Field operations weekly report, 2009 January 11-17

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report January 11-17, 2009
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 January 17th, RFC Byron Young closed an investigation of hunting without permission that began on December 29th, 2008. A hunting club in north Bartow County called about a Toyota truck that had gone around a gate and was riding on a power line while they were hunting. The truck stopped and shot a deer standing in the power line. A club member confronted the driver who had loaded the deer into the truck. The truck sped off. The truck was painted camouflage and did not have a bumper or tag but the club member said he could easily identify the driver. RFC Bart Hendrix responded to the scene and collected evidence. He and RFC Byron Young teamed up and came up with a suspect based on the description of the vehicle. When faced with the evidence collected, a local raccoon hunter in Bartow County admitted that he had shot the deer. He was charged with hunting without permission and possession of illegally taken wildlife.
CHEROKEE COUNTY The week of January 12th, RFC Bart Hendrix and RFC Brooks Varnell attended the NASBLA Boat Incident Reconstruction Course in Gainesville at Lake Lanier. They became certified in reconstruction of boating incidents using proven scientific techniques.
On January 17th, RFC Bart Hendrix and Lt. Judd Smith attended the National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet in Augusta, Georgia. RFC Hendrix was recognized as Georgia's 2008 NWTF Officer of the Year.
FANNIN COUNTY On January 16th, Ranger Cody Jones received a complaint that there was a man skinning a deer behind a house. After arriving at the subject's house, Ranger Jones interviewed the subject and investigated the area. Ranger Jones found that the subject had shot a doe on his property on January 15th. Ranger Jones informed him that the last day of hunting season in Fannin County was on January 1st. The subject was issued a citation for hunting out of season and possession of illegally taken wildlife. The deer meat was seized and donated to a needy family in the area.
FULTON COUNTY On January 13th 18th, Rangers from Regions I and II Law Enforcement set up a booth at the Atlanta Boat Show held at the World Congress Center. They provided boating information to the public including how to register a boat on the new registration system. The fishing simulator, display and pictures of boating on major lakes, and an interactive demonstration of what it is like to be impaired by alcohol through wearing "fatal vision" goggles was offered. Rangers who worked the show included Sgt. Mike Barr, Sgt. Lee Brown, Cpl. Chip Cox, Cpl. Jason Roberson, RFC Eric Sanders, RFC Rick Dempsey, RFC Byron Young, RFC Mark Stephens, Ranger Pamela Shelton, and Ranger James Psillis. Over 2000 people came by the DNR booth throughout the week.

GILMER COUNTY Cpl. James Keener and Wildlife Technician Joe Hill obtained arrest warrants for three individuals for violations including possession of firearm by a convicted felon, dogging deer in a closed county, hunting without permission, hunting without a license, and hunting without a big game license. These charges were a result of an investigation began on December 27th that originated with an in-progress call in reference to individuals dogging deer off of Hwy 52 East near Ellijay.
PAULDING COUNTY On January 14th, RFC Chad Cox received a call from a Paulding County deputy in reference to a lost hunter on Paulding Forest WMA. RFC Cox and Wildlife Tech. Lee Burns responded to the area where the hunter had parked his vehicle. Communication was established with the lost hunter via cell phone. RFC Cox and a Paulding County deputy drove through the WMA, while asking the lost hunter to discharge his firearm. RFC Cox heard a shot, left his patrol vehicle to travel on foot, and located the hunter. After locating the hunter RFC Cox used his GPS unit to return to his patrol vehicle. The hunter had been coyote hunting and had traveled over a mile from his vehicle.
PICKENS COUNTY Cpl. James Keener obtained arrest warrants for an individual for hunting without permission and possession of illegally taken wildlife. The warrants were the results of an investigation he began in December off of Shyer's Ford Road.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
FORSYTH COUNTY On January 17th, Sgt. Lee Brown and RFC Mitchell Crump were checking for duck and goose hunting activity at Tidwell Boat Ramp on Lake Lanier. The rangers checked two different boats that had been waterfowl hunting. One group of hunters had harvested a goose and was in compliance with the hunting laws but was in violation of the boating laws for operating a vessel with not enough life jackets and improper registration. The operator was issued a citation and warning for these infractions. The other boat of hunters hadn't harvested any waterfowl that morning. One of these hunters was in violation for hunting with an unplugged shotgun and operating a vessel without a fire extinguisher. A citation and warning were issued for these infractions.
On January 17th, Sgt. Lee Brown and RFC Mitchell Crump were patrolling the Chattahoochee River at the Hwy 20 Bridge. The rangers observed a fisherman for a period of time and saw that he was fishing below the Hwy 20 Bridge with unlawful bait. The rangers got the attention of the fisherman and had him come the shore. As the fisherman approached the shore Sgt. Brown recognized the fisherman. Sgt. Brown had issued warnings to this subject several weeks before for fishing after obtaining creel limit and fishing with unlawful bait in an artificial only zone. This subject was issued a citation for fishing with unlawful bait in an artificial only zone.

