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December 27, 2024, through January 2, 2025
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
Bay County
- Officers Butts and Jarrell were working night hunting enforcement from a concealed location and observed a vehicle using their headlights to shine a field. The officers conducted a traffic stop and discovered a rifle in the vehicle with two subjects who stated they were just looking for deer but wouldn’t shoot one. Both individuals were issued a citation for attempting to take deer with the use of a gun and light.
- Officers Lafrenz and Alsobrooks saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road by a pond in a wildlife management area where they observed three individuals duck hunting. The officers conducted a resource inspection and found one individual did not have a plug in his shotgun, no federal duck stamp or any other licenses. One individual was over the bag limit of ringnecks. The appropriate enforcement action was taken.
- Officer Rice was on patrol when he observed two subjects on the sidewalk near a car. One had multiple lacerations, contusions and scrapes on her arms and legs. The other subject was a good Samaritan who stopped to help. Officer Rice assessed the victim’s injuries and treated the subject for shock until EMS and Panama City Police Department officers arrived to transport the victim to the hospital. The injured subject advised of a potential kidnapping and provided the name and phone number of the subject she was with. A witness recorded the vehicle and tag number of the vehicle she was in and efforts are being made to locate the vehicle.
Okaloosa County
- Officer A. Pritchard encountered a vehicle parked on the side of the road in the still hunt area of Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. Shortly after dark, a subject exited the woods carrying a rifle. The subject stated he was attempting to take deer and was unaware that Blackwater WMA was currently closed to hunting. The individual was issued a notice to appear citation for hunting during closed season.
- Officer Oliver and Hansard conducted a vessel resource inspection on a fishing vessel in Destin Pass that was returning from the Gulf of Mexico. The inspection revealed five undersized flounder and one undersized gray (mangrove) snapper. The subjects were issued citations for possession of the undersized flounder and a warning for possession of undersized gray snapper.
- Officer Oliver was conducting resource inspections on vessels returning from the Gulf of Mexico and discovered an individual in possession of gag grouper. The individual was issued a citation for possession of gag grouper during the closed season.
Santa Rosa County
- Officer R. Corbin observed two individuals return from duck hunting and proceeded to conduct a resource inspection. The subjects had harvested one bufflehead. Neither individual had a valid federal duck stamp and it was discovered one subject was using a shotgun capable of holding more than three rounds. Both individuals were issued citations for hunting without a federal duck stamp and for the unplugged shotgun.
- Officer R. Corbin received information about an angler who had caught and kept an undersized flounder at the Navarre Fishing Pier. The officer located the subject, who was in possession of a flounder under the minimum size limit. The subject was charged accordingly.
- Officer R. Corbin observed a vehicle parked on a closed road with a dog off leash at Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. After instructing the subject to leash the dog and informing him about the closed road, the subject refused to identify himself. After instructing the subject several times to identify himself the officer attempted to handcuff the subject, and the subject evaded the officer and resisted without violence. The officer then arrested and charged the subject for resisting without violence and obstructing or interfering with an FWC officer. The subject was also issued citations for driving on a closed road and having a dog off leash in the WMA. The subject was transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Bradford County
- Senior Officer Nasworth conducted a resource inspection on two people hunting ducks at Lake Sampson and discovered they were in possession of seven common gallinule (moorhen) out of season. Both subjects were issued citations for taking game out of season.
- Officers Hausler and Kingsley observed a subject hunting ducks after shooting hours at Lake Rowell. They conducted a resource inspection and found the subject was also using an unplugged shotgun to take migratory birds. Appropriate citations were issued.
- Officers Kingsley and Hausler and Lieutenant Barber observed two subjects hunting ducks after shooting hours at Lake Sampson. A resource inspection revealed one subject was also in possession of lead shot while taking waterfowl and hadn’t signed his federal duck stamp. Both subjects were issued appropriate citations.
Dixie County
- Officer Reith and Lieutenant Ward conducted a resource inspection on subjects returning to the boat ramp from hunting ducks. The inspection revealed two subjects had hunted ducks with unplugged shotguns. The law requires shotguns used for hunting migratory birds not be capable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Officer Reith issued appropriate citations for the violations along with several warnings for boating safety violations.
Taylor County
- Officers Anderson and Williamson conducted a boating safety and resource inspection on a vessel at the Spring Warrior boat ramp that possessed freshly harvested oysters. After concluding the inspection, the operator was issued citations for no shellfish endorsement, not having oysters under refrigeration by 5 p.m., no type III marine sanitation device, contaminates coming in contact with shellfish, and recreational and commercial harvest of oysters in the same trip. The operator was also issued a uniform boating citation and a number of boating safety warnings.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Taylor County
- Officers Humphry and Dicks responded to a missing person call in Snipe Island Wildlife Management Area. The officers began searching the woods with the local sheriff’s office and Department of Corrections K-9 units. After several hours of searching, the lost subject was located and treated by EMS.
