Field operations weekly report, 2019 March 16

Field Operations
Weekly Report March 10 March 16 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)
CHEROKEE COUNTY On March 11 SGT Jason Roberson and CPL Bart Hendrix responded to Allatoona Lake to assist the Cherokee County Sheriff s Office with locating a missing female. Deputies received information from the female s mother that she may have been on the water near Victoria Landing. A search of the area involving Cherokee County Fire Department GSP Aviation and the Corp of Engineers did not turn up any persons. The mother of the female later reported that she had talked with her daughter on the phone.
On March 16 GWFC Zack Hardy responded to the Etowah River in Canton in reference to two subjects hunting squirrels out of season. GWFC Hardy met with three witnesses that were fishing on the bank that saw the subjects shooting squirrels out of the trees along the Etowah River. GWFC Hardy located the two subjects that were hunting with a high powered pellet rifle. The subjects were also using a kayak to maneuver across the river. They did not have a CGA PFD. GWFC Hardy issued citations and warnings for the violations.
On March 16 CPL Byron Young and Game Warden Tyler Lewis assisted the Cherokee County Sheriff s Office with a search warrant in Canton. Game Wardens were called to the scene after the deputies heard the familiar sound of a rattle snake in the residence. Once CPL Young and Game Warden Lewis were on scene the suspect had a total of nine rattle snakes-two Eastern Diamondbacks and seven Speckled Rattlesnakes from the western United States. The Speckled Rattlesnakes are consider wild animals and the suspect did not possess the appropriate licenses for the reptiles. At this time the case is still under investigation.
DOUGLAS COUNTY On March 16th Game Warden Garrett Pownall patrolled Sweetwater Creek State Park property. The game warden found six subjects fishing off the bank of Sweetwater Creek. After checking identification and fishing licenses Pownall noticed the odor of marijuana. Two citations were issued for fishing without a license and the marijuana was seized and turned over to local law enforcement.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
No activity to report.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
NEWTON COUNTY March 16-17 GWFC Schay patrolled Newton County for fishing activity. During this patrol violations of fishing without a license were documented.
WALTON COUNTY March 15 17 GWFC Jason Harrison patrolled Walton County for hunting and fishing activity. Violations for fishing without a license and operating a vessel without PFD s were documented.
OGLETHORPE COUNTY On March 16th Gwfc. Phillip Nelson was patrolling the Broad River for boating and fishing activity. Violations documented were hunting without a license and operating a vessel without personal flotation devices.

Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BLECKLEY COUNTY On the evening of March 14th Cpl. Robert Stillwell received a call regarding a missing boater on the Ocmulgee River. The boater put in at Dykes Landing in Bleckley County and his boat was found wrecked about half a mile down river from the boat ramp. Numerous agencies including Game Wardens from different regions helped with the search and rescue. After days of running sector scans sonars and dive teams the boater was recovered on March 18th.
MUSCOGEE COUNTY On March 12th Game Warden Dean Gibson was patrolling the Lake Oliver Marina for fishing and boating activity. He observed a personal water craft (PWC) a jet ski entering the marina through the no-wake markers. The operator accelerated and began a series of sharp turns creating a wake after passing the no-wake markers. The operator was also operating the PWC without a personal flotation device. Game Warden Gibson signaled the operator to come to the dock and the subject received a citation for operating a PWC without wearing a personal flotation device and a written warning for failure to obey regulatory markers.
TROUP COUNTY On March 16th Cpl. Keith Waddell GW Russell Epps and GW Steven Martinez responded to a boating incident on West Point Lake near Highland Marina. One vessel stuck another as it was entering the main river channel from Highland Marina at a bass tournament blast off. No injuries were reported although both boats had extensive damage. Charges are pending upon completion of the investigation.
On March 16th Cpl. Keith Waddell GW Russell Epps GW Ken Lalumiere GW Steven Martinez and Sgt. Brent Railey assisted West Point Police and Fire by providing additional security at the annual St. Patrick s Day festival in downtown West Point.
On March 16th GW Ken Lalumiere and Sgt. Brent Railey patrolled the West Point Lake Dam area. They issued one warning for fishing without a license.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
EARLY COUNTY On March 16th Game Wardens Tony Cox Ryan Cleveland Brock Hoyt and Steve Robinson responded to a hunting incident involving a hunter shooting another hunter. The victim sustained severe trauma to the head and upper torso areas and was life-flighted to a nearby hospital in Dothan Alabama. Charges are pending following the investigation.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
LAURENS COUNTY On March 10th Sergeant James McLaughlin Corporal Dan Stiles and Game Warden John Kennedy patrolled the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area. Several anglers were checked for fishing licenses and creel limit compliance. No violations were detected. One angler was found who had an arrest warrant. The individual was detained and turned over to the Laurens County Sheriff s Department.
On March 15th Corporal Dan Stiles Game Warden First Class Rodney Horne and Game Warden First Class Allen Mills assisted the Laurens County Sheriff s Department with a driver s license road check. The Game Wardens watched locations for individuals discarding contraband from their vehicles prior to reaching the license checkpoint. Numerous arrests were made by law enforcement personnel.

TATTNALL COUNTY On March 10th 2019 Game Warden Randell Meeks was patrolling Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park. Several people were fishing in the park lake. One violation of fishing without a license was documented.
JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On March 10th Game Warden Cameron Dyal responded to assist a Jeff Davis County Deputy on Leon A. Wildes Road. The Deputy was out with a subject that Dyal had been attempting to speak with in reference to a dumping case. Upon arrival on scene Dyal found that the subject had given a false name to the Deputy and was in fact the brother of the subject involved in the dumping case. The subject was fishing in a private pond along with two more subjects one male and one female. Dyal spoke with the owner of the pond who stated that he had not given permission for anyone to fish in the pond and signed a request for prosecution form. Violations were addressed for fishing without permission and fishing without a license for all three subjects. The male that provided false information was placed under arrest for active warrants in Appling County and the female was placed under arrest for active warrants in Toombs County. Both subjects were transported to the appropriate county by Jeff Davis County Deputies.
On March 13th Game Warden Cameron Dyal conducted a WMA patrol on Bullard Creek WMA. While on patrol Dyal contacted several groups of subjects riding ATV s on the management area roads. A total of nine violations were addressed for illegal use of an ATV on a WMA and entering a designated WRD area without a valid lands pass.
On March 16th Game Warden Cameron Dyal conducted a WMA patrol on Bullard Creek WMA. While on patrol Dyal contacted two subjects camping in an unauthorized area near the dirt river landing on the management area. Two violations were addressed for illegal camping on a WMA.
TREUTLEN COUNTY On March 11th Game Warden Randell Meeks was patrolling Treutlen County for fishing and boating activities. One violation for fishing without a license was documented.
TOOMBS COUNTY On March 13th Game Warden First Class Bobby Sanders was patrolling in north Toombs County when several bags of trash were discovered to have been dumped out in the ditch on a county road. Several pieces of trash had identification leading to one address. After contacting the individuals responsible for dumping the bags of trash two violations were documented for unlawful dumping. Also one of the individuals had an outstanding warrant out of Lyons and was placed under arrest and transported to the Toombs County jail by a deputy.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
No activity to report.