Conservation Law Enforcement Corner – February 2016

The Hall of Shame column is designed to highlight the efforts of Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division (LED) officers who, among their many duties, protect Georgia’s wildlife, sportsmen and natural resources from game-law violators.

Echols County: On Aug. 28, 2013, still several weeks before archery deer season would begin, Sgt. Patrick Dupree and Ranger Daniel North of DNR’s Law Enforcement Division (LED) were patrolling an Echols County hunting club on ATVs when they saw a gray Toyota Tacoma.

“As the truck passed by, a deer hoof was seen sticking out of a plastic trash can in the bed of the truck,” officer North said in the incident report.

The officers stopped the truck, and the driver was identified as William Cody Campbell, of Lake Park. There was also a female passenger in the truck, who Campbell said knew nothing about the deer. The passenger also said she was not present when the deer was shot and did not know anything of the incident.

The officers noted that there was a loaded .308 caliber rifle with a scope that was located between the front driver seat and the center console.

“At first Campbell advised that he had hit the deer with another truck,” the incident report stated.

However, Campbell then began to say that another guy had been with him when the deer was shot, but that the other person was not involved.

“When asked, Campbell advised that the rifle in the truck was the rifle used. Campbell was asked where the deer meat was at, and he stated that it was in a freezer at the hunting camp,” the report stated.

“The rifle was secured, and we followed Campbell on ATVs back to the hunting camp, where a small set of 6-point antlers with hair, blood and some flesh still intact was lying near a building. When asked, Campbell advised that the antlers did come from the deer. Campbell retrieved a large white plastic bag containing the deer meat from a chest freezer. The meat had only frozen on the outside and had not yet completely frozen at the center of all of the pieces.

“There was some dried blood located on the tailgate, bumper, bed and dog box of a Chevrolet truck. Campbell stated that the Chevrolet truck was used when the deer was shot and not the Toyota Tacoma that he was driving to dump the deer carcass.

“Sgt. Dupree and myself met with Campbell at the Echols County Sheriffs Office, where he advised that he and (the other person) had been out on Monday night, Aug. 26, 2013, when he shot the deer at about 1 to 2 a.m. Campbell advised that he shot the deer in the ditch of Highway 94 roughly in the area of mile marker 21 or 22, picked up the deer and took it back to the camp, where he cleaned it and put it in the freezer,” officer North said.

Campbell completed a voluntary witness statement and was issued citations. The rifle was returned to Campbell, and the deer meat was given to the Echols County Sheriff’s Office.

Campbell paid fines of $150 for Hunting Deer at Night and $100 for Possession of Illegally Taken Wildlife.

Cpl. Jones Earns Another Honor

In December, Cpl. Casey Jones picked up another big award as the Safari Club International-Georgia Chapter (SCI) presented him with their prestigious 2015 Georgia Wildlife Officer of the Year award, including a pin to be worn on his uniform

In August, Cpl. Jones was named the Ranger of the Year by the DNR Law Enforcement Division (LED).

“We can always count on Corporal Jones for consistent and aggressive, but fair conservation law enforcement,” said Col. Eddie Henderson, director of the Law Enforcement Division.

Jones is assigned to Murray County and is known for his commitment to conservation law enforcement and dedication to serving the citizens throughout northwest Georgia. His investigative talents earned him the Investigator of the Year award for the LED Region I.

SCI was founded in 1952 by an international group of hunters interested in exchanging ideas about the sport. Each year the club sponsors an award for the Wildlife Officer of the Year in all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and the territories of both nations. For more info, visit http://georgiasafariclub.com.