Field operations weekly report, 2012 November 25-December 1

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report November 25 December 1, 2012
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)
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
COLUMBIA COUNTY On November 29th RFC Bobby Timmerman responded to a complaint of a subject illegally possessing gray squirrels. When Timmerman arrived at the residence he observed a large wire cage with squirrels inside. A male subject that claimed ownership of the squirrels was issued a warning for possessing game animals without a permit and the squirrels were confiscated.
LINCOLN COUNTY On November 27th Cpl. Ryan Swain apprehended and cited a subject who had killed a large buck on Corps Property in Northern Lincoln County. The deer was killed by the subject who did not have a hunting license or big game license.
TALIAFERRO COUNTY On November 25th Sgt. Brian Carter, Sgt. Doyte Chaffin, Cpl. Brian Hobbins, RFC Leroy Ficklin, RFC Tim Butler, and RFC Philip Nelson assisted the Georgia State Patrol with a road check at the intersection of Hwy 22 and Hwy 44. Officers cited 7 subjects for failure to record deer harvest in addition to several arrests made by GSP.
WALTON COUNTY On November 30, RFC Ricky Boles responded to a complaint of a person hunting deer at night from Walton County Dispatch. Upon arriving, Sgt. Jones and Deputy Cline with Walton County Sheriff's office had already apprehended subject and recovered the deer. During the investigation, the deer was found to have been shot with a .22 magnum rifle across neighbor's property at 10:30 at night. Violator was charged with hunting deer at night, possession of illegally taken wildlife, hunting without permission, and hunting with illegal weapon.
NEWTON COUNTY On December 1, RFC Niki Spencer cited an individual for hunting big game over bait, hunting deer without fluorescent orange, and hunting without a big game license.
HANCOCK COUNTY On November 25, Sgt. John Harwell, Cpl. Derrell Worth, Cpl. David Allen, Cpl. Michael Crawley with canine, RFC Freddie Hayes, RFC Ricky Boles, and RFC Niki Spencer conducted a license check on Georgia Highway 15 (front of Hancock County High School) located in Sparta, Georgia. This license check was in conjunction with the Georgia State Patrol. Several wildlife violations were observed for failure to record deer

harvest and necessary license requirements for wildlife which these subjects possessed. Rangers identified several drivers with suspended license and multiple seat belt and child restraint violations. These violations were turned over to the Georgia State Patrol.
OCONEE COUNTY On November 25 RFC Tim Butler caught two subjects hunting deer without permission. Both of the subjects were hunting over corn and one was not wearing fluorescent orange. Citations were issued for hunting big game over bait and hunting deer without wearing fluorescent orange. At the request of the land owner both subjects were issued warnings for hunting without permission. Later in the day RFC Butler checked another property and caught one subject hunting deer over corn and salt blocks. A citation was issued for hunting big game over bait.
CLARKE COUNTY On December 1, RFC Tim Butler caught a subject hunting deer from a roof top overlooking a corn feeder. The subject was not wearing fluorescent orange. A citation was issued for hunting big game over bait and a warning was issued for hunting deer without wearing fluorescent orange.
TALIAFERRO COUNTY On November 25, RFC Phillip Nelson assisted with a road check. Two violations for failure to record deer harvest were documented.
WILKES COUNTY On December 1, SGT Brian Carter and CPL Mark Patterson checked a hunting club known to have baited deer stands. One subject was located hunting deer over corn and pelletized feed. Violations documented were hunting big game over bait and hunting deer without fluorescent orange.
JEFFERSON COUNTY On November 25, RFC Matherly and Sgt. Boswell listened for duck roost shoot in North Jefferson County. No activity was observed. RFC Matherly also received information on a subject that had killed over the limit of bucks. RFC Matherly also started investigating a dumping complaint. Both investigations are ongoing.
WASHINGTON COUNTY Corporal Crawley worked hunting with permission complaint in Deepstep area Washington County. Suspect was found and cited for hunting without permission.
BURKE COUNTY RFC Jeff Billips assisted Rangers in Screven County with hunting from public road surveillance.
RFC Billips responded to hunting without permission complaint in Jefferson County. No violators were located.

