Field operations weekly report, 2019 January 12

Field Operations
Weekly Report January 6 January 12, 2019
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)
BARTOW COUNTY On January 11th, Game Warden Frank Pucci received a call from GWFC Zack Hardy about a hunting without permission call off Fire Tower Rd. GW Pucci went to the property and found a deer stand on the property. GW Pucci was able to find evidence of a deer being shot and followed the drag marks and ATV tracks back to a nearby residence. GW Pucci went to the residence and spoke to a man about deer hunting. The man told GW Pucci he was hunting behind his house on property that he knew he did not have permission to hunt. GW Pucci issued the man a citation for hunting without permission. .
CHEROKEE COUNTY On January 11th, SGT Jason Roberson, CPL Bart Hendrix, and GWFC Mark Puig executed a search warrant on a residence in Waleska. Game Wardens had been working an investigation into hunting without permission since December 2018. Information provided to the Game Wardens, as well as hours of foot and ATV patrol on a nearby property, lead to the discovery of eight deer being killed during the 2018-2019 deer season without permission along with several other hunting violations for six different hunters.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
HART COUNTY On January 6th, GWFC Brandon Pierce ended an investigation that was known a few months prior. It was known that possibly two small bucks, a six point and a four point, had been killed. GWFC Pierce met with and interviewed the individual and it was determined that the violation, had in fact, been committed. The individual was issued a citation for their infraction. The violation consisted of taking over the season limit of antlered deer. GWFC Pierce seized the four point rack as evidence.

FRANKLIN COUNTY On Tuesday January 8th, Corporal Tim Vickery finished up a hunting complaint in Franklin County. The complainant had called about subjects hunting without orange and licenses that some lease members had encountered on their property while deer hunting earlier in the season. The complainant also had trail camera videos and photos of several subjects on ATVs and vehicles driving on the property without permission. All of the subjects were coming from a house on an adjacent piece of property. Corporal Vickery went to the house to talk to the subjects. A Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy met Cpl. Vickery at the house while investigating a separate complaint of ATV's riding on the road. After talking to the subjects it was determined that several of the subjects at the house were the ones on the ATV's and in the vehicles on the complainant's property. The deputy issued three of those subjects citations for criminal trespass. One of those three subjects was also issued warnings for hunting without wearing fluorescent orange, hunting without a license, and hunting without a big game license. Corporal Vickery also met with the two subjects whom the landowner had encountered earlier and issued them each citations for hunting without a license and hunting without fluorescent orange. They were also each written warnings for hunting without a big game license and hunting without obtaining a harvest record. Verbal guidance was given to all subjects involved about hunting without permission and trespassing onto other people's property.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
ELBERT COUNTY On January 11th GWFC Phillip Nelson cited two people for blinding wildlife with a light.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BUTTS COUNTY On January 12th Game Wardens Jessica Spencer and Zachary Griffis were investigating a hunting without permission complaint. Upon arrival, a vehicle was found parked behind an abandon house. The Game Wardens covertly waited for hunters to come out of the woods for questioning. Game Warden Griffis located one of the hunters and then the second came out without a firearm. Griffis began to question the hunters and found that one had concealed his rifle in the woods. The two individuals were cited for hunting without permission, hunting deer without fluorescent orange, hunting without a license, hunting without a big game license and hunting without obtaining a deer harvest record.
HARRIS COUNTY On January 8th, Captain Chris Hodge, Sergeant Jeremy Bolen, and Game Warden Dean Gibson were patrolling F. D. Roosevelt State Park during a quota hunt and located a vehicle parked along Highway 190. The Game Wardens located the driver and passenger of the vehicle hunting in the park. Both subjects were hunting without wearing any fluorescent orange and both violations were documented.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
COLQUITT COUNTY On January 6th, Sgt. David Ruddell and Game Warden David Jones were patrolling South Colquitt County for hunting activity when the wardens located a duck shoot. While speaking with one of the hunters, he admitted to having placed bait in the pond. After confirming the hunters statement, all five hunters were charged with hunting ducks over bait and one subject was charged with hunting w/o federal waterfowl stamp.
That evening, Game Warden Eric White was on patrol when he heard several volleys of shots coming from a nearby pond. Warden White made contact with the hunters (one adult and two juveniles) and inspected their license and equipment. Warden White charged the adult subject with hunting waterfowl after hours as well as license violations.

