Field operations weekly report, 2013 March 31-April 6

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report March 31-April 6, 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)
CARROLL COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Eric Brown was patrolling Carroll County for turkey hunting. While checking bait, Cpl. Brown found one subject and his grandson hunting a blind that was baited with corn. The adult subject was cited for hunting big game over bait and hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
On April 6th, Cpl. Eric Brown was patrolling Snake Creek Reservoir. During his patrol he checked numerous boats and several subjects were cited for operating a vessel without their personal floatation devices and for fishing without a license.
CHEROKEE COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Byron Young and RFC Bart Hendrix patrolled Allatoona Lake. The officers checked 29 boats and 47 fishing license. They issued citations for operating a vessel without PFD's, operating PWC 100 foot from another vessel above idle speed. The officers also located 3 ATV's riding on the lake shore. The officers issued citations for operating ATV's on Allatoona WMA.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
STEPHENS COUNTY On April 6th, RFC Brandon Pierce and Cpl. Bill Bunch patrolled Lake Hartwell for boating safety and fishing activity. Throughout the patrol a total of thirty-six boats were checked for proper safety equipment and also forty-five fishing license were inspected. As a result, five violations were documented. The violations consisted of allowing an underage child to ride in moving vessel without wearing a PFD, operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's, operating a vessel without registration, and fishing without a license. Verbal guidance was given on several occasions.
DAWSON COUNTY On April 5th, RFC Barry Britt issued a written warning for littering to a Dawson County resident after he picked up his bag of trash that he dumped on Amicalola Church Road. Later that same day, RFC Barry Britt issued a written warning to a trout fisherman for using illegal bait in the delayed harvest section of Amicalola Creek on Dawson Forest WMA.
On April 6th, RFC Barry Britt issued a citation to a male subject for driving in an unauthorized area on Dawson Forest WMA.
On April 6th, RFC Mitchell Crump, Wildlife Technician III David Shattuck and Wildlife Technician III Brandon Walls conducted a trout detail on Dawson Forest WMA at the Delayed Harvest Stream. Citations, warnings and verbal guidance were issued for fishing/possession of unlawful bait on a delayed harvest stream, operating a vessel without PFD's and not possessing a GORP pass.

DEKALB COUNTY On April 5th, Cpl. Eric Sanders conducted an I & E program at Sequoyah Middle School in DeKalb County on job duties of a Conservation Ranger for the 7th and 8th grade students
GWINNETT COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Eric Sanders and RFC Barry Britt conducted a HIN inspection at the Bass Pro Shop in Lawrenceville. A total of 45 boats were inspected.
HALL COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Adam Loudermilk patrolled Hall County for fishing violations. During the patrol he checked 26 fishing license and issued several citations and warnings for license violations. He also responded to a complaint of an illegal burn. A warning was issued for unlawful burning.
JACKSON COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Adam Loudermilk investigated a drowning in a private pond. A 51 year old male was fishing in a small boat when he fell overboard and was unable to swim to shore.
WHITE COUNTY On Saturday April 5th, RFC Anne Alexander and USFS Derik Breedlove patrolled the Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area for hunting and fishing activity. Six citations were written to include possession of controlled substance, seat belt violations, and open container. RFC Alexander also assisted Georgia State Patrol with a road check on Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area. One person was arrested for DUI.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On Saturday, April 6, 2013, CPL Julian Wilkins and RFC Tim Butler patrolled Lake Russell. Two subjects were written for fishing without a license.
GREENE COUNTY On Saturday, April 6, 2013, CPL Derrell Worth and RFC Niki Spencer patrolled the Oconee River for boating and fishing violations. Three fishermen were cited for fishing without a license and two boaters were cited for operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's.

