Field operations weekly report, 2012 April 1-7

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report April 1-7, 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)
BARTOW COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Byron Young received a call from the 911center in Bartow County about a capsized jon-boat on the Etowah River downstream of the Lake Allatoona dam. A male and female were in the boat when it turned over and they held onto the vessel for 15 minutes before they could make it to shore. Cpl. Young and Bartow County Fire and Rescue personnel searched the banks of the river until the couple was located. Although cold, the couple did not sustain any injuries. The incident shows the importance of wearing your life jackets while boating as when the boat turned over, their life jackets floated ahead of the boat and out of reach of the couple.
FANNIN COUNTY On April 1st, RFC Cody Jones observed three fishermen at the edge of the river as he pulled up to check the delayed harvest section of the Toccoa River. When RFC Jones got to the fishermen only one subject still had a fishing pole in his hand. The second subject had thrown his pole on the ground and the third subject threw his pole in the edge of the river. After interviewing the subjects, the two that discarded the fishing poles admitted to fishing without a license. They were each issued a citation for fishing without a license and a warning for fishing without a trout license. All three subjects were using corn as bait and were issued a citation for fishing with unlawful bait.
On April 1st, RFC Cody Jones issued three citations and two warnings for fishing with unlawful bait, fishing without a license, and possession of trout on the delayed harvest section of the Toccoa River. Two trout were confiscated.
On April 7th, RFC Cody Jones and RFC Joe Hill patrolled the Toccoa River and issued 10 citations and warnings for fishing without a license, fishing without a trout license and fishing with unlawful bait on a delayed harvest stream.
MURRAY COUNTY On April 1st, Cpl Casey Jones and RFC Joe Hill assisted a boater whose boat was sinking on Carters Lake. As the rangers were approaching the sinking vessel the boater was yelling that his boat was sinking. The rangers pulled up to the vessel and put the juvenile operator in their patrol boat and tied a tow strap to the sinking vessel. The rangers were able to tow the vessel to shore before it sank. Later the day the father of the juvenile operator was charged for allowing an underage person to operate the motorized vessel unsupervised.
On April 1st, Cpl. Casey Jones issued a Murray County man a citation for fishing without a license after observing him fishing in the Coosawattee River.

On April 6th, Cpl. James Keener and RFC Joe Hill patrolled Carters Lake. The officers issued 2 citations and 1 warning for fishing without a license, nonresident fishing without a license, and operating a vessel without registration.
POLK COUNTY On April 1st, RFC Chad Cox was checking a baited area in the eastern part of Polk County. RFC Cox located a subject hunting turkey from a deer stand in the area that was baited with corn. The male subject had also brought another bag of corn to put out after he hunted. The subject was charged with hunting big game over bait.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON COUNTY On April 6th, Corporal Eddie Tompkins and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling the delayed harvest stream on Dawson Forest WMA at Steele Bridge. During their patrol RFC Dills observed two individuals fishing with non-artificial bait as well as keeping fish. One individual was given a citation for fishing after obtaining creel limit and warnings for unlawful bait in artificial stream and possession of trout on delayed harvest stream. The other individual was given a citation for possession of trout on delayed harvest stream and a warning for unlawful bait in artificial stream.
On April 7th, RFC Adam Dills was patrolling the delayed harvest stream on Dawson Forest WMA at Steele Bridge. During the patrol RFC Dills observed one individual fishing with non-artificial bait. When RFC Dills checked the individual it was also discovered that they had possession of 3 trout on the delayed harvest stream. Upon discussion with person it was discovered they were new to the state and were not sure about the regulations. RFC Dills informed the individual of the delayed harvest regulations as well as gave them warnings for possession of trout on delayed harvest stream and unlawful bait in artificial stream.
FORSYTH COUNTY On April 1ST, Corporal Eddie Tompkins and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling Lake Lanier near the dam area when they observed a boat with expired registration. Upon stopping the vessel it was determined that the registration was expired and during the safety inspection that there was insufficient PFD's on board. After giving the occupants on board PFD's the driver was issued a citation for operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's and a warning for operating a vessel with expired registration.
On April 1st, RFC Adam Dills and Cpl. Eddie Tompkins patrolled Lake Lanier for boating safety violations. The Rangers issued citation and warnings for littering, operating vessel with PFD's, allowing child under age ten to ride in moving vessel without a PFD, and operating vessel without registration.
On April 1st, Corporal Eddie Tompkins and RFC Adam Dills were patrolling Lake Lanier near Bald Ridge Marina when they observed a boat operating with their lights on. Upon stopping the vessel near Vann's Tavern boat landing, it was determined that one occupant

