Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section Field Operations Weekly Report September 16-22, 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 September 17th at 11pm, Sgt. Mike Barr received a call from the State Operation Center about a hunter missing on the Allatoona Wildlife Management Area. The Bartow County Sheriff's Office was already responding and Sgt. Barr learned that two hunters had gone into the woods to bow-hunt with climbing stands around 230pm. The hunters had separated, and one hunter who was 47 years old did not return to their truck after dark. Sgt. Barr coordinated a multi-agency response with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office, Bartow County Fire and Rescue, the Georgia State Patrol, and Rangers from DNR including RFC Brooks Varnell and his K-9 "Rock", Cpl. Chip Cox, and Cpl. Byron Young, and DNR Game Management Larry Ethridge. Cpl. Cox was able to print off maps of the terrain using Google Earth and the search teams foot patrolled the area. At 3am, Cpl. Cox and his partner located the man on the edge of Allatoona Lake where he had gone in the opposite direction from his truck. The hunter was tired and lost but had built a fire and had decided to wait until daylight to try and walk out. He was reunited with his hunting partner and worried family. On September 22nd, Cpl. Byron Young conducted an Information and Education program for the Anheuser Busch hunting committee. The program was held at the resource recovery farm located in Bartow County. CARROLL COUNTY On September 21st, Cpl. Eric Brown participated in a missing person search for a 49 year old autistic male that had left the house that morning and not returned. Multiple agencies and organizations including mounted searchers, dog teams, those searching by ATV, and helicopters were used in the search. The subject was located alive and well shortly before dark. CHEROKEE COUNTY On September 22nd, Cpl. Lee A. Burns checked four baited deer stands and upon walking into the fifth stand, Cpl. Burns happened up on a subject dragging out an archery shot doe. The subject advised Cpl. Burns he had just shot the doe ten minutes prior to his arrival as it was feeding at his bait site. Cpl. Burns charged the subject for hunting big game over bait and possession of illegally taken wildlife. Doe shot illegally over whole kernel corn on 9/22/12 On September 22nd, Cpl. Lee Burns received a call from an irate landowner. The landowner was upset over an eight point buck being shot as it fed at his bait sight. Cpl. Burns went to the bait station and checked the buck for spent bullets. Cpl. Burns located five buck shot pellet wounds to the abdomen. This was in the same location of the other five baited stands. Another shot was heard on Sunday morning in the same location at daybreak. This case is still under investigation. Eight point shot with buck shot on 09/21/12 On September 22nd, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Brooks Varnell were patrolling Cherokee County in the Ballground area. The officers responded to a possible hunting without permission complaint. The officers located two males hunting off Hogan Pond Lane. The hunters were found to have permission to hunt the property. One hunter was hunting without a license and big game license. The two officers issued citations for the violations. On September 22nd, Sgt. Mike Barr and DNR Intern Chris Ellis assisted with the Allatoona Lake clean-up day. With the water level dropping, volunteers gathered to pick-up trash from the shoreline and lake bed. The yearly event is coordinated through the US Army Corp of Engineers and is also assisted by the Bartow County EMS team. Region II- Gainesville (Northeast) HALL COUNTY On September 22nd, Cpl. Jason Roberson assisted with Outdoor Adventure Day at Unicoi State Park. Hundreds of children and adults were given hands on instruction about firearms safety and were allowed to shoot skeet. On September 22nd, Cpl. Jason Roberson responded to a boat incident at Sunset Cove on Lake Lanier. A large cruiser lost control due to high wind and struck the bow of three other boats. There were no injuries related to the incident but minor damage was reported. FORSYTH COUNTY On September 22nd, RFC Brandon Pierce participated in the annual Kid's Day Fishing Event held below the Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. Trout were stocked for the kid's enjoyment of catching some fish, as well as, several booths were set up for different activities for the kids. The event was a tremendous success. On September 22nd, RFC Brandon Pierce received a complaint if a possible rabid raccoon. RFC Pierce called the complainant and met him at his residence. The complainant had seen the raccoon for two days in his yard and it showed signs of being injured. After a short search the raccoon was found by RFC Pierce and was dispatched due to the raccoon suffering. The Raccoon was taken from the complainant's property and properly disposed of. On September 23rd, RFC Brandon Pierce patrolled the Chattahoochee River for any boating safety/fishing activity. A total of five boats and twenty fishing licenses were inspected. As a result, four violations were documented. The violations consisted of operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's, operating a vessel without registration, fishing without a license, and fishing without a trout license. Verbal guidance was also given to be in compliance with the laws of the state. GWINNETT COUNTY On September 16th, RFC Brandon Pierce and Sgt. Lee Brown patrolled the Chattahoochee River for fishing activity. A