Conservation Law Enforcement Corner – March 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.

Franklin County: On Dec. 10, 2014, Cpl. Craig Fulghum received a call from another officer asking if he could respond to a call from a witness who saw someone shoot a deer from the road. The witness said the shooter was driving a red pickup truck.

“I was responding from Hartwell, so I advised Franklin County dispatch to put a lookout on the vehicle to the deputies working, so they could try and locate the truck while I was en route,” said Cpl. Fulghum.

Once he arrived, the witness told the officer that he had seen the same red pickup truck involved in a road-hunting incident a month before on Nov. 9.

The investigation led officers to a home on Paul Vandiver Road, where a man, 24 years old at the time, lived with his parents. A Franklin County deputy arrived at the location first.

“I arrived at the location and talked to Deputy Kyle Dodson. Deputy Dodson advised me that the subject, identified as Glynn Tawzer, said that he had admitted to shooting a coyote from the road but wasn’t shooting at deer. His 12-year-old brother was in the vehicle with him during the shooting.

“After talking to Mr. Tawzer for a few minutes, he admitted to shooting at a deer from the road on two separate occasions. I secured his firearm for evidence and arrested Mr. Tawzer, and he was transported to the Franklin County Detention Center. Cpl. Josh Chambers assisted me with the interview at the detention center. After reading Mr. Tawzer his Miranda Warning, he admitted to shooting on McBath Road on three separate occasions. He indicated he had shot at a deer on Nov. 9, at a 4-point buck on Nov. 15, which was taken to Hart’s deer cooler, and again on Dec. 10 (the current incident). Mr. Tawzer had also killed two does in Madison County, which were taken to Dorminey’s cooler and had not been recorded on his licenses as required.

“At the end of the interview, I asked what he did with all the deer he had killed, and he said, ‘I sell ’em.’ He advised us that he sold deer jerky to coworkers in Lavonia. He said he had made around $200 on deer meat sales. The following day I interviewed four separate individuals who Mr. Tawzer had sold deer meat to.”

Mr. Tawzer was charged with numerous game law violations, including hunting from a vehicle, hunting from a road and sale of game. His fines totaled $1,700.