Conservation Law Enforcement Corner – April 2016

Jackson County: Hunting without permission is a common issue for folks who own property and for hunters who lease tracts for hunting. It’s particularly an issue for absentee landowners who live far from their property.

During the 2014 deer hunting season, Law Enforcement Division (LED) officer Eric Isom received a call regarding suspicion that someone was hunting without permission on property in Jackson County. According to family members who were the controlling landowners, the only person who once had permission to hunt the property had moved to the LaGrange area four years prior.

On Nov. 12, 2014, Isom traveled to the property and traveled it by foot.

“I found fresh vehicle activity on the property, but the only way in was through a single padlock gate. I also located four deer stands, two of which had fresh corn in front of them and a trail cam,” Isom stated in the incident report.

On Nov. 15, the officer returned with K9 Colt, one of LED’s highly trained dogs.

“I marked the gate and could tell that the property had been accessed,” the officer’s incident report stated. “Colt picked up on human odor about halfway into the property and located Ken Looney in a climbing stand, with a rifle, no orange, and approximately 30 yards from corn.

“I then located a vehicle toward the backside of the property. Colt tracked up a Steve Looney in a climbing stand, with a rifle, no orange and approximately 60 yards from a powder bait product.

When asked if they had a key to the property, the subjects responded by saying no—they would take the gate off the hinges, pull their vehicle into the property, and put the gate back in place.

Steve Looney and Ken Looney, both of Commerce, were issued citations and warnings for hunting without permission, hunting big game over bait and hunting deer without fluorescent orange.

In Jackson County State Court, the men were each fined a total of $138.

Georgia DNR LE Rangers Get Trauma Kits

Thanks to a grant made possible through the Georgia Trauma Commission (GTC) and the Georgia Association of Emergency Medical Services (GAEMS), DNR Law Enforcement rangers are now better equipped to deal with potential life-threatening injuries, even in the most remote areas of the state. Two hundred fifty personal trauma kits, and the training on their use, were provided to Rangers statewide last month.

“We believe these kits will save the lives of citizens and potentially our officers,” said Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division Director, Col. Eddie Henderson.

In 2014, a group of Rangers began exploring the idea of carrying personal trauma kits after hearing of a severely injured Texas Game Warden who saved his own life with one of the kits. After a little research, they connected with GAEMS and the GTC, who enthusiastically embraced the project.

“The grant is a great example of partnership,” said Kim Littleton, Executive Director of GAEMS. “We were able to meet a need of DNR and further the efforts of GTC and GAEMS in meeting trauma prevention goals.”

Georgia DNR rangers, who enforce all boating and hunting laws and regulations statewide, often respond to hunting and boating incidents that result in critical injuries in locations that are not always easily accessible to emergency services or equipment. They are called upon frequently to assist local, state and federal law enforcement agencies with a variety of public safety related duties where life threatening situations arise.

The kits, which contain a Combat Application Tourniquet (which can be applied with one hand if necessary), emergency trauma dressing, extra gauze and latex gloves, are expected to assist the officer in beginning treatment of critical injuries and will be invaluable in the event of severe trauma and blood loss until definitive medical care can arrive. North American Rescue, who assembles the kits and provided combat medics for a “train the trainers” course at DNR, also provides casualty care products to the U.S. military.

“This is a big win for our rangers and especially for our citizens,” added Col. Henderson. “Providing another tool to our already well-trained officers will just add to our effectiveness in keeping the public safe.”