Department of Natural Resources 
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section 
Field Operations 
Weekly Report March 28-April 3, 2010 
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 April 2nd, Sgt. Mike Barr received a call from a turkey hunter that had harvested a large gobbler that he thought might be a county record. Sgt. Barr met the hunter at Pine Log Processor and they weighed the bird on certified scales. Unfortunately, the turkey was not as heavy as expected. The gobbler weighed 21lbs., had a 10-inch beard, and had 1  inch spurs. The turkey did have unusual colored spurs however in that they were ivory colored and tipped in black. The information will be scored by an official scorer for the National Wild Turkey Federation and recorded as one of the best from Bartow County. 
COBB COUNTY RFC Byron Young responded to a complaint in Cobb County on March 31st. The caller had seen a person shoot a turkey in a subdivision off Macland Road. RFC Young arrived to the subdivision, which had multiple acres per house. He spoke with the caller who advised him that they were located in the unincorporated portion of Cobb County and had a lot of deer and turkey that wandered through the area. RFC Young foot patrolled and found another homeowner sitting on a deck who had shot the bird. He spoke with the hunter who showed RFC Young where he had harvested the larger than normal gobbler. There was not any bait, the hunter was on his own property, and was located more than 50 yards off a public road. The hunter had also shot in a safe direction noting the area beyond the turkey. RFC Young determined that all was legal and advised the original caller who was unaware that you could hunt in Cobb County with a firearm for species other than deer. 
GORDON COUNTY The search continues for a sixteen-year-old male subject that disappeared on Friday, April 2nd, in the Oostanaula River. Region I Law Enforcement personnel assisting in the search included: Captain Carroll Chastain, Sergeant Brian Keener, Corporal Tommy Gentry, and Ranger First Class Roger McConkey. 
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast) 
WHITE COUNTY On April 3rd, RFC Anne Alexander and RFC Kevin Dyer arrested a man for hunting turkey with an illegal weapon. The subject was hunting turkey with a .243 rifle. The subject was also charged for convicted felon in possession of a firearm. 
 
 HART COUNTY On April 2nd, Cpl Craig Fulghum received a call around midnight from the Hart County Sheriff's Office about an overdue boater on Lake Hartwell. The boater was reported to be diabetic and had a small child accompanying him. Cpl. Fulghum called RFC Josh Chambers to assist him with the search. The two rangers located the boat around four a.m. Both occupants were found to be ok and carried to shore to be checked by EMS personnel. 
MADISON COUNTY On April 3rd, Sgt. Stan Elrod and RFC Shane Sartor patrolled Madison County checking turkey hunters. An area was checked that was baited and no one was found. After checking another area, one hunter was caught with an unplugged gun. After checking hunters, Elrod and Sartor patrolled lake Hartwell and worked an area where numerous 100-foot violation complaints have been reported. Two warnings were issued for violating the 100-foot law around docks. 
FORSYTH COUNTY On April 3rd, Sgt. Lee Brown and an intern were patrolling the Chattahoochee River for fisherman. They encountered violations of fishing with illegal bait, fishing without a license, fishing without a trout license and possession of over the daily creel limit. Verbal guidance and written warnings were issued for these infractions. 
Cpl. Jason Roberson also was patrolling the Chattahoochee River when he encountered violations of fishing with a fishing license, fishing without a trout license and fishing with illegal bait. Cpl. Roberson also gave verbal guidance and written warnings for the infractions that he encountered. 
LUMPKIN COUNTY On March 30th and April 1st RFC Mitchell Crump and Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard conducted a 10 hour Hunter Education Course. During this course a total of six students were certified in Hunter Education. 
ROCKDALE COUNTY On March 25th, Cpl. Eric Sanders received a complaint of fishing without permission. Once on the scene investigating the complaint he found three subjects fishing. Written warnings were issued for this infraction. 
 
