Cantonment Man Facing Hunting Charges In Two States, Federal Investigation

February 19, 2015

A Cantonment man is facing multiple charges in two states and is under federal investigation for hunting violations, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement.

FWC officers first made contact with 26-year old Waylon Lee Adams as he was dropping off a 10-point buck at a taxidermist in the Molino area. Adams told the officers that he shot the buck in Alabama but did not possess an Alabama or Florida hunting license. After documenting his name and related information, the FWC contacted Alabama Game and Fish.

The FWC offiders determined Adams was hunting in the Brewton area. A couple of days later, Alabama Fish and Game reportedly caught Adams trespassing on private property. He was arrested in Alabama for trespassing and drug possession, and cited for not possessing an Alabama hunting license. Adams confessed to shooting additional deer in Alabama.

The day after his Alabama arrest, FWC officers spotted Adams in Century leaving a restaurant despite having no driver’s license and being classified as a habitual traffic offender. As FWC officers were speaking to Adams, he fled on foot and was quickly picked up by a second unknown vehicle.  FWC officers had Adams’ vehicle towed, and they reported finding multiple rounds of ammunition inside.

The FWC reports having obtained warrants for Adams for driving as a habitual traffic offender, resisting an officer without violence and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement is investigating Adams for a possible Lacey Act violation, according to the FWC. The Lacey Act regulates federal aspects of hunting and wildlife trace.

FWC officers also seized antlers from five deer which Adams still had at the taxidermist.

Comments

56 Responses to “Cantonment Man Facing Hunting Charges In Two States, Federal Investigation”

  1. Charles on February 23rd, 2015 12:02 am

    I agree with you “POACHED ON MY LEASE” This guy and everybody else that does the same thing he is doing should be put in jail!! I pay a lot of money to lease land so my family can have somewhere safe to hunt and it’s low life’s like this that poach and go on your property. This has been going on for years. This is what gives us good hunters a bad name. I am glad the FWC Is finally cracking down on these jerks. This guy is not trying to feed his family or he wouldn’t be mounting these deer – he’s trying to cheat the system. This is one less poacher/trespasser on the streets!!!

  2. Garrett Renfrow on February 21st, 2015 2:45 pm

    @ look at facts that’s all I was doing was stating a fact you just want something to talk about All I was doing was stating 1 fact and u couldn’t stand it yes he did some wrong things but your kids are are out shinin deer and what not. You are acting like he is a murder and all the stuff in jail view are CHARGES not CONVICTIONS all I said was that he didn’t have a gun he made some dumb decision but he ain’t stupid so yes EVERYBODY keep roasting me for stating 1 fact I’ll defend my fact too

  3. Lookatfacts on February 21st, 2015 9:40 am

    @Garrett. Gun or no gun, still no license to hunt. Reason no license: look him up on Escambia County Clerk of Court. Over 20 cases, some felonies, from drugs, not just pot, to grand theft, resisted arrest, etc. His record speaks for himself!

    If some of you still want to defend him, get your bail money ready, he’ll need that more then your words on here.

  4. just the times on February 21st, 2015 8:44 am

    we live in a time where no one thinks the rules apply to them. if we get caught speeding , then leo is picking on us. if we park in a handicap spot it’s okay, no one will need it while we are there. we live in a society where nothing matters except what we want. there may be people that have to hunt for food, but with all the government programs I doubt there are many. if you have five or six mounts at the taxidermist at one time you do not fit my definition of poor. your are talking 1500 dollars upward depending on location.. to those of you who thinks this man has done nothing wrong, it’s most likely because he hasn’t done it to you. we still have laws and they still need to be followed for the good of all.

  5. molino jim on February 20th, 2015 7:26 pm

    @ Lady: There are a lot of people who will let someone hunt on their land if the person will ask— not just go on to some else’s property and put up a stand. Some of us have had to say no due to the garbage and spent shells left on the ground. If the person say’s yes thank them when you leave/ don’t leave the gates open/leave cans and bottles and so on.