FULTON COUNTY On January 14th 18th, Sgt. Lee Brown, Cpl. Eric Sanders, Cpl. Jason Roberson, RFC Mark Stephens and RFC Pamela Shelton assisted rangers from Region I with the Atlanta Boat Show.
HALL COUNTY On January 12th 16th, rangers from Region II and rangers from the other six Law Enforcement Regions and the states of Arizona and Wisconsin attended the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators Level One-Comprehensive National Boating Accident Investigation and Analysis Course at Lake Lanier Islands. This course will enable rangers across the state to better investigate boating incidents on the waterways of the state of Georgia.
ROCKDALE COUNTY On January 11th, Cpl. Sanders was patrolling for deer hunters when he located a site where a huge quantity of trash had been dumped. The material dump was consistent with a house being cleaned out. Cpl. Sanders found several cards with the same name and address. Cpl. Sanders noticed a white envelope that looked strange. Inside the envelope were nineteen US Savings Bonds that had the name of the person that was on the cards. Cpl. Sanders located the address and found a relative there painting. The relative stated that they had paid someone to haul the trash off. Cpl. Sanders showed the relative what was found and she could not believe what was thrown away. She stated that this would keep the owner of the Savings Bonds in Health Care for another year. The total sum of the Bonds was $10,701.41 cents. The family was very grateful of the actions taken by Cpl. Sanders to find the owner of the Savings Bonds. Cpl. Sanders did issue the subject who dumped the trash a citation for illegal dumping.
On January 11th, Cpl. Sanders saw black smoke coming from the wood line next to a power line on Klondike Road. Cpl. Sanders found where a contractor was burning illegal materials. The materials were being burned in a pit that had been dug. The owner was issued a citation for illegal burning.
FRANKLIN COUNTY On January 14th, RFC Chris Moore and RFC Shane Sartor cited two duck hunters in Franklin County shooting after hours. The two rangers found the hunters about 6:15 pm and they were still shooting. Other violations included were over the limit of hooded mergansers, hunting with unplugged shotgun, hunting with lead shot, hunting without licenses, hunting without federal migratory stamp, and hunting without Georgia waterfowl license. Each hunter received four citations and several warnings.

On January 11th, Cpl. Craig Fulghum received a complaint about someone hunting deer in Franklin County. Cpl. Fulghum and RFC Chris Moore investigated the complaint and on January 13th, got a search warrant for the subject's residence. When the rangers arrived at the residence, the homeowner admitted to killing two deer a few days earlier and cooperated fully with the rangers. The man was issued a citation for hunting deer out of season.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
BURKE COUNTY On January 11th, RFC's Jeff Billips and Grant Matherly located a suspected duck roost shoot area and checked baited deer stands. That evening, RFC Billips and Sgt. Max Boswell checked baited deer stands.
On January 12th, RFC Billips checked the duck roost shoot area and a night hunting complaint. Later that night, RFC Billips assisted RFC Matherly in Richmond County on a night hunting complaint.
On January 15th, RFC Billips patrolled an area where illegal deer dog hunting has been occurring. RFC Billips patrolled the area in the morning and afternoon without any violator contact.
On January 16th, RFC Billips participated in the NWTF's annual convention in Augusta.
On January 17th, RFC Billips returned to the NWTF convention. That evening, RFC Billips assisted RFC Matherly in Jefferson County with a hunting out of season complaint. RFC Billips and Matherly apprehended two men hunting deer out of season and over bait.
JEFFERSON COUNTY On January 17th, RFC Matherly and RFC Billips investigated a complaint of hunting out of season on Pollett road in South Jefferson County. After speaking with the complainant, the Rangers learned that a subject on the neighboring property had shot a deer the day before and had been witnessed dragging the deer back to his house. The Rangers went to the neighboring property to see if they could locate where the deer had been shoot. While on the property the ranger located two subjects sitting in deer stand. When asked what they were doing both subjects advised the rangers that they were trying to deer hunt. Both subjects were found to have two piles of corn in front of their stands. After getting the subjects out of their deer stands and back to their vehicle, RFC Matherly asked who had killed the deer the day before. One of the subjects advised that he had shot the deer the day before, and he had it packed in ice in the cooler that was located in the bed of his truck. The subjects were charged with hunting out of season and hunting big game over bait. The subject that admitted to killing the deer the day before was charged with possession of illegally taken wildlife, and the deer was confiscated.