 Region III- Thomson (East Central) 
HANCOCK COUNTY On March 28th, Cpl. David Allen responded to a citizen complaint involving two people shooting a turkey from the roadway off their land. Cpl. Allen talked with the complainant and got a description of the vehicle and occupants. The complainant had a good idea who the violators were. Cpl. Allen was able to locate one of the violators at a nearby hunting camp and interviewed the suspect. It was a father and son team. The father admitted to shooting a turkey with a rifle and letting his son retrieve it. The father drove away and returned to pick up his son and the turkey. Cpl. Allen charged the father with hunting from a motor vehicle and hunting without permission. He also warned the father for hunting from a public road and hunting with an illegal weapon, rifle. 
WILKES COUNTY On March 27th, RFC Nick Jenkins and Cpl. Greg Colson were patrolling the Broad River area of Wilkes county and Elbert county when they observed a subject on the bank fishing. They watched the subject and he had what appeared to be a pipe for smoking marijuana. The rangers confronted the subject and he admitted to having marijuana in his possession. He also did not have a fishing license. The subject was issued citations and released. 
COLUMBIA COUNTY On March 28th, Cpl Ryan Swain warned two subjects for fishing without a license at Riverside Park in Evans. 
On March 28th, Cpl Ryan Swain attended the PVA Fishing Event at Wildwood Park in Appling. 
Region IV- Macon (West Central) 
BUTTS COUNTY On April 3rd, RFC Keith Page was patrolling High Falls Lake. While checking the boating and fishing activity on the lake, RFC Page decided to take his river boat up the Towaliga River. Just past the Highway 36 Bridge, RFC Page encountered a man fishing from the bank near Fill Bridge Road. Page stopped to check his fishing license and creel limits. As soon as RFC Page docked his boat he smelled the odor of marijuana. RFC Page immediately asked the man to see his driver's license and fishing license, which the man produced. RFC Page then advised the man that he smelled marijuana and asked the man if he had any. The man advised RFC Page that all he had left was half of a joint and then the man handed RFC Page what was left of the marijuana. After a brief search of the man's camp-sight RFC Page also discovered a marijuana grinder that still had a small amount of marijuana inside it. Because of the subject's cooperation at the scene, RFC Page wrote the man a citation for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana rather than arresting him. 
 
 On April 2nd Sgt. Tim Kendrick and RFC Will Smith set up on an area baited for turkey. After approximately three hours a white truck pulled into the area. The vehicle drove within 30 yards of the Rangers and into the baited area. The driver turned off the truck, got out, and began calling for turkey. The Rangers approached as the hunter got back into his truck and was leaving. There were two men in the vehicle with a loaded shotgun between them. The hunters denied knowing anything about the bait yet admitted they saw it when they pulled up. They were cited for hunting big game over bait. 
JASPER COUNTY At approximately 10:30 p.m. on March 28th, RFC Billy Bryant received a call from the Jasper County Sheriff's Office in reference to a deer shining complaint. Bryant responded to the area and located a vehicle matching the description given by the sheriff's office. Bryant followed it for a short distance before stopping the vehicle. In the vehicle Bryant found 3 subjects, two rifles - a .22 and 30-06 - and two spotlights. Upon being interviewed the subjects adamantly denied hunting deer but insisted they had been shining opossums and armadillos. Bryant asked the subjects to show him an opossum or an armadillo they had killed and the subjects led the Ranger to a field wherein they pointed out an opossum. All three subjects were issued citations for hunting from a public road and hunting from a motor vehicle and released at the scene. 
On April 1st RFC Billy Bryant received a call from a landowner asking for assistance with two subjects fishing without permission on his property. Bryant responded to the area and found two intoxicated men fishing in the Ocmulgee River on private property. The subjects had walked within a few feet of a posted sign to get to the riverbank. Both subjects were arrested, transported to the county jail, and charged with fishing without permission. 
LAMAR COUNTY While on patrol on April 1st, RFC Page was following a pickup truck on Ga. 7 northbound. As Page changed lanes to pass the vehicle the driver lifted both hands off the steering wheel and yelled out of the window. When the driver's hands left the wheel the truck darted sideways and Page decided to stop the vehicle in order to investigate. Once the vehicle was stopped RFC Page identified both the driver and the passenger and, after noticing both men were extremely nervous, decided to pat them down for officer safety reasons. The pat down of the passenger revealed a marijuana smoking device, still containing a small amount of marijuana, located in the subject's front left pocket. Because the man was very belligerent RFC Page placed the man into custody and charged him with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. The driver was issued a warning for inattentive driving. 
HEARD COUNTY On April 1st, Cpl. Jim Bradfield was checking properties in Heard County for turkey hunting activity. Around 12:30 p.m. Bradfield checked a power line right-of-way, found a parked vehicle, and noticed a hunter seated in a tower deer stand on the power line. The hunter, a resident of another state, was hunting turkey from the deer stand. The hunter did not possess a valid hunting license and was given a citation for the offense. 
 
