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November 17 through November 23, 2023
This report represents some events the FWC handled over specified weeks;
however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.
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 CASES
Citrus County
- Officer Specialist Ulrich and Officer Midolo were patrolling the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes during the opening of duck season when they observed hunters on a vessel with a decoy spread. The hunters continued attempting to take migratory gamebirds more than 20 minutes after legal shooting hours. Officer Ulrich and Midolo contacted the hunters who had begun to try and hide the fact they were hunting by storing their firearms, picking up fishing rods and beginning to cast. The officers informed the hunters they had observed them shooting after legal hours and appropriate citations were issued for the violations.
- Officer Specialist Ulrich received information about an illegally harvested deer in the Citrus Wildlife Management Area. Officer Ulrich conducted an interview with the subject who admitted to harvesting the deer, believing it met antler point regulations. Appropriate citations and warnings were issued for violations.
- Officer Cassidy received information regarding a hunter who had harvested a deer from Citrus Wildlife Management Area and not checked it at the check station. Officer Cassidy conducted his investigation and issued appropriate citations and warnings for the violations.
- While working a targeted enforcement action, Officer Specialist Hughes and Officer Jovanov were on night patrol in Citrus Wildlife Management Area when they observed a vehicle shining a bright light from the passenger side window with the light sweeping the wood line. The officers conducted a traffic stop based on the violations observed. Upon inspection, the officers observed a compound bow with arrows located on the passenger side dash, a loaded .45 caliber pistol next to the right leg of the driver, and a spotlight behind the passenger seat. Appropriate citations were issued to the operator and passenger for gun and light violations.
Columbia County
- While on land patrol, Senior Officer Davenport stopped at a local gas station and was approached by two concerned citizens who stated there was an individual passed out in the passenger side of a vehicle. Davenport conducted a welfare check on the subject. Once the subject was awake, Davenport identified him by his Florida Driver’s License and discovered he had an outstanding warrant for possession of a firearm. Davenport detained the subject and located paraphernalia and a crystal-like substance inside his vehicle. Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Detective Guerry conducted a roadside test and the substance and paraphernalia tested positive for amphetamines and methamphetamine. Davenport placed the subject under arrest for the active warrant, possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. The subject was booked into the Columbia County Jail.
- Senior Officer Davenport was dispatched to a call regarding an individual taking an antlerless deer out of season. Once on scene, Davenport located the kill site and where the deer had been loaded into a vehicle. Davenport located the subject’s residence and observed where the deer had been field dressed along with fresh deer meat. Davenport was unable to locate anyone home. The following day, Davenport located the subject at home and spoke with him about deer management unit Zone C-5 not being open to taking antlerless deer the day he harvested the antlerless deer. Appropriate paperwork was issued to the subject in reference to taking an antlerless deer out of season and not meeting requirements to log and report the harvest.
 CASES
Brevard County
- Officer Snyder was on patrol when a vessel returned from fishing with an undersized mutton snapper and multiple boating safety and registration violations. The individual was cited for the undersized mutton snapper.
- Officer Snyder responded to a call of an individual keeping undersized snapper. Upon locating the individual, Officer Snyder asked if he had caught any fish. The subject stated he had not. Officer Snyder located an undersized mutton snapper, and the individual was cited accordingly.
- Officer Specialist Balgo and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers located two separate parties illegally entering and trespassing on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge for waterfowl season. The individuals were cited for duck hunting the refuge without permits.
Indian River County
- Officers Hopkins and Osborn worked the opening of duck season and while patrolling an area closed to hunting, they suspected illegal activity was taking place. Senior Officer Platt assisted by land to locate the subjects. The officers found the subjects duck hunting within a closed area. The subjects were cited accordingly.
- While working the opening of duck season, Officers Hopkins and Osborn observed a group packing up after the hunt and conducted a resource inspection. While speaking with the individuals, Officer Hopkins observed what appeared to be a half-used box of lead shells. Upon further inspection, there were several empty shells that contained lead shot. The subject confirmed he used the lead shot while duck hunting. The subject was cited accordingly.
- Officer Specialist Delano was patrolling on the opening day of duck season when he observed individuals hunting. While conducting a resource inspection, he observed one of the shotguns was not in compliance with the shell capacity. The shotgun was able to hold more than two shells in the magazine and was being used to harvest ducks. Additionally, the vessel was not registered. The subject was cited accordingly.
Orange County
- Officer Specialist Balgo conducted a resource inspection on a subject at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. The subject was in possession of an antlered deer with a main beam less than 10 inches. The subject also failed to complete the harvest log prior to moving the carcass. The subject was cited for the violations and given a court date.
Osceola County
- Officer Specialist Stelzer observed two vehicles hidden in the woods by Triple N Ranch Wildlife Management Area. He contacted three subjects who had jumped over a fence to access the WMA and discovered they were digging for fossil clams in a large pile of dirt/rock used for rock crossings. The subjects intended to sell the fossil clams at an upcoming artifact show. Officer Stelzer issued each subject a misdemeanor for entering a closed area of the WMA. He also issued each subject two warnings for removing fossils/minerals from the WMA and failure to sign in/illegal entry into the WMA. The subjects had numerous five-gallon buckets of fossil clams.
St. Johns County
- While working the duck hunt at Guana River Wildlife Management Area, Officer Lemaster located several common gallinule (moorhen) during a resource inspection. With common gallinule season being closed, Officer Lemaster issued the subject a citation for harvesting migratory gamebirds the out of season.