GREENE COUNTY On January 10th, Cpl. Derrell Worth heard some shooting near the location he was working. When he located the shooting, it was a father and older son dove hunting. Upon checking the two hunters, Cpl. Worth noticed cracked corn spread on top of the ground. Cpl. Worth recognized the two hunters because he had caught them on several occasions in the past on other game and fish violations. The two hunters were charged with hunting over bait.
WALTON COUNTY On January 17th, Sgt. Brian Carter and Ranger Niki Spencer assisted Jennifer Bailey with the Hunter's Education Skills Challenge at WRD Headquarters.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
HEARD COUNTY On January 17th, Cpl. Jim Bradfield and Cpl. Brent Railey checked two groups of duck hunters in a swamp in north Heard County. There were seven hunters total and only one of the seven had killed a duck. The two groups of hunters were hunting different parts of the same swamp on two different landowner's property. One of the seven hunters did not have a signed federal duck stamp.
TROUP COUNTY On January 15th, at about 6:30 pm Cpl. Brent Railey was on patrol on Troup County when he saw two trucks parked on the side of hwy 27 in a parking area for a local deerhunting club. He went back and saw hunting related items in the trucks. A few minutes' later two men, carrying deer rifles and wearing blaze orange, walked out of the woods. Cpl. Railey asked if they had seen anything and they said they had seen a 6 pointer. They said they were in fact deer hunting. Cpl. Railey told the men that deer season had ended in Troup County on January 1, 2009 and they were hunting out of season. They said they had heard people at work talking about this being the last day and didn't give any thought to the club being in Troup County and it was their mistake. They were both cited for hunting deer out of season.
Cpl. Brent Railey assisted both Parks and Game Management at the FDR state park deer hunt on January 13th and 14th. He checked several licenses but issued no citations.
TALBOT COUNTY On January 17th, RFC Jeremy Bolen heard several shots coming from an area near a duck pond. RFC Bolen drove around to the location and found two hunters coming out of the pond. RFC Bolen inspected the license of both hunters and discovered that both hunters were missing a hunting license. The hunters possessed all other appropriate license for hunting ducks. Both hunters were issued written warnings for the license violation.

