Field operations weekly report [Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2016]

Department of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Division
Field Operations
Weekly Report January 31 February 6, 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)
No activity to report.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
WILKES COUNTY On February 6th, Cpl. Julian Wilkins, Cpl. Mark Patterson, and RFC Phillip Nelson instructed a Hunter Education course in partnership with Wilkes County 4H. During this class, 32 students were certified.
COLUMBIA COUNTY RFC Bobby Timmerman concluded a week long investigation stemming from a Taxidermist on a possible illegal taking of wildlife case. It was determined through the investigation than no wildlife violations had occurred.
RICHMOND COUNTY On February 6, Cpl. Ben Payne patrolled Richmond County checking hunting activity. He checked several hunt clubs with no activity detected. Mid-day he checked several fishing licenses at the Lock and Dam with no violations.
WASHINGTON COUNTY On February 6th, RFC Grant Matherly and Cpl. Brian Adams patrolled for small game hunters. No violations were detected.
GLASCOCK COUNTY On February 1, Cpl. Adams caught two juveniles hunting ducks out of season with lead shot. Both juveniles were given verbal warnings and turned over to their parents.
BURKE COUNTY RFC Jeff Billips attended Crisis Intervention Team Training.
JEFFERSON COUNTY On February 6, RFC Matherly and Cpl. Adams patrolled for small game hunters with no violations detected.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
HOUSTON COUNTY The Law Enforcement Division provided multiple officers for the Great Outdoor Show held in Perry at the AgriCenter on Feb 5-7, 2016. Cpl. Robert Stillwell, RFC Ronnie Beard, Cpl. Travis Sweat and Sgt. Tony Fox were all involved working the DNR Law Enforcement Booth, as well as teaching the Hunter Education class.
JONES COUNTY On February 2nd, RFC Jeremy Reese checked five fisherman and their creel limits on the Juliette Dam in Jones County. No violations were detected.

LAMAR COUNTY On the morning of January 31st, RFC Keith Page and K9 Drake were sitting in the area of a baited swamp that the ranger had previously located. Just after daylight, hunters began shooting ducks as they came to feed on the bait. Page went down to the pond and watched the hunters through binoculars in order to determine how many individuals he was about to approach. After glassing the swamp, Page concluded that it was one adult and two juveniles. The officer then contacted the hunters, during which time the adult admitted to putting bait in the pond earlier in the week. RFC Page charged the man with hunting waterfowl over bait.
After dealing with the baited duck swamp, RFC Page and K-9 Drake located another duck shoot. Of the eight hunters encountered at this second location, three were found to be hunting without a Georgia waterfowl license. All three were cited for the offense. One of these individuals also received a second citation for hunting ducks without a federal duck stamp after he hid his shotgun in the water and denied the fact that he was hunting. RFC Page had previously observed the man hunting and the officer used K9 Drake to locate the gun before the citations were issued.
MUSCOGEE COUNTY On February 1st, Cpl. Jeremy Bolen and Cpl. Mitch Oliver presented K-9 information and education programs at a private school in Columbus. The officers discussed the department's K-9 program and K-9 Ruger preformed demonstrations on wildlife vehicle searches and apprehension.
PUTNAM COUNTY On the evening of February 5th, USFS LEO Zach Nichols and Corporal Bubba Stanford went to an address in Eatonton in reference to a litter investigation. Cpl. Stanford had located a bag of trash dumped on National Forest property earlier in the week. The officers made contact with the responsible party and a citation was issued.
Later that evening, Cpl. Stanford patrolled both BF Grant and Cedar Creek WMA's. One small game hunter was checked and no violations were documented.
PULASKI COUNTY On February 4th, RFC Ronnie Beard took the Pulaski County Middle School Special Needs Class to the Go Fish Georgia Center located in Perry. Twenty-eight students were introduced to the aquariums, shooting sports, fishing simulators, as well as fishing trip to the fishing event pond on the premises. Special thanks to the teachers; Mrs. Hood, Mrs. Witherington, Mrs. Paulk and Mrs. Spear. And also a special thanks to the staff at Go Fish Georgia Center; Mrs. Beckham, Mr. Blue, and Mrs. Spear.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
TIFT COUNTY On February 5th, Ranger Eric White received a compliant of five bags of household garbage being dumped in Ty Ty Creek. After locating the dump site, Ranger White was able to locate evidence leading to the subject responsible for dumping the material. Ranger White charged the subject with littering.
THOMAS COUNTY On January 31st, Ranger Eric White encountered a landowner complaining of someone dumping garbage on his property. Ranger White investigated the complaint and was able to locate subject responsible. After speaking with all of the parties involved, the subject voluntarily cleaned up the site.
EARLY COUNTY On February 6th, while working an illegal netting complaint, Sgt. Rick Sellars, Sgt. Jim Atchley, and RFC Quinn Fogle confiscated nets and issued citations to two subjects for commercial gear in closed waters.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
IRWIN COUNTY On January 31st, at around 12:45 a.m., Corporal Tim Hutto arrived home at his residence. While in his yard, he observed a truck approach a field beside his residence. A passenger in the vehicle shined a spotlight into the field and another passenger shot at a deer with a high powered rifle. Corporal Hutto quickly made contact with the subjects and interviewed them about the incident. Three subjects were ultimately charged with hunting without permission, hunting deer at night, hunting big game from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle.
SCREVEN COUNTY On January 31st, Corporal Shaymus McNeely and Sergeant Don Dasher were working duck hunting on the Ogeechee River. At 25 minutes past legal hours the Rangers heard multiple gun shots coming from an area up river from the Hwy 301 landing. The Rangers proceeded to the area and apprehended five poachers shooting ducks that were attempting to roost in a flooded cutover. Citations were issued for hunting waterfowl after hours, hunting without a license, and hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
APPLING COUNTY On February 3rd Corporal Chase Altman completed a three-day class for Search Warrants and Affidavits at GPSTC, in Forsyth Georgia.

TATTNALL COUNTY On January 31st RFC Clint Jarriel investigated some shots coming from a pond on Billy McCall Road in Tattnall County. After observing the area it was determined that the subjects involved were shooting waterfowl after hours. Citations were written for the violation and six wood ducks were confiscated and taken to the sheriff's office. TOOMBS COUNTY On February 1st RFC Clint Jarriel and Sgt. Chris Moore were contacted by Toombs County 911 that a deputy stopped two subjects for shooting from a vehicle on Hugh Taylor Road. After a brief investigation it was determined that the subjects had shot a squirrel from the road, from their vehicle. Citations were written for hunting from a public road and hunting from a vehicle. Subjects were cited and released.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
CHATHAM COUNTY On February 6th, Corporal Kate Hargrove and Ranger Tim Morris presented an information and education program during the Saltwater Sportsman Series Fishing Seminar at Armstrong State University. Sport fishermen from across the Southeast came to attend the Seminar Series.
GLYNN COUNTY On February 5th, RFC Colte Shaske and RFC John Evans patrolled offshore Jekyll Island and Offshore Cumberland Island for fishing activity as part of the Joint Enforcement Agreement with NOAA. Multiple commercial crabbing boats were checked for license requirements and minimum size requirements. No violations were found during their patrol.