Field operations weekly report, 2013 February 3-9

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report February 3 February 9, 2013
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)
DAWSON COUNTY On February 3rd, RFC Barry Britt patrolled Dawson Forest WMA and issued three citations for illegally target practicing on a WMA.
On February 9th, Wildlife Technician III David Shattuck, RFC Barry Britt and RFC Mitchell Crump, conducted a permit compliance check on the horse/bike trails on the City of Atlanta Tract on Dawson Forest WMA from 1300 to 1800 hours. Approximately 35 horse riders, 2 bike riders and two hunters were checked. Two warnings were written and several were given verbal guidance. The major issue was failure to properly complete the permit form. One horse rider was given a courtesy transport from Reservoir Road to the Trail Head after her horse fell and she injured her hip. A report from GSP Dispatch of a reckless driver on Shoal Creek Road was investigated with no contact.
GWINNETT COUNTY On February 5th, Cpl. Eddie Tompkins located a subject parked on a woods road within a private hunting club smoking marijuana. The subject was issued a citation for possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
LAKE LANIER On February 9th, RFC Mitchell Crump and RFC Barry Britt responded to a boat incident in Hall County across from Port Royale Marina. The boat operator ran his 32' Sea Ray aground while heading back to the marina.
LUMPKIN COUNTY On February 8th, RFC Mitchell Crump and Wildlife Technician III Frank Manning were investigating dump sites that RFC Crump had previously located. The rangers went to several locations looking for the subjects that had dumped out the trash. As a result of investigating the two sites that RFC Crump had located a written warning was issued to one subject and a citation was issued to another subject for unlawful dumping.
ROCKDALE COUNTY On February 8th, Cpl. Eric Sanders and Cpl. Eddie Tompkins taped a TV show on turkey hunting for Rockdale Cable Channel 23. The rangers talked about laws and how to safely hunt turkeys. The rangers also had a high school student that was shadowing Cpl. Sanders assist with the show.
On February 9th, Cpl. Sanders assisted a boater on Randy Poynter Lake by towing his boat back to the dock. The boater's boat had drifted away from the dock while he was getting his truck to load the boat up after a day of fishing.

UNION COUNTY On February 9th, RFC Kevin Dyer responded to hunting incident in Union County where a 76 year old Gilmer County man shot himself in the leg with a .22 caliber pistol while raccoon hunting. The victim had been driven to the Gilmer County hospital where he was treated for his non-life threatening injury.
FANNIN COUNTY On February 6th, Captain Thomas Barnard, Sgt. Steve Seitz, and RFC David Webb assisted the GBI and Fannin County Sheriff's Office search for a man who assaulted his wife and abducted their two children. After assaulting his wife with a knife the night before, the man left his residence in McCaysville, GA on foot with the two children and evaded authorities all night long. DNR officers were requested to assist in the search since the man was suspected to be hiding out in a large wooded area in Northern Fannin County. Authorities found the man hiding out in a camper trailer several miles from his residence where he was apprehended. The children were also recovered safely.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
WILKES COUNTY On February 9th Corporal Mark Patterson conducted patrols of Clarks Hill and Fishing Creek Wildlife Management Areas. During the course of these patrols several small game and hog hunters were checked. Violations he encountered included hunting with an unplugged shotgun and hunting within 50 yards of an open road.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On the afternoon of February 5th RFC Bobby Timmerman responded to a report of lost hikers on the Bartram Trail in the Pollards Corner area of Clarks Hill Lake. Timmerman was able to locate the subjects based on their description of the area they were in and transported the subjects back to their vehicle.
LINCOLN COUNTY On the night of February 9th Sgt. Doyte Chaffin, Cpl. Ryan Swain, and Cpl. Brian Hobbins responded to a report of a possible boat fire and stranded persons in the Wells Creek area of Clarks Hill. Officers searched the area for over an hour but were unable to locate a vessel or any people.
MCDUFFIE COUNTY On February 9th Cpl. Brian Hobbins checked fishermen at the McDuffie Public Fishing Area. Several fishermen were checked and 3 subjects were cited for fishing without a license or WMA stamp.

