Field operations weekly report, 2011 December 18-24

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report December 18-24, 2011
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)
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HART COUNTY On December 23rd, RFC Josh Chambers patrolled by boat on Lake Hartwell checking duck hunters. During the patrol, he issued eight warnings and citations for license violations.
On December 24th, RFC Josh Chambers and Sgt. Stan Elrod patrolled Lake Hartwell checking duck hunters. One citation was issued for expired boat registration.
On December 22nd, Cpl. Craig Fulghum responded to a complaint of raccoon hunters possibly trespassing. Fulghum caught a subject trespassing on a tract of property with a landowner's affidavit on it. One hunter was cited for hunting without permission.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
GLASCOCK COUNTY On December 22nd, RFC Brian Adams responded to a complaint of a subject hunting without permission. One subject was apprehended for hunting without permission, hunting over bait, and not wearing orange clothing while hunting deer.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On December 24th, RFC Robert Timmerman warned one subject for hunting without a waterfowl license.
WILKES COUNTY On Saturday December 23rd, Sgt. Brian Carter caught a group of duck hunters hunting over bait. Violations that were addressed were hunting over bait, hunting without a license, hunting without a Georgia Waterfowl Stamp, and hunting without a Federal Duck stamp.
ELBERT COUNTY On Friday December 22nd, Cpl. Greg Colson responded to hunting at night complaint. Cpl. Colson responded and found a group shooting fireworks.
RICHMOND COUNTY On December 24th, Cpl. Ben Payne worked night hunting complaints in Richmond County. At daylight he checked hunters on Phinizy WMA. Verbal guidance was given to two hunters that were located off the WMA on private property. Duck hunters commented on good teal season to date, not many large ducks being harvested.

BURKE COUNTY On December 18th, RFC Jeffrey Billips worked night hunting complaints with Corporal Michael Crawley in the south end of the county. No violators were contacted. RFC Billips checked several hunting without permission complaints without any violator contact.
On December 19th, RFC Billips continued to check hunting without permission complaints. RFC patrolled Yuchi WMA and Ellison Bridge boat ramp.
On December 23rd, RFC Billips worked night hunting complaints in the central part of the county. RFC Billips patrolled Di-Lane Plantation and Alexander WMA's.
On December 24th, RFC Billips set up night hunting surveillance in West Burke County. RFC Billips checked hunting without permission complaints and duck hunters on Yuchi WMA.
RFC Billips checked boaters and fishermen. RFC Billips provided verbal guidance to fishermen without PFD's and license.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
WORTH COUNTY On the evening of December 23rd, Cpl. Greg Wade and Ranger Chris Carlisle were patrolling for evening waterfowl activity when they heard a volley of shots. After locating four vehicles parked at a swamp, the officers proceeded to the pond on foot. While waiting on the hunters to exit the water, the officers could overhear the men discussing the numbers of ducks they had shot as they looked for the downed birds in the darkness. In all, six hunters were charged for hunting waterfowl after hours with additional charges on some of the individuals for hunting without federal duck stamps, using lead shot, and hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
SEMINOLE COUNTY On December 18th, RFC Tony Cox responded to a baited dove field complaint. As he entered the peanut field, he observed several hunters fleeing the scene. He contacted RFC Bob Holley for assistance with his K-9 dog. While searching the area, two sets of deer antlers that had been concealed in the nearby woods were found. A total of thirteen citations and warnings were issued for hunting over bait, failure to allow inspection, hunting without license, hunting without big game license, failure to record deer harvest, and possession of illegally taken wildlife [deer].

DECATUR COUNTY On December 24th, RFC Tony Cox conducted a patrol of Silver Lake WMA where he encountered a subject hunting deer with a crossbow. The subject was cited for hunting big game on a closed WMA.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On Friday, December 23rd, Cpl. Barry Britt charged two men with hunting waterfowl after hours and possession of illegally taken wildlife. Later that night while working an on-going night hunting complaint he charged one man with hunting deer at night, hunting big game from a public road, and hunting from a motor vehicle.
APPLING COUNTY On Saturday morning, December 24th, Cpl. Barry Britt checked 6 duck hunters off Quinn Rd. He charged two of the hunters with hunting with unplugged shotguns.
COFFEE COUNTY On December 23, 2011, Cpl. James McLaughlin participated in a regional detail held in Coffee County. The aircraft was able to locate some individuals that were night hunting from a vehicle. The pilot and observers were able to guide Cpl. McLaughlin to the location. When the individuals were stopped, it was determined that they were hunting rabbits. Cpl. McLaughlin informed the three individuals that it was not legal to hunt rabbits at night. The individuals were charged with hunting at night, hunting from a vehicle and hunting from a public road.
CLINCH COUNTY On December 24th, RFC Jason Shipes responded to a call for service in the area of Holmes Chapel. RFC Shipes was contacted by a complainant in reference to deer dogs running deer on unpermitted property. Several complaints have already been recorded by RFC Shipes on the club in this area and a land affidavit is on file from the complainant. Upon RFC Shipes arrival the dogs were produced and the owner was located. The owner knew of the dogs running in the area and was unable to catch them before moving to another part of the club, leaving the dogs behind. RFC Shipes issued a citation to the owner for failure to keep deer dogs on permitted property.
ECHOLS COUNTY On December 18th, Sgt. Patrick Dupree heard shooting at dawn in the vicinity of a large cypress pond southwest of Howell. Once at the pond Sgt. Dupree observed three duck hunters gathering up their downed ducks (4 wood ducks and 2 hooded mergansers) and gear. The hunters appeared to be exiting the water, but two of them picked up 5-gallon buckets filled with shelled corn that were stashed in the nearby brush and walked back out into the open, knee-deep water where all three began throwing the corn into the water in all directions. Sgt. Dupree overheard conversation between the hunters that indicated that the pond had been baited about two weeks earlier, but the ducks had eaten it all. Due to the circumstances, Sgt. Dupree issued written warnings to all three hunters for