 CASES
Lake County
- Officer Stamp responded to information about subjects hunting within Emeralda Marsh Public Small Game Hunting Area after legal shooting hours for the area. Officer Stamp observed a vessel returning to the boat ramp with two subjects on board who were dressed in camouflage waders and clothing and had equipment consistent with duck hunting. The officer conducted a resource and boating safety inspection and learned one of the subjects harvested two ducks from the area. During an interview with the subjects, one admitted to hunting within Emeralda Marsh and harvested the two ducks that evening. The subjects were advised by the officer that hunting was allowed until noon within the public small game area. One of the subjects was issued a notice to appear citation for taking game during a closed season.
Seminole County
- Officer Specialist Summers and Officer Hawks coordinated a detail to address waterfowl hunting regulations, small game season hunting regulations, boating safety and wildlife management area rules. Officers Naules and Hawks responded to a vessel in an area commonly used to enter a WMA illegally. The officers observed two separate individuals hunting on the WMA and entering/exiting from a nondesignated location. The officers issued both subjects notice to appear citations for illegal entry on the WMA. Officer Pecko and Lieutenant Mendelson listened in an area where two individuals were shooting migratory birds. The officers heard several shots indicating the hunters might not have plugged shotguns, as required when hunting migratory birds. The officers relayed the information to K-9 Officers Hocker and Malicoat who located the subjects after running tracks with their K-9s. The individuals harvested migratory birds and had shotguns capable of holding for than three rounds. Appropriate law enforcement action was taken to address the violation.
Volusia County
- Officer Specialist Hastings responded to information about potential night hunting of wild hogs in the Lake George area. He and Officer Schaffer located a subject in the wildlife management area who had hunting equipment and a center fire rifle in his vehicle. The officers addressed the violations (hunting after dark in a WMA and hunting with a centerfire rifle during small game season). After interviewing the subject, the officers tracked the subject’s foot sign to the site where he had been hunting and discovered a large, baited site, and hidden from view, they found a recently harvested antlered deer. K-9 Officer North brought his K-9 and recovered a spent shell casing that matched the subject’s rifle and rounds. The subject was placed under arrest and charged with placing bait in a WMA, hunting over bait in a WMA, illegal take of deer out of season, hunting after dark in the WMA, and wanton and willful waste.
 CASES
Lee County
- Lieutenant Ruggiero responded to a call regarding a construction vehicle parked on a gopher tortoise burrow. When he arrived on scene, he found the truck parked within a few feet of a burrowing owl burrow. The subjects were educated about the violation and asked to move the vehicle. They then posted silt fencing around the nest to keep other vehicles away from the burrow. A warning was issued to the operator of the vehicle.
- Officer Lejarzar was on water patrol when he observed a commercial net boat fishing in Pine Island Sound. A resource inspection was conducted, which revealed the subject had several violations including nets not marked, too many nets in possession, no bill of sale, nets labeled with the wrong license number, and no safety gear on board. The subject was relatively new to fishing and had just purchased the vessel a week prior. The subject was educated about the violations and the stop was concluded by issuing two infractions and eight warnings.
Manatee County
- Officer Specialist Gonzales was patrolling the area of Bishops Harbor when he identified an individual fishing from the bank. As the individual was packing to leave, Officer Specialist Gonzales approached the individual to conduct a resource inspection. The inspection revealed the individual had caught and kept three undersized snook. The subject is required to appear in Manatee County Court for the violation.
 CASES
Broward County
- Officer Cusick and Officer Rigali stopped a vessel in the Intracoastal Waterway north of Atlantic Blvd. bridge for creating too great of a wake in a slow speed zone. The officers discovered it was a commercial vessel with three undersized swordfish and issued a citation to the vessel captain.
- Officer Cusick responded as backup to Officer Bruder at Stormwater Treatment Area 2 regarding subjects who were hunting migratory birds. An inspection revealed the subjects were not parked in their designated parking spot and had entered the area at a nondesignated entry point. Each subject was issued a citation for entering South Florida Water Management District lands from an undesignated entry point and an infraction for parking in a nondesignated area. A citation was also issued to one subject for not having a federal duck stamp. They were also issued written warnings for not having their ducks separated and one subject did not have a migratory bird permit.
- Officer Giani conducted an inspection on subjects hunting waterfowl in Stormwater Treatment Area 2. One of the subjects did not have a valid migratory bird permit and was issued a citation for the violation.
