FWC
DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
WEEKLY REPORT
January 20 – 26, 2012
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
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Lt. Dan Hahr was working enhanced patrol in
the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area when he observed a truck
approaching very slowly with a small light being displayed from the
vehicle. Lieutenant Hahr stopped the truck and observed an
open container of an alcoholic beverage in the console and a driver who
appeared to be under the age of 21. The driver admitted to smoking a
"spice" cigarette as he was driving. A search of the vehicle revealed
more spice and a bag containing a white powdery
residue. The subject was issued notice to appear citations for
possession of alcoholic beverages by a person under the age of 21 and
possession or ingestion of chemicals for the purposes of intoxication.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Joe Murphy and Officer Steve Hoomes
responded to separate complaints of dog trespass/hunter responsibility.
The landowner caught deer dogs pursuing deer on private property on two
separate occasions. The dog owners were located and
statements were taken from involved parties. Charges will be filed with
the State Attorney's Office for allowing dogs to pursue deer on private
property without landowner permission.
OKALOOSA COUNTY
Lt. Mark Hollinhead and Officer Danny Arnette met
with a landowner after receiving a complaint from a subject who leases
adjoining property. The meeting resolved the complaint and clarified
property boundaries and easements.
WALTON COUNTY
Lt. Mark Hollinhead observed a vehicle traveling
across a field at night displaying a light in a manner capable of
disclosing the presence of wildlife. The vehicle was stopped and a dead
deer was observed in the back of the vehicle. Lieutenant
Hollinhead confirmed the deer was taken from a tree stand during legal
hunting hours. The light was displayed to inspect for hogs and damage
they had caused. A warning was issued for no hunting license.
Officer Danny Arnette contacted Officer Randall
Brooks about a trespass complaint he received from a land manager.
Officer Brooks responded and identified two subjects who were hunting
the property without permission. Officer Brooks inquired
about turkey feathers he observed in the suspects’ golf cart and
determined one of the subjects had shot two turkeys. Both turkeys were
cleaned prior to Officer Brooks’ arrival. The turkey carcasses were
retrieved and identified as hen turkeys. The subject
was cited for taking turkeys during the closed season. The turkeys and a
rifle were seized for evidence.
Officer Randall Brooks observed an alligator hide in
the backyard of a residence. No one was at the residence, but later in
the day, a subject called Officer Brooks and admitted to killing the
alligator. Arrangements were made to meet the
subject later. Charges are pending.
GULF COUNTY
Officer Tony Lee responded to a complaint of illegal
oyster harvesting. The suspect was reported to be coming and going from
the Indian Pass boat ramp. Officer Lee located the suspect vehicle and
boat trailer at the ramp and waited for the
vessel to return. When the vessel returned, an inspection of the
operator’s harvest revealed two bags of oysters that seemed to be
overfilled. The suspect advised he had no saltwater license, but the
vessel had a saltwater products license decal, which was
sufficient to cover the license requirement for the recreational
harvester. Officer Lee checked the bags using a 5‑gallon bucket. He
measured both bags and found that the operator was five gallons over the
recreational limit. The individual was cited for harvesting
over the recreational bag limit of oysters.
Officer Arnie McMillion and Lt. Raz Castaneda
conducted surveillance on a vessel harvesting oysters in a conditionally
restricted area of Indian Lagoon. The officers watched the individual
gather oysters, place them in a five‑gallon bucket,
and carry them from the oyster bar to his vessel. The officers requested
assistance from Investigations, and as the suspect approached the
landing, the officers approached, identified themselves, and inspected
the vessel. The officers advised the subject he
was harvesting oysters in a closed area. The subject said he thought he
was in an open area, but failed to check on the condition of the area or
confirm his exact location. The subject was cited for harvesting
oysters from a conditionally restricted area. Ten
bags of oysters were returned alive to the water. The subject was warned
for failure to possess an Apalachicola Bay oyster harvesting permit and
for failure to tag his oyster bags after harvesting.
JACKSON COUNTY
Officer Scott Cassels and Investigator Gary
Applewhite responded to a road hunting complaint. The complainant
advised he heard a gunshot and observed a male subject with a firearm
near a small car stopped on the road adjacent to his property.
