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
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Royce Johnson responded to a complaint of illegal hunting in the Backwater Wildlife Management Area. The complainant heard shots fired and directed the officer to the area. Officer Johnson tracked the subjects well into the management area and soon heard voices ahead of him. When the subjects approached, he identified himself to two young men with firearms. He secured their weapons and asked them if there was anyone else with them. They replied that there was not, but a short time later, two more subjects joined them. The four subjects admitted that they were deer hunting and that one of them had killed a doe. They led Officer Johnson to the deer. Officer Johnson escorted the four 17-year-olds to his truck as Officer Kenneth Manning arrived to assist. Citations were issued for hunting deer out of season and possession of antlerless deer out of season. The juveniles were released to their parents.
SANTA ROSA/OKALOOSA COUNTY COPS
On December 3-5, officers from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties assisted personnel from the Division of Habitat and Species with the third annual Family Hunt in the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. The first night, FWC staff hosted a safety briefing before the hunt. Many of the families were treated to a pulled pork BBQ meal donated by Mike Scott’s Gun Shop. Wal-Mart of Gulf Breeze also donated drinks and supplies for the meal. The young men and women hunters in attendance were entered into a drawing for two safety harnesses and a two-man ladder stand that were also generously donated by Scott’s and Wal-Mart of Gulf Breeze. The hunt was a great success and several of the families harvested deer. Thirty-one permits were used and 18 deer were taken. Thanks again to all of the staff and generous supporters who helped make this hunt possible.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Lt. Dan Hahr was working in the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area when he observed a car drive into a secluded area and stop. He approached the car and smelled the odor of burning cannabis. The operator admitted that he had just smoked marijuana. A pill bottle containing marijuana and a cigar wrapper was found next to him. The subject was cited for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
WALTON COUNTY
Officer Barrow was patrolling private lands off Aplin Road in Braxton when he heard gunshots and observed two individuals leaving private property with firearms. During the interview, one of the individuals admitted to shooting at a deer. Both subjects, Alabama residents, had the landowners’ permission to hunt the property. Neither individual had a hunting license or muzzleloading permit. Both individuals were cited for hunting by an illegal method during muzzleloading season and were warned for the license and permit violations.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
After a lengthy and thorough investigation, Officer Andy Maltais charged an individual for wanton or willful waste of deer/meat and littering. The investigation began on November 17 when Officer Maltais received a complaint through a local hunter and Eglin Wildlife Management Area personnel of whole/gutted deer dumped on reservation property in Okaloosa County. Officer Maltais observed and documented 14 deer dumped at the site. His investigation led to an individual with USDA approval to receive depredating deer taken by ongoing military permits to protect the flight line of NAS Whiting Field in Milton. Through cooperation with the USDA and FWC investigators, identification tags were placed on three recently taken deer that were subsequently donated to the individual. Officer Maltais maintained surveillance and found the three tagged deer after they were dumped at the location. An examination confirmed these were deer donated to the individual by the identification markers. On December 8, Officer Maltais and Lt. Keith Clark, under Miranda, questioned the individual who later admitted to being overwhelmed with charitable donations and chose to dump the deer instead of donating the meat.
BAY COUNTY
Several weeks ago, Lt. Jay Chesser located an illegal campsite hidden within the Hobbs Pasture Unit of the Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area. The site was checked on numerous occasions with negative results. This weekend, Lieutenant Chesser, Officer Dennis Palmer, and Regional Director Louie Roberson walked into the site at night and found three subjects. Citations and written warnings were issued for camping in an undesignated area, alcohol in the management area, guns in a closed area, cutting of vegetation, littering, and using bream as live bait on bush hooks.
HOLMES COUNTY
Officers Lane Kinney, Larry Morris, Jimmy Brooks, and Kathy Jackson conducted a search and rescue just before dark on the weekend during a cold rainstorm. A man who suffered with a health condition became lost on the Choctawhatchee River Wildlife Management Area near Britney. Officers conducted the search by boat, patrol vehicle, and on foot over an approximate four to five mile area. The victim walked out on his own at dark and was picked up by a civilian who transported him to his vehicle still parked in the woods.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Officers Warren Walsingham and Neal Goss IV utilized the replica deer near a roadway in the Greenhead area. Subsequently, two Bay County men were cited for attempting to take deer at night by gun and light and for shooting a firearm from a roadway. Three long guns were seized as evidence.
Officer Lane Kinney responded to a trespass complaint near Vernon and located two juveniles squirrel hunting with firearms without adult supervision. He also observed them shoot at a red-tailed hawk as it flew over them. Officer Kinney issued citations to both for attempting to take the hawk. He charged one 14-year-old for hunting with a firearm without adult supervision and a 16-year-old for no hunting license and no hunter education. Officer Kinney issued the mother a warning for allowing the juveniles to hunt without adult supervision. Officer Kinney filed the charges with the Clerk of Court and learned both juveniles were on felony probation. The probation officer received a copy of the charges.
Officer Walsingham stopped an individual in possession of two yearling does in the bed of his truck. The individual advised the deer were road kill. Officer Walsingham examined evidence on the carcasses, went to the scene, and determined that this was possible. A warning for possession of the doe deer during the closed season was issued.
Officers Kathy Jackson and Warren Walsingham responded by boat to a search and rescue on the Choctawhatchee River. Two boys hunting on the river became lost as nightfall approached. The boys built a fire, making it easier for the officers to locate them. They were found two to three miles from their vessel.
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