Field operations weekly report, 2013 May 5-11

Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division Law Enforcement Section
Field Operations
Weekly Report May 5 - 11, 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)
BARTOW COUNTY On May 7th, Cpl. Lee Burns was checking bank fishermen along Old Highway 293. As Cpl. Burns entered an Allatoona Lake parking area, he noticed a female leaning over the console of her vehicle. Cpl. Burns eased up to the driver side window and found the female heating a piece of aluminum foil with a cigarette lighter and inhaling the smoke from a pill she was heating. Cpl. Burns asked the female to step out and she crunched the aluminum foil, straw and pill up in her hand. Cpl. Burns took the items and later found it to be oxycodone. The female was arrested for felony possession of a schedule II drug and transported to the Bartow County Jail.
On May 11th, Sgt. Mike Barr, RFC Brooks Varnell, and K-9 "Rock" were on an early morning turkey patrol near Emerson and Allatoona Lake. They discovered a truck parked in a parking lot near Allatoona Landing with a large amount of metal items in the bed of the truck. When inspected, the rangers discovered a young man asleep in the cab of the truck. The man had mud on him and a flashlight next to him on the truck seat. RFC Varnell woke the man and interviewed him. He stated he was on the way home to Emerson but was sleepy and parked to sleep. When asked about the items in the bed of his truck, he stated he was cleaning out a home he was now renting. The rangers noticed a metal patio set in good condition, a garden windmill, a metal wheelbarrow, other metal items, and a new Husky tool-bag with construction tools. Due to the amount of recent metal thefts in the area, the identification of the driver was recorded and the information turned over to the Bartow County Sheriff's Office.
GILMER COUNTY On May 8th, Cpl. James Keener and Sgt. Brian Keener made contact with two individuals on a private tract of land in reference to a complaint of hunting without permission. Both subjects were issued citations for hunting without permission and hunting with an unplugged shotgun. One subject was also given a written warning for hunting without hunter safety.
HARALSON COUNTY May 9th, RFC Daniel Gray conducted a program to 123 seventh grade students at Haralson County Middle School for Career Day. The topic was "What does it take to become a Conservation Ranger".
May 11th, Sgt. Ricky Dempsey, Cpl. Eric Brown, and RFC Daniel Gray assisted with the 32nd Annual Haralson County Kids Fishing Rodeo. Over 1200 kids participated in the event, with more than 3,000 people in attendance.
MURRAY COUNTY On May 10th, Cpl. James Keener and Cpl. Casey Jones patrolled numerous locations in Murray County and issued one citation for fishing without a license.

PICKENS COUNTY On May 9th - 11th, Cpl. James Keener and Wildlife Technicians Mitch Yeargin and Ronnie Holcomb assisted the Pickens County Sportsman's Club with three trout fishing events. The first day was to assist both mentally and physically challenged individuals. The second day officers assisted persons from local nursing centers and assisted living homes. The third day was a kid's fishing event. All three events were a huge success with over 900 persons in attendance. After the kid's fishing event, Cpl. Keener issued three citations and two warnings to individuals for fishing and trout license violations.
WHITFIELD COUNTY On May 10th, Cpl. James Keener and Cpl. Casey Jones patrolled numerous locations in Whitfield County and issued three citations for fishing without a license and one warning for littering.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DAWSON COUNTY On May 8th, Sgt. Lee Brown, RFC Barry Britt, RFC Eric Isom and K-9 Colt assisted the US Army Rangers from Camp Merrell with training on Lake Lanier. During this training the Army Rangers parachuted out of helicopters into Lake Lanier. A total of 100 Army Rangers made the jump into Lake Lanier.
GWINNETT COUNTY On May 10th, Sgt. Lee Brown provided a law update to the Army Corp of Engineer Park Rangers. This update was on the new boating laws that will go into effect this month and in July of next year.
WHITE COUNTY On May 9th, Sgt. Lee Brown, Cpl. Jesse Cook, RFC Barry Britt and RFC Anne Alexander participated in helicopter training at Smithgall Woods. The White County Fire Department, White County EMS and the City of Helen Fire Department also participated in this training. During this training the DNR Helicopter pilot and crew member trained all in attendance in using the long line attached to the helicopter in rescue and recovery missions.
HALL COUNTY On May 8th, Ranger Kevin Goss took out arrest warrants on a subject that had given him a false name while fishing without a license. Warrants were issued for giving false information to an officer and fishing without a license.
On May 10th, Cpl. Adam Loudermilk and Cpl. Jason Roberson did interviews with Channel 2 news on Lake Lanier. Questions were answered about the new boating laws that were recently signed by the governor. While on the lake one vessel was stopped. The Rangers issued citations and warnings for operating a vessel without PFD's, operating without a fire extinguisher, and violation of a no wake zone.

Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On Friday, May 10, 2013, CPL Julian Wilkins wrote a turkey hunter a citation for hunting without a license.
On Saturday, May 11, 2013, RFC Phillip Nelson assisted the Corps of Engineers with a Kids Fishing Derby on Lake Richard B. Russell. RFC Nelson also did a water safety program during this event.
NEWTON COUNTY On Saturday, May 11, 2013, CPL Julian Wilkins was at The Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center for the Annual Jakes Day Event. CPL Wilkins did the mini boat program where the kids get to drive the mini boat during the course of this event.
RICHMOND COUNTY On May 6, 2013 DNR Rangers worked "A Day in the Country" concert on the Savannah River in Augusta. There were approximately 1500 people on land and another 100 on the River. Several country bands DNR Rangers monitored the waterways making sure drinking of alcohol on boats did not get out of hand. One Boating Under the Influence was cited. Over all the concert was a success with no incidents Documented.
WILKES COUNTY On Saturday, May 11, 2013, SGT Brian Carter and CPL Mark Patterson patrolled several Wildlife Management Areas and boat ramps in the county. During the course of the patrol, the officers checked fishermen for license and creel limits. Several vessels were checked for registration and safety equipment. One individual was cited for operating a jet ski without a life jacket.

WALTON COUNTY On Saturday, May 11, 2013, RFC Ricky Boles and RFC Richard Tanner presented members of a local Cub Scout troop with a Kids Fishing Event. The officers began with a short presentation covering fishing laws, types of fish found in the area, and boating safety. Following the presentation, the scouts caught several bass and bream in the pond. One lucky angler won a rod and reel combo that was donated by a local marina for catching the largest fish of the event.

LAKE OCONEE On Saturday, May 11, 2013, Sgt. John Harwell and Cpl. Derrell Worth provided on water security for the ELEVEN Triathlon. Participants in the Sprint triathlon were required to swim 750 meters followed by a 19 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile run. Some participants participated in the more challenging Olympic triathlon were required to swim 1.5 km followed by a 25 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run.
On Saturday, May 11, 2013, Sgt. John Harwell and Cpl. Derrell Worth patrolled Lake Oconee. The officers cited several 1resident and 2 non-resident anglers for fishing without a license.
Cpl. Derrell Worth received a call in reference to a stranded vessel on Lake Oconee during the hours of darkness. He responded to the area and located a vessel occupied by 3 adults and 4 juveniles stranded on the lake. Cpl. Worth helped all of the occupants to their destination. GREENE COUNTY Throughout the week, Cpl. Derrell Worth taught both hunter education and boater education courses to students at Lake Oconee Academy. During the courses, students learned the various laws as pertains to hunting and boating as well as the importance of safety while participating in each activity.
Over the past week, Cpl. Derrell Worth located three individual hunting turkeys without permission in Greene County. All individuals were cited for the offenses.
COLUMBIA COUNTY On Saturday, May 11, 2013, CPL Brian Hobbins patrolled Clarks Hill Lake for illegal boating activity.
GLASCOCK COUNTY On May 7, 8 and 10, 2013, RFC Brian Adams conducted his Annual Kids Fishing Event with AOC Elizabeth Bentley assisting. Over 100 kids participating ranging from Pre-K through 5th Grade. Both hamburgers and hotdogs were served for lunch each day of the event. Over 400+ fish caught during this event.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BALDWIN COUNTY On the morning of May 11th, Corporal Josh Copelan and Corporal Bubba Stanford assisted with a triathlon on Lake Sinclair, hosted by the Milledgeville Country Club. Over 100 swimmers competed in the event. The officers had to rescue 1 swimmer from the water who had become distressed.
Later that same morning, Corporal Copelan and Corporal Stanford patrolled the Sinclair Dam fishing area and located 2 fishermen sitting in their vehicle. Further investigation led to an open container of Budweiser beer being located in the vehicle. The subject was charged with possession of an open container of alcohol at a state boat ramp.

