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December 22 through December 28, 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
Escambia County
- Officers Burkhead, Mullins and Wilkenson and Lieutenant Berryman as well as deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and K-9 unit located an individual trespassing on private property without permission and appeared to be hunting. The subject they located was arrested a year prior for hunting on the same property without permission. The officers were able to obtain a trail camera photograph of the subject trespassing and they located clothing and shoe prints that matched what the subject was wearing in the photograph. The officers placed the subject under arrest for trespass after warning. The subject was transported and booked into the Escambia County jail.
- Officer Lugg received a tip from an Escambia County deputy regarding a subject who parked a vehicle and entered private property on foot to hunt with a firearm. The deputy stated the subject was a convicted felon. Officers Burkhead and Wilkenson responded to the scene along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. They located the individual on the property as well as a modern firearm he had hidden in the woods. The officers conducted a records check and found the subject to be a convicted felon as well as having an active domestic violence injunction placed against him rendering him unable to legally possess firearms. The officers located the vehicle he was operating on the property and found the license plate attached to the vehicle was not assigned to it. The subject subsequently admitted he placed a different plate on the vehicle. A search revealed the subject was in possession of marijuana under 20 grams. Officer Burkhead placed the subject under arrest for numerous charges including possession of a modern firearm as a convicted felon, violation of a domestic violence injunction, attaching tag not assigned, and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams. The subject was booked into the Escambia County jail facility.
- Lieutenant Corbin observed a vessel return to a local boat ramp at night. Two subjects began displaying their catch on the bow of the vessel to take a photo. A resource inspection was conducted, and the subjects were found to be in possession of undersized sheepshead and flounder. One of the subjects claimed responsibility for keeping the undersized fish and was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
- Officer Lugg was on patrol when he observed a vehicle pull into a location known for illegal dumping. The subject proceeded to remove trash from his vehicle and a stop was conducted. The subject and passenger were identified and the passenger had an active warrant out of Escambia County. The subject was cited for littering and advised to clean up the area, the passenger was placed under arrest on the warrant and transported to the Escambia County Jail.
Franklin County
- Officer Hartzog was patrolling on Highway 98 and observed a commercial angler throwing a cast net along the shoreline. Officer Hartzog stopped the angler to conduct a resource inspection. During the inspection, the angler was observed to be in possession of multiple undersized red drum and over his daily bag limit. The officer addressed the violations appropriately.
- Officer Hartzog was conducting patrol at Island View Park and observed a subject fishing from a pier. Officer Hartzog stopped the subject to conduct a resource inspection. During the inspection, the subject was observed to be in possession of an undersized red drum. The officer addressed the violation appropriately.
Holmes County
- Officer M. Homan responded to a report of an individual possibly taking over the seasonal bag limit of antlerless deer and not submitting a harvest report. Officer Homan investigated, and the subject admitted to taking four antlerless deer this hunting season and not completing any harvest reports. He was cited accordingly.
Santa Rosa County
- Officer Roberson was traveling on Quinette Road when he noticed a vehicle in front of him operating without a tag. Officer Roberson conducted a stop on the vehicle. When the officer made contact with the operator of the vehicle, he showed several obvious signs of impairment. The driver agreed to perform standardized field sobriety tasks. The subject performed poorly on the tasks. Officer Roberson arrested the driver and transported him to the Escambia County Jail.
- Officer Roberson found a treestand site baited for deer on the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area. Officer Roberson followed a trail from the site to a nearby home. He spoke to the owner of the residence who after a short interview admitted to placing the bait. Officer Roberson issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
Washington County
- Officer E. Fowler was on patrol and focusing on duck hunting through the week. The officer had encountered three different locations where the hunters were attempting to take ducks after legal hours. He addressed shooting after legal hunting hours, littering and license violations.
- Lieutenant J. Allen, Officer M. Gore, and Officer E Fowler encountered two ATVs operating after sunset on a county road without lights. A traffic stop revealed the subjects had been hunting. A license and warrant check revealed a felony warrant for one of the subjects for driving while license suspended or revoked. The subject was arrested and transported to Washington County Jail.
 CASES
Pasco County
- Investigator Tyer and Lieutenant Hinds IV were following up on a complaint of an escaped African porcupine. The complaint stated a domestic dog had been killed on private property after encountering the escaped porcupine. The porcupine was recaptured by a nuisance animal trapper and returned to the facility it escaped from. A follow up inspection was done at the facility and it revealed the porcupine had escaped due to improper caging. A complete facility inspection was done to make sure all other animal enclosures met legal requirements. Upon completion of the inspection, seven warnings were issued for records and caging violations pertaining to captive wildlife. One citation will be issued for the escape of the porcupine.
