FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report November 10, 2017 through November 16, 2017

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.)

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

Weekly Report

November 10, 2017 through November 16, 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

BAY COUNTY

Officer Palmer was working late one evening near a hunting lease. Well after sunset, he observed a vehicle enter the hunting lease. After a brief time, several shots could be heard from inside the private property in the direction that the vehicle was last seen. Several minutes later, the same vehicle exited the hunting lease and started to leave the area. A stop of the vehicle was conducted. Fresh blood was on the tailgate and rear bumper of the vehicle. Inside the bed of the truck was a freshly killed doe. The doe showed signs of being shot with a centerfire rifle. Officer Palmer issued appropriate citations for the violations.

CALHOUN COUNTY

Officer Baber responded to a call from the county Sheriff’s Department in which one of their officers stopped a vehicle shining a light at a farm field. When Officer Baber arrived on scene, he searched the vehicle and located a loaded .22 caliber rifle along with a spotlight. The driver was charged with night hunting.

Officer Baber was conducting surveillance on a farm field when a truck drove by shining the field with a spotlight. A vehicle stop was conducted and inside the vehicle, the driver had a spotlight hooked to a battery in the passenger floorboard and a crossbow in the passenger seat. The suspect was charged with night hunting.

FEDERAL WATERS

While aboard the offshore patrol vessel Vigilance, Officers Rockwell and Trueblood teamed up with Officers Brady and Rice aboard the 29 Safe Boat to target offshore federal fisheries. While patrolling in the Madison & Swanson Marine Protection Area (MPA), an area closed to bottom fishing, they observed a recreational vessel fishing several miles within the closed area. As both vessels approached, they noticed that the three occupants were still fishing with bottom style rigs. During the boarding, Officer Trueblood found the subjects to be in possession of reef fish, including red snapper, which was currently closed. All individuals were cited for fishing in an MPA closed to fishing. The captain was also cited for possession of red snapper during closed season and for no vessel registration onboard.

Officer Nelson participated in an offshore, multi-day research expedition with Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) Biologists Gray, Cook, Kampmann, Staley and Brown. The study focused on the reproductive health of gag grouper in the Gulf of Mexico MPA. During the expedition, they collected blood, liver, fin, age and other biological samples and recorded the size and weight of gag grouper. During the research expedition, approximately 30 fish were tagged and released. Two fish that were previously tagged were recaptured. Data collected during the trip will further efforts of FWRI staff to better understand the reproductive characteristics of the gag grouper population in the Gulf of Mexico. After the trip, 84 pounds of fish were donated to the Food4Kidz charity.

HOLMES COUNTY

Officer Forehand located a small field that was baited with cracked corn. The following afternoon, he heard shooting at the field. He observed four hunters shooting doves over the baited field. All four hunters were charged with taking doves over bait.

JACKSON COUNTY

Officer Little inspected a hunter in the upper Chipola Wildlife Management Area (WMA). During the inspection, the hunter asked for directions to the Apalachee WMA. Officer Little gave directions and explained legal antler requirements for that management area. The hunter stated that he knew the law. Later that afternoon, the check station operator at Apalachee called Officer Little about an illegal deer that had been shot. When Officer Little arrived, the same hunter he inspected earlier in the day had killed a four‑point buck. He was charged with taking deer with less than three points on one side.

http://live.oysterradio.com/