MERIWETHER COUNTY On January 13th, while working the FDR Park hunt, RFC Mitch Oliver received information from some of the hunter's that they had heard ATV's and someone climbing a tree with a deer stand in close proximity to the park property. RFC Oliver and an employee with DNR Parks patrolled the area that evening on foot and located a climbing stand on the property line. The stand was on private property in Harris County, but according to the officers GPS and topographical map, it was right on the county line. The area the hunter would have been looking over was actually in Meriwether County and deer season had closed in Meriwether County some two weeks prior. RFC Oliver didn't locate any hunters that evening and decided to come back and check the area the next morning. With the assistance of RFC Jeremy Bolen and Wildlife Tech Mike Crumbly, the officer's walked back into the area the following morning and checked for hunters. The officer's didn't find anyone in the climbing stand, but continued to walk the property line. The officer's located another climbing stand that was well into Meriwether County and after walking past it some one hundred yards, found a hunter sitting on the ground overlooking a clear cut. The hunter, in Meriwether County, admitted to being in the climbing stand the morning before, but had decided to hunt from the ground this a.m. He was written a citation for hunting out of season.
PUTNAM COUNTY On the morning of January 17th, Corporal Bubba Stanford checked hunters exiting the Oconee WMA waterfowl impoundments. Various warnings and citations were issued for license requirements and also hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
HENRY COUNTY On the evening of January 12th, RFC Kevin Godbee and RFC Travis Sweat taught an educational program on gun safety and hunter education to the Henry County 4-H Club in McDonough, all of the attendees also had a chance to ask both Rangers questions about hunter education and questions about various laws, which pertain to hunting.
TWIGGS COUNTY On the evening of January 17th, Cpl. Robert Stillwell responded to a call from Cpl. Bubba Stanford and RFC Chad Welch regarding subjects shooting waterfowl after legal hours. Upon arriving in the general area of the shoot, the officers split up and entered the swamp in order to locate the hunters. Seven subjects, all of whom were residents of another state, were subsequently apprehended. Officers issued all the hunters citations for hunting waterfowl after legal hours, hunting without a Federal duck stamp, and hunting without a non-resident license. They received written warnings for hunting without a state waterfowl license, and four of the seven were warned for hunting with an unplugged shotgun.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
THOMAS COUNTY On January 16th, as RFC David Brady was concluding a night patrol, a vehicle passed him traveling at a very high rate of speed in a no passing zone. Upon stopping the vehicle, the operator was arrested for outstanding warrants and driving with a suspended license.
BROOKS COUNTY On January 17th, RFC Jon Penuel and Sgt. David Ruddell checked a duck shoot in the Dixie area. A check of the hunters and the pond resulted in charges being made for several license violations, taking over the daily bag limit and hunting with illegal ammunition (lead shot).
BAKER COUNTY On January 11th, RFC Randy Davis conducted a boat patrol on the Flint River where he found a vessel operating without the required personal flotation devices on board. A citation was issued for operating a vessel without PFD's.
CLAY COUNTY On the night of January 11th, RFC Jim Atchley was working a night deer hunting complaint when he observed a vehicle occupied by two people enter the area and began to hunt. As RFC Atchley attempted to stop the vehicle it fled, but was stopped after a brief pursuit. Atchley was able to apprehend the driver, but the passenger fled into the surrounding woods. DNR officers Sgt. Butch Potter, RFC Bob Holley and canine handler RFC Jeremy Bolen responded to assist, along with local law enforcement agencies and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter. Despite an intensive all night search, the second subject eluded capture and remains at large. The case is under investigation and numerous charges are pending.
CALHOUN COUNTY On January 13th, Ranger Randy James investigated a hunting incident involving a hunter falling from a tri-pod stand. Due to recent heavy rains the ground was saturated and one leg of the stand sank into the ground, causing the stand to fall with the hunter still inside, breaking his clavicle bone.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BULLOCH COUNTY On January 12th, Cpl. Dave Sims was patrolling a hunting club near Register, Georgia for deer dog hunting activity. Ten hunters were checked and the following violations were documented: hunting from the public road, hunting without the required deer dog license, operating a motor vehicle without numbers displayed and parking illegally.

On January 11th, Cpl. Eddie Akins, Sgt. William Vickers and Rgr. Brandon Pierce responded to a deer dogging complaint off Cleary Road in Bulloch County. The investigation of the complaint resulted in three violations being documented for failure to keep dogs on permitted property.
On January 17th, Cpl. Eddie Akins and Cpl. Shamus McNeely checked the Oliver Bridge WMA for small game hunting. Their efforts resulted in four hunters being checked and two license violations being documented.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On January 10th, Ranger Brandon Pierce checked local deer dogging clubs and one violation of interference of travel on a public road was documented. Also, Ranger Brandon Pierce responded to a call of several caught deer dogs on private property. No violations were issued.
On January 11th, Ranger Brandon Pierce responded to a call of several ATV's riding and shooting on private property. No one was apprehended.
On the evening of January 15th, Ranger Brandon Pierce worked a detail on a landing on the Savannah River. One boat was checked and two violations were documented for insufficient life jackets and operating vessel without using navigational lights.
On January 16th, Ranger Brandon Pierce checked a landing on the Ogeechee River. This resulted in several fishermen being checked. No violations were documented.
On the night of January 18th, Ranger Brandon Pierce received a call from the Effingham County Sheriff's Office reporting that a deputy sheriff had stopped a vehicle with three dead rabbits in the back of the vehicle. Upon making contact with the subject two violations were documented for hunting rabbits at night and possession of illegally taken wildlife. Also, the three rabbits were confiscated.
EVANS COUNTY On January 12th, RFC Debbie Brannen patrolled for deer hunters. Two hunters were checked resulting in one citation for hunting deer without fluorescent orange and two warnings were issued for hunting deer with dogs on unpermitted property.
CLINCH COUNTY On January 14th, RFC Jason Shipes observed black smoke in the area of Brown Street in Homerville. RFC Shipes responded to the area and found two subjects tending a fire that contained several tires and other plastic material. Both subjects were issued citations for unlawful burning of waste and the fire was extinguished.

