Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division Field Operations Weekly Report February 1 - 7, 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) CHEROKEE COUNTY On February 7th, Cpl. Lee Burns, Cpl. Byron Young, RFC Barton Hendrix, DNR Intern Aja Sweet, and Corp of Engineers Rangers conducted a special detail on Allatoona Wildlife Management Area (WMA) focusing on the illegal use of ATVs on a WMA. The rangers wrote eight citations and two warnings for illegally riding various types of all-terrain vehicles on the management area. It is illegal to operate on or cause damage to any WMA road which has a gate, barricade or berm preventing such vehicular access. Illegal ATV / Jeep riders on Allatoona WMA POLK COUNTY On February 6th, RFC Chad Cox received a complaint about a small truck being parked on private property without permission. RFC Cox was able to locate two male subjects hunting small game on the property. Neither subject had a license and no permission to hunt on the property. RFC Cox issued the subjects citations for hunting without a license and hunting without permission. Region II- Gainesville (Northeast) DAWSON COUNTY On February 7th, Rangers from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division as well as volunteers from the Amicalola Longbeards Chapter of the NWTF hosted the fifteenth annual Dawson Forest Youth Squirrel hunt. This year's hunt included 36 children and their parents as well as 15 volunteers and eight DNR Rangers. All participants were fed lunch by the NWTF and two guns were raffled as well. The hunters received hands on instruction in both shotgun and .22 caliber rifle as well as firearms safety while shooting both skeet and stationary targets. The hunters were then divided into groups and went on guided squirrel hunts with dogs. Through this program, over five hundred and fifty children have been introduced to both shooting sports and hunting, many of these for the first time. HABERSHAM COUNTY On February 2nd, RFC Chad Chambers received a call from a landowner that someone was raccoon hunting with dogs on his property without permission. RFC C. Chambers contacted Cpl. Josh Chambers who lived near the complainant and asked him to be en route. When Cpl. J. Chambers arrived on scene, he encountered the landowner who had already confronted the trespassers and walked them down to the end of his driveway. RFC C. Chambers arrived soon afterwards and assisted with charging the three men with Hunting without permission. RABUN COUNTY On February 7th, Sgt. Steve Seitz, RFC Chad Chambers and Intern Christian Ayoob were patrolling the Tallulah River checking trout fishermen. Upon a check of two particular men, one was found to be fishing without a trout license and the other was in possession of twelve trout four over the legal limit. The first man was given a warning for fishing in trout waters without a trout license and the second was issued a citation for Possession of over the daily limit for trout. Four of the trout were confiscated and the men were allowed to keep their limits. On the evening of February 7th, RFC Chad Chambers received a call from Rabun Co. 911 regarding a missing person in the Stamp Creek area. RFC Chambers, Sgt. Steve Seitz and Intern Christian Ayoob proceeded to the area and met with Rabun EMA and Rabun Sheriff's Office personnel. Assisted by a helicopter from the Georgia State Patrol equipped with a FLIR unit, they were able to locate an individual in a remote location about a mile from the road where he had initially went missing. The terrain in this area was very steep and thick with mountain laurel. RFC Chambers relayed radio transmissions between the GSP helicopter and the ground rescuers and was able to guide them to the lost man and ultimately back out to a road downhill from where they started. The total search and rescue operation lasted approximately four hours with the lost person being uninjured and able to walk out with his rescuers. WHITE COUNTY On February 7th, RFC Anne Britt was patrolling the Chattahoochee WMA when she met with a truck turning around in the road near the area known as the Double Culverts. The truck pulled over and RFC Britt met the operator of the truck in the road. He was inquiring about the camping areas and fees. RFC Britt noticed a lot of household items in the back of the truck bed. The operator told her they were homeless. She asked him for his driver's license and he possessed only an identification card. The operator had his two adult sons' in the vehicle with him. Neither one of the sons had a valid driver's license. RFC Britt found one of the adult males was wanted out of Walton County, GA for a probation violation. RFC Britt contacted the White County Sheriff's Office to assist her. A White County Sheriff's Deputy responded and the operator was arrested for driving on a suspended driver's license. The male passenger who had outstanding warrants was arrested and held for Walton County deputies to pick up later. They were each transported to the White County Detention Center. Another White County deputy responded and gave the other adult male a courtesy transport to Cleveland, GA. since he did not have a driver's license and the truck had been impounded. Region III- Thomson (East Central) JEFFERSON COUNTY On February 2-3, RFC Grant Matherly attended ALERRT Training in Lyons GA along with several other Rangers to include, Sgt. Max Boswell, Cpl. Micheal Crawley, Cpl. Ben Payne, and RFC Jeff Billips. LINCOLN COUNTY On February 4th, Cpl. Ryan Swain and Ranger Michael Madden conducted a concentrated patrol of Little River and Clarks Hill WMA. Two subjects were apprehended fishing without a license and the illegal consumption of alcohol on the WMA. The subjects were cited and released. Region IV- Macon (West Central) HARRIS COUNTY On February 5th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver checked for fishermen at Lakes Harding and Goat Rock. Cpl. Oliver issued a warning to a woman fishing at Goat Rock for fishing without a license. On February 6th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver and Cpl. Jeremy Bolen attended the Mulberry Gobblers Chapter NWTF Banquet at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The event drew a large crowd and seemed to be very successful for the chapter. On February 7th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver, assisted by Cpl. Jeremy Bolen, held a Hunter Education Course at the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department. A hotdog lunch was provided to all participants by the fire department and all students were successful in attaining their certificates. HENRY COUNTY While patrolling the Henry/Rockdale county line on Tuesday, February 2nd, Cpl. Travis Sweat issued a written warning for fishing without a license on Panola Mountain State Park. MERIWETHER COUNTY On Saturday, February 7th, Cpl. Keith Waddell patrolled Meriwether County. He checked several boat ramps, Joe Kurz WMA, Lake Meriwether and several tracts of private property. He issued multiple warnings for violations such as fishing without a license, operating a vessel with improper PFD's and hunting within 50 yards of a WMA road. MUSCOGEE COUNTY On February 7th, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen and Cpl. Mitch Oliver were checking fishing/boating activity when they noticed a boat pulling up to the dock. After an inspection of the vessel, the rangers noticed that a 7 week old infant aboard the boat wasn't wearing the required personal floatation device, nor did the operator have one on board the boat for the infant. The operator was issued a citation for allowing an underage child to ride in a moving vessel without wearing a PFD. Region V- Albany (Southwest) No activity to report. Region VI- Metter (Southeast) No activity to report. Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal) No activity to report.