FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report February 1, 2019 through February 14, 2019

(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 February 1, 2019 through February 14, 2019 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 HOLMES COUNTY Officers Homan and Greene responded to a complaint of an illegal deer being shot. Upon arrival, they located an antlerless deer near a tree stand on a property line. The complainant’s neighbor was questioned and admitted to killing the deer, which ran onto the adjacent property where he left it. Charges were filed at the State Attorney’s Office for taking antlerless deer during closed season. Officers Yates and Letcher worked together to check a morning duck shoot. After locating the shoot and observing three subjects hunting, the officers checked for compliance. Both adults were found to be in violation for hunting ducks without a federal migratory bird stamp and cited accordingly. WASHINGTON COUNTY Officer Parrish saw a vehicle parked in an area known for hunting. He attempted to wait out the subject but responded to another call. The following day, he located foot sign and drag marks around where the vehicle had been parked. Further investigation revealed a baited tree stand and blood. He went to the vehicle owner’s residence and located the subject. After a short interview, the subject admitted to killing a short horned illegal deer. Charges were filed with the State Attorney’s Office for taking antlerless deer during closed season. Officer Homan with assistance from Officer Gore and K9 Kane cited a subject for hunting with a suspended hunting license, due to the disposition from a previous night hunting case. Officer Homan saw a vehicle parked in an area known for hunting and waited for the subject. When contact was made, the subject stated that he was scouting and not hunting. Officer Gore and K9 Kane responded and tracked the subject back to a baited tree stand where a long gun, a pistol, and a camo bag with deer scents and calls were located nearby. The subject admitted to hunting and trying to hide the items. Officer Parrish and Lieutenant Walsingham investigated a report of night hunting involving a vehicle with a Kentucky tag. After numerous interviews and assistance from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, three subjects were identified, and confessions were documented. Charges were filed with the State Attorney’s Office for attempting to take deer at night by gun and light and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. Officers Gore and Parrish received information from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office regarding subjects hunting with modern weapons during muzzle loading season in an area closed to hunting in Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area. Upon investigation, confessions were obtained for hunting in the closed area with modern firearms during muzzle loading season. Appropriate charges were filed. BAY COUNTY Officers T. Basford and N. Basford were investigating a complaint of a subject whose photograph was in the local newspaper of him holding a red snapper. The complainant told Officer T. Basford that the background of the photograph looked like it was taken post Hurricane Michael. There were snapped pines in the background and it appeared to be at a house. The officers located the subject in the photograph and at the end of their interview, the subject confessed to taking and eating the red snapper. The charge of possession of red snapper during closed season will be direct filed with the State Attorney’s Office. CALHOUN COUNTY Officer Hayes received a photo of a subject posing with a freshly killed doe deer at night. He also received a video of the same subject firing a rifle out of a vehicle as it was driving through Blountstown. Officer Hayes met with the subject and conducted an interview in which the subject admitted to killing the deer at night. At the direction of the state attorney, the subject was cited for taking deer at night with gun and light and firing a gun from a paved roadway. A rifle was seized as evidence. GADSDEN COUNTY Officer Richardson received a call from FWC dispatch regarding a complaint of road hunting. Dispatch stated that a Gadsden County deputy was on scene with a subject. Officer Richardson arrived on scene and saw the deputy and a Gretna police officer talking with three men on the side of the paved road. Officer Richardson walked up and asked what was going on and one of the men stated he shot a deer about thirty minutes earlier. Officer Richardson asked where he shot from and the man stated right next to his truck. Officer Richardson asked the man if he had permission to hunt the property and the man stated he did not. Officer Richardson located the doe deer and issued the appropriate citations. JACKSON COUNTY Officer Forehand was working night hunting when he saw a light being shined some distance away. By the time he located the light, the subject was pulling into his residence. When Officer Forehand arrived at the residence, he found the subject had two doe deer. The subject stated the deer had been killed prior to dark and he had just now gone back to retrieve them. The subject was cited for two counts of possession of antlerless deer during the closed season. Officer Forehand was working night hunting when a truck drove by with a light being shined out the passenger window shining farm fields. Officer Forehand conducted a traffic stop and found a .30-06 and .300 caliber rifles in the truck. Two subjects were cited for night hunting. Both firearms and the light were seized as evidence.

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