Field operations weekly report [Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2016]

Department of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Division
Field Operations
Weekly Report November 27 December 3, 2016
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.

Region I- Calhoun (Northwest)
No activity to report.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
FRANKLIN COUNTY On Sunday November 27th, RFC Tim Vickery and Sergeant Derek Dillard responded to a hunting without permission call in Franklin County. The complainant stated that his neighbor had heard a shot behind the complainant's house earlier that morning. After investigating, the complainant found where a deer had been shot and dragged across the fence onto an adjacent property. RFC Vickery and Sgt. Dillard checked the area with the landowner to gather evidence and information on who might have killed the deer. On Monday, RFC Vickery and RFC Brandon Pierce continued investigating the complaint. On Tuesday, November 29, RFC Vickery made contact in Jackson County with the two subjects who shot the deer. They admitted to shooting a small 6 point buck on the complainant's property. One subject was charged with hunting without permission. The other was charged with hunting without a license and written warnings for hunting without a big game license and hunting without permission. The 6 point rack was confiscated.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
No activity to report.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
CRAWFORD COUNTY On November 22nd, RFC David Fisher assisted the Crawford County Sheriff's Office with an investigation involving a car that had been located submerged in the Flint River. The officers determined that the vehicle had been stolen out of Houston County. Arrangements are being made to remove the car from the river.
HARRIS COUNTY On November 17th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver worked the Blanton Creek WMA quota hunt and encountered 2 violations. Cpl. Oliver located a hunter in his truck about 45 minutes before dark that appeared to be hunting from his truck. The hunter's firearm was loaded and sitting beside him in the front seat of the truck. There was also a "Buck Bomb" that had been activated in the bed of the truck. The truck was also parked where the hunter could watch back down the road that Cpl. Oliver had driven in on. The hunter denied that he was hunting from his vehicle, but could not explain the loaded firearm in the truck. The hunter was charged with having a loaded firearm in a vehicle on a WMA. The second hunter was issued a written warning for hunting without a big game license.
On November 18th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver was again working the quota hunt at Blanton Creek WMA when he checked a hunter that had killed a deer. After checking the deer to make sure it met QDM standards, Cpl. Oliver checked the hunter's license. The hunter was missing his hunting license and was issued a citation for the violation.
On November 19th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver checked waterfowl hunters at Standing Boy WMA and issued a warning for hunting without a WMA license. Cpl. Oliver also continued working the quota hunt at Blanton Creek WMA and issued 3 citations to waterfowl hunters for hunting on a closed WMA as well as a citation to a deer hunter that was not drawn for the quota hunt. Cpl. Oliver received a call from the Wildlife Tech checking the deer in and was told about an illegal buck at the check station. Cpl. Oliver responded and recognized the hunter as the subject from the day before that had killed a buck and received a citation for hunting without a license. The hunter had mistakenly shot a spike buck for a doe during the morning hunt. Cpl. Oliver issued the hunter a citation for killing over the limit of deer on a WMA and a warning for the QDM violation.
On November 20th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver responded to a call from a landowner in reference to an unknown truck parked on their property. It appeared that the driver of the truck was hunting and Cpl. Oliver waited until the

