Field operations weekly report, 2019 April 27

Field Operations
Weekly Report April 21 April 27 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)
POLK COUNTY April 23rd Corporal Chad Cox was checking a private lake in the Cedartown Area of Polk County. He located two people fishing. Cpl. Cox arrested both subjects for fishing without permission.
April 26th Game Warden First Class Daniel Gray patrolled Cedar Creek. During the patrol one boat was checked and two individuals were charged for fishing without a license and operating vessel without PFD s.
April 27th Game Warden First Class Daniel Gray patrolled J.L. Lester WMA. During the patrol he checked five fishing license and two individuals were cited for fishing without a license.
BARTOW COUNTY On April 25th CPL Bart Hendrix and GWFC Mark Puig were patrolling the south end of Allatoona Lake for fishing activity. While passing by Tanyard Creek the Game Wardens spotted two men using a cast net. The Game Wardens observed the men from a distance and watched one man using the cast net while the other dove into the water to free the net from being tangled in the rocks. CPL Hendrix and GWFC Puig approached the men to check licenses. It was discovered that the men had caught and kept several small bream and a spotted bass along with several gizzard shad. The man seen throwing the cast net was warned for fishing by illegal methods.
On April 27th SGT Jason Roberson CPL Bart Hendrix and GW Frank Pucci were patrolling Allatoona Lake near Bethany Bridge. The Game Wardens watched a PWC violate the no wake zone and stopped him. As GW Pucci spoke to the male operator he noticed an odor of alcohol and asked him to preform field sobriety tests. GW Pucci determined the operator to be under the influence of alcohol. The operator was charged with operating vessel under the influence and violating a regulatory marker.
On April 27th SGT Jason Roberson and CPL Bart Hendrix were conducting a night patrol on Allatoona Lake for boating activity. As the Game Wardens left the boat house they saw a boat without lights in the area of the dam. The operator of the boat appeared to be lost or confused and traveled toward Bethany Bridge. The boat was stopped and the Game Wardens immediately noticed the adults on the boat had been drinking there was also four children under the age of 11 on the boat. CPL Hendrix conducted field sobriety tests on the operator who was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The boat was driven by SGT Roberson back to the Blockhouse boat ramp and released to the operator s wife. The operator of the boat was arrested for operating vessel under the influence child endangerment bui and operating vessel during hours of darkness without lights.
CHEROKEE COUNTY On April 21st SGT James Keener and Game Warden Frank Pucci were notified by DNR SOC about an individual hunting from the roadway off Damascus Rd in Cherokee county. The complainant saw someone shoot at a turkey from a vehicle from the road. The complainant provided a photo of the vehicle to the Game Wardens. GWFC Mark Puig assisted GW Pucci by contacting the GBI to conduct a partial license plate search for vehicles matching the description of the suspected vehicle. By process of elimination GWFC Puig was able to locate a possible suspect that lived close to the area. The vehicle was located by deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff s Office and confirmed the description by matching widow decals on the vehicle to the picture submitted by the complainant. It was also discovered that the suspect had recorded a turkey on his harvest record as well. SGT Roberson and GW Pucci went to the suspect s residence and asked him about the male turkey he harvested earlier that morning. The suspect told the Game Wardens he shot a male turkey that morning around 08 54 am at his hunting property off Henderson Mountain in Cherokee County. The suspect was asked and took the Game Wardens area where he said he killed the turkey. The evidence where the suspect said he killed the turkey did not make since to SGT Roberson and GW Pucci. After confronting the suspect with the evidence where the turkey was supposedly killed the suspect confessed. The suspect said he saw the turkey standing the ditch off Damascus Rd and shot. He looked up and saw the complainant s truck and "freaked out." He quickly grabbed the wounded turkey and tossed it into his truck and left the area. The suspect then went back to his hunting