RFC Billips checked and patrolled several hunting without permission and deer dogging without permit complaints in Burke County. No violators were located.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
MONROE COUNTY On December 1st RFC Keith Page and Corporal Tony Wynne entered a piece of property on Badger Road where they had previously located several baited deer stands. RFC Page located a man and his 15 year old son sitting in one of the baited stands without wearing orange vests. RFC Page issued a citation to the father for hunting big game over bait and gave him a warning for not wearing his orange vest.
PUTNAM COUNTY On December 1st Cpl Josh Copelan received a hunting without permission complaint from a landowner. The landowner had confronted a man in camouflage clothing who was seen crossing a field and hiding behind a vacant house. The man fled the area and was seen driving a Ford Expedition. Cpl. Copelan, who was a mile down the road when the complaint came in, was able to catch up to the suspect's vehicle and initiate a traffic stop. Calling for assistance, Rgr. Jeremy Reece and Sgt. Bo Kelly arrived on the scene. A short time later, it was revealed that the two men in the vehicle were not hunting but had been stealing scrap metal and had broken into another vacant house. Both subjects were arrested by DNR and transported to the Putnam County jail where they were turned over to an investigator.
Cpl Lynn Stanford and Rgr. Jeremy Reece worked the final rifle hunt for the year on BF Grant WMA. Approximately 150 hunters took advantage of this quality buck hunt and a few large bucks were harvested. Pictures of some of these deer can be viewed on DNR's facebook page.
TAYLOR COUNTY On the evening of November 26th RFC Josh Swain located an after-hours duck shoot in Taylor County and encountered two hunters. One was charged with hunting migratory game birds after hours and the other, a juvenile, was released into his parents' custody. No waterfowl were killed.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
DECATUR COUNTY On November 25th, RFC Tony Cox and Ranger Jace Heard patrolled Silver Lake WMA, citing 1 subject for taking over the limit of small bucks, and another subject for taking an antlerless deer. The area was open for antlered deer only at this time.
EARLY COUNTY On November 25th, RFC Tony Cox and Ranger Jace Heard responded to a baited dove shoot complaint in Early County. The Rangers cited 4 subjects for hunting over bait.

MILLER COUNTY On November 27th, RFC Tony Cox and Ranger Jace Heard completed an investigation for taking over the limit of antlered deer. Three subjects were cited and 3 bucks were confiscated in this investigation.
Miller County Over Limit Investigation 2012
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
LAURENS COUNTY On November 30th, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Cpl. Stiles was on patrol in Laurens County when he encountered a vehicle on I-16 driving on the shoulder of the roadway with emergency flashers activated. Cpl. Stiles noticed the vehicle had no license plate displayed and appeared to have a flat tire. Cpl. Stiles pulled the vehicle over to assist the motorist and inquire about vehicle registration. When Cpl. Stiles approached the driver he noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver. Cpl. Stiles detained the subject and contacted the GA State Patrol. The driver was turned over to GSP and arrested for driving under the influence. DODGE COUNTY On November 30th, RFC Allen Mills was conducting an area check at the Dodge County PFA and encountered two individuals on the lake in a vessel after sunset. One violation for fishing after sunset and before sunrise and operating a vessel without C.G.A. P.F.D. were documented. Verbal guidance was given for operating a vessel without lights during hours of darkness.

CLINCH COUNTY On November 30th, Cpl. Jason Shipes was checking a deer dogging complaint area near Spooner. While speaking with the complainant, Cpl. Shipes heard several hounds actively running in the area. Cpl. Shipes went to investigate and made contact with several members of the club thought to be responsible for causing the rash of complaints. Cpl. Shipes observed several hounds running a deer through the complainant's hunting lease. Contact was made with the owner of the deer hounds and Cpl. Shipes assisted him with catching the deer dogs as they were crossing the road. A citation was issued to the owner of the hounds for failure to keep dogs on permitted property and verbal warnings were given for not having the permit number on the deer hound's collars or displayed on his vehicle.
TREUTLEN COUNTY On November 25th, RFC Rodney Horne and Cpl. Kevin Joyce were patrolling the county for possible waterfowl hunting activity. Officers Horne and Joyce located eight subjects hunting waterfowl after hours. Upon investigation of the subjects, the six adults were charged with a total of 18 different violations.
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On November 14th, Cpl. Kevin Joyce was working a night deer hunting complaint. At around 8:00 p.m. Cpl. Joyce observed a vehicle traveling along the public road and a spotlight was shining out of the passenger window. A traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle and two rifles and matching ammunition were found inside. Three subjects were charged with hunting at night, hunting from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle. The subjects were released at the scene.
On the night of November 17th, RFC Altman coordinated a night flight over Jeff Davis, looking for the illegal hunting of deer at night. Assisting on the detail were Captain Klingel, Sgt. Reckley, Sgt. Winters, Sgt. Barnard, Sgt. Dupree, Cpl. McLaughlin, Cpl. Stokes, Cpl. Shipes, Cpl. Joyce, RFC Jarriel, RFC Brannen, RFC Pool, and RFC Horne. During the first vehicle stop, Sgt. Winters observed the driver of the truck run into the woods. The other two occupants were detained as assistance from other rangers arrived. The two occupants were transported to the jail, and the truck was towed. Warrants will be issued for the driver later on. The next two vehicles stopped had a total of seven occupants in them. In all, over thirty citations were issued for hunting deer at night, hunting big game from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle.
TATTNALL COUNTY On November 17th, RFC Debbie Brannen and Sgt. Jon Barnard patrolled deer dogging clubs along the Evans/Tattnall line. Three violations were documented for operating a motor vehicle without the permit number displayed.
APPLING COUNTY On November 20th, RFC Altman was patrolling the county for hunting activity. One hunter was found to be hunting without a hunting license and without a big game license.