 PUTNAM COUNTY On April 3rd, Cpl. Lynn Stanford and Sgt. Bo Kelly cited one hunter for hunting turkey over bait. Cracked corn had been located on a hunting club and the hunter was found hunting within 80 yards of the bait. 
On April 3rd RFC Chad Welch, Cpl. Lynn Stanford and Sgt. Bo Kelly conducted boating safety patrols on Lake Sinclair. One boater was arrested and charged for marijuana possession. 
TROUP COUNTY On the morning of March 31st Cpl. Jim Bradfield stopped at the scene of an automobile accident on Patillo Road in LaGrange which had just occurred. Bradfield assisted the motorist and directed traffic until a LaGrange Police Officer arrived. 
On April 1st Cpl. Jim Bradfield checked bank fishing activity around West Point Lake. One fisherman was given a citation for fishing without a license. Another fisherman was given a citation for taking over the limit of fish and his 36 crappie were confiscated. These confiscated fish were donated to a local men's shelter. 
WILKINSON COUNTY On March 29th, Cpl. Stan Semmler apprehended three hunters hunting turkey over bait. Scratch feed had been located on the property prior to this encounter. 
Region V- Albany (Southwest) 
CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY On April 2nd, Cpl. Steve Robinson presented a program on DNR Law Enforcement for the Chattahoochee County High School's "Career Day". 
Later that same day, Cpl. Robinson conducted a boat patrol on the upper end of Lake George. During the patrol Robinson discovered three fishermen that were over the daily limit of hybrid bass. The three were issued citations and the 73 hybrids were confiscated and donated to needy families. 
QUITMAN COUNTY On April 2nd, RFC Jim Atchley and Sgt Butch Potter were patrolling Lake George at night when they encountered a vessel entering Cool Branch without navigation lights displayed. The Rangers made contact with the vessel and cited the operator with operating a vessel during hours of darkness without lights and insufficient personal flotation devices. During the patrol they also cited several fishermen for fishing without a license and possession of illegal sized bass. 
On April 3rd, Cpl. B.J. Foster cited one boater for operating a vessel during hours of darkness without lights and a fisherman for non-resident fishing without a license during a night patrol of Lake George. 
 
 CLAY COUNTY On the evening of April 3rd, after responding to a vessel in distress on Lake George, RFC Jim Atchley stopped a vessel that was operating without navigation lights displayed. The boat's operator was issued a citation for the infraction. 
STEWART COUNTY On April 3, during a late night patrol on the upper end of lake George, RFC Jack Stripling and Sgt Butch Potter observed a vessel traveling east in Rood Creek without navigation lights. The vessel's operator was cited for operating a vessel during hours of darkness without lights. 
CRISP COUNTY On April 1st, Cpl Tommy Lawrence and RFC Clint Martin were working an early morning complaint conducting surveillance on a local boat landing. They witnessed two fishermen approach the landing at 4:15 AM. The boat operator violated the no wake zone and two undersized Largemouth Bass were found among their creel. Warnings were issued for each violation. 
On April 3rd, RFC Clint Martin and Sgt. Wade Law were patrolling Lake Blackshear. They stopped several vessels for violations. Citations and warnings were issued for the violations. 
DECATUR COUNTY On March 31st, Sgt. Rick Sellars conducted a patrol on Silver Lake WMA. One subject was checked and issued a written warning for hunting turkeys on a closed WMA. 
MILLER COUNTY On Saturday, April 3, RFC Jeff Phillips checked a complaint of illegal netting on Aycock Creek. One gill net was confiscated and the fish released. 
BROOKS COUNTY On April 3rd, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey responded to a hunting incident with serious injuries. A turkey hunter was shot in the head and upper body by another turkey hunter. Warrants were taken for the shooter in the hunting incident for felony misuse of a firearm, non-resident hunting w/o license and non-resident hunting big game w/o nonresident big game license. Warrants were also taken for two other subjects for license violations. The case continues to be investigated. 
 