Volusia County
- Officer Specialist Vanas and Senior Officer North patrolled private property on the opening weekend of duck season. They located four individuals duck hunting in the wildlife management area. Upon performing resource inspections, the officers located three harvested ducks and found various violations including hunting with a shotgun capable of holding more than three rounds, hunting waterfowl without a federal duck stamp, hunting without the required hunting quota permit and hunting migratory birds without a migratory bird permit. The individuals were cited appropriately.
- Officer Arroyo was on patrol when he received information that a subject who previously had been suspected of illegally killing deer had shot multiple times on private property. Officer Arroyo arrived and saw two subjects wearing camouflage standing near a truck. The subjects tried to evade inspection and began recording, telling the officer he was trespassing. The subjects stated they hadn’t recovered the deer yet but declined help locating it. Officer Arroyo left the property and surveilled from a distance. Once it was dark, he accessed the area from the neighboring property where he saw the subjects field dressing a deer in the back of the truck. Officer Arroyo made contact and found the deer to have antlers that did not meet antler point regulations. The subject was charged appropriately.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Seminole County
- Officer Specialist Fahnestock and Lieutenant Mendelson participated in an outreach event at a local elementary school in Oviedo. The officers brought specialized equipment including a vessel, utility task vehicle, and their day-to-day use items. They discussed the importance of conservation law enforcement to over 500 students, teachers, and administrators. The students, ranging from second grade to fifth grade, got a chance to safely hold a small American alligator and learn about them.
 CASES
Hillsborough County
- Officer Georgevich was on land patrol near the Courtney Campbell Boat Ramp when he observed a camo jon boat with three persons on board. All three people were wearing camo clothing and waders and were in possession of shotguns, shotgun ammunition and duck decoys. All three subjects advised they had participated in the hunt. During a resource inspection, one subject was found to be in possession of lead shot and was missing a migratory bird permit. Another subject was found to be in possession of a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells at a time. The subjects were written citations for not having a plugged shotgun and the missing migratory bird permit. The subject who was in possession of lead shot was issued a warning.
Pinellas County
- Officer Georgevich was on land patrol when he observed a commercial fishing vessel with two people on board pull into the Dunedin Marina Boat Ramp. The subjects were in possession of a commercial quantity of mullet. During the resource inspection, Officer Georgevich was going through the seine nets. None of them were marked with a saltwater products license number on either end of the net as legally required. The subject also was not in possession of a valid saltwater products license. The captain of the vessel received the appropriate citations and warnings.
 CASES
Broward County
- Officers Giani, Favrot, and Lieutenant Ryan were on airboat patrol in Everglades Wildlife Management Area near I-75. They simultaneously conducted vessel stops on two airboats near the 35.2 boat ramp. Officers Giani and Favrot observed indicators of intoxication and conducted standardized field sobriety tasks on both operators. One operator was arrested for boating under the influence and transported to the Broward County jail.
- While on patrol, Officer Hammad saw a vehicle parked along U.S. 27 in an area common for freshwater fishing and then observed a subject walking towards the canal bank with an empty white bag. Moments later, as the subject returned from the canal, the officer approached the subject, and subject walked away from her. She requested for the subject to stop multiple times, and he refused. The subject continued walking into the canal, where he cut the bag open and released a softshell turtle. The subject had multiple baited bush hooks set up in the area. A check of the vehicle registration showed the owner had multiple violations with FWC. The subject was arrested and booked into jail with the following charges: tampering with evidence, violation of probation (he was on probation for illegally harvesting softshell turtles),refusing/obstructing inspection by an FWC officer, and violation of Executive Order 21-19 preventing the take of softshell turtles.
- Officer Bovee was on patrol near Sheridan St. and the Intracoastal Waterway. He conducted a resource inspection on a subject fishing under the bridge and found several violations. The subject was in possession of one porkfish and one 10" black drum. Porkfish are considered marine life and are regulated by size, manner of harvest, and need to be kept alive. Black drum have a slot size of 14" -24". The subject was issued a criminal citation for possessing undersized black drum and warned for not keeping marine life alive, illegally harvesting marine life, and not having a continuously circulating live well for marine life.
- While patrolling the area of U.S. 27 at the L5 levee, Officer Hammad observed a vehicle approaching with fishing rods. Officer Hammad conducted a freshwater fisheries inspection and found the subject to be in possession of crappie and eight black bass. The subject stated he knew he was only allowed five black bass. The subject also had prior freshwater fishing violations. The subject was issued a criminal citation for possessing over the bag limit of black bass.
Glades County
- Officer Dial was on patrol in Glades County, when he observed two subjects on a water management structure. The subjects were on a structure, and inside a fenced area that had “No Trespassing” signs. Both subjects were issued a notice to appear for trespassing on a water control structure.
St. Lucie County
- FWC officers and investigators responded to a report of a boating incident in Ft. Pierce. A personal watercraft operator suffered a sudden medical emergency and was transported to a hospital where he passed away. The FWC is conducting the incident investigation.
MAJOR WILDLIFE ASSISTANCE
Broward County
- Officer Bovee responded to a call about an injured bird in Deerfield Beach. Upon arriving in Deerfield, the complainant directed him to a red-shouldered hawk on the ground. The officer was able to take possession of the injured bird and transported it to the Wildlife Care Center in Ft. Lauderdale.
 CASES
Collier County
- Officers Keon Pierre-Louis and Tajahs Jackson were on patrol in Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park where they observed a subject fishing in the pass. Resource inspection revealed the subject was in possession of 13 sheepshead, four of which were undersized. The subject was issued a notice to appear citation for over the daily bag limit of eight sheepshead per person/per day, and written warnings for possession of sheepshead less than 12 inches in length.
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