Field operations weekly report, February 19-25, 2012

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report February 19-25, 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)
CHEROKEE COUNTY Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Bart Hendrix were checking an abandoned subdivision off Woodstock Road for illegal dumping. The rangers found a vehicle with two teenage boys, ages 16 and 17, sitting at the back of the subdivision. The rangers got out to speak to the boys and RFC Hendrix noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. After a quick consent search, RFC Hendrix observed some marijuana in the vehicle. The boys and the marijuana were turned over to Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. The 16 year old was charged with possession of marijuana and released to his parents. The 17 year old was charged with possession of marijuana and arrested, as this was his third charge for marijuana in less than a year.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON COUNTY On February 20th, RFC Mitchell Crump and RFC Adam Dills assisted an off duty Dawson County Deputy with subduing a subject. The deputy saw the rangers pulling into a restaurant to eat a called for them to assist him until the uniform deputies could arrive. The subject was being subdued for simple assault.
DEKALB COUNTY On February 20th, Cpl. Eric Sanders met with a subject reference an illegal dumping case he had been working on for the last two weeks. The subject was issued a citation for unlawful dumping.
On February 22nd, Cpl. Eric Sanders assisted the Dekalb County Parks and Recreation and the Dekalb P.D. with patrolling on ATV on newly acquired park property.
FORSYTH COUNTY On February 21st, Sgt. Lee Brown, Cpl. Freddie Hays and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling the Chattahoochee River off of Hwy 20. The rangers encountered a subject fishing who didn't possess a valid fishing license or trout license. The rangers escorted him back to their patrol vehicle. Once at the vehicle the subject presented the rangers with a prison ID card. Sgt. Brown checked the subject on his MDT for warrants. The subject had four felony warrants on him from Forsyth County (two of the warrants were for assault on a Law Enforcement officer and fleeing and attempting to allude the police.) The subject was arrested on the warrants and for fishing without a license, fishing without a trout license and possession of marijuana.
On February 22nd, Cpl. Freddie Hays and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling Mary Alice Park on Lake Lanier for fishermen. The rangers checked one subject who didn't possess a fishing license. The subject was issued a citation for this infraction.
On February 23rd, Cpl. Freddie Hays and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling the Chattahoochee River at Lower Pool for boating and fishing activity. The rangers

encountered a subject who didn't possess a fishing license or a trout license. The subject was also wanted out of Florida. The subject was issued a citation for fishing without a license and a written warning for fishing without trout license. Florida didn't want to come and pick up the subjects on the warrant due to him being out of the state of Florida.
GWINNETT COUNTY On February 23rd, Cpl. Eric Sanders answered a complaint of fishing without permission at Freeman's Lake. Cpl. Sanders issued citations for fishing without permission to three subjects. Checking to see if any of the subjects were wanted on his MDT one of them was wanted out of Rockdale County. Gwinnett County P.D. took the subject into custody and transported him to the Gwinnett County Jail.
ROCKDALE COUUNTY On February 21st, Cpl. Eric Sander conducted an On-site HIN inspection. A total of three vessels were inspected.
RABUN COUNTY On Tuesday February 12th, while Corporal Derek Dillard was traveling south on Highway 197 in the area of Lake Burton, he passed a truck pulling a boat with no taillights on the trailer. Also, when it passed by Corporal Dillard, he noticed that it fit the description of a boat that was reported stolen the previous week from a residence on Lake Burton. Corporal Dillard and Rabun County Sheriff Frank Andrews stopped the truck and confirmed that the boat was stolen. The 2 subjects in the vehicle admitted to taking the boat. One of them was arrested and the other, a juvenile, was released to his parents.
JACKSON COUNTY On December 9th, RFC Shane Sartor and RFC Eric Isom attended the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet in Commerce. Both the shooting simulator and the fishing simulator were used by the attendees of the banquet. Approximately 150 adult and children attended the event.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On Thursday February 23rd, Cpl. Julian Wilkins and Cpl. Greg Colson stopped to check a suspicious person who was walking down a rural road in Elbert County. After talking with the subject they found that she was with 4 other subjects. The others were on private property adjacent to where they had stopped and were stealing metal to sell. The landowner was contacted but did not want to prosecute the subjects. He wanted the Rangers to warn them for trespassing and tell them not to return.
BURKE COUNTY On Saturday February 25th, Sgt. Boswell responded to a hog hunting w/o permission complaint in Burke County. Sgt. Boswell made contact with the landowner who said their dogs were on his property and the hunters were on his land looking for them w/o