hunter came from the woods. Eventually the hunter exited the woods and told the officer that he believed he was hunting on property he had been given permission to hunt over the phone. He confirmed that he had never met with the landowner to see exactly where the property was and only assumed he was on the correct property. The original complainant wanted the hunter charged for the violation. Cpl. Oliver charged the hunter with hunting without permission and hunting deer without wearing fluorescent orange.
On November 23rd, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen responded to a call from the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to a complaint of shining and shots being fired. Deputies later made a traffic stop on the truck matching the description given by the complainant. The subjects had a dead 8 point buck in the bed of the truck and admitted to night deer hunting. Cpl. Bolen issued the 2 subjects citations for hunting deer at night, hunting deer from a vehicle, and hunting deer from a public road.
On November 25th, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen was working night deer hunting. A truck was observed shining a light into the power line as well as a nearby field. The truck was stopped and Cpl. Bolen observed a deer rifle laying in the passenger seat as well as ammunition. The subject was issued citations for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting from a public road.
MUSCOGEE COUNTY On November 13th, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen received a complaint through the Ranger Hotline about a spike and a button head buck which may have been killed illegally. Cpl. Bolen investigated the complaint and went to speak with the hunters. After speaking with the hunters, Cpl. Bolen discovered that the bucks were killed in a non QDM county, however one of the hunters did not have the appropriate license. The other hunter failed to properly record the spike buck. One hunter was issued a citation for failing to report the recording requirements on game animals. The other hunter was issued a citation for hunting without a license and a written warning for hunting without a big game license.
On November 24th, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen, Cpl. Mitch Oliver, and Sgt. Jim Bradfield worked a convicted felon hunting with a firearm complaint. The officers were able to locate the individual hunting without permission. The subject hid his rifle behind a residence and later informed the officers where he put the firearm. Cpl. Bolen arrested the individual and charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and hunting deer without fluorescent orange. The hunter was issued a written warning for hunting without permission.
TALBOT COUNTY On December 2nd, Cpl. Mitch Oliver was patrolling the Big Lazer Creek WMA hunt when he located a vehicle with fresh deer legs in the bed of the truck. Cpl. Oliver made contact with the technician that was working the check station and learned that the owner of the truck killed an 8 point buck that morning. The guidelines for the hunt was buck only the first 2 days and either sex the last day. Cpl. Oliver checked the hunter when he exited the woods and the hunter admitted to being in the woods to attempt to kill another deer. The hunter was issued a citation for hunting after obtaining the bag limit since he was hunting on the evening of the second day of the hunt.
TAYLOR COUNTY On November 25th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver completed an investigation he had begun on the 15th involving 3 deer having been killed by 2 hunters. Cpl. Oliver discovered that the 2 men had killed the deer on November 4th, but neither of the hunters had a valid hunting license on that date. One of the hunters had purchased a hunting license on the 5th, but still recorded the harvest of all 3 deer for November 4th. Cpl. Oliver interviewed the first hunter on the 15th and he admitted to the violations, but said he had only killed 1 of the deer. He told Cpl. Oliver another hunter had killed the other 2 deer. Cpl. Oliver wasn't able to interview the second hunter until the 25th due to that subject being out of town. The 2nd hunter admitted to killing the 2 deer and still did not have a valid hunting license. Both hunters were charged with hunting without a license and hunting without big game license.

On November 25th, Cpl. Mitch Oliver went to a subject's residence to interview him regarding 2 deer he had killed earlier in November and did not have a hunting license at the time. Cpl. Oliver learned that the subject he was there to interview and the subject's father were actually across the road from their residence hunting. The men eventually exited the woods and came to the residence where Cpl. Oliver was waiting. After talking with the hunter about the initial investigation, Cpl. Oliver talked with the 2 men about their morning hunt. One subject said he had only gone over to the property to practice shooting his bow. He then said he did go into the woods to put some corn out, but had not hunted. Eventually he told Cpl. Oliver that he had climbed up into the stand to adjust some camouflage material surrounding the stand, but was not hunting. The second hunter said he had not hunted either, but had only went and sat in the stand with his cousin. Cpl. Oliver later discovered a rifle hidden at the end of the driveway that the hunters had placed there before coming up to the residence. It was also learned that a shotgun had been placed in a house on the other side of the road where the hunters had come from. Both men eventually admitted to hunting that morning and were each charged with hunting without a license, hunting without big game license, and hunting deer without wearing fluorescent orange.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
CRISP COUNTY On November 27th, Cpl. Bob Holley and Sgt. Al Greer responded to a hunting without permission complaint in Crisp County. Upon arrival Cpl. Holley met with the complainant who stated he observed a male carrying a rifle walking on what he believed to be his hunting property. Cpl. Holley and Sgt. Greer were able to locate the hunter and several other individuals at a residence that adjoins the complainant's property. It was later determined the hunter had not crossed over the property line. The hunter did not possess any of the required licenses nor was he wearing the required fluorescent orange while hunting. The hunter was cited for the violations. It was also discovered that a second individual at the residence had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for child neglect. He was arrested and turned over to the Crisp County Sheriff's deputies.

Region VI- Metter (Southeast)

CLINCH COUNTY On November 22nd, Corporal Jason Shipes and Corporal Mark Pool were conducting surveillance of an area where several complaints had been received regarding night deer hunting activity. During the surveillance, Cpl. Shipes and Cpl. Pool conducted two separate vehicle stops when they observed spotlights being shined into a field from the vehicles. As a result, a total of 15 cases and three warnings were issued for hunting deer at night, hunting from a motor vehicle, and hunting big game from a pubic road.

Weapons and light used by Clinch County night deer poachers.

WARE COUNTY On November 28th, Corporal Jason Shipes and Corporal Mark Pool were contacted by a concerned sportsman in reference to a complaint related to hunting without permission. The sportsman located a vehicle parked on a section of property that was posted and knew that the owner did not allow any hunting. Cpl. Shipes and Cpl. Pool located the vehicle on the property and later located two subjects exiting the woods. Neither of the subjects was in possession of a weapon and one stated they were just checking a hog trap on an adjoining property. After a brief time, both subjects admitted to hunting deer and that both of their rifles were hidden nearby. Neither of the subjects possessed any type of license and one was not wearing the required fluorescent orange. Even though they accessed the property by trespassing, they were not hunting without permission. Sergeant Patrick Dupree arrived on scene and he and Cpl. Pool located the hidden rifles. Citations for hunting without a license, hunting without a big game license and hunting without florescent orange were issued and the subjects were released. On December 3rd, Sergeant Patrick Dupree responded to a complaint of deer hounds pursuing a deer on property located on Indian Mound Road. The complainant and the hound owners were in a heated exchange about the incident as Ware County deputies arrived. After speaking with the deputies and both parties, Sgt. Dupree issued two deer hound owners written warnings for failure to keep dogs on permitted property.

