 13 at 7:30 am, Cpl. Billy Reed responded to a report of a capsized vessel on the Satilla River. Cpl. Reed met with the vessels operator and determined all the occupants were safely ashore. He then righted the vessel and towed it back to the landing. Cpl. Reed then recovered all of the owners floating property from the river. Some of the property had drifted for more than two miles downstream.
WAYNE COUNTY On April 12 Cpl. Bobby White assisted the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce with their annual Altamaha River Canoe trip from Paradise Park. Cpl. White assisted several canoes after they turned over and he rescued one small girl after she became lodged up against a tree in the river.
GLYNN COUNTY On April 6, Cpl. Ron Harris and Cpl. Jesse Cook were checking fisherman on Jeykll and St. Simons Island bridges, beaches, and fishing piers. While approaching a fisherman on the Little River Bridge the subject began to throw what appeared to be undersize sheepshead over the side of the bridge. The officers made contact with the subject, but he had already gotten rid of his fish. He was cited for fishing without a license and for failure to allow inspection. All total, the officers cited 13 different people for various violations such as non-resident fishing with out a license, operating a vessel without lifejackets, and resident fishing without a license.
MCINTOSH COUNTY On March 12, Capt. Stephen Adams, Sgt. John Harwell, and Wildlife Technician Wayne Hubbard patrolled the Altamaha River. One subject was cited for not having enough life jackets; another was cited for fishing without a license.
DNR Law Enforcement officers worked the 40th Annual Blessing of the Fleet on the Darien River. Commercial Shrimp boats and crew are blessed on Sunday during the three-day event held in Darien.