property off Henderson Mountain and then shot the turkey again to make it look like he initially shot the turkey on the hunting club. The turkey hunter was charged with hunting from the road and hunting from a motor vehicle.
Region II- Gainesville (Northeast)
No activity to report.
Region III- Thomson (East Central)
GREENE COUNTY Between April 19th and April 21st CPL Worth patrolled Greene County for hunting activity. During these patrols violations of hunting big game over bait (turkey) and hunting without hunter education certification were documented.
NEWTON COUNTY Between April 19th and April 21st GWFC Schay patrolled Newton County for fishing activity. During these patrols violations of fishing without a license fishing without permission and operating a vessel with insufficient PFDs were documented.
WALTON COUNTY On April 24th 2019 GWFC Jason Harrison patrolled Walton County for Hunting Activity. Violations for Unlawful Burning of Egregious Litter Less than 500LBS Trapping Without a License Failure to Carry Choke Stick Failure to Carry 22 Cal. Rimfire Weapon Failure to Inspect Traps within 24 Hour Period and Failure to Affix Stamped Metal Tag were documented.
On April 27th 2019 GWFC Jason Harrison and GW Dan Schay patrolled Walton County for Hunting Activity. Violations for Hunting Big Game Over Bait Turkey were documented.
On April 28th 2019 GWFC Jason Harrison Patrolled Hard Labor Creek Reservoir by vessel for fishing and boating activity. Violations for Operating Vessel with insufficient PFD s Operating Vessel without Registration Numbers Displayed Properly and Fishing Without a License were documented.
WILKES COUNTY On April 27th Cpl. Mark Patterson located a turkey hunter in an area baited with cracked corn. The hunter was cited for hunting big game over bait.
Region IV- Macon (West Central)
BUTTS COUNTY On April 26th Game Warden Niki Spencer and Sergeant Travis Sweat responded to a stranded kayaker call along the Ocmulgee River. Game Wardens located the two kayakers and were able to rescue them by utilizing their throw bags and swift water gear.
On April 26th Game Warden Niki Spencer investigated an illegal trespassing complaint near the Jackson Lake Dam. One suspect was located and issued citations for Non-resident fishing without a license and Fishing without permission.

TAYLOR COUNTY On April 24th Cpl. Josh Swain received a call-in reference to an in-progress turkey hunting complaint. Cpl. Swain responded and encountered one subject who did not have permission to hunt on the property where he was located. The hunter was issued a citation for hunting without permission.
TWIGGS COUNTY On April 26th Game Warden Kevin Hurley was patrolling Ocmulgee WMA in Twiggs County. While on patrol one warning was written for a person not obtaining a WRD lands pass to access the WMA.
WILKINSON COUNTY On April 27th Game Warden Josh Cockrell was patrolling Balls Ferry State Park when he encountered an individual in a truck that was pulling a boat. While conversing with the subject Cockrell observed a dead turkey in the vehicle. It was subsequently determined it had been harvested earlier that morning but Cockrell discovered that the person who harvested it did not have the correct licenses to hunt turkey. One citation was issued for hunting without a license and one warning was written for hunting without a big game license.
LAKE SINCLAIR On April 27th Game Warden Cpl. Robert Stillwell and a DNR ride along were patrolling Lake Sinclair. While on vessel patrol numerous boats were checked for safety equipment and registration. Three citations were issued for operating a vessel with insufficient PFDs.
Region V- Albany (Southwest)
No activity to report.
Region VI- Metter (Southeast)
LAURENS COUNTY On April 25th Corporal Dan Stiles patrolled the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area. One vessel was checked for registration and boating safety equipment and eleven anglers were checked for fishing licenses and creel limit compliance. No violations were documented.
WHEELER COUNTY On April 21st Ranger First Class (RFC) Rodney Horne was patrolling for persons hunting hogs. RFC Horne located one person burning a pile of trash and various materials. RFC Horne documented one violation for unlawful burning.
On April 21st Ranger First Class (RFC) Rodney Horne was patrolling for persons hunting hogs. RFC Horne located six persons riding two utility vehicles with county road signs that had been torn down and stolen. Four violations were documented for driving a vehicle with open container. The four road signs were seized and turned over to Wheeler County Sheriff s Office.
On April 24th Ranger First Class (RFC) Rodney Horne was patrolling for fishing and boating safety violations at Little Ocmulgee State Park. Two violations were documented for operating a vessel without a registration and for operating a vessel without coast guard approved personal flotation devices.