- A vessel with multiple passengers stopped at the 15th Street fuel dock to fuel up. After fueling, an unknown event occurred and the vessel exploded causing the death of one person and seriously injuring others. Lieutenants Ryan and Brodbeck, Investigators Merizio and Arnold, and Officers Beppel and Gonzalez responded to the accident. The accident is being investigated.
- Officer Willis conducted an inspection on a group hunting waterfowl at Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4. One of the subjects did not have a migratory bird permit and was issued a citation for the violation.
- Officer Giani conducted an inspection on a group hunting waterfowl in Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4. One of the subjects was found hunting with an unplugged shotgun. Shotguns used to hunt migratory bird must be plugged to a three-shell capacity. The subject was issued a citation for the violation.
Glades County
- Officer Watson conducted a resource inspection on a subject hunting waterfowl at Lake Okeechobee with a shotgun capable of holding more than three rounds. The subject was issued a notice to appear for hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
- While patrolling Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area during small game season, Officer Koger encountered an individual hunting wild hog with a .22 rimfire rifle. The use of a rimfire rifle during small game season in Allapattah Flats WMA is a violation of the area's regulations. Upon conducting a records check, Officer Koger discovered the individual had been previously cited twice for the same violation. The subject was issued a citation for the violation.
Hendry County
- Officer Specialist Curbelo observed a vehicle leaving Spirit of the Wild Wildlife Management Area at night at a high rate of speed. Upon inspection, the three subjects in the vehicle stated they were wild hog hunting. Officer Curbelo located a large black garbage bag inside of the truck and found it contained a recently killed white-tailed deer. One subject admitted to shooting the deer, which was taken out of season. The subject was placed under arrest and booked into the Hendry County jail. Charges against the other two vehicle occupants are pending.
- Officer Watson responded to a tip from a local landowner about subjects who appeared to be road hunting at night. The complainant stated there was a pickup truck in an area known for illegal night hunting activity that was driving slow with multiple subjects using spotlights to shine the wooded areas off the roadway. Officer Watson located the vehicle and observed the occupants shining the pastures and wood lines with spotlights in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of game. The subjects were stopped and found to be in possession of several rifles and spotlights. The subjects admitted they were hunting. All four subjects were placed under arrest and booked into the Hendry County Jail and charged with hunting from a roadway and using a light in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of game while in possession of a firearm commonly used for taking deer.
Palm Beach County
- Officer Wences discovered a vehicle parked outside of an area closed to public access while patrolling at Storm Water Treatment Area 1 West. Upon further investigation, two subjects were found fishing in a closed area and being in an area closed to the public. The subjects did not have fishing licenses. Citations were issued accordingly.
St. Lucie County
- While conducting surveillance on South Florida Water Management District property, Senior Officer Payne observed headlights on a portion of the property closed to the public. As Senior Officer Payne watched the vehicle, he saw a light being displayed in a manner that could disclose the presence of deer. Upon conducting a vehicle stop, the two subjects were found to be in possession of a spotlight and a .50 caliber pre-charged pneumatic air rifle. The subject in the immediate control of the rifle and spotlight was issued a citation for the display of a light in a manner that may disclose the presence of deer while in possession of a weapon commonly used to take deer.
 CASES
Collier County
- Officers Chase Pruett, Dindiyal and Zeleny observed a vehicle parked on the shoulder of County Road 832 with the hazard lights on and a subject standing outside the vehicle. The vehicle was observed traveling slowly down the road and shining lights out of both sides into the woods. Officer Pruett initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, which revealed three subjects with no identification and a rifle near the passenger in the back seat. The individuals admitted to hunting rabbits from the roadway. The individual operating the vehicle was arrested for driving without a license and hunting from a roadway. The other two individuals were arrested for hunting from the roadway. The subjects were taken to the Hendry County Jail for booking.
- Officer Espinosa received a video featuring an individual who had posted several videos of himself bowfishing freshwater gamefish and feeding a Florida gar to an alligator with another individual. Investigators Rubenstein and Pestka assisted with the investigation. Information also was shared with the Miccosukee Wildlife Police, who contacted Officer Espinosa after they observed the individual bowfishing. When they contacted the individual, they found him in possession of three Florida bass and one peacock bass. Officer Parlapiano arrived on the scene and issued the individual a notice to appear citations for the violations.
- Officer Dindiyal and investigations conducted a fisheries inspection on a vessel returning to a local boat ramp. During the inspection, they located 43 vermillion snapper, six lane snapper, one mutton snapper, three red grouper and one mackerel. There were multiple violations on board including red grouper out of season, lane snapper out of season and 13 vermillion snapper over the bag limit. Appropriate law enforcement action was taken.
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