Field operations weekly report, 2009 February 22-28

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report February 22-28, 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 February 22nd, Cpl. Chip Cox stopped to get gas at the Conoco Gas Station at Highway 41 and Mac Johnson Road. As he was filling up, he noticed a Hispanic man drive into the gas station and pull his SUV up to the store. When the Hispanic man got out of the SUV, he fell and the SUV, which was still in gear, nearly ran over the man. Cpl. Cox quickly reacted and assisted with getting the person clear of the vehicle and the truck in gear and turned off. As he interviewed the Hispanic man, he noticed several signs that the man was under the influence of alcohol. Cpl. Cox contacted the Sheriff's Office who responded and handled the incident.
On February 28th, RFC Byron Young assisted the National Wild Turkey Federation with an annual "Jakes Day" event for young hunters at Taylor's Farm in Taylorsville. The event included skeet shooting, gun safety, and turkey calling. Over 100 kids attended from around Bartow County.
On February 28th, Cpl. Chip Cox taught a one-day Hunter Education class in Bartow County at the Woodsman of the World Center on Sugar Valley Road. The Center provided donuts in the morning and provided lunch for the twenty-nine students who participated.
FULTON COUNTY On February 28th, RFC Bart Hendrix and Ranger James Psillis patrolled South Fulton County. At the dead end of Rico Road, they located a car parked with a man inside. Checking on his welfare, they noticed that the man was dehydrated and foaming at the mouth. They got the man out of the vehicle and he admitted that he was attempting suicide by overdosing on Xanex pills. He had been there for two days. RFC Hendrix and Ranger Psillis immediately contacted Fulton County EMS who responded to the scene. The man was taken to the hospital for medical attention and a mental evaluation.
MURRAY COUNTY Last week Cpl. Casey Jones closed a three-month investigation with the arrest of a subject on warrants taken in November 2008. The suspect was finally questioned and the investigation wrapped up. A total of three suspects have now been charged with numerous offenses including possession of illegally taken wildlife (deer and turkey), hunting turkey out of season, hunting without license, concealing the unlawful taking of wildlife, failure to record deer harvest, hunting on a closed WMA, and selling and purchasing parts of game species (deer meat). US Fish & Wildlife and Tennessee Wildlife Officers assisted Cpl. Jones.

PAULDING COUNTY On February 26th, RFC Chad Cox, along with volunteer instructors, conducted a Hunter Education Class at Paulding Meadows in Dallas. The class was an on-line course and 28 people were certified.
WALKER COUNTY On February 26th, RFC Roger McConkey and Cpl. Tommy Gentry participated in North Lafayette Elementary Winter Fest Program. RFC McConkey and Cpl. Gentry set up a booth utilizing the Laser Shot System. Approximately 75 students and a few adults tried their hand at deer hunting.
WHITFIELD COUNTY On February 20th, RFC Eddie Tompkins was notified of a missing boater on the Conasauga River. From February 20th through 27th, DNR officers have spent a total of 536 hours searching for the missing teen. The officers searched the river by boat with K9 cadaver dogs, underwater cameras, side scan sonar, body drags, and drag poles. They have been assisted by Whitfield County Sheriff's Office and EMA, Murray County Fire and Rescue, Gordon County Fire, Rescue and EMA, Forsyth County Fire and Rescue, Floyd County EMA, Georgia Bureau of Investigations, Georgia Forestry Commission, American Red Cross, Georgia K-9 Rescue Team, Cherokee County Fire and Rescue, Alpha K-9 Rescue Team, and the Volunteer State Rescue Services in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DEKALB COUNTY On February 26th, Cpl. Eric Sanders conducted a two-hour test and review for the Online Hunter Education Class at the Dekalb County Park and Recreation in Tucker. During this class 9 students were certified.
On February 27th, Cpl. Eric Sanders met with Ms. Simon's with the Atlanta Journal Constitution for an article and photo shoot with Ms. Morris the owner of the $10,701.47 in Savings Bonds that Cpl. Sanders found and returned.
FORSYTH COUNTY On February 22nd, RFC Pamela Shelton found some trash that had been dumped on private property in Forsyth County. Upon going through it and finding names, RFC Shelton interviewed two people. Part of the dumped items turned out to be stolen out of Dawson County and the information was forwarded to the Dawson County Sheriff's Investigator. After the stolen items were retrieved from the site, RFC Shelton returned to the site and found a suspicious box full of shot shells that had been cut opened and the powder removed. The Dawson County Arson Investigator was then notified because the subject's home had recently burned. Investigations are still ongoing for the illegal dumping, stolen items, and arson.