  6. Lady on February 20th, 2015 4:01 pm

    I for one think the states have gone crazy not allowing poor people to hunt . All the lands are gobbled up by high-priced hunting clubs whereby poor people cannot hunt whether it is to feed their family or just enjoying the sport of hunting. I do not know anyplace one can hunt even if they do the right thing and buy a license. Soooo you have to join a high- priced hunting club, work on it after paying that fee all year buy your gun buy your teenager a gun and HOPE you might kill a deer before the short hunting season is over. Then there are so many deer on the roadways some people hit two or thee on the road and if you don’t have a wreck bad enough to kill or hurt you real bad the rest of the year. So….why don’t the season last longer to prevent this. Some insurance companies have so many claims until they give their clients whistles to put on their cars to scare the deer on the roadways. The Fish and Wildlife organization should do something about all this. I do not think a person should be hunting without a license..

  7. luvmyboys on February 20th, 2015 2:55 pm

    WOW! This story really makes me wish the comment section had a like button.

    ‘FWC officers also seized antlers from five deer which Adams still had at the taxidermist’ –I’m not an excellent cook, but I don’t believe his family is going to get many meals out of these.

  8. gARRETT RENFROW on February 20th, 2015 1:55 pm

    Have any of u read the story he wasn’t found to have a GUN in his possession they never found a gun and every one of thoses deer were killed with a BOW

  9. David Lee on February 20th, 2015 9:51 am

    Way to go FWC

  10. Daniel on February 20th, 2015 6:40 am

    If the man needs to put food on the table I suggest he, GET A JOB!!

  11. creekbather on February 20th, 2015 4:39 am

    that boys been a screw up and now its catching up ,he should be in jail and seeking council

  12. Robert on February 20th, 2015 4:13 am

    He’s a good boy, leave him alone?

    Charges he’e been found guilty of:
    Burglary/Grand theft-12/06 Felony 2 counts
    Burglary/Grand theft-03/07 Felony 2 counts
    Grand Theft- 04/08
    Possession Marijuana 08/10
    Several driving with suspended license-

    Usually all of you would label this guy a career criminal and say lock him up and throw away they key, why are there so many people defending a pot smoking, burgarizing, no license having thief? If there was a 3 strike law he would have already been in prison for life.

    Just curious.

  13. Jen on February 19th, 2015 10:04 pm

    who said he was feeding his family? Nothing in the report claimed that? I can see why he needed the meat 6 racks to be Mounted, don’t know what it cost there but they go from 380.00 to 500.00 dollars around here, I live in Al in the brewton area. The comment on the law has bigger problems is a wash, those officers were doing what they were hired to do, uphold the game laws. Those that have a bitter pill with the game officers must have been caught doing close to the same thing. Granted I don’t agree with all of the game and fish laws, but I have sense enough to obey them.

  14. SH on February 19th, 2015 9:09 pm

    “Everybody that has commented or so called done there research on this individual needs to look a little closer the man has never been convicted of nothing but misdemeanor marijuana charges”

    Really? Did you do the research? How do you suppose he got charged for possession of ammo by a convicted felon? Six felony arrests in Escambia County alone, with multiple charges for each arrest. Several felony convictions, several not prosecuted due to a plea to lesser charges. Misdemeanor charges out the wazoo (that means he spends a lot of time with the public defender). It’s cheaper to keep him locked up.

  15. chris in Molino on February 19th, 2015 8:41 pm

    Well, for a poor man, it’s hard to find a good place to hunt. Public WMA’s got too many trash hunters. All of you who say i have to have a licence why not him. I dont think anyone hunting that needs to hunt for food should require a licence. Those hunting for sport do. All those yuppies with big money who lease all the lsnd with their braile padded fingers on their gloves so they can text from the shooting house ought to pay double for the poor just using the land nomatter what state boundary to feed the family. I mean, that is what it used to be about. As for the drivin license, your on your own buddy.

  16. Rebecca on February 19th, 2015 8:32 pm

    convicted felon possessing firearms sounds like an issue. This guy was caught several times! Then driving without a license! And trying to feed his family is crap. Buy a dang hunting license! Being a family member or not wrong is wrong people. He’s done PLENTY of wrong in his life that even I know of.

  17. "B" on February 19th, 2015 7:47 pm

    I say get a life and leave this dude alone.

  18. Sage 2 on February 19th, 2015 5:59 pm

    Bottom line, this good old boy got caught breaking the law one more time as he has in the past and he’ll be in jail/prison for a while, if convicted. Then he”ll be a CONVICT and his family will suffer for his stupidity. Shame!!!

