Field operations weekly report, 2009 August 9-15

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report August 9-15, 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 August 9th, DNR Rangers Bart Hendrix and Brooks Varnell were patrolling Lake Allatoona at the mouth of Illinois Creek. They witnessed a pontoon boat come out of the creek under full power. Directly in front of the DNR patrol boat, the pontoon boat came to an abrupt stop. The operator of the boat jumped out of the operator's seat and switched with another person on the boat. The rangers stopped the boat to check on their welfare and safety. They immediately recognized the operator who had jumped up as a white male they had arrested for "boating under the influence of alcohol" earlier in the year. The person had been charged in June 2009 and had his privileges to operate a boat had been suspended. The rangers again noticed signs of alcohol use. When asked if he had any alcohol, his response was "not a crap-load of beer, only 7 or 8". He was screened through field sobriety exercises and found to again be under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and charged with "boating under the influence of alcohol and boating while privileges suspended". He was transported to the Bartow County Jail.
On August 15th, DNR Ranger Byron Young was patrolling the Etowah River. Due to ongoing complaints, he stopped at the low head dam near Chemical Products where he saw three Hispanic males fishing from a canoe. While checking the men, he noticed that they had caught 16 stripers and 18 catfish. A check of safety equipment revealed that they did not have any life jackets on the boat as required by law. One of the Hispanic men also did not possess a fishing license. He was charged with "non-resident fishing without a license" and the boat owner was warned for "operating a vessel with personal flotation devices".
On August 15th, Cpl. Chip Cox and RFC Bart Hendrix were patrolling Lake Allatoona by boat. They were working an area of on-going complaints in the no wake zone at Wilderness Camp. They witnessed a run-a-bout boat go through the no wake zone at full speed. The boat was stopped. A white male in his forty's was operating. The Rangers immediately noticed signs of alcohol use by the operator. He was checked for his level of intoxication, found to be impaired and was arrested. He was charged for "boating under the influence of alcohol" and taken to the Bartow County Jail.
CHEROKEE COUNTY On August 14th, at 1130 pm, DNR Ranger Bart Hendrix received a call from Cherokee County 911 about a boating incident at the Little River Bar and Grill gas dock on Lake Allatoona. Ranger Hendrix arrived a little after midnight and witnessed a cigar type boat towing a pontoon boat to the gas dock. Both operators of both boats showed signs of alcohol use. Through discussions with the operators, it was determined that the operator of the pontoon boat had hit the cigar boat while pulling into the gas dock. The impact was enough to cause damage to the cigar boat. The operators got into a heated argument and then the pontoon boat left the scene and operated the boat out into the lake. The cigar boat operator followed the boat out into the lake where another heated discussion

occurred. This time the pontoon boat would not start and the cigar boat towed the pontoon boat back to the gas dock. Ranger Hendrix was assisted by the Cherokee County Sheriff's deputies and checked each operator for their level of intoxication. The operator of the pontoon was found to be impaired. The operator of the cigar boat was found not to be impaired. Ranger Hendrix obtained the necessary information to complete a required boating incident and placed the operator of the pontoon boat under arrest. He was charged with "boating under the influence of alcohol" and transported to the Cherokee County Jail.
PAULDING COUNTY On August 14th, RFC Chad Cox and a Paulding County Sheriff Office investigator were able to impound a stolen boat. The investigation started when RFC Cox went to a residence off Ridge Road to completed a Hull Id Request and found the original number had been removed. The boat had been stolen in 2006.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
FORSYTH COUNTY On August 14th, RFC Pamela Shelton conducted an Online Hunter Education class at the Coal Mountain Community building with the assistance of Sgt. Lee Brown. During this class a total of 26 students were certified in Hunter Education.
GWINNETT COUNTY On August 10th, RFC Mitchell Crump and RFC Pamela Shelton went to a residence to investigate a PWC's with missing Hull Identification Numbers (HIN.) The rangers issued the person who is in the process of purchasing the PWC's with the Unlawful Vessel/Motor Form. This case is still under investigation with the assistance from the Marine Theft Unit.
HALL COUNTY On August 9th, Sgt. Lee Brown and RFC Mitchell Crump were patrolling the Chattahoochee River portion of Lake Lanier. The rangers had checked several boats for boating violations. A bass boat was observed throwing a cast net. During an inspection of the vessel's live well RFC Crump found three small bream that had been caught in the cast net. The bream were release and a written warning issued for taking game fish by illegal methods. A current Fishing Regulation was given to the fisherman and the laws explained about the use of cast nets.
Later that afternoon Sgt. Brown and RFC Crump observed from a distance a subject throwing a cast net from the shore in Wahoo Creek. As the rangers approached the subject he went into the water and hid the cast net and tried to get to another cast net on the shore. The rangers were able to apprehend the subject before he was able to dispose of the other cast net. The cast net that was hid in the water was found along with a stringer with 15 spotted bass (12 were undersize), 2 bream and 2 catfish. A bucket was also found. Inside the bucket were 43 spotted bass (42 were undersize) and 16 bream. A

