Field operations weekly report [Jan. 18-24, 2015]

Department of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Division
Field Operations
Weekly Report January 18 - 24, 2015
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 Division.
For additional news and updates, "Like" the LE Division's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/gadnrle

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
CARROLL COUNTY On January 18th, Corporal Eric Brown was patrolling Carroll County for waterfowl activity. One group of juveniles was located and given verbal guidance for hunting without Hunter Education certificate. Another group was located and one subject was cited for the same violations from the week prior; hunting with an unplugged shotgun, hunting without a federal waterfowl stamp, no proof of HIP participation, hunting without license, and hunting without state waterfowl license on his person. On January 24th, Corporal Eric Brown was patrolling Carroll County for waterfowl activity. Several subjects were checked with one being cited for hunting without a state waterfowl license. PAULDING COUNTY January 18th, RFC Chad Cox and RFC Daniel Gray conducted routine patrols on Sheffield Wildlife Management Area and Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area. 5 hunters were checked during the patrol, with no violations detected. During the patrol a vehicle was spotted on Sheffield WMA and Rangers stopped to talk to the occupants of the vehicle. One subject was cited for possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
DEKALB COUNTY On January 24th, Cpl. Eric Sanders was checking a remote area in DeKalb County for waterfowl hunting activity when he located two vehicles that were stripped and abandoned in the woods. A check of both the vehicles VIN numbers revealed that both vehicles were reported stolen. Cpl. Sanders turned the case over to the DeKalb County Police Department.
HABERSHAM COUNTY On January 23rd, Deputy J. Fry with the White County Sheriff's Office contacted RFC Britt and told her he had come in contact with an adult male who was fishing without a license. Deputy Fry said a complaint had been made to the fire department that smoke was seen from the highway near the Chattahoochee River Bridge. When Deputy Fry responded he found the male fishing under the bridge with a small fire to keep him warm. The fisherman did not have a fishing license. RFC Anne Britt and Intern Christian Ayoob met Deputy Fry at the scene and cited the fisherman for fishing without a license.

UNION COUNTY On January 22nd, Sgt. Steve Seitz, RFC David Webb, and Intern Christian Ayoob patrolled Coopers Creek WMA for hunting and fishing activity. The officers encountered two men driving a small truck who said they were hunting hogs. When the officers spoke to the men, they noticed each of them was drinking a beer while riding the WMA roads looking for hogs. Further investigation revealed the men possessed two loaded handguns lying on the truck seat under some hunting clothes. Each man was issued a citation for possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and one of the men was issued an additional citation for possession a loaded firearm on a WMA road.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
JEFFERSON COUNTY On January 24, RFC Matherly and RFC Billips checked 5 duck hunters while investigating a complaint of possible hunting without permission in Jefferson County. After questioning the hunters, they were found to be on the correct property. RFC Matherly spoke with them about being observant of where the property line was, so they would not cross over on the neighboring property. One warning was issued for a newly expired license.
WASHINGTON COUNTY On the evening of January 24, Cpl. Ben Payne and RFC Grant Matherly conducted an Information and Education program for the Robert Veal Annual Charity Coon Hunt in Washington Country. The event raises money for a scholarship given to a local child to aid in furthering their education. The Rangers ran the Laser Shot and answered regulation questions during the event for approximately 200 attendees.
ELBERT COUNTY On January 18th Cpl. Julian Wilkins and RFC Tim Butler checked four duck hunters. It was determined the pond was baited. Citations were issued for hunting ducks over bait and seven wood ducks were seized.
WILKES COUNTY On January 18th Cpl. Mark Patterson checked four subjects hunting ducks. Violations of hunting ducks over bait were documented when it was confirmed that the pond was baited.
MCDUFFIE COUNTY On January 25th, Cpl. Brian Hobbins and Cpl. Mark Patterson apprehended six subjects for hunting waterfowl after legal hunting hours. The subjects were cited and released.
GREENE COUNTY/ LAKE OCONEE On January 21, Sgt. John Harwell cited two hunters while patrolling the shorelines of Lake Oconee. Both hunters were hunting waterfowl after legal hours. They were also cited for hunting without a Georgia waterfowl license, hunting without a Federal duck stamp, hunting without a HIP and hunting without a license. On January 24, Sgt. John Harwell and RFC Ricky Boles were patrolling Lake Oconee for after hour duck hunting activity. Shots were heard coming from a nearby swamp just on the edge of Lake Oconee. Both Rangers responded and two hunters were cited for shooting waterfowl after legal hours. One hunter was also cited for hunting without a Georgia waterfowl license.
NEWTON COUNTY On January 25, RFC Ricky Boles responded to a complaint of individuals duck hunting south of Highway 36 Bridge. No duck hunting is allowed in this area. Two hunters were both cited for this violation.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
PUTNAM COUNTY On January 18th, Cpl. Lynn Stanford was travelling near Cedar Creek WMA when he observed a vehicle that had several items of trash blow out of the trailer that it was towing. Cpl. Stanford initiated a traffic stop and issued the driver a citation for littering. LAKE SINCLAIR On January 22nd, RFC Reese, along with Rangers from Region III, assisted with removing an abandoned vehicle from Lake Sinclair. Other agencies assisting with the removal of the vehicle were GBI, Hancock County S.O., and the Putnam County Dive Team. The incident is currently under investigation.
WILKINSON COUNTY On January 18th, Ranger Matt Johnson and Intern Andy Rardin checked three duck hunters in Wilkinson County. After further investigation, it was determined that the swamp the hunters were duck hunting had been baited with corn. All three individuals were charged with hunting ducks over bait.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
COLQUITT COUNTY On the evening of January 21st, Cpl. Greg Wade and RFC Jon Penuel heard shots coming from a swamp, twenty minutes after legal hunting time for ducks had ended. The Rangers set up surveillance and made contact with four subjects as they exited the swamp. Citations were issued to the subjects for hunting waterfowl after hours, hunting without federal duck stamp, hunting without a hunting license and hunting without Georgia waterfowl license. WORTH COUNTY On January 20th, Ranger Eric White located four subjects hunting ducks in a large cypress pond. White found evidence that indicated the pond had been baited so he and Corporal Griner conducted a search of the pond. The four subjects were charged with hunting ducks over bait.