  19. What? on February 19th, 2015 5:57 pm

    @ Lacy, I think he has done a whole lot more than misdemeanor marijuana charges!!! I think u might need to do ur homework!!! A convicted felon doesn’t come from misdemeanor marijuana. I for one hope yall keep him in Florida!!! :-)

  20. Dennis on February 19th, 2015 4:39 pm

    I cannot believe anyone would get on here and try to defend this guy. Btw, just for some of y’alls info–If a leo(which includes fwc) sees someone that they know driving that doesn’t have a valid drivers license they are required to stop them.

  21. Lc on February 19th, 2015 4:12 pm

    To me up there u don’t know this man an puttin him on blast like this is wrong they are mad he ran but at the same time he is a good person he didn’t deseve this or does he deserve prison time for it its a deer for goodness sake he anit a muddee he anit a child raper none of that you were not there when things went down no one is making anything up about the fwc they have not liked him for a while there mad he ran yes I get that but puttin it on this web page is not ok at all us don’t know him n if u did u wouldn’t be saying none of this

  22. molino jim on February 19th, 2015 3:53 pm

    @ his friends–I looked at his history in Escambia county and burglar & grand theft three times. Poss. four times . Poss cocaine, resisting arrest—- all while just trying to feed his family. (this is just Escambia –not sure what Ala. may have on him). Case after case on traffic. The bullets were in the truck, not a hunting camp. He just can’t get a break in life.

  23. Themood on February 19th, 2015 3:44 pm

    okay let’s assume he makes bad choices as suggested by Lacy. So it goes something like this I assume; what I’m about to do is NOT LEGAL, so should I do it or not, hmmm, I choose to do it. Lacy it’s more than choices after a few times, it’s called criminal activity.

  24. Steve Robertson Jr on February 19th, 2015 3:17 pm

    I could understsnd feeding your family…but 5 dang deer? Then mounting the horns? 1 deer goes a long way…and iffin u can affird to mount em..u could affird ground pork or bologna!!

  25. ME on February 19th, 2015 2:50 pm

    To Lacy,

    I think Waylon is the one making himself look like a maniac, all the FWC did was tell us what he did. Regardless what most people think FWC officers are great guys and just protecting the resources we all love. They don’t want anymore paperwork than they already have, so making stuff up is pretty far fetched.

    As others have said, you don’t deer hunt to “feed your family” these days, it has gotten so expensive that you are cheaper to go buy beef (when done legally)

  26. Otto on February 19th, 2015 1:00 pm

    “Somebody needs to pray for the idiots that think. It’s ok to judge this man his case will have a judge and that judge will do what the judge is paid to do as for all of u yall doin it for free move along”

    I would say the “idiots” are the apologists for this guy’s criminal behavior.

  27. Lacy on February 19th, 2015 12:47 pm

    Everybody that has commented or so called done there research on this individual needs to look a little closer the man has never been convicted of nothing but misdemeanor marijuana charges as far as the “drugs ” go and yes he may have ran but people react differently about all situations anybody that actually ” knows” Waylon knows he’s not a bad person he jus hasn’t made the best decisions so before everyone continues bashing this man do yourselves a little more research the fwc is highly upset with Waylon because he ran from them so therefore they are Makin Waylon sound like a maniac so plz think before you comment! Thank you all in advance!

  28. Linda on February 19th, 2015 11:57 am

    If you are a legal Hunter & pay for license, ammo, guns , permits, etc , venison is very expensive. Don’t use an idiotic excuse” putting food on the table”. I

  29. BT on February 19th, 2015 11:54 am

    @bsb963….can you give me your address? I’d like to come on your property and start shooting things. We’ll just let God judge me later on.

  30. Greg Fleming on February 19th, 2015 11:36 am

    Doesn’t matter if you are trying to feed your family, if you have money to mount heads and horns feed your family the legal way. I was a police officer and im a hunter. No skirting the rules. Buy a license, rent or buy land, plant your own plots. No breaking the rules. This is a crime even if it’s through the fish and wildlife agency. This gives good hunters a bad name. Not acceptable at all no matter what the circumstances to break the law.