BLECKLEY COUNTY On Tuesday, May 7th, RFC Keith Page, Corporal Bubba Stanford and Sergeant Tony Fox were called to the campus of Middle Georgia College in Cochran to assist Middle Georgia College Campus Police and Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) in the search for a student who had been reported as missing since April 29th. Page and Stanford were asked to run the side-scan sonar in a small pond on the campus to make sure the missing subject had not drowned in the pond. Page and Stanford checked the pond several times with the sonar and concluded that there was not a body in the pond. On May 10th RFC Josh Swain, Sergeant Fox, RFC Ronnie Beard and Corporal Robert Stillwell returned and assisted the GBI with searching the Ocmulgee River for the missing individual, deemed a homicide victim the previous day. On May 9th, RFC Ronnie Beard attended Career Day at Bleckley County Middle School. Total numbers of students were 538 and 57 Faculty and Staff.
HENRY COUNTY On the afternoon of Saturday, May 11th, Corporal Travis Sweat was conducting a routine patrol of Upper Towaliga Reservoir located in Henry County. During his patrol, he checked 18 boats and 24 fishermen. Out of the 18 boats checked, all had caught fish, mostly bass and crappie. Once completed, Corporal Sweat tallied 42 Crappie and 74 Largemouth bass caught. Corporal Sweat issued two warnings for minor violations. Later that afternoon, Corporal Sweat met with Sergeant Brent Railey and together they patrolled small creek access points. At the end of the day, the two Rangers had issued a total of four citations. The offenses included fishing without a license and fishing without permission.

HOUSTON COUNTY On May 11th, RFC Josh Swain patrolled Flat Creek Public Fishing Area. He checked a number of anglers and issued three warnings for fishing on a PFA without a WMA license.
JASPER COUNTY On Saturday, May 11th, RFC Freddie Hays, RFC Kevin Godbee and Deputy Ranger Joe Sebo participated in the State's annual J.AK.E.S. Day at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. The Rangers assisted with the Archery Alley, which allows participants to shoot compound bows and arrows at targets. There were almost 900 participants at this year's event.
JONES COUNTY On the afternoon of May 10th, Ranger Jeremy Reese patrolled BF Grant WMA. One subject was located fishing without a license and a warning was issued for the offense.
MONROE COUNTY On Sunday, May 5th, while patrolling High Falls Lake, RFC Keith Page and Corporal Tony Wynne located a man fishing in the main body of water. After speaking with the man, Page and Wynne found that he was fishing without a license. They also discovered that he had no life preservers in his boat. The young man was 19 years old and in possession of alcoholic beverages. The young man's alcohol level was found to be 0.117 grams. Page and Wynne charged the young man with possession/consumption of alcoholic beverages while under the age of 21, fishing without license, and operating a vessel with insufficient PFD's.
On May 8th and 9th, Corporal Tony Wynne and Corporal Susan Morris participated in Career Day at Hubbard Elementary and T.G. Scott Elementary schools in Monroe County. They spoke with 33 classes, ranging from Pre-K to second grade about the job of a Conservation Ranger. They also brought along a variety of mounted animals for the children to see.
TROUP COUNTY On the afternoon of May 8th, Ranger Russell Epps responded to a boat incident on the Chattahoochee River arm of West Point Lake. Ranger Epps was advised by Troup County 911 that an individual had a mechanical failure causing the vessel to become submerged, and that the individual was floating in the lake on a spare trailer tire. Ranger Epps arrived on scene and found the individual being treated by local Emergency Services. The individual stated that he engine began to shift in and out of gear and then began operating erratically. At that point the engine became dislodged from the stern, allowing the vessel to take on water and slowly submerge. The individual was treated and released and the vessel was a total loss.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
DECATUR COUNTY On May 10, Sgt. Rick Sellars, RFC Tony Cox, and Ranger Jace Heard conducted a late night vessel patrol on the Flint River during the River Town Days Festival at Bainbridge. During this patrol, one vessel was stopped for displaying improper running lights. The vessel operator failed field sobriety exercises, and was arrested for Operating a vessel while under the Influence of Alcohol.
DOUGHERTY COUNTY On May 9, Cpl. Greg Wade and Ranger Chris Carlisle attended a "Safety Workshop" at the Marine Corp Logistics Base in Albany, Ga. The officers provided boating safety information for approximately 400 citizens.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
CLINCH COUNTY On May 5th, RFC Mark Pool and CPL Jason Shipes were patrolling popular fishing and boating areas along the Suwannee River. While at the Fargo Landing, Cpl. Shipes observed a vessel returning to the boat ramp. While passing under Hwy 441, the operator failed to reduce his vessel to idle speed violating the 100-foot rule. Upon checking the operator's safety equipment and license requirements, Cpl. Shipes learned the operator of the vessel also failed to have any wearable type PFD's onboard his vessel. The operator was issued citations for each of these violations.
PIERCE COUNTY On May 10th & 11th, RFC Mark Pool, CPL Jason Shipes, and RFC Tim Hutto operated the fishing simulator at the "Summer in the City Festival" in Blackshear for several hundred attendees. Many young fishermen experienced the feel of "fish on!"
LANIER COUNTY On May 12th, RFC Tim Hutto and RFC Keith McDonald finished a complaint based investigation into a subject possessing an alligator. After gathering evidence and questioning the suspect, violations were documented for possession of an alligator or parts thereof and hunting turkeys without a license.
BERRIEN COUNTY On May 8th, RFC Tim Hutto presented two K-9 demonstrations at Berrien County High School using K-9 Gauge. The students observed how DNR K-9's are used to locate hidden firearms and other evidence.
LAURENS COUNTY On May 7th, Cpl. Dan Stiles conducted a late evening patrol at the Hugh Gillis Public Fishing area. Cpl. Stiles located four subjects on the PFA property, three of which were fishing. The subjects were fishing in a closed pond reserved for Kids Fishing Events. Violations documented were fishing without license and fishing in closed waters on a PFA. Verbal guidance was given for fishing on a closed PFA and fishing without WMA license on a PFA.
On May 11th, RFC Allen Mills conducted an area check at the Hugh Gillis Public Fishing area. RFC Mills checked 17 bank anglers for license requirements and creel compliance. Seven violations were documented for fishing without a license, fishing without a WMA license on a PFA, driving on a closed road/around a gate on PFA, and entering a designated fee area without a G.O.R.P.