MCDUFFIE COUNTY On Saturday, April 6, 2013, SGT Doyte Chaffin and CPL Brian Hobbins checked baited areas for turkey hunters. No violations were found, on- going investigation. Patrolled Taliferro County for hunting activity with no contacts. Attended the Kids Fishing Event at the PFA in Dearing.
On Saturday, April 6, 2013, RFC Leroy Ficklin checked for bait in McDuffie County with no contacts.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
MONROE COUNTY On Wednesday, April 4th, Corporal Susan Morris received a call and responded to a boat incident on the Ocmulgee River at the Juliette dam. A boat with two adults and one child went over the low head dam. No one was injured in the incident.
On Friday morning, April 5th, while checking a complaint, Corporal Tony Wynne found sunflower seeds strewn on the ground approximately 20 yards in front of a ground blind. At 7:00 a.m. the next morning, Corporal Wynne checked the area and caught a subject hunting turkey over bait.
PUTNAM COUNTY On the afternoon of April 1st, Corporal Bubba Stanford met with 2 subjects in reference to an unlawful dumping case that occurred on Cedar Creek WMA. Both subjects were charged with unlawful dumping.
On the afternoon of April 5th, Corporal Bubba Stanford located two fishermen fishing along Little River on private property. It was determined the two did not have permission to fish the property and were charged accordingly.
On the morning of April 6th, Corporal Bubba Stanford checked baited turkey areas in Putnam County. Two hunters were located hunting the areas and were charged accordingly.
Later that afternoon, Ranger Jeremy Reese patrolled BF Grant WMA and checked the UGA ponds for fishing activity. Two fisherman were located who possessed 109 crappie. The fish were seized and the subjects were charged with possession of over the daily creel limit. The fish were donated to a needy family in the area.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
DECATUR COUNTY On April 4th, Cpl. Mike Binion and Ranger Jace Heard responded to a boat incident on Lake Seminole. The operator and passenger received minor injuries following a collision with a tree. No charges were filed in this incident.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
SCREVEN COUNTY On April 6th, Cpl. Shaymus McNeely, Cpl. Mike Wilcox, and RFC Jamey O Brien responded to a request for assistance from the Sylvania Police Department. Rangers conducted a search of a wooded area off Rocky Ford Road for a suspect who fled into the woods after crashing his car while fleeing from Sylvania Police. A large amount of crack cocaine was found in the wrecked car. The suspect was apprehended later that evening.
JENKINS COUNTY On Sunday, April 7, 2013, Cpl. Mike Wilcox was patrolling Magnolia Springs State Park. Cpl. Wilcox observed an occupied boat in the lake and an unoccupied truck and trailer backed down the boat ramp. Cpl. Wilcox got the attention of the boat operator and had him come back to the boat ramp. The boat was occupied by two young males. The operator of the vessel was not very experienced with boating. Cpl. Wilcox explained that they could not leave the truck blocking the ramp. After it was determined that the vessel had all the requirements necessary, Cpl. Wilcox had them move the truck to a parking space and they returned to the lake in the boat.
EMANUEL COUNTY On Sunday, April 7, 2013, Cpl. Wilcox and Sgt. Dasher patrolled Emanuel County for hunting activity. While on patrol they encountered four young males getting ready to go turkey hunting. The officers stopped to check hunting licenses. There was only one gun between the four young men and only one had a valid hunting license. The officers explained that the only person allowed to hunt was the person with the license, and that the ones without a license could go and observe. Cpl. Wilcox and Sgt. Dasher also conducted area checks on the Ohoopee Dunes WMA tracts.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On Friday March 29th, RFC Jamey O'Brien and Sgt Don Dasher investigated an anonymous tip that someone was holding raccoons in a pen at a residence without a permit/license. Officers located a pen behind the residence that contained two raccoons. The homeowner was contacted and O'Brien and Dasher requested to see his permit/license to allow him to legally possess the wild animals. The subject did not have the required licenses/permits and was found to be illegally possessing wildlife. A citation was issued for possession of wildlife without a permit. The raccoons were released back into the wild by the suspect.
On Sunday April 7th, RFC Jamey O'Brien and CPL Eddie Akins patrolled Abercorn Creek and the Savannah River by boat near the I-95 bridge. A total of three boats were checked. Violations discovered and documented were for operating vessel with expired registration, fishing without a license and allowing child under 10 to ride without an approved life jacket.

