FWC Law Enforcement Report: Night Hunting, Other Violations

April 28, 2020

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the period ending March 19 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer McHenry was conducting fishery inspections at the Fort Pickens Fishing Pier when he noticed an individual in a boat pull in a gag grouper from a stringer. The operator of the boat started to leave the area, but then turned toward shore. The operator beached the boat and Officer McHenry walked down to check the fisherman. When Officer McHenry arrived, the subject was cleaning the fish. Officer McHenry advised the subject that gag grouper season was currently closed and issued the appropriate citation for the violation.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Wilkenson and Roberson responded to a night hunting complaint about an individual on an ATV with a loaded rifle. The subject trespassed onto a hunt club property nearby. K-9 Officer Hutchinson arrived to assist, and the subject was located. The subject admitted to hunting on the property at night with a gun using his ATV lights. He was cited accordingly.

K-9 Officer Hutchinson was patrolling a road adjacent to the Blackwater State Forest when he observed a bright light being shined into the tree line after sunset. The light was being shined from a subject who was riding a bicycle and holding a hunting rifle. Officer Hutchinson conducted a stop on the bicycle and the subject admitted to shining the light to look for wildlife. Officer Hutchinson seized the rifle and the subject was cited accordingly.

Officer Roberson was on patrol when he observed four individuals fishing next to a bridge. Officer Roberson contacted the fishermen and found they had multiple bass, bream, and an undersized redfish in a bucket. Upon further inspection two of the individuals caught all the fish using a cast net. One of the individuals was cited for undersized redfish, and the other was cited for using an illegal method to catch freshwater gamefish.

Officer Mullins observed a vehicle shine a light from the roadway into Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The officer stopped the subjects for a resource inspection, and they admitted to shining for deer and had a shotgun in the front of the truck between them. The shotgun, ammunition, and light were seized as evidence. The subjects were each issued a misdemeanor notice to appear.

Officers in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties focused efforts on illegal night hunting activity. Officer Mullins stopped a vehicle actively shining a light. The subject had fresh blood on his pants, and upon further investigation deer hair and blood was found in the vehicle. Officers Roberson, Brown, Hutchinson, and K-9 Zara assisted in the investigation that identified multiple suspects. The investigation revealed approximately 10 deer were taken illegally, with most deer being shot at night from a roadway. Multiple sets of deer parts and firearms were seized. Charges were filed with the state attorney’s office for multiple wildlife violations.


This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Comments

8 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report: Night Hunting, Other Violations”

  1. Tabby on May 1st, 2020 6:24 am

    Niknak50
    I actually provide my extra milk to others. Your comment is fairly accurate. Not to say I’ve never went to a supermarket however I try to purchase local. If supermarkets closed, we would be just fine. It wouldn’t be long before people turned into the animals they are in the metro cesspools to seek people like us out. We’re prepared for that also.

  2. BRING IT ON on April 30th, 2020 12:46 am

    Local yocal and Tabby you’re right on point. They can expect more of this as long as our wonderful government keeps on trying to starve us out. Those of you that live in glass houses watch out throwing those bricks. I’ve never practiced catch and release, I prefer catch and eat. What is killing our sport is hypocritical hunting clubs.

  3. Niknak50 on April 29th, 2020 2:30 pm

    Re: Tabby, in your comments you mention you are not dependent on grocery stores. I would take that to mean you produce your own corn me, flour, sugar, milk, water etc. If so, there is the implication you have enough property to do so. Seems common sense to raise some cows for beef.

  4. Tabby on April 28th, 2020 11:09 pm

    Billy, you have your opinion. While ten deer is ridiculous, screw the “sport”, we kill for meat, not to fit in with guys at work, church, etc. And certainly not for ego. My husband is in his 40’s and has never had a license. We eat just fine and are not dependent upon grocery stores. Sorry, not going to let your “Daddy Government” take our God given rights and lease them back to us through licensure just to eat. Nope. You sound like the kind of guy who has the fancy gloves so you can text from the shooting house to your wife and buddies about what you killed (look at me). Nevermind, the house is probably heated.

  5. RC on April 28th, 2020 10:16 pm

    Like Billy,I disagree as well. People were night hunting illegally before this “pandemic” was ever heard about. They do it because they want to. They’ll kill a deer and leave it or cut the back strap out and leave the rest to rot. That isn’t hunger,that’s a thug being a thug. We have these kind of people around and we always will.

  6. Billy on April 28th, 2020 2:46 pm

    I don’t agree at all. Starving and trying to take care of your family is one thing. Getting caught with 10 Deer is not someone trying to feed their kids. This is the type of person that is killing our sport. Weather it is here in Florida or anywhere in our great country. We have some of the best managed Deer populations in the world, due to management. Keep up the villigance officers you do not get enough for the tireless work that you do.

  7. Matchbox on April 28th, 2020 1:04 pm

    @Local I agree completely..

  8. Local Yocal on April 28th, 2020 6:41 am

    Desperate times lead to infractions of man’s law.

    But the law of nature says a man will find a way to eat.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News