FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report January 10, 2020 through January 23, 2020

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report Patrol, Protect, Preserve January 10, 2020 through January 23, 2020 This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. NORTHWEST REGION CASES FRANKLIN COUNTY Officer Hartzog and Officer L. Mcleod were on water patrol in the Apalachicola Bay when they observed a boat fishing with several subjects on board. They conducted a resource inspection and found the subjects were in possession of three undersized black drum. The fish were returned to the water alive and the owner of the vessel was cited appropriately. Officers Lipford and Gerber were conducting vessel patrol on Little Brother’s Slough when they encountered two vessels with three subjects on board conducting a logging operation. Upon inspection it was determined the subjects did not have a permit for the area where they were located. The appropriate citation was issued. GADSDEN COUNTY Officer Brower responded to shots fired on Dogtown Road. Upon arrival he observed a vehicle shining a light in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of wildlife. Officer Brower conducted a traffic stop and observed three loaded firearms readily accessible inside the vehicle. The two subjects occupying the vehicle were cited appropriately and the firearms and spotlight were seized as evidence. Nine officers from Gadsden, Liberty, Wakulla, Franklin and Bay counties as well as two investigators, one K-9 Officer and two North Central officers executed a search warrant in the culmination of Operation “Lil’ Dixie”. The four-day operation was developed from information shared by officers from the North Central Region about hunters traveling to the Northwest Region to hunt the Apalachicola and Tate’s Hell Wildlife Management Area’s (WMA). During the execution of the warrant, officers recovered a cooler containing antlerless deer meat. Statements were taken and a suspect was identified. Charges pending. JACKSON COUNTY Officer Humphrey was on land patrol when he stopped to check a hunter who had an antlerless deer in the back of his truck. The hunter claimed he shot the deer very early in the morning and thought it was a buck. The hunter was charged appropriately. OKALOOSA COUNTY Officers Hahr and McVaney responded to a call from a woman who heard a gunshot and saw a hawk fall onto the street in front of her home. When they arrived, the woman told the officers that the hawk was injured, but was no longer in the area. She showed them photos of an immature red-shouldered hawk lying on the ground. The officers talked to several neighbors and determined that the shot had come from a residence just across the street. No one was present when they tried to contact the residents, so they returned later and spoke to the homeowners and their adult son. After questioning the son, he admitted to shooting the hawk. The officers spoke to the State Attorney’s Office, which resulted in the subject being charged for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. SANTA ROSA COUNTY K-9 Officer Hutchinson was on patrol in the Blackwater State Forest when he observed a truck stop near a field. While watching the truck, he observed a bright light shine from the open driver side window. The light was being swept across the field in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of deer. The truck slowly drove along the roadway and continued to shine the field. Officer Hutchinson followed the truck and conducted a traffic stop. While questioning the driver he admitted to shining the field to look for deer. Officer Hutchinson also observed a scoped hunting rifle in the passenger seat of the truck. The driver was charged appropriately, and Officer Hutchinson seized the rifle and the light as evidence.

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