BULLOCH COUNTY On Saturday April 6th, Cpl. Eddie Akins checked eight turkey hunters. His efforts resulted in one violation being documented for hunting with an unplugged gun.
BERRIEN COUNTY On Saturday March 30, Cpl. Morty Wood checked an area north of Alapaha that was baited for turkey. Cpl. Wood arrested one male subject in the baited area. Charges included hunting without a license, hunting without a big game license, hunting big game over bait, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On Saturday March 30, Cpl. Morty Wood observed a car parked halfway in a busy highway and halfway in the grass. Cpl. Wood discovered that the vehicle was occupied by two young white males and that the vehicle had a flat front tire. After instructing the occupants to move the vehicle from the roadway and after a brief investigation with county deputies, the two occupants were arrested for possession of marijuana and felony intent to distribute marijuana.
WARE COUNTY On April 1st, Corporal Josh Chambers was patrolling Dixon Memorial WMA when he found a vehicle parked off of Strickland Road. Corporal Chambers located two sets of boot tracks leaving the area of the vehicle and heading toward the WMA property line. Corporal Chambers had previous knowledge that no one was allowed to turkey hunt on the private property that bordered the WMA close to the area where the vehicle was parked. Corporal Chambers parked his patrol vehicle and walked onto the private property in the direction he could hear a turkey gobbling. Corporal Chambers could hear what sounded like a hunter mimicking hen turkey sounds near the private property line. Corporal Chambers could see two gobblers and several hens in a field on the private property. As Corporal Chambers watched the turkeys feed at the edge of the field, a shot rang out from within the wood line and the turkeys scattered. Corporal Chambers ran to the location of the shot and encountered a juvenile subject and an adult subject. The two hunters claimed they didn't know they were not on the WMA. Corporal Chambers explained to them where they had crossed onto private property. Later that day, Corporal Chambers met with the owner of the private property to confirm the property line in relation to the location where the hunters had shot at the turkey. The property owner confirmed that they were on his property when they shot at the turkey. The following day the violation of hunting without permission was documented on the adult subject and verbal guidance was given to the juvenile.
DODGE COUNTY On April 6, RFC Allen Mills was conducting an area check at the Dodge County PFA. Three boating safety inspections were performed and ten anglers were checked. Three violations were documented; operating vessel without registration, operating vessel without C.G.A. P.F.D., and entering a designated fee area without a G.O.R.P.
On April 6, Cpl. John A. Stokes and Sgt. David Reckley patrolled Dodge PFA. Three violation where found; one fishing without license and two expired vessel registration.

WILCOX COUNTY On April 6, Cpl. John A. Stokes found two subjects hunting turkeys over bait. Violations for hunting big game over bait were documented.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRANLTEY COUNTY On April 3rd, RFC John Evans discovered a dump site on a hunting club on Bladen Road in Brantley County. RFC Evans found several pieces of mail throughout the trash and was able to track the suspect down who was responsible for dumping it. The suspect was cited for Unlawful Dumping of Egregious Litter.
On April 6th, RFC John Evans responded to a complaint of three people hunting without permission on Thornton Hunt Club in Brantley County. All three were cited for Hunting without Permission and Hunting over Bait. Two of the subjects were cited for Hunting with an Unplugged Shotgun and Hunting Turkeys with illegal ammunition. The third suspect was also cited for Hunting without a License and Hunting without a Big Game License.
CAMDEN COUNTY On April 6th, RFC John Evans worked a hunting without permission complaint in Camden County. While setup in the area, RFC Evans observed two men shoot a hen turkey from their truck. Both men were cited for Hunting from a Public Road, Hunting from a Vehicle, and Hunting without Permission. The shooter was also cited for Hunting Out of Season and Hunting with an Unplugged Shotgun.