unlawful enticement of game and clearly explained the duck hunting laws as they pertain to baiting.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CAMDEN COUNTY On 12/22/2011, Cpl. Billy Reed responded to an overturned boat that was wedged under the dock at the Woodbine Boat Ramp. Upon arriving Cpl. Reed could not locate the boat. Investigation determined it was an old boat that could have been abandoned and possibly sunk.
CHATHAM COUNTY On December 11, RFC Buster Cooper found a large pile of trash, approximately 20 bags, dumped in the woods off highway 204 in Chatham County. RFC Cooper identified a suspect and after five trips to his home finally located him on December 24. RFC Cooper cited the individual for littering. The suspect was turned over to the Savannah Chatham Metro Police Department for a Suspended License, Failure to Appear and an Expired Tag.
On December 24, Sgt. Cindy Miller patrolled the Wilmington River in Chatham County. Sgt. Miller checked a boat with two individuals fishing. The individuals were in possession of an oversized red drum. Sgt. Miller cited the individual who caught the oversized red drum for possession of illegal size fish and confiscated the fish.
On December 24, Sgt. Cindy Miller patrolled the Wilmington River in Chatham County. Sgt. Miller noticed a small aluminum boat coming toward her and decided to stop the boat. When Sgt. Miller attempted to stop the boat the individual yelled to her he could not stop because his plug was out. Sgt. Miller allowed the individual to continue while she followed. The individual finally stopped on a bank under some docks where Sgt. Miller could not get to the individual. Sgt. Miller tied her patrol boat up to a shrimp boat and climbed onto a dock to go check

the individual. While Sgt. Miller tied her patrol boat up a Chatham Marine patrol officer saw the subject throw three bags into the water near the aluminum boat. Once Sgt. Miller walked to the aluminum boat, the officer pointed to the three bags in the water. Sgt. Miller waded into the water and retrieved the bags, which were full of clams. There were clams in the aluminum boat also. Sgt. Miller arrested the individual and charged him with failure to obey regulatory marker, failure to allow inspection of wildlife, and taking over the limit of clams in a recreational area. Sgt. Miller had written this individual, citations two times prior to this incident for having illegal clams. Over three bushels of clams were confiscated and dumped back into the water.
BRYAN COUNTY On Dec. 23rd, RFC Jack Thain and Cpl. Jay Morgan received a complaint of shots fired on the railroad tracks near the Ford Plantation near the Ogeechee River. The officers observed two ATVs coming back up the tracks and turn into Richmond Heights Subdivision. They located a man and his 12 year-old son pulling into their backyard on the ATVs with a rifle. The man admitted to shooting at squirrels on the railroad and was cited for hunting without permission. The adult's information was turned over to the Railroad Police in regards as to being warned about criminal trespass on private property.
WAYNE COUNTY On December 22, 2011 RFC Randy Aspinwall was working a night hunting complaint in Wayne County when a truck came by the field and started shining. The truck then turned its lights off. When it shined again the occupants shot twice at a deer in the same field where Randy was sitting. Aspinwall then initiated a vehicle stop and cited two subjects for hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle.
MCINTOSH COUNTY On December 24, 2011 Cpl. Jimmy Finn, Cpl. Wil Smith, W/L Tech IV Ed VanOtteran, W/L Tech III John Evans conducted a detail on the Champney River near Rhetts Island on the Altamaha WMA. The purpose of the detail was to curtail the dangerous practice of operating a vessel without lights. This had increasingly become a problem with many duck boats operating in this area during hours of darkness. Operating two patrol vessels, the officers issued 1 citation and 7 warnings.