The complainant confronted the subject and asked to look in the trunk.
The subject opened the trunk, revealing a large doe deer. The subject
quickly drove away, heading toward Alabama with the deer in the trunk.
K-9 Officer Mike Guy was contacted and notified
Alabama Game and Fish. The Alabama officers soon located a vehicle
stalled along the roadway with a flat tire with two juvenile males
nearby. The vehicle matched the complainant’s description. FWC officers
arrived before long and contacted the fathers of the
juveniles. After the parents arrived, the subjects were advised of their
Miranda warnings and interviewed. Both individuals cooperated and
admitted to hunting in Alabama at daylight where the doe deer was
killed. They then drove to Florida where one of them
stood up through the sunroof of the car and shot another deer in a field
off Sellers Road. As one subject waited for the other to retrieve the
deer, he was confronted by the complainant. He immediately left the area
and drove to Alabama where he removed the
first deer from the car trunk and dumped it into the woods. He turned
back to pick up the second suspect and second deer when the vehicle tire
blew out. Both deer were located during the investigation. Officer
Cassels issued citations for illegally taking a
doe deer and for hunting on a right-of-way.
BAY COUNTY
Officer Neal Goss was working in the Warren Bayou
hot water canal and observed a vessel occupied by a two people fishing.
He observed a male subject catch several spotted seatrout and place them
in a fish box in the boat. As the fishermen
prepared to leave, Officer Goss approached and explained to the
occupants (husband and wife) that he had observed the male subject place
several fish in his fish box. Officer Goss informed them that they were
in a closed area and that it was illegal to keep
any fish. A search of the fish box revealed ten spotted seatrout. A
citation was issued for taking fish in a closed area.
CALHOUN COUNTY
Officer Scott Cassels heard several shots in the
area of Fink Block and observed what appeared to be a small spotlight
being used by an individual inside the wooded property. He heard two
individuals talking to each other as they ran from
the woods to a nearby residence. A short time later, Officer Cassels
observed the subjects leave the residence in a pickup truck and then
return, entering through the main gate of Fink Block. Officer Cassels
turned into the entrance and observed the truck parked
with a male sitting in the driver side. A lever-action rifle was lying
on the seat and a pistol was on the floorboard. A freshly killed doe
deer was in the bed of the truck with a gunshot wound to the head and
numerous stab wounds to the throat area. Outside
the passenger side of the truck was a 12‑volt battery with a spotlight
attached lying on the ground. The battery had shoulder straps attached
so it could be carried like a backpack. The subject stated he saw the
deer on the side of the road and thought it had
been hit by a car. He stated when he went to grab it, the deer kicked
him and ran into the woods. He followed the deer into the woods and
eventually killed it with his pocket knife. He claimed he did not shoot
the deer. After a few minutes, another individual
in camouflage walked out of the nearby brush with his hands up and
stated he was giving up. The questioning continued; however, the two
subjects’ stories did not match up and they were not cooperating with
the investigation. K‑9 Officer Mike Guy arrived and
interviewed one of the suspects while highlighting the expertise and
abilities of our K-9. Soon both subjects cooperated and confessed. The
officers determined the subjects entered the hunt lease together on
foot. One of them carried the 12-volt battery and
spotlight on his back and the other carried the rifle and pistol. They
shot the deer. As it ran away, they shot at the deer numerous times with
the pistol. One of the suspects eventually jumped on the deer and
killed it by cutting its throat with his knife.
Officer Guy and K-9 Jake located one of the spent .40 caliber pistol
casings. Both subjects were cited for taking deer at night with gun and
light and for the illegal taking of a doe deer.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Officers are continuing to address complaints of the
illegal harvest of deer that do not meet the forked-horned requirement
in the Tate’s Hell Wildlife Management Area. Officers Percy Cook, Carmon
Brownell, Steven Cook, and Matt Gore conducted
decoy deer operations. During the operations, three hunters were issued
misdemeanor citations for attempting to take an illegal spike-horned
buck.
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