RICHMOND COUNTY On February 9, Cpl. Ben Payne patrolled Richmond and Burke County checking without permission complaints. He also checked local creeks for fishing activity. No violations were documented. Later in the afternoon he patrolled Phinizy WMA for hunting activity with no contacts made.
GREENE COUNTY On February 2, Cpl. David Allen was contacted by RFC Richard Tanner in reference to illegal netting of fish on Lake Oconee. Cpl. David Allen and Cpl. Derrell Worth responded to the Redlands boat ramp to work the complaint. After several hours of surveillance, Cpl. Worth spotted a vessel coming to the Hwy 278 overpass running without lights. Cpl. Allen and Worth went to the Redlands boat ramp entrance and waited for the vehicle to leave the ramp. The Rangers conducted a traffic stop and noted a large quantity of fish in the vessel. After further investigation, the rangers determined the fish were taken illegal by use of gill nets. Cpl. Allen and Cpl. Worth issued citations for fishing by means of illegal methods, possession of illegally taken fish, and operating a vessel without lights during the hours of darkness. The rangers confiscated the gills nets and approximately 150 pounds of game fish.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
HARRIS COUNTY On February 9th, Corporal Mitch Oliver was checking fishermen along the shore of Goat Rock when he encountered 3 men. The men were on one of the trails that lead up the bank to the dam. The men were not fishing, but had been rock climbing near the lake. One of the men was sitting on a rock as Corporal Oliver walked up and the man immediately reached down and moved something near his left foot. Corporal Oliver spoke with the 3 men briefly and then walked over to where the man was sitting. There at the subjects left foot was a glass pipe commonly used for smoking marijuana. Corporal Oliver asked the man if the pipe was his and he said that it wasn't. One of the other men spoke up and said the pipe was his. Corporal Oliver asked the second subject where the marijuana was and the man said that that was all he had. Corporal Oliver told the subject that he didn't believe that there wasn't any marijuana left and asked again where it was. The man told Corporal Oliver that the marijuana was in a bag sitting there on the ground. Corporal Oliver checked the bag and located a plastic baggie with suspected marijuana and a pill bottle with suspected marijuana. The subject that took responsibility for the marijuana and pipe was charged with possession of marijuana less than an ounce.
HOUSTON COUNTY On the afternoon of February 6th, Sergeant Tony Fox was patrolling Oaky Woods WMA. While on the main road that runs through the area, Fox observed a vehicle ahead of him traveling in the same direction. Shortly thereafter, the sergeant saw the vehicle come to an abrupt stop and observed the driver bail from the vehicle with a shotgun in his hands. As the officer pulled up behind the vehicle he could see the driver, who was standing in the middle of the road, was staring intently down a closed roadway which intersected the main road. The subject then noticed Sergeant Fox, immediately got back into his truck,

and closed the door. Fox then approached the vehicle and secured the subject's loaded shotgun. Upon being questioned, the hunter stated he "thought he had seen some doves". After explaining that the season for doves was closed - and further questioning - Fox determined the subject had been riding around the management area looking for various wildlife to shoot. The subject was charged with hunting within 50 yards of a WMA road and warned for several other violations.
PEACH COUNTY On the evening of February 6th, Ranger David Fisher and Sergeant Tony Fox responded to a landowner complaint regarding subjects fishing in a private pond without permission. Due to a possible misunderstanding regarding usage rights of the waters, the anglers were warned for the infraction.
WILKINSON COUNTY On Saturday, February 7th, Conservation Rangers from Regions 4 and 6 assisted local organizers with the annual Quail Hunt for Kids. Twenty-five youth hunters participated in shooting sporting clays and hunting quail. Several young hunters harvested their first quail during this event.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BULLOCH COUNTY On February 9th, Cpl. Eddie Akins checked the Oliver Bridge Wildlife Management Area for hunting and fishing activity. This resulted in Cpl. Akins checking three fishermen, two hunters and documenting one violation for fishing without a license.
DODGE COUNTY On February 9th, Cpl. John A. Stokes and Sgt. David Reckley patrolled the Dodge county PFA. One violation for fishing without a license was documented. The officers also patrolled the location of an eagle nest on the PFA property.
LAURENS On February 9th, Cpl. Stiles patrolled the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area. One violation was documented for operating a vessel without registration.
On February 9th, Cpl. Stiles conducted a night patrol at the Beaverdam WMA. Four hunting licenses were checked with no violations documented.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CHATHAM COUNTY On February 8, Sgt. Cindy Miller patrolled the Salt Creek boat ramp area just before dark and noticed a vehicle with a boat trailer. Sgt. Miller called Cpl. Chris Moore and told him what she had and he responded to her location. Just before Cpl. Moore arrived a small johnboat with no lights pulled up to the boat ramp. As Sgt. Miller was talking with the individuals Cpl. Moore arrived. There were two individuals in the jon boat. They had been fishing their eel pots. The Rangers checked safety equipment and licenses. The operator of the johnboat was cited for operating a vessel with no lights, operating a vessel without life jackets, commercial fishing without a commercial boat license, and fishing with illegal pots.
BRYAN COUNTY On Feb. 9th, Cpl. Phillip Scott and RFC Jack Thain were returning from a boat patrol to the DNR dock at Demeries Creek when they checked a couple of boats at the public ramp. RFC Thain cited one boater for operating a vessel without life jackets. Cpl. Scott arrested one boater for operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol after he blew a reading of .167 grams.

On Feb. 8th, Ranger Jason Miller received a complaint of raccoon hunters and dogs on the Richmond Hill WMA at the Lincoln River tract which is an archery-only tract. When Ranger Miller arrived, the subjects had already left the area. He patrolled other parts of the WMA for the next couple of hours checking for violations.
LIBERTY COUNTY On Feb. 6th, Ranger Jason Miller checked an area of private property on the South Newport River behind the McDonalds on Hwy. 17. He found two separate men harvesting oysters off the property's riverbank. Both men were cited for harvesting oysters from a closed area.

Three buckets of illegal oysters

Bag of illegal oysters

On Feb. 9th, Cpl. Phillip Scott and RFC Jack Thain patrolled the St. Catherine's Sound area. One boater on the North Newport River was cited for possession of undersized black sea bass.