 CASES
Broward County
- Officers Constance and Comartin were patrolling at A-1 FEB Public Small Game Hunting Area and conducted inspections of hunters coming out of the marsh. As a result of their inspections, Officer Constance and Officer Comartin each issued a hunter a notice to appear for over the bag limit of lesser scaup.
- Officers Favrot, Giani and Lt. Ryan Comartin were patrolling at A-1 FEB Public Small Game Hunting Area and contacted a subject to conduct a fisheries inspection.The subject presented a bucket containing five black bass, one of which was over 16 inches, and several mudfish. The subject informed the officers he did not have any more fish. Upon further inspection, the officers discovered a small cooler behind the driver seat that contained three additional black bass, two of which were over 16 inches. The officers issued the subject citations for over the bag limit for black bass and possession of more than one black bass over 16 inches.
- Officer Constance conducted patrol at STA 2 Waterfowl Public Small Game Hunting Area and observed several Individuals trespassing. During his contact with the individuals, he discovered they had fish. The officer conducted a fisheries inspection, which revealed several dead panfish harvested by cast netting. Officer Constance issued one Individual a notice to appear for illegal means of taking gamefish.
- Officers Comartin and Constance were patrolling at Harold A. Campbell Public Use Area and the L-5 levee and observed a vehicle being operated along the levee, shining a spotlight. They conducted a vehicle stop and found the driver and passenger were night hunting. Officer Comartin issued both Individuals notices to appear for hunting at night with a gun and light.
- Officer Bouras and Lt. Ryan conducted patrol at the STA 2 Waterfowl Public Small Game Hunting Area and observed a subject trespassing and fishing in the prohibited area. The officer and lieutenant waited for the subject to return to his vehicle and conducted a vehicle stop. The subject initially refused to identify himself and had to be temporarily detained. Bouras issued the subject a notice to appear for fishing in a prohibited area at STA 2.
- Officer Wences was patrolling A-1 FEB Public Small Game Hunting Area and observed three subjects in a vessel coming back to the north boat ramp. The subjects were wearing camouflage clothing for hunting and had duck decoys and shotguns in the vessel. Upon inspection, the subjects produced 19 ducks they had harvested. One of the subjects admitted to harvesting over the limit and was issued a citation.
Martin County
- Officer Landers was patrolling around Indian RiverSide Park when he saw an angler reel in a grouper and put it in a bucket nearby. He observed as the subject waited for everyone to leave the area and then took the bucket to the fillet table. As the subject began filleting the grouper, Officer Landers contacted him and inquired about the fish. The subject said it was a gag grouper. Officer Landers confirmed from the skin still on the fish that it was a gag grouper. The gag grouper season is currently closed. The subject was issued a notice to appear for the violation.
- Officer Landers was patrolling the east side of Stuart Causeway when he saw an individual fishing. He approached the subject and asked him if he had a fishing license, to which he replied no. Officer Landers asked him if he had caught any fish and he replied no. Officer Landers began walking toward the subject’s bucket and he recanted his statement, saying “besides the fish in there.” Inside the bucket were four mangrove snapper, three of them under the minimum size of 10 inches. The subject was educated on how to obtain a free saltwater shoreline fishing license and issued a citation for the less than legal sized fish.
Palm Beach County
- Officer Wences was patrolling inside U.S. Sugar private property off County Road 827 when he observed four subjects standing outside of a vehicle cast netting fish in the canal. The officer asked the subjects if they had permission to be on the property and they indicated they did not. The officer noticed a bucket of freshwater fish including two largemouth bass. One subject admitted he was the only one cast netting and he kept the bass. The subject was issued a citation for catching freshwater game fish by illegal method.
 CASES
Collier County
- Officer Stearns conducted a livery inspection at the Shell Island Boat Ramp. During the inspection, he identified five violations, one of which the subject had been written for two years ago. Officer Stearns issued a notice to appear for the repeat violation and four warnings for the other violations.
- Officer Specialist Peter Knutson came across a social media post advertising the sale of saltwater fish and forwarded the information to the Investigation Unit in Collier County, who conducted a detailed background investigation. They were able to determine the residence in question and the subject within a few days. Investigator Milton Osorio and the lead Investigator in the case then met and interviewed the subject, resulting in a citation for no proper license to sell saltwater products.
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