on board did not want to be on board. This occupant was quickly moved onto Corporal Tompkins and RFC Dills boat while the remainder of the stop was conducted. The operator of the boat was cited for operating a vessel with no lights during hours of darkness. Once finished with the stop Corporal Tompkins and RFC Dills gave the occupant that was in their boat a courtesy ride to Holiday Marina.
On April 3rd, RFC Mitchell Crump and RFC Adam Dills where patrolling Lake Lanier at the dam when they stopped a boat near the buoy line in front of the spillway. During the safety inspection of the boat it was discovered the boat did not have a fire extinguisher or throwable floatation device. The operator of the vessel was issued a citation for failure to obey regulatory markers and warnings for operating vessel without fire extinguisher as well as operating vessel without a throwable device.
Later in the day the rangers stopped a boat and during the inspection it was determined that there wasn't sufficient PFD's on board. A citation was issued to the operator for operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's. They were given PFD's to get them in compliance with the law.
GWINNETT COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Eddie Tompkins and Cpl. Eric Sanders completed a fishing without permission detail at Freeman's Lake. The rangers issued two citations for fishing without permission.
LUMPKIN COUNTY On March 31st, RFC Mitchell Crump and Wildlife Technician III Frank Manning were patrolling Dockery Lake on Chestatee WMA for the opening day of trout season. The rangers issued a written warning for fishing before the season was open.
On April 3rd, RFC Mitchell Crump was patrolling Dicks Creek on Chestatee WMA and issued citations and warnings to two non-residents for fishing without a license and fishing without a trout license.
On April 5th, RFC Mitchell Crump was patrolling Dicks Creek on Chestatee WMA and issued written warnings to a subject for fishing without a license and fishing without a trout license.
ROCKDALE COUNTY On March 29th, Cpl. Eric Sanders conducted an I & E program on Boating Safety for Rockdale TV Channel 23.
HART COUNTY On April 6th, RFC Josh Chambers assisted with a turkey hunt for the Outdoor Dream Foundation. He guided a hunt for a child suffering from a terminal illness. RFC Chambers called up four gobblers and the child was able to kill one of the gobblers. The foundation grants hunts and fishing trips for terminally ill and children suffering with life threatening diseases.

STEPHENS COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Bill Bunch patrolled Lake Hartwell. He checked several boats and fishermen. He issued one warning for insufficient personal floatation devices during his boating safety patrol.
HALL COUNTY On April 3rd, at approximately 2050 hours RFC Mark Stephens responded to a call in Hall County off E. Reed Rd. Officer Stephens met with an officer with the Hall county sheriff's office at a residence on E. Reed Rd. The complainant advised officer Stephens that she had a gun pointed at her and the individual tried to shot her for attempting to chase the trespasser off of her land. She advised officer Stephens that he was hunting without permission on her land and shot one of her turkeys. The turkey was domesticated. Officer Stephens collected the shot shells on the ground that the hunter had dropped while running away from the landowner. Officer Stephens took the shells to see if fingerprints could be lifted off of them. The incident is still under investigation.
WHITE COUNTY On Saturday, April 7th, RFC Anne Alexander and USFS LEO Derik Breedlove were patrolling the Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area for hunting and fishing activity. The officers came in contact with three fishermen fishing on landowner affidavit property. The fishermen were charged for fishing without permission.
On Sunday, April 8th, RFC Anne Alexander received a complaint from a fisherman stating another fisherman was upstream and more than likely taking over the possession limit of trout. The complainant gave RFC Alexander a good description of the subject. RFC Alexander came in contact with the fisherman and asked him for his fishing license. The fisherman was in possession of 5 trout and possessed the proper licenses. When RFC Alexander asked for his identification, the fisherman stated that he had left them in the room at the hotel. She asked him where he was from and he claimed he was from Lula, GA. RFC Alexander ran his information through White County dispatch and the fisherman had confirmed warrants out for his arrest. The fisherman was then arrested and transported to White County S.O. for extradition from Hall County.
UNION COUNTY On Saturday, April 7th, RFC Kevin Dyer received a complaint from a North Carolina game warden that he was investigating an incident where a turkey was shot from a public road in NC near the GA state line. A witness had a vehicle description and the NC game warden had collected evidence from where the turkey was killed. RFC Dyer knew of a GA resident that drove a vehicle described by the witness. Sgt. Steve Seitz and RFC Dyer went to the residence of the suspect and interviewed him. The suspect had killed a turkey on this dated and showed it to the officers along with his licenses. The NC game warden drove to the residence to interview the suspect himself. The suspect initially denied being involved in the incident in NC, but later confessed to killing the turkey after he was confronted with the evidence. The NC game warden charged the suspect with hunting