  31. Poached on MY lease on February 19th, 2015 11:26 am

    Tell me again how they should leave this guy alone? He was poaching on the lease that MY family pays $1,000 each a year to hunt and we HAVE to buy hunting licensee, not to mention the numerous man hours and additional money spent on planting food plots & upkeep on our shooting houses. THE JERK!!! & that’s really NOT what I want to call him!!! If he has the $$ to mount the deer, buy ammo, a gun & gas to come to Alabama & poach he can buy groceries. I hope he rots in jail!!

  32. bsb963 on February 19th, 2015 11:26 am

    it is gods place to judge.no one elses

  33. F150 on February 19th, 2015 11:20 am

    Somebody needs to pray for the idiots that think. It’s ok to judge this man his case will have a judge and that judge will do what the judge is paid to do as for all of u yall doin it for free move along

  34. Confused on February 19th, 2015 11:19 am

    Why is everyone vilifying the game wardens when they are doing thier job? They are not reponsible for securing the border, drug interdiction, traffic control, or responding to armed disturbances. They police and enforce the laws regarding hunting and fishing, that is what they are responsible for (even though they have and will do everything else as needed). The guy was caught hunting without a license, is a habitual offender for driving without a license, and was caught with drugs.

    So, why is anyone defending HIM and not the officer’s? From what I can see are doing thier job, and he is the one that can not seem to figure out that he can not break the law with impunity.

    Would it make you happier if they just let him go and do what he wants? Perhaps we should just eliminate all laws and regulations if they are not covenient for you?

    I bet you would be a lot less understanding if he hit your vehicle or ran over your child, and you found out he has no locense (and as such no insurance). The usual reaction seems to be “why are the cops letting this guy get away with this! It’s there fault for letting it happen becasue they did not catch him!”

    How happy would you be if he was tresspassing on your property poaching? Add to that a guy with drugs and trying to hunt with a gun is usually not a very safe combination.

    Would I like to see them go after a meth lab? Yes. Do I think that they should worry about the violent crime more than petty ones? Yes. But, at what point does someone start to pile up the petty crimes to the point they become major or violent ones? How long should we give them a pass before they end up in jail? I mean, how many times does it take to get the idea through to someone like this?

    So, he is your buddy; friend; third cousin twice removed on your unlces aunt’s side? Fine! Great! We are happy for you! Stop sounding like a fool for defending someone who does not warrant it!

  35. Terri Sanders on February 19th, 2015 11:07 am

    Hey Lori…he had drugs …..he should have used the money to get food for his family. Plus he had money to have the heads mounted wake up and smell the coffee..this is not the good old boy era any more…this is the 21st century. It is still illegal to break the law.. for whatever reason. And there are resources available to get help with food.

  36. Really on February 19th, 2015 10:58 am

    Hey Lori, if he has money to get his poached deer mounted, he has money to feed his family. Gas from molino to Brewton isn’t cheap either….

  37. paul on February 19th, 2015 10:56 am

    Lori ” Go.after the meth heads and drug addicts!!!” I guess you don’t know about his drug charges.. If he was just putting food on the table why was he at a taxidermist instead of a butcher?

  38. concerned on February 19th, 2015 10:48 am

    You say go after the meth heads and drug addicts but wasn’t he caught with possession of drugs? It’s ok to hunt but not illegally! I wouldn’t do it so why should he get to? a crime is a crime no matter how small or large. It’s time for him to be a man and take the consequences for his actions. And he’s a dad feeding his family? I don’t believe that at all. He wouldn’t be mounting them. If he can afford to mount them he could afford meat at the store!

  39. mick on February 19th, 2015 10:04 am

    Well he was just out huntin deer to put food on the table put the HABITUAL CONVICTED IN PRISON

  40. lori on February 19th, 2015 9:30 am

    This man is my nephew and he was born and raised to hunt! While all of you are running your mouth need to shut it! He’s feeding his family just as his Daddy and my brother and Daddy did! Go.after the meth heads and drug addicts!!!

  41. paul on February 19th, 2015 9:04 am

    With his record I’m surprised he isn’t in prison already.. The FWC are doing their job in real crime fighting.. The judges who let repeat offenders walk are the real problem too..

  42. paul on February 19th, 2015 8:56 am

    Trying to defend this Criminal by comparing other crimes doesn’t make any sense at all.. Meth heads don’t think they’re criminals either :) This guy IS a Real criminal just look at the facts.