On February 23rd, RFC Pamela Shelton talked with students at Central Forsyth High School about her duties and responsibilities as a Conservation Ranger.
On February 27th, RFC Shelton conducted the two-hour test and review for the Online Hunter Education Class at the Coal Mountain Community Building where 20 students were certified.
GWINNETT COUNTY On February 25th, Cpl. Eric Sanders was following up on a complaint of a person possessing a mounted owl. Cpl. Sanders went to the resident and spoke with the person owning the owl. He gave the owl to Cpl. Sanders and was issued a written warning for the possession of the owl.
On February 28th, Sgt. Lee Brown and Cpl. Eric Sanders went to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet at the Gwinnett Center. The fishing simulator was used and approximately 25 kids and adults enjoyed the simulator.
TOWNS COUNTY On February 24th, RFC Kevin Dyer and Sergeant Steve Seitz worked a complaint of illegal dumping on Quinn Cove Road in Towns County. Sergeant Seitz and RFC Dyer found two sites where household garbage had been dumped off the side of the road and recovered names out of the bags on both sites. RFC Dyer and Sergeant Seitz issued citations to the subjects that had illegally dumped the garbage.
HART COUNTY On February 21st, Cpl. Craig Fulghum held a youth duck hunt at Skeeter Branch Shooting Preserve near Hartwell. Four children from the Outdoor Dreams Foundation hunted. This foundation grants hunting and fishing trips to children with terminal illnesses. The four children killed sixteen pen raised mallards during the hunt. Cpl. Fulghum called for one of the kids and had other volunteers helping. This has been a yearly hunt since 2005.
WHITE COUNTY On February 17th, RFC Anne Alexander investigated a fire off Hwy 115 near the Lumpkin County line. One man was charged for unlawful burning of egregious litter. The burn pile in size was approximately 30'x20' and included many metal items, aluminum cans, siding material, oil filters, and furniture.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On February 23rd, Corporal Greg Colson and Sergeant Brian Carter went to Greenville Memorial Hospital in South Carolina to investigate a possible hunting incident. The incident occurred on Friday and the subject was life flighted to Greenville with massive injuries to his left knee area. The subject was trying to kill a deer when his rifle discharged and hit him in the left knee area. Charges are pending.

MORGAN COUNTY RFC Ricky Boles received a complaint of a boat floating loose on Lake Oconee on February 21st. RFC Boles located the boat close to the shoreline. He waded out to the boat using hip boats and pulled the boat to a nearby dock. He then contacted the owners through registration. The boat was returned to the owners.
BURKE COUNTY On February 25th, RFC's Jeff Billips and Grant Matherly were patrolling an area of Briar Creek where landowners had discovered illegal Native American artifact collecting. The Rangers observed a vehicle parked next to a half dozen "No Trespassing" signs. The Rangers began tracking footprints leading away from the vehicle and onto the posted property. Rangers Billips and Matherly observed a male and female subjects digging on the posted property. Two people were arrested for excavate/enter/alter site without permission, criminal trespass, and possession of methamphetamines. Both subjects had outstanding warrants.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
UPSON COUNTY On February 17th, Corporal Tony Wynne was given a complaint from the Region IV Law Enforcement Office that was called into them by Game Management in Fort Valley. The complaint stated that someone who wished to remain anonymous reported a bobcat was being held unlawfully. On February 18th, Cpl. Wynne and Sgt. Tim Kendrick went to the address to investigate the complaint. Upon arrival they talked to the person who owned the animal. She stated it was not a bobcat but a lynx she had owned for 25 years. She said she had raised it from a baby in Florida and had brought it with her to Georgia. She then showed them the animal. It was not a bobcat and did not appear to be a lynx. When the officers asked how she knew it was a lynx she responded that a veterinarian had told her. She seemed confused and recalled that he may have said it was a "minx" (possibly meaning a Manx). Sgt. Kendrick called Special Permits and then Game Management headquarters to explain the situation and give them a description of the animal. He then took photographs of the animal to forward to Game Management headquarters. The owner was told that Special Permits would research the matter and contact her.
MONROE COUNTY During the period from February 9th to February 19th, 2009 Corporal Tony Wynne gave eight Information and Education Programs to 268 sixth graders as part of the DARE Program.
HOUSTON COUNTY On February 13th -15th, DNR Rangers worked the Great Outdoors Show in Perry. As in the past, officers instructed a ten hour Hunter Education course, but this year they also manned a fishing simulator which through interactive video technology allowed the public to experience realistic angling encounters with such gamefish as bass, trout, and sailfish.

