Field operations weekly report, 2018 December 8

Field Operations
Weekly Report December 2 December 8, 2018
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- Acworth (Northwest)
DOUGLAS COUNTY December 5th, Corporal Brooks Varnell and Game Warden Ryan Shorter investigated a complaint of someone hunting on property, that the landowner had signed an affidavit to prosecute. One individual was cited for hunting without permission, hunting without a license, hunting without a big game license, and hunting without orange.
CARROLL COUNTY On December 8th, Sergeant Eric Brown, Corporal Brooks Varnell, Corporal Chad Cox, and Game Warden Garrett Pownall conducted an interview of two subjects in reference to a hunting complaint. One subject was cited with possession of marijuana (less than an ounce) and failure to record deer harvest. The drugs and a 9-point buck were confiscated.
BARTOW COUNTY On December 8, GWFC Zack Hardy was patrolling Pine Log WMA for the sign-in deer hunt. GWFC Hardy located two subjects hunting waterfowl on the WMA. The WMA is closed for small game and waterfowl during the sign-in deer hunt. The two subjects had the proper licenses and had not harvested any waterfowl at that time. GWFC Hardy issued the two subjects warnings for hunting on a closed WMA.
On December 8, GWFC Zack Hardy responded to a possible hunting complaint of someone hunting without permission. The property manager located a vehicle parked on the property off Hwy 411 near Hardin Bridge Road. GWFC Hardy was able to locate three subjects hunting deer with a crossbow and a 12 gauge shotgun. GWFC Hardy issued one citation for hunting without permission and a warning for hunting without a harvest record due to two of the subjects being 15 years old.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
STEPHENS COUNTY On December 7, 2018, Game Warden Jonathan Segars received a call regarding a bear that had been killed. GW Segars made contact with the hunter via phone about the incident and the location of the kill. While talking with the hunter, he admitted to shooting the bear over bait. GW Segars then went to the kill location and collected evidence. The hunter was issued a citation for hunting big game over bait and the bear was seized for evidence.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
GREENE COUNTY 12-2-18, a violation of hunting on a closed WMA was documented by Cpl. Worth.
NEWTON COUNTY 12-2-18, GWFC Schay patrolled Newton County for hunting activity. During these patrols, violations of taking over the bag limit, hunting without a big game license, recording requirements for game animals and birds, and blinding wildlife with lights were documented.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
TAYLOR COUNTY On December 8th, Game Warden Lamar Burns and Sgt. Jeremy Bolen encountered several duck hunters while on patrol. Upon checking the individuals, the Game Wardens determined the location was baited with corn and issued citations for the offense of hunting waterfowl over bait.

Region V- Albany (Southwest)
CRISP COUNTY On December 2nd, Sgt. Al Greer and RFC David Jones assisted the Crisp County Sheriff's Office and the Crisp County Fire Department. Heavy rains during the night caused a residential neighborhood just south of Cordele to flood. Wardens Greer and Jones assisted in evacuating people and preserving property.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
BACON COUNTY On December 5th, Corporal Mark Pool met with a poacher to discuss some information that was obtained from a search warrant. Cpl Pool issued citations for reporting and recording requirements for game animals and game birds, and violation of DNR board approved rules (failure to report harvest within 72 hours).
CLINCH COUNTY On December 2nd, Game Warden Daniel North received information that somebody was using dogs to hunt property without a permit near Homerville on the 8 Mile Still Road. Warden North made contact with two brothers who advised that they had been hunting a nearby area. Upon a brief investigation it was determined that there was no permit for the property on which the brothers were hunting and one of their dogs had gotten away from them and was running through neighboring properties. The violations of allowing their dog to get off their property and hunting with dogs on unpermitted property were addressed and documented.
On December 8th, Game Warden Joseph Cowart was working a deer dogging complaint in a still hunting club south of Homerville. While working the complaint GW Cowart received a call from the complainant that the violators were out on their lease. GW Cowart approached the violators and it was found that they were, in fact, running deer dogs on an unpermitted property, hunting from their vehicles, and hunting from a public road. The charges of hunting deer with dogs on an unpermitted property, hunting big game from a public road, and hunting from a vehicle were documented.
CHARLTON COUNTY On December 8th, Sergeant Patrick Dupree, Game Wardens Sam Williams and Daniel North were patrolling through the Barker Blvd area when they encountered several deer dog hunters lined up on the county road. While checking through the group, one individual was observed standing on his dog box in his truck holding his rifle. The violation of hunting big game from a public road was documented.
IRWIN COUNTY On December 7th, Corporal John A. Stokes and Game Warden John Kennedy patrolled for night deer hunting activity. Nine violations were documented, three for hunting deer at night, three for hunting from a public road, three for hunting from a vehicle.
DODGE COUNTY On December 5th, Game Warden Allen Mills and Game Warden Rodney Horne were working a complaint area for night hunting. At 9:00 pm, a white four door pickup truck stopped on the dirt road and a hand-held spot light was shined out the passenger side window across a peanut field. The officers stopped the vehicle and spoke with the driver. He stated that he was hunting rabbits. The officers located a shotgun loaded with small game load in the passenger seat. Violations for hunting at night with the aid of a light, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting from a public road were documented.

WHEELER COUNTY On December 8th, Sergeant James McLaughlin located 3 individuals hunting waterfowl after hours on a duck roost. License and ammunition were inspected and two of the hunters did not have the required Federal Waterfowl Stamp. Violations were documented for hunting waterfowl after hours and hunting waterfowl without a federal duck stamp.
On December 7th, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne observed a vehicle turn sideways in a road to shine lights into a field. RFC Horne conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle with two occupants and located a firearm, a bag of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The two poachers were charged with hunting deer at night, hunting from a public road, hunting from a motor vehicle, and VGCSA possession of Marijuana.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
No activity to report.