EVANS COUNTY On November 16th, RFC Debbie Brannen was working a night hunting detail in a complaint area. She observed a flashlight being shined in a pecan orchard and shots being fired. The individuals were located and found to be hunting rabbits. Violations were documented for hunting rabbits at night.
On November 22nd, RFC Debbie Brannen checked early morning duck hunters. Violations for hunting without a federal duck stamp, hunting with an unplugged gun and failure to participate in the HIP program were detected.
On November 23rd, RFC Brannen patrolled the Big Hammock WMA during the parent child hunt. Several licenses were checked with violations noted for hunting small game during a big game hunt.
On November 24th, RFC Brannen checked two deer hunters. Violations for hunting with fluorescent orange clothing, hunting big game without a license and hunting without a license were documented.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CHATHAM COUNTY On November 30, Sgt. Cindy Miller stopped a small vessel she suspected of picking oysters illegally. Once the vessel had stopped Sgt. Miller noticed a bag of oysters in the front of the vessel. Sgt. Miller cited the individual for picking oysters in a closed area and fishing without a license.
WAYNE COUNTY On November 29th Cpl Bobby White received a complaint from a guy stating he saw a vehicle driving through a Wildlife Management Area shining a light and shooting at deer just after dark. The next day Cpl White found the vehicle parked on the same WMA, so he went down the road to a clear cut the vehicle would have to driver past to get out of the WMA. About an hour after dark the vehicle came through shining a light into the clear cut. Cases were made for hunting deer at night and hunting from a public roadway.

On December 1, Captain Doug Lewis, Sgt Wayne Hubbard, Cpl Bobby White, RFC Buster Cooper, RFC John Evans, RFC David Brady, RFC Randy Aspinwall, RNG Trey Taylor, and RNG Kate Hargrove participated in Shop with a Cop at the Walmart in Jesup. Underprivileged kids get to shop with a cop to by Christmas presents for themselves and their family.
BRYAN COUNTY On Nov. 25th, Cpl. Jay Morgan and Ranger Jason Miller conducted a boating safety patrol from the Ogeechee River area to Kilkenny Marina. Several fishermen were checked with speckled trout and one was cited for operating a vessel without enough life jackets on board. On Nov. 26th, Ranger Trey Taylor patrolled the Medway River and St. Catherine's Sound area, citing one fisherman for possession of five undersized speckled trout.

On Nov. 28th, Ranger Jason Miller received a call regarding a dead Bald Eagle that had been shot. Ranger Miller met with a hunting club member who had found a dead Bald Eagle on their club in the Waterford Landing/Belfast River Rd. area. The case is still under investigation.
On Nov. 30th, RFC Jack Thain and Ranger Jason Miller cited four persons for target practicing in an unauthorized area on the Richmond Hill WMA.
LONG COUNTY On December 1, Region VII Rangers conducted a night flight for night deer hunters. The rangers worked from late night into the early morning hours. One vehicle was stopped for night deer hunting. Two people were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle.
BRANLTEY COUNTY On December 1st, RFC Craig Smith was checking a complaint of dogs on unpermitted property in Brantley County. While doing so he observed an individual hunting from a public road. RFC Smith stopped and checked the subject and determined that he was a convicted felon. The subject was taken to jail and cited for Hunting Big Game from a Public road and Possession of a Firearm by a convicted Felon.