turkeys out of season (the NC turkey season was closed), hunting from a motor vehicle, hunting from a public road, and possession of the turkey.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
COLUMBIA COUNTY On April 8th, RFC Bobby Timmerman and RFC Leroy Ficklin responded to a drowning at West Dam Rec Area on Clarks Hill Lake. The subject was recovered at 9:00 pm.
LINCOLN COUNTY On April 3rd, Sgt. Doyte Chaffin responded to a vessel incident at the Little River Bridge on Clarks Hill Lake. Two subjects in the vessel were found safe at the scene. The vessel was completely swamped with water and had to be removed by Sea Tow the next day. The swamping was determined to have occurred due to high winds and storms that hit the area that night.
On April 8th, Cpl. Ryan Swain responded to two missing juveniles on Clarks Hill Lake. The two subjects went night fishing out of Elijah Clark State Park around 9:30 pm and had not returned by 12:10 am. Cpl. Swain located the two subjects by vessel approximately 2 miles north of the park on the Savannah River. They were having motor problems with their vessel. The two subjects were returned safely to their parents.
WILKES COUNTY On Sunday April 1st, Sgt. Brian Carter found 2 subjects who were hunting turkeys from a public road. They had stopped their truck in the road and were standing approximately 10 feet off the road. One subject had a gun and the other was calling. Each subject was charged with hunting from a public road.
On Saturday April 7th, RFC Mark Patterson patrolled Lake Boline and Holiday Park in Wilkes County for boating and fishing activity. Several boats and fisherman were checked. Violations encountered included operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's and operating a vessel without registration.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
HOUSTON COUNTY On April 1st Cpl. John Harkins was on patrol on Oaky Woods WMA when he checked a turkey hunter coming out of the woods from a morning hunt. The turkey hunter did not have a hunting license and had an expired WMA license. Cpl. Harkins issued the hunter a citation for hunting without a license and a warning for the expired WMA license.
JASPER COUNTY On April 7th , SGT Tim Kendrick, CPL Susan Morris, RFC Keith Page, RFC Billy Bryant and K-9 Drake worked a concentrated patrol detail on Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. The Rangers primarily patrolled for fishing activity most of the day and assisted Jasper County Deputies with a license check at the intersection of Marben Farms Road and

Murder Creek Church Road prior to dark. The officers documented numerous charges, including 15 wildlife violations, 2 drug cases, and one driving while license suspended case was made on the area.
MONROE COUNTY On April 7th, RFC Keith Page and Sgt. Tim Kendrick were patrolling an area near Strouds Road in Monroe County. The rangers located a vehicle parked at a gate where RFC Page and Major Walter Rabon had previously located turkey bait. The officers walked into the hunting club to a food plot where they located two men sitting approximately 50 yards from where Page and Rabon had located the bait. RFC Page advised the men that they were hunting too close to the baited area. Page and Kendrick then escorted both men out of the woods where they were both charged with hunting big game over bait.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
THOMAS COUNTY On April 6th, RFC Jon Penuel and Cpl. Greg Wade patrolled areas along the Ochlocknee River for boating safety and fishing activities. During the patrol, the officers located and cited subjects for fishing without the required licenses.
DOUGHERTY COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Greg Wade and Ranger Chris Carlisle conducted a boating patrol on Lake Worth, during which they encountered several boating and fishing violations.
WORTH COUNTY On April 3rd, Cpl. Robbie Griner located two turkey hunters with an unplugged gun and no licenses, both were cited for the violations.
MILLER COUNTY On April 1st, RFC Tony Cox responded to a landowner complaint of two subjects hunting without permission. Upon his arrival, Cox learned the poachers had fled the scene on foot and where hiding in the woods. Cox located the subjects, citing one for hunting without a license and without a big game license. The property owner decided to not press charges for hunting without permission.
GRADY COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Mike Binion and Cpl. Randy Davis responded to a landowner complaint of hunting without permission. The poacher was approached and identified by the leaseholder on the property. The case is under investigation.
CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY On April 1st, Sgt. Butch Potter and Cpl. Scott Carroll patrolled the Chattahoochee River conducting vessel inspections and creel checks of fishermen. The rangers documented various violations ranging from insufficient PFD's to fishing without licenses.