 Region VI- Metter (Southeast) 
TELFAIR COUNTY On March 17th, RFC James McLaughlin was patrolling the Jacksonville area for early turkey hunting. RFC Mclaughlin was able to locate a vehicle and decided to sit and wait on the hunter to return. RFC McLaughlin was able to see the hunter put something in the front of his truck, which was suspected to be a turkey. The man started to leave and RFC McLaughlin stopped the individual and noticed that he did have a turkey in the front of the vehicle. The man admitted to killing the turkey before the season started. The individual was charged with hunting out of season, possession of illegally taken wildlife, and license violations. RFC McLaughlin confiscated the wild turkey. 
EVANS COUNTY On April 3rd, RFC Debbie Brannen and Cpl. David Sims checked areas known to be baited for turkeys. Eight hunters were checked and violations were documented for hunting big game over bait and hunting with unplugged shotgun. The same day the Evans County Public Fishing Area was patrolled. Numerous fishing licenses and boats were checked. Violations for fishing without licenses, fishing on a PFA without a WMA license, and possession of undersize fish were written. The illegal fish were confiscated. One commercial bait dealer was inspected and found to be in violation of operating a commercial bait facility without a bait dealer license. The owner was advised not to sell any more bait without having in possession a current license. The owner was also given the proper paperwork to begin the process. 
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On March 29th, RFC Brandon Pierce, along with DNR Officers from Region 7 and deputies from the Sheriff's Department, executed a search warrant at a residence pertaining to an ongoing investigation of dumping of illegal waste. Several violations were found at the residence and the case is still under investigation. 
On March 30th, RFC Brandon Pierce patrolled river landings along the Ogeechee River, as well as local creeks for boating safety and fishing activity. A total of four fishing license were inspected resulting in one violation for fishing without a license. 
On March 31st, RFC Brandon Pierce patrolled river landings along the Savannah River for boating safety and fishing activity. A total of two boats and eight fishing licenses were checked. Three violations were documented as a result of the inspection. The violations were for fishing without a license. Verbal guidance was given on how to obtain a fishing license. 
On April 1st, RFC Brandon Pierce conducted a boating safety inspection at Steel Bridge landing on the Ogeechee River. A total of two boats and six fishing licenses were inspected. No violations were documented but verbal guidance was given on how to obtain a fishing license. 
 
 BULLOCH COUNTY On April 1st, RFC Brandon Pierce responded to an in progress complaint in reference to two subjects fishing in a pond without permission. Upon arriving at the scene and talking with the subjects it was apparent that they had permission. No violations were documented and the subjects were released at the scene. 
On April 5th, Cpl. Dave Sims responded to a citizen's complaint of an illegal fish basket being fished in Black Creek. Cpl. Sims located the trap and its owner. The trap was confiscated and the violation for fishing baskets in closed waters was addressed. 
COFFEE COUNTY On April 3rd, RFC Hilton patrolled Irwin County for hunting and fishing activity. While on patrol he encountered three people hunting turkeys and no violations were detected. The Ranger also checked several people fishing and no violations were detected. 
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal) 
CAMDEN COUNTY On March 26th, Cpl Chris Hodge, Sgt Bob Lynn, RFC Mark Carson, and RFC Craig Smith conducted saltwater patrols in Camden and Glynn Counties. Several boats were checked with one violation detected. A commercial bait shrimp fisherman was cited for possessing more than 50 quarts of bait shrimp in his live bait tank. 
On March 26th, Cpl Chris Hodge and RFC Craig Smith responded to a possibly in progress hunting without permission complaint off Winding Road in St. Marys. Upon arrival, RFC Smith went onto the property with one of the leaseholders and was unable to locate anyone on the property. RFC Smith located a hog trap and Cpl. Hodge also took possession of a trail camera that was placed at the hog trap to attempt to identify the owner. Officers are continuing to investigate this incident. 
CHATHAM COUNTY On March 25th, Cpl. Cindy Miller worked a complaint of crab traps in a marked channel. Cpl. Miller patrolled the area in question and documented three crabbers who were in violation. Two commercial crabbers were cited for placing crab traps in a marked channel. 
On March 27th, Cpl Bill Bryson and RFC Buster Cooper conducted a Boater Education Certification Course at The Bass Pro Shop in Savannah. 
 
 LONG COUNTY On March 21st, Cpl. Bobby White checked three baited turkey blinds on the Beards Creek Hunting Club. He issued three citations for hunting turkeys over bait, one citation for using an electronic device, and one citation for hunting with an unplugged shotgun. 
WAYNE COUNTY On March 22nd, Cpl. Bobby White checked baited turkey blinds off the O'Quinn Loop. He issued one citation for hunting turkeys over bait, one citation for a non-resident hunting without a license, and one citation for a non-resident hunting without a big game license. 
On March 25th, RFC Randy Aspinwall responded to an in progress hunting without permission complaint from Cpl. Bobby White. Upon arrival, they were able to locate the hunter and issue a citation for hunting without permission. 
On March 27th, Cpl. White checked baited turkey blinds off Miller Road. He issued one citation for hunting turkeys over bait.