Comments on: FWC Law Enforcement Report

By: Jessica Vaughn-Clark

Jessica Vaughn-Clark — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 03:16:24 +0000

I met Officer Lewis today while we were swimming in the east branch of big coldwater creek off of Mcdaniels Rd. I have no problem with FFW officers being out there and appreciate them catching litter bugs and I’m happy to have them around in the middle of nowhere for our safety. I do have to say that looking up and seeing a stranger standing right over my girlfriend and her sleeping baby was off putting. Typically, when we are hiking in that area and come upon a group of people we announce ourselves with a “hello!” so we aren’t walking in on people changing or we don’t scare anyone. I understand that he likes to bust people with pot or whatever, but we had changed into our swimsuits thinking no one was around. We heard a popping at one point and my girlfriend thought someone was up on the bluff, but I told her it was probably nothing because we didn’t hear anything else. We have no idea how long he was watching us through binoculars. I don’t drink, definitely don’t litter, and don’t smoke pot. He seemed like a nice guy, and like I said I appreciate them being close by, but it creeped us all out thinking he could have watched us change. I know that pot is illegal, but is busting someone with a doobie worth spying on three women (one who is 8 months pregnant) and two toddlers? He could have just announced himself and then gone through the legal procedures to see if one of us was hiding a joint. It is going to make me more weary now that I know anyone can sneak up on us out of the blue. I have been hiking and camping this area extensively for 17 years and the only time I have ever been snuck up on was by a park ranger or FFW.

By: Dee

Dee — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:56:46 +0000

John – “I was cited for a red fish barely too long and another barely to small.”

Let me fix it for you John, “I was cited for a red fish too long and another to small.”

Whether its an inch or a foot, its still over the limit. If you dont want to get cited for possession of illegal fish, you shouldnt possess illegal fish. If its too small or too big, throw it back. Simple. Then you wont have to whine about getting cited.

By: David Taylor

David Taylor — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 18:28:54 +0000

I have a hard time believing Officer Lewis could see it was marijuana and not tobacco, that was being rolled, from across the river.

By: Mr. Reality

Mr. Reality — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:18:20 +0000

LOSERS LITTER!!!! DON’T BE A LOSER!!!

By: doghunter

doghunter — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:11:24 +0000

Good to catch the litter bugs. So they will quit blaming all the hunters its mostly young kids! The south eastern dog hunters have been doin clean up to make the forest beautiful for everyone to enjoy.

By: John

John — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 22:47:30 +0000

I had a 28 ft walk around fishing boat about 15 yrs ago that we mostly used in the back bays to visit various spots sun, ski, knee board, etc. Very rarely did I go to the gulf to gulf to fish. Once I did and I was cited for a red fish barely too long and another barely to small. I had to go to court. It was an honest mistake and they wanted to throw the book at you. Max fine, probation, community service. Just crazy. Thank goodness the judge could understand, I did not mean to do this.

A couple of years later they moved the no wake zone from the Baars Bridge way past Oyster Bar and past the public park on intercoastal canal. I did not know the no wake zone had been moved and received a ticket for that. After looking around the print on the sign that said end of no wake zone was so small you would need a magnifying glass to read the words.

At that point I decided the FWC, etc. were having so much fun penalizing people who had accidentally made mistakes that boating was no longer fun for me and my family and I sold my boat, so there was one less family they could enjoy antagonizing.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 14:23:16 +0000

Take your trash home with you! Keep Florida clean and beautiful for our kids and grand kids .I always bring more trash back then I take with me.Now my kid dont even as me why i pick other peoples trash when we are out at fort pickens,fishing the bay or rivers,walking blackwater park,they just help.Also we need to push for deposits on bottles,cans and MOST of all cigarette butts.If this was done you wouldn’t see a single butt on the gound anywhere!!!