FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report October 27, 2017 through November 2, 2017

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

Weekly Report

October 27, 2017 through November 2, 2017

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.

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Wilkenson received information regarding three subjects possibly placing corn on Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA) before the opening of archery season. The subjects were identified and on opening day, Officer Wilkenson located one of the subjects walking out of the woods returning from hunting. The subject admitted that he and a friend had placed corn on the management area prior to the season starting. He was issued a citation for placing grains on the management area and a warning for attempting to hunt over an area where grains were placed. His friend was interviewed later by Officer Wilkenson and Investigator Hughes. He also admitted to placing corn on Eglin WMA. He was also charged with placing grains on a management area.

Officers Pifer and Rockwell were on land patrol conducting resource protection on the Eglin WMA. They observed two parked vehicles with both drivers exiting their vehicles. One of the drivers was in possession of a dog. The area where the hunters were located is designated as stalk hunting only. The hunter explained that he had shot a deer earlier in the day, but lost the blood trail. He asked a friend to bring a dog to try to locate the deer. Officer Pifer determined the area where the hunter shot the deer was closed by Eglin. The officers provided assistance in locating the deer. In the process, the officers observed a baited field next to the tree stand where the hunter shot the deer. A resource citation was issued to the hunter for hunting in a closed area and a warning for hunting over baited area.

WALTON COUNTY

Officer White observed a subject fishing from the shoreline in Choctawhatchee Bay. An inspection of a cooler revealed the subject was in possession of undersized gray snapper. The subject was cited for the violation.

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Over the past week, Officer Jones answered a total of six nuisance bear complaints in residential neighborhoods. These complaints ranged from Midway in the Navarre/Gulf Breeze area to East Milton. All were directly related to human attractants being left unsecured creating a hazard to people, pets and bears. Officer Jones assisted the residents in the area on living in bear country through educational literature and documentation of noncompliance letters.

WALTON COUNTY

Officers Tison, White and Letcher completed investigations on five vessels that had been identified as derelict. All the derelict vessels were partially submerged in various locations in the Choctawhatchee Bay. Two of the owners were located and charged for failing to remove them from state waters. Lieutenant Hollinhead is working with the County Public Works Department on their removal from the Bay.

RESCUES

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Ramos was notified in the early morning that three men were stranded on Yellow River WMA. The men were cold and thirsty after spending the night stuck in the woods with very limited cell phone service. Officer Ramos located the men, and with the assistance of Officers Rockwell and Tolbert, got their vehicle running so that the men could return home.

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