DODGE COUNTY On May 11th, RFC Allen Mills conducted an area check at the Dodge County Public Fishing Area. RFC Mills inspected seven vessels for safety equipment and checked 15 anglers for license requirements. Three violations were documented for operating a vessel without registration, fishing without WMA license on a PFA, and operating a vessel with insufficient PFD.
JENKINS COUNTY On Saturday, May 11, Cpl. Wilcox and Sgt. Dasher were patrolling boat landings along the Ogeechee River looking for boating/fishing activity. The officers encountered some juveniles at the Scarborough landing. They were sitting around a fire next to the river. The officers noticed some beer cans next to the fire and there was a cooler in the back of the truck next to the fire. The officers questioned the juveniles about what they were doing and where the beer cans came from. The juveniles finally admitted to having some beer in the cooler. Cpl. Wilcox and Sgt. Dasher contacted the parents of the juveniles and explained the situation. The juveniles were made to pour out the rest of the beer and were turned over to the parents. No charges were made.
EMANUEL COUNTY On Friday, May 10th, Cpl. Wilcox received a call from the assistant park manager of George L. Smith State Park. The call was in reference to a park guest seeing a man in camouflage with a gun, hunting on the park property. While Cpl. Wilcox was in route to the park, he contacted Sgt. Dasher to make him aware of the situation. Both officers responded to the park. The park manager took Sgt. Dasher and Cpl. Wilcox to the area where the person was seen hunting. The officers found foot tracks coming off of private property onto the park property. They tracked the violator as far as possible. They found a set of tire tracks on the private property that lead out of a gate onto a county road. The officers were unable to locate the person that was hunting on the park property. The park manager said that he would call if they had anymore issues.
SCREVEN COUNTY On Sunday, May 12th, Cpl. Wilcox and Sgt. Dasher patrolled the Savannah River in Screven County out of Burtons Ferry. The officers checked several boats and fishing licenses. One boat operator was given verbal guidance about not having a fire extinguisher.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On May 6th, Cpl. Phillip Scott received a call about a boat that had been abandoned. Ranger Scott inspected the boat and was able to identify the owner through DNR records. After contacting the owner, it was determined that the boat was stolen. A suspect has been identified and the case is still under investigation.

On May 11th, Cpl. Jay Morgan, RFC Thain, and Ranger Jason Miller were heading out on patrol from the Demeries Creek DNR dock when they stopped three separate boats for operating above idle speed within 100 feet of a dock. All three boaters were cited.
On the late afternoon of May 11th, Rangers Morgan, Thain, and Miller were taking their boat out of the water at the DNR dock at Demeries Creek, when they heard someone yelling downriver of the creek and then saw a boat towing a PWC as it was returning to the public ramp. Upon checking the boat, the rangers found numerous empty beer cans and several full cans in the ice chest. The rangers determined that the operator was under the influence. The passenger riding the PWC was 21 years of age, but the operator and the three passengers in the boat were all under 21 years of age. The three passengers admitted to drinking. The operator was cited for boating under the influence. The operator and two of the passengers were cited for possession of alcohol by an underage person. The third passenger left the area while the rangers were assisting friends of the suspects with taking out the subjects' boats during a rain storm. An arrest warrant and charges are pending on the third subject for possession of alcohol and for obstruction of an officer for leaving the scene.
REGION May 10-12, Sgt Wayne Hubbard (McIntosh County) and RFC David Brady (Glynn County) ,along with two other rangers in the state, participated in the Police Unity Tour. Team DNR rode bicycles for 300 miles from Virginia to Washington DC. The Police Unity Tour honors all of the fallen officers from across the country.