ECHOLS COUNTY On January 17th, Sgt. Patrick Dupree was listening for after-hours duck hunting activity south of Statenville. Sgt. Dupree heard a volley of shots east of US129 near the Florida line about 15 minutes after legal sunset. Several pickups were located in the area along with five individuals. Two of them possessed no firearm and the three hunters with a gun stated that they brought their two friends along to pick up ducks. Violations of hunting waterfowl after hours, hunting waterfowl without a federal stamp and hunting waterfowl without a Georgia waterfowl license were documented against the three hunters.
BERRIEN COUNTY On January 13th, Cpl. Morty Wood continued an ongoing illegal dumping investigation and located 2 suspects that had deposited trash on another person's property. The violation of illegal dumping was documented and the suspects agreed to clean up the debris within the week.
BERRIEN/TIFT COUNTY On January 16th, Cpl. Morty Wood investigated a duck roost shoot complaint. The shoot was located in Tift County. Eighteen violations for hunting waterfowl after hours, possession of illegally taken wildlife, and failure to sign federal migratory stamp were documented against six individuals. Seventeen ducks were confiscated and donated to a local church for their annual wild game supper.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY Region VI officers continued with efforts to recover drowning victim in the Oconee River.
RFC Danielle Partin attended NASBLA's Boat Accident Investigation course at Lake Lanier Islands.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
LIBERTY COUNTY On January 14th, RFC Isaac Strickland and Cpl. Jay Morgan were patrolling the Sapelo Sound area when they observed a shrimp boat commercial fishing mile inside closed waters. The captain and crew member were both cited for using power-drawn nets in closed waters. The crew member was also cited for commercial fishing without a commercial fishing license. 128 pounds of shrimp were confiscated from the boat.
BRYAN COUNTY On January 17th, Cpl. Cindy Miller was patrolling South Bryan County to check duck hunters. Cpl. Miller checked two duck hunters. One of the individuals was cited for a non-resident hunting without a license.

MCINTOSH COUNTY On January 15th, Sgt. Harwell checked 30 hunting licenses, with one hunting w/o a deer dog license. The subject was cited for not having a deer dog license.
On January 17th, Sgt. Harwell and Ranger Fuller checked 30 duck hunters at Champney and Rhett's Island. One subject was cited for not having a license and all boats had the proper safety equipment.
On January 12th-16th, Cpl. Harris attended Boating Incident/Safety training at Lake Lanier.
BRANTLEY COUNTY On January 13th, Cpl. Billy Reed attended Brantley County Probate Court for a suspect cited on 11/20/08. The suspect entered a guilty plea and was fined a total of $811.00 for all three citations. In addition to this, the Judge suspended his hunting privileges for 12 months.
WAYNE COUNTY On January 13th, while listening for duck shoots, Cpl. Bobby White watched as a truck came to a stop in the middle of Robinson Rd. The occupant was watching a flock of turkeys feeding in a Rye Field. As the turkeys spooked as started flying off, a man exited the truck and shot at the turkeys. The suspect was issued citations for hunting turkeys out of season and for hunting from a public road.
GLYNN COUNTY On January 10th, Sgt. Bob Lynn's work section conducted a wildlife checkpoint on Paulk's Pasture WMA. Several vehicles were checked coming out of the back gate exit of the WMA located on Hwy 32. No violations were noted.
CAMDEN COUNTY On January 11th, Cpl. Jesse Cook and RFC Craig Smith received a complaint about a Florida commercial crabber setting crab pots in Georgia water's. Cpl. Cook and RFC Smith located the illegal crab pots and soon located the illegal commercial crabber. The crabber was cited for non-resident commercial fishing w/o a non-resident commercial license and non-resident commercial fishing w/o a non-resident commercial fishing boat license. He was advised to pull his illegal crab pots from Georgia water's or they would be confiscated.
On January 13th, Cpl. Chris Hodge received a complaint about a large amount of crab traps being stolen in Camden County. The incident is currently under investigation.