PULASKI COUNTY On February 21st, while conducting routine boat inspections at Sand Hammock Landing on the Ocmulgee River, RFC Tim Butler contacted a boat operator who exhibited signs of impairment. After administering a series of field sobriety exercises, Butler determined the operator was under the influence of alcohol and placed the subject into custody. The subject was then transported to the sheriff's office for further evidentiary testing, after which the individual was turned over to the custody of local authorities.
HENRY COUNTY On February 25th, the Henry County Water and Sewage Authority opened Tussahaw Reservoir on Peaksville Rd in Henry County for boating and fishing activity. Even though the weather was cool and overcast over 100 vessels were launched. DNR officer Sgt. Russ Ramsey, Cpl. Wanda Roberts, RFC Travis Sweat, RFC Kevin Godbee, and Ranger Adam Jacobs were patrolling the lake making sure all the anglers were safe and in compliance with the law. Eleven violations were noted ranging from fishing without licenses, operating vessel without registration and operating vessel without PFD's. No boating incidents were reported.
PUTNAM COUNTY On February18th, Cpl. Bubba Stanford assisted the Putnam County Sheriff's Office with rescue and recovery operations after a tornado went through the area.
BALDWIN COUNTY On February 21st, Cpl. Bill Goodson and Ranger Josh Copelan patrolled Lake Sinclair for fishing/boating activity. Several warnings were issued for boating infractions and fishing without license.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
THOMAS COUNTY On February 26th, RFC David Brady was on patrol at the Ochlocknee River when he observed a boat being operated in a reckless manner. RFC Brady made contact with the operator and after a brief interview determined that the subject was under the influence of alcohol. The operator was arrested and charged with boating under the influence.
STEWART COUNTY On February 27th, Sgt. Butch Potter patrolled Lake George for crappie fishing activity. One fisherman was charged with possessing over the daily creel limit and another was issued a warning for fishing without a license.
TIFT COUINTY On February 28th, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey assisted Tift County Emergency officials with storm damage issues following a possible tornado in North Tift County Saturday afternoon.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BULLOCH COUNTY On February 27th, Cpl. Dave Sims was patrolling southwest Bulloch County and performed a check of a private pond. The pond owner had previously contacted the Department and requested that officers patrol for fishing without permission and littering violations. Three persons were cited for fishing without permission and released at the scene.
On February 22nd, Corporal Eddie Akins and Ranger First Class Debbie Brannen checked boaters and fishermen, who were taking out at Dasher's Landing on the Ogeechee River. Their efforts resulted in several boats and licenses being checked and two violations being documented. The violations were for operating a vessel with expired registration and fishing without a license.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On February 20th, Ranger Brandon Pierce checked river landings on the Savannah and Ogeechee Rivers. This resulted in thirteen fishing licenses and six boats being checked. No violations were documented.
CLINCH COUNTY On February 26th, RFC Jason Shipes was contacted by the Clinch County Sheriff's Department and asked to assist with locating an escaped inmate. RFC Shipes, along with a Clinch County Deputy, located the inmate and were able to get him to turn himself in to law enforcement officers in Homerville.
TOOMBS COUNTY On February 23rd, Corporal Jon Barnard completed an undercover investigation into the selling of game fish by two local fish markets. Both owners of the two stores were issued citations for selling game fish.
DODGE COUNTY On March 26th, Cpl. Johnny Ashe completed an investigation of night hunting where a deer was shot in a residential driveway off Orphans Cemetery Road. Two subjects were interviewed and found to be the parties involved. One was a juvenile and the other a 20year-old adult, both were charged for the offenses.
APPLING COUNTY On March 22nd, Ranger Chase Altman received a complaint of trapping without permission. After an extensive two-day investigation, including the gathering of evidence and talking with the landowner and eyewitnesses, contact was made with the violator. The individual was charged with trapping without permission and given a warning for trapping without a license.

WILCOX COUNTY On the night of February 27th, Ranger First Class Mike Kicklighter was working an area that had signs of night hunting. At approximately 10:00 pm, RFC Kicklighter observed a truck enter the field he was watching and a spotlight was shined out the window of the truck. Two males, a loaded 17-caliber rifle, and a spotlight were all found inside the truck. Several citations and warnings were issued to the subjects.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)