permission. Sgt. Boswell made contact with the hunters and advised them they could not get off their land w/o permission of any adjoining landowner. Sgt. Boswell advised the landowner he could take out warrants for trespassing against the hunters if he wanted to do so.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On February 26th, RFC Robert Timmerman handled an animal complaint involving a horned owl for Game Management.
On February 26th, Cpl. Ryan Swain and RFC Robert Timmerman conducted a concentrated patrol of the Savannah River and Clarks Hill Lake for boating and fishing activity. No violations were detected.
LINCOLN COUNTY On February 21st, Cpl. Ryan Swain warned a subject for hunting rabbits without permission. The complaint originally started in Elbert County just across the County Line.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
PULASKI COUNTY On February 22nd RFC Tim Butler received a complaint of trash dumped on the side of a rural dirt road. RFC Butler went to the location and found mail with a name and address from an adjoining county. On February 23rd Butler went to the residence and interviewed the person whose name appeared in the refuse. RFC Butler was able to determine the suspect was in the area where the trash was dumped earlier in the week and issued the individual a citation for illegal dumping.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
DECATUR COUNTY On February 22nd, Sgt. Rick Sellars and Capt. Jeff Swift traveled to the Capital, to attend the reading of a House Resolution, honoring Game Warden Robert C. Sizemore. Officer Sizemore was the first Georgia Game Warden killed in the Line of Duty. He was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a poacher in Decatur County in 1928.
SEMINOLE COUNTY On February 25th, Cpl. Mike Binion helped in the search for a missing elderly man near Lake Seminole. After an extensive search, the man's body was found partially submerged in the lake. The body was recovered and transported to the GBI Crime Lab to determine the cause of death.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
CANDLER COUNTY On Monday February 13th RFC Jamey O'Brien investigated a complaint/tip that someone was holding a deer inside a fenced in back yard. Upon checking the area O'Brien spotted a doe deer walking around at the residence in question. Contact was made with the home owner and the deer was removed with the assistance of the local animal control officer. The deer was reintroduced back into the woods. Violation noted was for possession of game animal without a permit.
CLINCH COUNTY On February 21st, RFC Jason Shipes completed an investigation that began in October of 2011. RFC Shipes received information from a concerned sportsman about an individual transporting and releasing a number of feral hogs onto property near Fargo owned by Superior Pine Products. RFC Shipes utilized the newly implemented CAD system to gather information and conducted a number of interviews with several subjects involved with the incident. As a result, enough information was obtained to secure an arrest warrant on the individual involved. Prior to arrest the subject admitted to RFC Shipes that he did in fact trap a number of feral hogs in Florida and then transport them into Georgia. Once at the hunting property he released them in an area that was not properly fenced to prevent their escape. The suspect pled guilty to unlawful transportation and release of feral hogs. Warnings were also issued to the same individual for non-resident hunting without a license and non-resident hunting big game without a big game license for deer hunting violations uncovered during the investigation.
On February 25th, RFC Jason Shipes responded to a complaint of hunting without permission. RFC Shipes spoke with Deputy Lee and learned that earlier that day the complainants were hunting for feral hogs on their hunting lease. While in their stands a vehicle was observed traveling through their lease. The vehicle fled the area when the complainants attempted to approach them. A description of the occupants and vehicle was provided to Deputy Lee. While patrolling on Hwy 441, Deputy Lee observed a vehicle traveling south at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was conducted and the subjects were identified by the complainant. Deputy Lee had the complainants and the subjects respond to the Sheriff's Department where RFC Shipes conducted interviews with both. During the interview, RFC Shipes learned that the subjects did in fact cast their hunting dogs onto the complainant's lease in an attempt to catch feral hogs. RFC Shipes also found that none of the subjects, except the complainants, were in possession of a valid hunting license. Citations for hunting without permission and non-resident hunting without a license were issued to the violators.
APPLING COUNTY During the evening hours of the 22nd RFC Altman responded to a call about a missing juvenile off Melton Chapel Church Road. RFC Altman immediately loaded up his ATV and called Cpl. Barnard and RFC O'Conner, along with K-9 Briar to come assist. ATV patrols, foot patrol, K-9 assistance, and thermal scopes were used in the search of the