LEE COUNTY On April 7th, RFC's Randy James and Tommy Lawrence conducted a boating patrol of the Flint River, during which they encountered and cited numerous people for boating safety related issues and fishing without licenses.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Barry Britt charged a Florida resident with hunting without a license, taking over the limit of gobblers, possession of illegally taken wildlife, and hunting after obtaining bag limit. Cpl. Britt seized 5 beards, 4 turkey breasts, 10 turkey legs, and 7 spurs.
TOOMBS COUNTY On April 7th, Sgt. Keith Byers, Cpl. Jon Barnard, Cpl. Barry Britt, RFC Danielle Partin, RFC Debbie Brannon and RFC Clint Jarriel conducted HIN inspections at the Toombs County Court House in Lyons. The rangers assisted 11 boat owners with registration issues.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On April 7th, Cpl. Jay Morgan conducted a boating incident investigation after witnessing a boat accident at the Demeries Creek boat ramp. A 27 ft. Contender was tied to the dock with the motors running while the father was parking the truck, when his four year old son pushed the dual-throttle controls into gear. The boat broke free of its mooring line and ran up onto the bank, throwing the wife and two children to the floor. The boat suffered over $2000 of damage and but no one was injured.
On the afternoon of April 27th, Ft. McAllister State Park reported that two canoes with two adults and two children had failed to return to the park by 4:00 pm at the Redbird Creek ramp. Cpl. Jay Morgan, Cpl. Phillip Scott, and RFC Jack Thain were notified at 8:00 pm, responding to the scene along with boats from the U.S. Coast Guard and Coffee Bluff Marine Rescue Squadron. The family was found at approximately 10:00 pm on the Ogeechee River, by Rangers Morgan and Thain and returned safely to the park.
LIBERTY COUNTY On April 4th, RFC Jack Thain received a call regarding the dumping of an illegally killed turkey hen on Hwy. 119. The witness stated that he saw a truck with three males dump the turkey hen, followed them to obtain a vehicle tag number, and provided a description of the suspects. RFC Thain tracked down the current owner of the truck, who matched the description of the driver. The 18 year old suspect confessed to killing the turkey hen and to dumping the carcass. He was cited for hunting out of season for a turkey hen and littering.

Turkey Hen Carcass Dumped
LONG COUNTY On April 1st, Cpl. Jay Morgan received a call from a turkey hunter who stated that he had another hunter hunting without permission on the land he was hunting off of Arnold Rd. Upon arrival on the scene, the caller had the illegal hunter at the scene. The second hunter was cited for hunting without permission and hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
CHATHAM COUNTY March 23, Cpl. Chris Moore spot pulled several crabs traps in the Bull River area, checking crab traps to make sure they were properly baited. Cpl. Moore found several that were baited with a male crab and fish and had the escape rings blocked. Cpl. Moore wrote the commercial crabber a citation for commercial fishing with illegal gear.
April 2, Sgt. Cindy Miller patrolled Hoover Creek in Chatham County checking recreational fishermen and boaters. Sgt. Miller saw a jet ski with two individual on it without life jackets. Sgt. Miller cited both individuals for not wearing their life jackets.
GLYNN COUNTY On April 6, 2012, RFC Randy Aspinwall, Corp. Jimmy Finn, and Sgt. Wayne Hubbard responded to a request for assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard concerning a fishing vessel that was taking on water in the Saint Simons shipping channel. The vessel had apparently developed a break in the hull while in rough seas and was taking on water with 5 adults and 2 children on board. The DNR officers contacted the vessel in the shipping channel still under its own power. The Coast Guard helicopter that was following, turned the vessel over to the DNR who escorted them to Blythe Island Regional Park.
MCINTOSH COUNTY On April 6, 2010, Corp. Jimmy Finn and RFC Randy Aspinwall responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard concerning a small aluminum boat which was lost and aground in

the ICW in McIntosh County. The officers were able to locate the vessel, assist with getting it off of the sandbar and escorting them to Blue and Hall Marina.
LONG COUNTY On April 7, 2012, Corp. Bobby White issued two citations for hunting turkey over bait. Also the same day, he issued several verbal warnings to boater in a no wake zone in response to a complaint.