total of one fishing license was checked. As a result, one violation was documented consisting of unlawful bait in artificial lure stream. Subjects bait was seized and subject was released. On September 16th, Cpl. Eric Sanders went to a resident in Snellville reference to trash that he found dumped in Dekalb County. While interviewing the wife about the trash it was determined that her husband was the one who did the dumping. A citation was issued for this infraction. While he was there Cpl. Sanders inspected the husband's boat to assist him with getting it registered. On September 20th, RFC Mitchell Crump responded to a complaint reference to a deer being killed in a subdivision. RFC Crump located where the deer had been killed. After interviewing the subject RFC Crump issued citations and warnings for hunting big game over bait and hunting without permission. LUMPKIN COUNTY On September 20th, RFC Mitchell Crump and Sheriff Stacy Jarrard conducted an On-Line Hunter Education Class at the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office. A total of 22 students were certified in Hunter Education. WHITE COUNTY On September 22nd, RFC Kevin Dyer, RFC Mitchell Crump, Cpl. Jason Roberson, Sgt. Stan Elrod worked the Outdoor Adventure Day Event at Unicoi State Park. The rangers manned the skeet shooting event. Approximately 1500 people attended. Region III- Thomson (East Central) BURKE COUNTY On September 16, 2012, SGT Max Boswell and RFC Jeff Billips patrolled Yuchi WMA and Georgia Power boat ramp along the Savannah River. They checked several boaters and fishermen. One fisherman was issued a warning for fishing without a license. On September 21, 2012, CPL Ben Payne conducted night hunting surveillance in Burke County. One September 22, 2012, RFC Jeff Billips assisted with an Educational Program for children at Fort Gordon Military Reserve in Richmond County. RFC Billips and RFC Grant Matherly conducted night hunting surveillance in Burke County. CLARKE COUNTY RFC Phillip Nelson investigated a hunting without permission complaint on Saturday, September 22, 2012. RFC Nelson found out the subject did have permission to hunt the property last year, but the property had changed owners. The subject was issued a written warning for hunting without permission. COLUMBIA COUNTY On September 16, 2012, CPL Brian Hobbins was on patrol at Wildwood Park. CPL Hobbins stopped a vessel that was traveling above idle speed causing wake in a no wake zone. The operator of the vessel was found to be BUI. The operator was committed to the Columbia County jail, and charged with BUI, failure to obey a regulatory marker and operating vessel with insufficient PFD's. MCDUFFIE/WILKES COUNTIES Clarks Hill WMA which consists of 12,700 acres, held an early season rifle deer hunt on the weekend of September 21-23, 2012. RFC Phillip Nelson patrolled the WMA on Friday and one subject was charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol on a WMA. CPL Mark Patterson patrolled the WMA on Saturday and no violations were noted. RICHMOND COUNTY On September 22, 2012, CPL Ben Payne worked a night hunting complaint in Burke County. There was no activity on this night. In the morning he worked without permission complaints in Richmond County. One warning was given for fishing without permission. CPL Payne assisted other rangers with a Kids Hunting and Fishing Day at Fort Gordon Sportsman Complex. Rangers ran the laser shot for the kids and adults, as well as, answering hunting and fishing questions. Close to 200 attended the Hunting and Fishing Day. Region IV- Macon (West Central) Region V- Albany (Southwest) DECATUR COUNTY Sgt. Rick Sellars conducted a vessel patrol on the Flint River at Bainbridge to assist with security for the South Georgia Showdown ODBA Boat drag race. MITCHELL COUNTY Cpl. Randy Davis assisted the Mitchell County S.O. and Camilla P.D. with the capture of an armed robbery suspect. DOUGHERTY COUNTY On September 18th, Capt. Jeff Swift and Cpl. Robbie Griner assisted the GBI and Albany Police Department with the retrieval of a body from the Flint River. DNR rangers also assisted in the search for evidence along the river banks and underneath bridges. The case is still under investigation by the GBI. Region VI- Metter (Southeast) TOOMBS COUNTY On September 16th, Cpl. Jon Barnard patrolled boat landings on the Altamaha River inspecting 5 boats and 7 fishing licenses, identifying several boating violations. He issued one citation, one warning and gave verbal guidance for the violations. APPLING COUNTY On September 21st, Cpl. Jon Barnard and RFC Chase Altman were working a night deer hunting complaint and observed an individual in a UTV shining peanut fields with a spotlight. The individual was issued a citation for Blinding Wildlife with lights. MONTGOMERY COUNTY On September 22nd, Cpl. Jon Barnard and RFC Clint Jarriel responded to a complaint of hunters hunting deer with firearms early. The rangers located a hunter skinning a deer behind a house in the area. The hunter admitted to killing the deer with a 30-30 rifle. The hunter was issued citations for hunting with an illegal weapon and possession of illegally taken wildlife. The deer was confiscated and donated to a needy family. BULLOCH COUNTY On the evening of September 17th, Cpl. Eddie Akins was contacted by the director of the Georgia Southern Raptor Center about a dead bald eagle that was found in the parking lot of a local elementary school. Investigation on the following day consisted of looking at the videos from the school surveillance cameras, x-rays of the bird at a local veterinary office, and