  43. Srt on February 19th, 2015 7:08 am

    Who’s to say he didn’t kill all of the deer with a bow and a NON felon may have dropped a bullet at a hunting camp where he IS a member

  44. Rebecca on February 19th, 2015 6:46 am

    It’s not just about putting him in prison for hunting. He obviously killed atleast 6 quality deer on private property. Not only that, he’s not even supposed to possess a gun or ammo because he is a convicted felon. He deserves to go to prison because he obviously thinks he is above the law!

  45. Annoyed on February 19th, 2015 6:46 am

    I agree with Mr. Bell. Leave this guy alone.

  46. Tommy for special people on February 19th, 2015 6:40 am

    Jeff you’re absolutely right.

    A convicted felon possessing ammunition (I’m sure he didn’t have any weapons, that would be illegal), illegally hunting in two states, trespassing, drug possession, driving without a license (habitual offender), resisting arrest…the cops are obviously just harassing the poor guy!

    “Special kind of stupid” is exactly what we’re dealing with here, Mr. Jeff Bell.

  47. Jason on February 19th, 2015 6:37 am

    @Jeff Bell — neither FWC or AF&G or charged with protecting the country from illegal aliens. However, they do have the responsibility for ensuring that hunting and fishing laws are fully enforced. I’m glad to see the FWC is fulfilling their assigned mission. Too bad this “suspect” doesnt do more to ensure he complies with the law as expected by our society.

  48. Otto on February 19th, 2015 6:21 am

    This guy is not a “deer hunter”; he is a poacher! He is a pox for people that hunt legally and private land owners. Save your sympathy for somebody that deserves it Jeff Bell.

  49. Mike on February 19th, 2015 6:16 am

    Wowzer seems to be a lot of manpower used on such a low level crime. No wonder we can’t close the border

  50. Greg McIntosh on February 19th, 2015 5:53 am

    All the problems around here and there worried about this guy hunting. How about the cops do some real crime fighting and get the meth cooks or the murders. No, wait lets go get the people that jay walk. Seems easy enough for the cops. All the rest is to much.

  51. 429SCJ on February 19th, 2015 5:50 am

    If you are going to go out and break the law, do not sit down and have a conversation about it with law enforcement. You are entitled to an attorney.

    As despicable as Adams is, at least he keeps FWC occupied and out of the hair of those of us who DO pay taxes and purchase required, and optional sporting permits /licenses.

    What can you say, other than good work FWC.

  52. hilton on February 19th, 2015 5:48 am

    Uh, Jeff…. did you read the whole article. What part of breaking the law do you not understand? I agree with you on the border thing, boy do i ever, but this dude that was driving without a license, hunting deer illegally ( he has no character), is a habitual offender, drugs, running from the law, etc, etc could have hit YOUR car in the parking lot or maybe even hit YOU or your family. Would you still feel like you did when you wrote the post?

  53. Kate on February 19th, 2015 5:43 am

    Mr. Bell, no respect for the law, is what is stupid, not the laws that guide humanity.
    What are all these great benefits you speak of? The guy killed game from peoples
    property. How is that okay? How is it okay for you and I to need a license to hunt while he doesn’t? The creep needs to face jail time.

  54. Gman on February 19th, 2015 5:27 am

    I don’t think they serve deer in prison but you’ll get use to the slop they do serve.

  55. JRES on February 19th, 2015 5:22 am

    HOW DOES THE LACEY ACT GET INVOLVED IN THIS ONE? HE DIDNT PURCHASE THE WIDLIFE, HE DIDNT IMPORT NOR EXPORT THE WILDLIFE, THE STORY DOESNT SAY HE SOLD THE GAME HE HARVESTED. HE SIMPLY HARVESTED DEER WITHOUT A LICENSE IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA. I AGREE WITH JEFF BELL, SPECIAL!! DONT HARVEST WILDLIFE IN ONE STATE AND TRANSPORT IT TO ANOTHER OR YOU WILL BE IN VIOLATIOIN OF THE LACEY ACT. SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE HAS BEEN GUNNING FOR THIS DUDE AND HIS HUNTING HABITS…

  56. Jeff Bell on February 19th, 2015 4:31 am

    OH yeah let them pour in from across the border and get tons of benefits but gonna put this guy in prison for hunting deer, special kind of stupid is what that is!!!!