BACON COUNTY

On December 3rd, while working a complaint area, Corporal Mark Pool observed a vehicle with spotlights shining out both sides in a sweeping motion. Cpl. Mark Pool conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Three poachers were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting big game from a public road.

Weapons and lights used by Bacon County deer poachers.

PIERCE COUNTY On December 2nd, Ranger First Class Sam

Williams received a call about an in-progress

night deer hunting complaint. RFC Williams

responded to the area and briefly met with the

complainant. RFC Williams then left the

scene and quickly located a vehicle matching

the description parked in a nearby blueberry

field. While approaching the vehicle, RFC

Williams observed three individuals inside.

The officer also observed a small buck deer in

the back of the truck. After speaking with the

subjects, it was determined that the poachers

had just recently shot the deer near the

complainant's house. All three subjects were

cited with hunting deer at night, hunting big

game from a motor vehicle, and hunting from

a public road. The deer was donated to a local

family.

Weapon, light, and illegally-killed button buck in Pierce County.

APPLING COUNTY On December 3rd, Corporal Kevin Joyce was patrolling the north end of the county for possible deer hunting activity. Multiple hunters were checked and violations were documented for non-resident hunting without a big game license, non-resident hunting without a license and hunting deer without fluorescent orange.
TOOMBS COUNTY On December 3rd Ranger First Class Clint Jarriel answered a call from a Toombs County deputy of night hunters on Lilliot Road. RFC Jarriel traveled to the area and made contact with the subjects. After talking with the subjects it was determined that they were shining and shooting deer from a vehicle on Lilliot Road. All 3 subjects were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting from a public road.
TELFAIR COUNTY On November 27th, Corporal Dan Stiles and Ranger Lamar Burns patrolled Little Ocmulgee State Park. No violations were detected.
On December 1st, Ranger Lamar Burns patrolled Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area. Two anglers were checked fishing at Scuffle Bluff boat ramp. No violations documented.
LAURENS COUNTY On December 3rd, Corporal Dan Stiles conducted a night patrol at the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area. No persons or violations were detected.
DODGE COUNTY On December 2nd, Corporal Dan Stiles received a complaint of night hunting in progress. Cpl. Stiles spoke with the complainant who obtained a vehicle description and a license plate number of the suspect's vehicle. Cpl. Stiles was able to locate the vehicle and the occupants. Two subjects were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle and hunting from a public road.
On November 18th, Sergeant James McLaughlin and Ranger First Class Allen Mills investigated a hunting without permission complaint. After checking the locations multiple times and following leads, a suspect was located.
On December 1st, RFC Mills met with the suspect. After reviewing all the evidence, the suspect admitted to the charges. Violations for hunting without a license, hunting without a big game license, hunting without obtaining a deer record harvest, hunting deer without fluorescent orange vest, and hunting without written permission were documented.
ATKINSON COUNTY On 12-03-16, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey was working a complaint of hunting without permission. A deer blind had been placed on a complainant's property without the complainants consent. Cpl. Daughtrey had located the blind and was observing the blind on the evening of 12/3 when he observed a person walk through the woods to the blind to deer hunt. The subject was charged with hunting w/o permission and hunting deer w/o wearing fluorescent orange.
BERRIEN COUNTY On 12-3-16, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey patrolled Paradise PFA for fishing and boating activity. Two violations of fishing w/o a WMA license were documented.
COOK COUNTY On 12-2-16, Cpl. Tommy Daughtrey located several bags of trash that had been dumped on Surrency Road. The residence where the trash came from was located. A violation of unlawful dumping was documented and the trash was removed.

LOWNDES COUNTY On December 1st, Ranger First Class Daniel North received a call from Georgia State Trooper about observing a vehicle pass by his location and the passenger was shining a flashlight from the window. There were four occupants in the truck, a flashlight and a loaded 308 rifle. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence, open container and violations of hunting from public road, hunting from a vehicle and hunting deer at night were documented on all four occupants.

Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)

WAYNE COUNTY On December 3rd, RFC Patrick Gibbs and RFC Jay Bright participated in the local Shop With a Cop charity in Jesup. Along with other officers from various agencies the Rangers took local children around in Wal Mart and helped with picking out toys for Christmas.