On January 25th, Cpl. Robbie Griner and Cpl. Greg Wade located five subjects hunting ducks in an area of flooded timber. While Cpl. Griner inspected the hunters' licenses, bag limits and shotguns; Cpl. Wade inspected the pond and found it to be baited. The five hunters were charged for hunting over bait and two were charged for hunting without a federal waterfowl stamp. Six ducks were confiscated. DOUGHERTY COUNTY On January 20th, Ranger Eric White concluded a two-week investigation in Dougherty and Mitchell Counties that involved the illegal dumping of tires at multiple locations throughout the two counties. Ranger White, with assistance from Mitchell County Sheriff's Office Investigator Jimmy Dixon and Albany Code Enforcement Officer Arthur Butler, identified the business where the tires originated. The business owner was charged with unlawful dumping of egregious litter by Albany Code Enforcement.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BERRIEN COUNTY On January 19th, Sgt. Morty Wood and Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey checked two duck shoots in Berrien County. A subject hunting on one of the shoots had suspended hunting privileges from the previous year for duck hunting violations. Violations documented were hunting ducks over bait, hunting while privileges suspended, hunting with an unplugged shotgun and hunting w/o a GA waterfowl license. Eight wood ducks were confiscated.
SUMTER COUNTY On January 22nd, Cpl. Bob Holley and Ranger Jay Lewis completed an investigation into an incident involving shots being fired into a field from a vehicle on a public road. Following up on information received from the complainant, the suspect vehicle was located and two individuals were identified. Upon completion of the investigation, it was revealed that the occupants of the vehicle were predator hunting from a public road and had fired shots at a coyote from their vehicle. One of the subjects was cited for hunting from a vehicle and discharging a firearm from/across a public roadway. The second subject was cited for hunting from a vehicle and hunting from a public road. Both subjects were also cited for hunting without permission at the request of the owner of the field. Two grey fox pelts that were determined to have been taken illegally were also confiscated. TELFAIR COUNTY On January 21, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne continued an investigation in reference to an illegal hunting complaint. After conducting interviews with two individuals, the subjects were charged with hunting from a motor vehicle and hunting from a public road.

On January 23, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne investigated a night hunting complaint. Arrest warrants were taken and subject charged for hunting deer at night, hunting from a motor vehicle, hunting from a public road, and for hunting without permission.
On January 24, Sergeant James McLaughlin, Corporal Dan Stiles, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne, and Ranger First Class Allen Mills assisted Telfair County Sherriff's Office with a search for two missing persons from Cobb County. On January 25-26, Officers McLaughlin, Stiles, Stokes, and Mills continued assisting with search for missing persons.
LAURENS COUNTY On January 23, Corporal Dan Stiles, assisted by Ranger First Class Allen Mills, conducted two Information and Education Programs at the East Laurens Elementary School. The officers conducted the Firearms Safety and Safe Hunting segment of the Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety program (CHAMPS) to 80 fifth grade students.
DODGE COUNTY On January 18, Corporal Dan Stiles conducted a Hunter Education CD-ROM review and test at the Dodge County Public Fishing Area. Fourteen students were certified and received their certifications.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On Jan. 22nd, RFCs Kiel Toney and Jack Thain traveled to Wayne County to assist fellow rangers and local law enforcement with the search of a missing man who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. On the 23rd, RFC Toney and Ranger Jason Miller continued with the search.
On January 24th, 2015, RFC Kiel Toney and Sgt. Phillip Scott checked three waterfowl hunters in northern Bryan County hunting in a small swamp near clear cuts. The three hunters had six wood ducks in their possession. Two of the men were known to have hunted a baited waterfowl pond with another hunter taking their limit of wood ducks each earlier in the season. After a check of the area the men were hunting, it was determined that the three men were hunting waterfowl over bait at this location also. The three men were interviewed and several federal charges are pending.
LIBERTY COUNTY On Jan. 24th, Ranger Jason Miller and Cpl. Jay Morgan checked areas of the county for duck hunting. After hearing numerous shots, the rangers located and checked four duck hunters off Hwy. 17. One hunter was cited for hunting waterfowl with an unplugged shotgun.