JEFF DAVIS COUNTY On April 26th Game Wardens Bobby Sanders and Randell Meeks were patrolling Bullard Creek WMA in Jeff Davis County. The Wardens checked persons for licenses and did boating safety checks at the boat ramps on the WMA. One violation for operating a vessel without a registration and one violation of operating vessel without lights during the hours of darkness were documented.
On April 27th Game Warden First Class Bobby Sanders patrolled Bullard Creek WMA for hunting activity. Several individuals were contacted and violations were documented for entering WRD property without a WRD Lands Pass (or hunting/ fishing license). One individual was arrested due to an active warrant out of Hazlehurst. On the same date Corporal Chase Altman and Game Warden Bobby Sanders executed a vessel patrol on the Altamaha and Ocmulgee Rivers focusing on compliance with creel limits. Several fishermen and women were contacted as well as boater s violations were documented for fishing without a license and operating a vessel above idle speed within 100 of an object/ shore.
TATTNALL COUNTY On April 27th Game Warden First Class Clint Jarriel patrolled the Altamaha River. The effort was to check turkey hunters from the river fishermen and boaters. Several boats and licenses were checked and violations documented for operating a vessel w/o registration operating a vessel w/o life jackets and fishing w/o a license. Verbal guidance was given for other issues.
CHARLTON COUNTY On April 21st Game Warden First Class Judd Sears patrolled Burnt Fort landing for boating and fishing activity. During this patrol GWFC Sears observed a male subject operating a personal water craft (PWC) without wearing a personal floatation device (PFD). GWFC Sears conducted a safety inspection of this subject s PWC and explained to him he was required to wear a PFD. A violation of operating a PWC without wearing a coast guard approved PFD was documented.
On April 21st GWFC Sears patrolled Traders Hill landing for boating and fishing activity. During this patrol GWFC Sears checked a vessel for safety requirements and creel limits. It was found that they were operating a vessel without the required fire extinguisher. A violation of operating a vessel without a fire extinguisher was documented.
WARE COUNTY On April 21st Game Warden Daniel North was checking for boating and fishing activity on the Suwannee River Sill. Warden North found where an individual had launched then parked his truck on the bank of the Sill. Warden North located the truck owner and addressed the violations of him failing to use proper boat ramp and parking area.
On April 22nd Corporal Jason Shipes and Game Warden Daniel North were checking for boating and fishing activity at the Hwy 84 bridge boat landing on the Satilla River. Wardens Shipes and North located two anglers fishing from the bank who did not possess a fishing license. The violations of fishing without license and nonresident fishing without license was documented.
SCREVEN COUNTY On April 27th Corporal Shaymus McNeely and Game Warden First Class Jason Miller concluded an investigation begun by Cpl. McNeely on April 25th regarding the illegal killing of an alligator. Two suspects were identified and charged with hunting alligators out of season.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY On April 27th Corporal Mike Wilcox responded to a boat incident on Abercorn Creek off of the Savannah River. A boat began taking on water at the mouth Abercorn Creek and Savannah River. The owner of the boat tried to make it back to the landing but was unable. The boat took on too much water and sank. Some people that were

fishing nearby picked the man up and returned him to the boat ramp. Nobody was hurt in the incident but they were unable to recover the boat as of Saturday
BULLOCH COUNTY On April 25th 2019 Game Warden 2 Ben Reese responded to a call about an alligator being dumped in the Ruby Tuesdays parking lot in Statesboro. Upon further investigation GW2 Reese located the individual who dumped it. The suspect stated that he found the gator two years ago on a dirt road already dead. He said he got it and put it in his freezer to skin out. The freezer had gone bad a few days earlier and so he thought it would be funny to play a joke on his friend. GW2 Reese charged the subject with possession of illegally taken wildlife.
Region VII- Brunswick (Coastal)
BRYAN COUNTY On the afternoon Easter Sunday April 21st 2019 Game Warden Jack Thain was patrolling the areas of Bryan County. While driving down Hwy 144 near I-95 he saw a man that was staggering and unable to maintain balance. Game Warden (GW) Thain passed by the man and saw him using a street sign to be able to stand. GW Thain turned around to check on the man to see if he needed medical attention. By the time GW Thain was able to get back to the man he was lying on the street on his back. After a very brief conversation GW Thain realized that the man was intoxicated. The man was so intoxicated that GW Thain called an ambulance to check on him and then turned the man over to the Richmond Hill Police Department. The man was arrested for public intoxication.
On April 27 2019 Game Warden Cpl. Bill Bryson taught the Georgia Boating Education class to part of the Bryan County Fire Department. The county is increasing it s boating response capabilities and are putting all fire fighters through the boating education course. The Fire Department chose DNR s on scene course for more local knowledge as compared to the online course.