WORTH COUNTY On the afternoon January 6th, Cpl. Greg Wade and Game Warden Kristie Carpenter were patrolling East Worth County when they located a dove shoot. Carpenter had just began inspecting the hunters' licenses when she located a freshly harrowed portion of the field where peanut splits were dispersed. At that time, Carpenter and Wade advised the hunters that the field was baited and the ten hunters were issued citations for the violation. Shortly after finishing with the baited dove shoot, Wade and Carpenter set up behind an abandoned residence to watch a nearby field. They observed a vehicle pull up and stop and a subject exit his vehicle with a rifle and discharge it three times at a deer. As the subject got back in the vehicle and pulled away, the wardens stopped him and the subject was charged with hunting big game from the road and hunting from a motor vehicle.
DECATUR COUNTY On January 12th, Game Wardens Ryan Cleveland, Tony Cox, and Taylor Brown were patrolling Decatur County, when two subjects were located hunting ducks. After further investigation, the swamp was found to have been baited with corn. Both subjects were charged with hunting ducks over bait.
EARLY COUNTY On January 12th, Game Wardens Quinn Fogle and Philip Stout were working a night hunting complaint in Early County. At 3:58 am the Wardens observed the occupant of a vehicle hunting several fields along a public road. Wardens performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and found a .308 scoped rifle with a light mounted to the optic. The driver was arrested for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, hunting big game from a public road, and VGCSA marijuana less than one ounce.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
WHEELER COUNTY On January 10th, Ranger First Class Rodney Horne was on patrol when he observed black smoke rolling up behind a residence in the city of McRae. An investigation into the smoke resulted in the discovery of a person burning a tire and some trash behind a residence. RFC Horne documented the violation for unlawfully burning a tire.
TELFAIR COUNTY On January 12th, Game Warden Chris Thompson was listening for a duck roost shoot in a sunflower field. Around dark, a truck pulled up to the field entrance and stopped. Game Warden Thompson heard a subject mention a deer and fired one shot into the field. Game Warden Thompson stopped the truck and documented one violation for hunting from a public road and one violation for hunting from a motor vehicle.
CHARLTON COUNTY On January 6th, Sergeant Patrick Dupree and Game Warden First Class Sam Williams responded to an in-progress dog deer hunting complaint in the St. George area. The officers located the complainant, who had caught one of the dogs that was chasing a deer. The officers then located several members of a neighboring dog hunting club at the property boundary. The officers explained the requirements of their deer dog permit and checked the hunting licenses of all hunters involved. Violations for failure to keep dogs on permitted property, non-resident hunting without a license, non-resident hunting without a big game license, and hunting with unmarked dogs were documented.

WARE COUNTY On January 12th Game Warden Joseph Cowart was working a night hunting detail off Old Nichols Highway in Ware County. While observing the field, GW Cowart saw a vehicle, heading north, pull into the field using the headlights of the vehicle to sweep the field. The vehicle then backed back out into the roadway and continued north. GW Cowart initiated the traffic stop and found that the individual was shining the field to see what was out there. The individual had a loaded .270 caliber rifle beside him inside the vehicle. Violations of hunting deer at night, hunting big-game from a public road, hunting from a vehicle, and failure to record/report the harvest of big game were documented.
ECHOLS COUNTY On January 11th, Sgt. Patrick Dupree was working night deer hunting on J. Frank Culpepper Road when he observed a vehicle approaching his location. From the passenger side of the vehicle, a light was being shined along the highway right of way and wood's edge for nearly a half-mile. Sgt. Dupree stopped the vehicle and secured two adults with a loaded .270 rifle. Game Warden Daniel North arrived on scene and issued citations to both poachers for hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, and hunting big game from a public road.
On January 12th, while patrolling central Echols County, Sgt. Patrick Dupree and Game Warden Daniel North encountered a group of dog hunters. While most of the individuals in the group had all the correct licenses and permit number, two had failed to display permit numbers on their trucks. The violations of operating a vehicle without displaying permit numbers were documented. Also, while checking the area, hog hunters were encountered, and one of the individuals was not wearing orange and the violation of accompanying a hog hunter without fluorescent orange was documented.
TOOMBS COUNTY On the night of January 12th, Corporal Chase Altman and Game Warden Cameron Dyal responded to a 911 call about a stranded vessel on the Altamaha River with four adults. The vessel was drifting down the flooded river and was in danger due to the fast current and it being at night. Cpl. Altman and GW Dyal put their vessel in and went up river, finding them about 5 miles upriver. Gas was provided and the vessel was escorted safely back to the landing with no injuries.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
MCINTOSH COUNTY On 1/6/2019, Corporal Kate Hargrove and Game Warden First Class Jay Bright responded to request from McIntosh Sheriff's Office. Corporal Hargrove captured and injured juvenile red tail hawk and transported to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for evaluation by veterinary staff.
On 1/10/2019, Corporal Kate Hargrove and Game Warden First Class Jay Bright responded to call reporting injured bald eagle at the McIntosh County Landfill. Game Wardens observed the adult eagle in flight. Corporal Hargrove and County Landfill staff monitored the eagle until she appeared to have made a full recovery.

BRANTLEY COUNTY On January 5th, Game Warden David Brady was patrolling the county for after hours waterfowl activity along the Satilla River. Brady began hearing shots in the area and was able to make contact with three subjects along the river that were shooting ducks after hours. The three men were cited for Hunting Ducks after hours and Hunting with illegal ammo (lead shot).
On January 9th, Game Warden David Brady was patrolling the county for afternoon activity when he heard radio traffic concerning a subject that was possibly hunting without permission. Brady responded to the area along with Brantley County SO and was able to locate a man that was hunting in the area. After investigation further, it was determined that the man was squirrel hunting without permission and was a convicted felon. The subject was arrested and charged with hunting without permission, hunting without a license and possession of firearm by convicted felon.