juvenile. The missing juvenile had been missing since approximately 4:30 pm. Around 8:00 pm the juvenile was found safe and returned to his parents.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CHATHAM COUNTY On February 15, court was held for a shrimping violation that Sgt. Cindy Miller wrote on November 13, 2010. The defendant plead guilty to the charge of using power drawn nets in closed waters. The charge of operating a vessel during hours of darkness and commercial shrimping at night were merged with the power drawn nets charge. The defendant paid $3000.00 and his commercial fishing privileges were suspended for 30 days. The suspension will start when shrimping season opens.
BRYAN COUNTY On Feb. 18th, RFC Jack Thain and Cpl. Jay Morgan conducted a boat registration/HIN inspection detail at the Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery, inspecting five boats.
On the afternoon of Feb. 18th, RFC Thain, Cpl. Morgan, and Sgt. James Shelton conducted a boat patrol of the Medway River & Belfast River area, citing one boater for not having any life jackets on board.
LIBERTY COUNTY On Feb. 15th, Cpl. Phillip Scott received complaint of someone trespassing onto Dorchester Quail Preserve, and baiting and trapping a hog in a hog trap. Cpl. Scott met with Preserve manager and located the trap which had a live hog in it. On Feb. 16th, Cpl. Scott caught a subject trespassing onto the property and checking the trap. The subject was cited for trapping without permission by Cpl. Scott and the Preserve manager had the subject arrested by Liberty County Sheriff's Dept. for trespass.

WAYNE COUNTY On February 19-20, 2012, DNR officers RFC Randy Aspinwall, RFC John Evans, Cpl. Wil Smith, Sgt. Chris Hodge, Capt. Doug Lewis and Commissioner Mark Williams assisted with the operation of the 1st Annual Hog Jam. This event which consisted of a wild hog hunting tournament, barbeque cook off and various other activities that was sponsored by the Wayne County Board of Tourism. The event took place at the Jaycee Landing on the Altamaha River and drew 190 participants in the hunting tournament alone.
RFC Aspinwall and RFC Evans were also involved with a Wounded Warrior Project in conjunction with the hunting tournament. They assisted with taking 10 injured soldiers on a two day hog hunt as well as assisting with transportation and a barbeque.
CAMDEN COUNTY On February 19th, Cpl. Wil Smith and Sgt. Chris Hodge investigated complaints of possible turkey hunting out of season. On February 20th, Cpl. Smith performed surveillance in several areas where the activity was suspected. No contacts have been made to date.
On February 20th, Cpl. Wil Smith received a call from the Park Ranger at Crooked River State Park about lost Boy Scouts. The Ranger explained to Cpl. Smith that a Boy Scout group was returning by canoe from a camping trip on Cumberland Island. Half of the group had returned but the other half had made a wrong turn and had not been heard from. Cpl. Smith responded and began a search from Crooked River State Park towards Cumberland Island. The 10 Boy Scouts were found right before dark and escorted to the boat ramp.
On February 22nd, RFC David Brady completed an investigation where two subjects had burned a mobile home to avoid hauling the material to the landfill. The two men were cited for Unlawful Burning of Egregious litter.
GLYNN COUNTY On February 20th, RFC John Evans received a complaint of someone shooting geese in a subdivision pond in Brunswick. RFC Evans investigated and found three spent shells and recovered one Canada goose. He spoke with a witness and was able to obtain a tag number of the vehicle seen leaving the subdivision. RFC Evans ran the tag to discover who the owner of the vehicle was. RFC Evans later spoke with the owner who said it was her child's vehicle and arranged for RFC Evans to meet with her child. RFC Evans later spoke to three juveniles who admitted to shooting at the geese with a .410 shotgun and a .17 caliber rifle. RFC Evans turned the juveniles over to their parents after all were given guidance about hunting out of season and hunting without permission.

BRYAN COUNTY On Feb. 19th, RFC Jack Thain and Cpl. Jay Morgan responded to a complaint of juveniles catching and possessing an alligator at Strathy Hall Subdivision. After obtaining the suspects' names and a confiscated three-foot alligator from the local deputies, the rangers met with the juveniles, ages 12 - 14. The juveniles admitted to catching the alligator in the marsh. The juveniles and their parents were verbally warned that it is illegal to hunt and possess alligators out of season. The alligator was released to the wild.
CAMDEN COUNTY On February 22nd, RFC Craig Smith and RFC David Brady were on vessel patrol when they observed a sailboat that had run aground. Officers were able to assist them and direct them through a narrow cut during a very low negative tide. After getting this first sailboat through the cut, they observed another sailboat going towards the same sandbar. The Officers then stopped that sailboat and directed them through the same passage.