complete physical examination of the bird. It was determined that the bird died of natural causes. The bird will be sent to the federal depository for eagles in Colorado. JENKINS COUNTY On September 19th, Cpl. Mike Wilcox assisted Jenkins county SO with a manhunt for a fleeing suspect. The suspect allegedly attempted to drown his girlfriend in the bath tub. The girlfriend is fine, but the suspect is still at large. On September 21st, Cpl. Mike Wilcox received a complaint about hunting without permission. Cpl. Wilcox, met w/ the landowner and located a hunting blind placed on private property. The property owner was advised of the Departmental procedure and landowner's affidavit. The property owner doesn't want to submit an affidavit at this time. No further action has been taken. SCREVEN COUNTY On September 22nd, Cpl. Wilcox received a call from WL Technician Howard Pope, about a child abduction in Screven county. Cpl. Wilcox contacted Georgia State Patrol about the incident and notified Sgt. Dasher, Cpl. Akins, and RFC O'Brien. Captain Klingel and the other DNR units responded. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia State Patrol, and the K-9 unit from Reidsville assisted Screven County with the search for the suspect. The child was found unharmed. The suspect is still at large. DODGE COUNTY On September 18th, RFC Allen Mills responded to a CAD call in reference to an unknown male near the Bleckley County High school brandishing a firearm. All the schools in the area were placed in lockdown until that individual was finally apprehended. No one was harmed or in immediate danger thanks to the quick response from all the agencies involved including DNR and GSP. On September18th, RFC Allen Mills participated in the grand opening of the Archery Range located at the Dodge County Public Fishing Area. There were approximately 75 people in attendance. The Dodge County High School N.A.S.P. team fired the first arrows. Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal) CHATHAM COUNTY On September 17, Cpl. Bill Bryson received a call from a commercial crabber in reference to a small boat he found up a small creek. Cpl. Bryson talked with the commercial crabber and met him at his dock on the water. Cpl. Bryson ran the registration and hull identification number and the boat did not come back stolen. Cpl. Bryson then called the boat owner and the boat owner confirmed the boat had been stolen about two months ago. On September 21, Cpl. Bill Bryson and Ranger Kiel Toney patrolled the salt waters of Chatham County. While on patrol the two rangers heard over the marine radio a person had fell into the water near the Hyatt Hotel on the Savannah River. The two rangers responded to the area and assisted other agencies in looking for the drowned individual. The individual's body was recovered later that night by divers from the Savannah Metro Police Department. On September 22, Cpl. Bill Bryson and Ranger Kiel Toney worked a complaint of someone stealing crabs from commercial crab traps. The rangers watched a commercial crab boat pull up to three commercial crab traps and empty the crabs into their boat. The only problem was the commercial crab traps did not belong to that particular commercial crab boat or commercial fishermen. The rangers waited at Houlihans boat ramp and checked the commercial crabbers when they were taking their boat out of the water. The two commercial crabbers were charged with working crab traps of another without permission. CAMDEN COUNTY On September 21, Cpl. Wil Smith received a call in reference to a rattlesnake at Sugarmill Elementary School in St. Marys, GA. Cpl. Smith responded and located a 5 foot timber rattlesnake on the campus near the main entrance. He captured the snake and removed it from the school. On September 22, Cpl. Wil Smith performed an Information and Education program at Crooked River State Park. Cpl. Smith provided literature and answered questions related to hunting, fishing, and boating safety for Georgia Pacific's safety picnic. GLYNN COUNTY On September 16, RFC David Brady assisted NOAA Agents with Dockside TED Inspections in Glynn County. A total of 5 Commercial Shrimp Trawlers were inspected, and several Federal Violations were detected and documented. MCINTOSH COUNTY On September 22, 2012 RFC Randy Aspinwall was patrolling in the area of Sapelo Sound and Doughboy Sound. He checked several boats for fish and shrimping violations. He found three boats with short trout. He wrote citations to 6 violators for possession of undersize trout. He confiscated a total of 18 fish. BRYAN COUNTY On Sept. 16th, Cpl. Jay Morgan, Rangers Trey Taylor and Jason Miller patrolled the St. Catherine's Sound area and offshore Ossabaw Island checking recreational fishermen, and commercial shrimp boats for license and Turtle Excluder Device violations. Cpl. Phillip Scott attended a week-long Crime Scene Technician course at the Ga. Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth as part of his training for being an investigator with the DNR Critical Incident Reconstruction Team. On Sept. 22nd, Sgt. James Shelton and Cpl. Jay Morgan assisted with the Kids Fishing Event at the Richmond Hill Hatchery. Sgt. Shelton supervised the kids riding in kayaks while Cpl. Morgan operated the Laser Shot hunting simulator. Later that afternoon, the rangers patrolled the Richmond Hill WMA, checking six archery hunters. LIBERTY COUNTY RFC Jack Thain attended a week-long course on Wilderness Training at Lagrange, Ga. On Sept. 18th, Cpl. Jay Morgan presented a Hunter Education class at Wal-Mart in Hinesville, certifying 15 students.