total of 78 fish were seized. The subject was issued citations for taking game fish by illegal methods and possession of illegally taken fish.
LUMPKIN COUNTY On August 13th, Sgt. Lee Brown and Wildlife Tech IV Mark Turner responded to a complaint of a fawn deer being kept on a chain at a resident. When the rangers arrived they saw a fawn deer with a collar around its neck attached to a lead rope. A written warning for holding a game animal without a permit was issued and Game Management took the deer.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
MORGAN COUNTY On August 14th at 11 pm, Sgt. Matt Garthright and RFC Richard Tanner responded to a possible hunting deer at night call. The complainant advised that he was sitting on his front porch when he heard several shots. He witnessed the passenger firing the shots from a small white pickup. The vehicle was located later several miles from the scene. Officers located a .40 caliber handgun in the vehicle with spent shell casings in the floor. It was determined that the suspects had shot at a road sign and not deer. Rangers went back to the scene and found fresh holes in a stop sign and two spent .40-caliber casing in the roadway. The case was turned over to local officials and the passenger was arrested for discharging a firearm from a public road.
ELBERT COUNTY On August 15th, Corporal Julian Wilkins, Corporal Greg Colson, and Sergeant Brian Carter patrolled fishing areas in Elbert County. They issued 2 citations for fishing without a license.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On August 12th, Cpl. Brian Hobbins assisted the Governor's Task Force and Columbia County Sheriff's Office while they flew the county searching for marijuana growers.
MCDUFFIE COUNTY On August 12th, RFC Brian Adams assisted the Governor's Task Force and McDuffie County Sheriff's Office while they flew the county searching for marijuana growers.
TALIAFERRO COUNTY On August 13th, Cpl. Brian Hobbins assisted the Governor's Task Force and Taliaferro County Sheriff's Office while they flew the county searching for marijuana growers.

GLASCOCK COUNTY On August 14th, Sgt. Mark Padgett, Sgt. Matt Garthright, and RFC Brian Adams assisted a Glascock County landowner with seining a pond used annually for several Kids Fishing Events. The pond has been used for several years to conduct fishing events for the local school kids. Each grade of elementary students is allowed to fish for a day. The Glascock County FFA assisted with the efforts. The pond required draining in order to perform maintenance so it can continue to be used for the events
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
CRISP COUNTY On August 15th, Sgt. Wade Law, RFC Clint Martin and Cpl. John Harkins controlled boat traffic during the swimming event of the annual Georgia Veterans State Park triathlon.
THOMAS COUNTY On August 15th, RFC Jon Penuel responded to an in-progress complaint of fishing without permission on a private pond. RFC Penuel arrived at the scene to find two subjects fishing from a boat. After a brief investigation, both subjects were warned for fishing without permission and instructed to not return to the property.
BAKER COUNTY On August 11th, RFC Randy Davis conducted an investigation of an illegal dumpsite. The violator was located and issued a citation for unlawful dumping.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
CLINCH COUNTY On August 12th, RFC Jason Shipes received information about a large buck that was killed on an antlerless-only deer control permit. On August 14th, RFC Shipes investigated the complaint and was able to locate the subject responsible for killing the animal and confiscated a large 8-point buck in full velvet. The subject was issued a citation for violation of deer control permit.
On August 14th, RFC Jason Shipes patrolled the Suwannee River Landing in Fargo for boating and fishing activity. Several vessels and fishermen were checked with only minor violations found. Compliance was gained by issuing verbal guidance.
On August 15th, RFC Jason Shipes located several subjects actively hunting hogs. RFC Shipes learned that three of the individuals were hunting without a valid hunting license. Each subject was instructed on how and where to obtain a license. Each hunter was issued written warnings for the violation.

EFFINGHAM COUNTY On August 15th, Ranger Brandon Pierce checked landings along both the Ogeechee and Savannah Rivers. A total of four boats and two fishing licenses were inspected. No violations were documented.
On August 16th, Ranger Brandon Pierce checked landings along the Ogeechee River. A total of two fishing licenses were checked and no violations were documented.
On the evening of August 16th, Officer Pierce received a call about a wounded deer on the backside of a landowner's property. Upon arrival at the scene of the deer it appeared that it had been under a small oak tree to stay out of the sun for a while and was badly emaciated. The deer tried to get on its feet and could not because it was so weak. The deer was dispatched at the scene.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
WAYNE COUNTY On August 12th, RFC Randy Aspinwall received a call reference a subject killing a fawn deer. Upon investigation the ranger found the subject did have a deer kill permit but did not have it with him. However, the subject had thrown the uncleaned deer into a creek due to it being gut shot. The subject was written citations for littering and violation of a deer kill permit.