FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY REPORT December 21, 2012 - January 3, 2013

FWC DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

WEEKLY REPORT

December 21, 2012 - January 3, 2013        

 

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however,

it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

 

NORTHWEST REGION

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officer Philip Griffith checked two subjects in the Yellow River WMA after he heard a shot in a wooded area near where they were parked. One of the subjects stated he shot at a hog but missed. When the subjects exited the management area, Officer Griffith searched where the subjects were hunting and located a small freshly killed antlerless deer. Lt. Mark Hollinhead responded to assist Officer Griffith in locating the subjects to question them about the deer. When one of the subjects learned he was being looked at for questioning, he contacted Officer Griffith and admitted to shooting the deer. The subject was charged with taking an antlerless deer in a management area.

 

Lt. Keith Clark and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Enforcement Officer Grant Demesillo conducted a commercial fisheries inspection on a local vessel in Destin Harbor. During the inspection, they observed two strips of red snapper fillets being used as bait on fish hooks. With consent of the vessel operator, Lieutenant Clark inspected coolers along the deck of the vessel. The inspection revealed a plastic bag in a cooler buried under ice that contained 26 gray triggerfish fillets. The commercial harvest of gray triggerfish is closed. Both violations were turned over to NOAA for law enforcement action.

 

Lt. Keith Clark and Investigator Ryan Nelson conducted a fisheries inspection on a local charter vessel in Destin Harbor. They observed the vessel landing at a local marina and offloading eight greater amberjack. The officers made contact with the owner/operator of the vessel and confirmed the vessel was hired as a charter boat. An inspection of the charter vessel license revealed the license had expired August 2012. Investigator Nelson issued the owner/operator a citation for an expired charter vessel license.

 

Officer Alan Kirchinger received a call after dark from a complainant who stated someone had just shot behind their house. The complainant then stated they saw a green truck leave the area. Officer Kirchinger responded, located the vehicle and approached the suspects. Officer Kirchinger observed a freshly killed doe in the back of the truck. After interviewing the subjects, they both admitted the doe was shot at least 30 minutes after legal shooting hours. They also said the only way they could see the deer was by the use of a pole light located on the neighboring property. The subject who admitted shooting the deer was cited, and his gun was seized. The deer was seized and donated to an approved charity.

 

Officer Danny Arnette responded to two separate complaints involving hunting dogs being shot and a stolen tree stand. Both incidents occurred on private property. The investigation is ongoing.

 

WALTON COUNTY

 

Officer Randall Brooks conducted surveillance along a roadway and field after receiving complaints of night hunting in the area. After hours of watching the field, Officer Brooks observed a vehicle driving slowly while displaying a light in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of deer. When the vehicle was stopped, the driver attempted to conceal a loaded rifle in the back seat. The driver admitted to looking for deer. The rifle and spotlight were seized, and the driver was charged with attempting to take deer with a gun and light at night.

 

Officer Randall Brooks was on patrol at night along the Holmes/Walton County line when he observed two subjects on an ATV parked on the shoulder of the road. Officer Brooks observed a spotlight attached to the ATV and the subjects shuffling around in a manner as if they were trying to conceal something. Officer Brooks made contact with the subjects and determined they were several miles from their residence. When Officer Brooks asked if they had any firearms, one of them stated he was not supposed to be in possession of any firearms. A short time later, Officer Brooks observed two firearms on the ground near the rear tires of the ATV. Both subjects admitted the firearms were theirs and that they tried concealing them. A records check determined one of the subjects was a convicted felon. Charges for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon will be direct filed with the State Attorney’s Office. Both firearms were seized as evidence.

 

Lt. Mark Hollinhead responded to a dog running complaint after a landowner caught two dogs pursuing deer on his property. The dog collars revealed the owner’s information. Lieutenant Hollinhead took possession of the dogs and located the owner. An interview with the owner determined the dogs were permitted for an adjoining tract of property. The owner was issued a written warning for allowing dogs to pursue deer on private property where they were not permitted.

 

BAY COUNTY

 

Officer Mike Nobles received information concerning bait in the Econfina WMA and the bait and stand were located. Officers Nobles, Steve Wicker, Nick Price, and Lt. Jay Chesser began monitoring the area. After several days, a hunter was found in the stand and was cited for hunting over bait and no hunting license. He also was issued written warnings for no management area permit, no deer permit, no hunter orange, littering, and not having completed the hunter education course.

 

Officer Steve Wicker received a call concerning a hunter who had taken a doe deer in the Point Washington WMA. Officer Wicker followed up on the complaint and located the subject at his residence cleaning the doe deer. A citation was issued and the deer and a rifle were seized.

 

An FWC employee encountered a subject at a convenience store who tried to sell him a bag of untagged oysters. He reported the incident and watched as the subject bounced between two convenience stores attempting to sell oysters. Officer Nick Price arrived and found the subject to be a commercial oysterman. Citations for no saltwater retail license and failure to deliver shell stock directly to a dealer were issued and the oysters were seized.

 

Officers Dennis Palmer and Nick Price encountered two subjects parked along the roadway acting suspicious. Inside the vehicle were a handheld spotlight and a high powered rifle with a shell in the chamber. A dog could be heard trailing game in the woods adjacent to the area. The subjects said they weren’t night hunting, but just “dumping a dog” because they didn’t want it anymore. Both were charged with allowing a dog to pursue game on private property and were advised to catch their dog.

 

LEON COUNTY

 

Officer Chris Jones received a complaint from dispatch that two individuals were hunting over bait in a management area. Officer Jones responded and located two individuals leaving the area in question. Officer Jones stopped and talked to the subjects briefly and was able to determine there was untagged deer meat in a cooler in the truck bed. Officer Jones identified himself and issued a citation for the violation.

 

WAKULLA COUNTY

 

Officers Jason Carroll and Steven Cook were working duck hunters. The officers located three subjects hunting wood ducks on a private pond. At the conclusion of the hunt, a resource inspection was conducted. The three hunters were found to be in possession of 15 wood ducks. The hunters were issued citations for possessing over the bag limit of wood ducks.

 

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