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FWC Report: Fishing Without License, Night Hunting, Deer Woes
February 28, 2022
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Specialist Ramos was on patrol and observed a subject actively casting a rod and reel at a local boat ramp attempting to catch fish. When the officer contacted the subject and asked to see his fishing license, the subject admitted he didn’t have one. Officer Ramos researched the person’s prior history and discovered that the subject was also issued a citation in the summer of 2021 for failing to have a fishing license. Furthermore, the man was ineligible to purchase a license since 2019 because of his failure to fulfill financial obligations awarded by the court system. The subject was issued a notice to appear for fishing while his license was suspended due to financial
obligations.
While on patrol, Officer Specialist Ramos observed a suspect harvesting blue crab from traps after midnight in an unregistered homemade motorized vessel that did not display any navigational lights. It is a violation of law for any person to pull blue crab traps one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise. After maintaining surveillance on the suspect, Officer Ramos conducted a resource inspection. The suspect had previously been charged with violating various Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission resource regulations. The suspect was unable to prove he was the owner of the crab traps and was in possession of blue crab and several species of fish. Each of the crab traps failed to meet four separate trap specifications according to law. Officer Ramos documented 10 violations pertaining to vessel and blue crab trap requirements. The suspect was issued a notice to appear in court as well as two non-criminal citations and seven warnings for the violations.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Oliver and Mullins were patrolling in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when they encountered two subjects hunting in the forest. They conducted a hunting and resource inspection on the two subjects and further inspection led them to finding one subject without proper licenses and two deer that were previously killed and not logged or reported. Through the course of an investigation, it was discovered that one of the deer was a small buck not meeting the antler requirement for legal size. The subjects were issued the appropriate citations, the illegal deer head was seized and destroyed.
Officer Mullins was working illegal night hunting activity and observed subjects in a truck shine lights in a clearing showing an apparent search for deer. The officer continued to watch the vehicle and observed them shine another area for deer. Officer Mullins contacted four occupants in the truck, who each said they did not have a gun with them. While searching the vehicle a rifle was found in the back seat hidden under a jacket by the passenger’s feet. Further inspection revealed a large magazine and 22 rounds of ammunition thrown under the seat. Officer Bower arrived and assisted with the investigation. Each subject was issued a notice to appear for night hunting. The rifle,
two large flashlights, and twenty-two rounds of ammunition were seized as evidence.
Officers Oliver and Mullins were on patrol checking hunters at a game checkpoint in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA). They contacted a hunter that had fresh blood on him and was extremely winded. Upon speaking with the hunter, they found that the subject had shot a deer. Officers Oliver and Mullins conducted a hunting and resource inspection and located a short horn buck in the rear of his SUV. The subject stated that it was his first deer he had killed and that he had only been hunting a handful of times. The subject was mistaken on the requirements for antler size, despite knowing the buck was close to legal size. The subject was issued a notice to appear citation for the short horn buck deer.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Comments
17 Responses to “FWC Report: Fishing Without License, Night Hunting, Deer Woes”
I agree that hunting and fishing are fundamental human rights and nobody should take these away from us. Do you think the Native American tribes had seasons, licenses, permits, daily limits, quotas, daylight times, etc? No. Did they use up the wildlife and cause anything to go extinct? No. We have been brainwashed by our government to think that we are the servants and they are the master. We have to pay them to harvest and eat what God gave us for free. Pretty messed up. This whole totalitarian nightmare system is coming down sooner or later. Actually, they want to make a one world government and nobody will be allowed to eat meat (much less hunt or fish) and we will own nothing and allegedly love it. That is hogwash!
I believe it is a GOD given right to hunt and fish this land. These judicial laws are over and beyond reach of a humans right.
I have a license and still feel that way and will until I die. This is GODs world and animals were out here for us. Simply put and no one can stand in front of that. They will answer for it one day.
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I’m from Alabama. And have been checked everytime I fished in port st joe, the officer has always been respectful and I have been responsible
Florida has the most liberal game laws in the United States. Deer harvest begins in early July in zone A and ends in late February in zone D. There is no defence for illegal harvest. There are well over 7 times as many deer in Florida as there were when I first started hunting.
The saltwater fisheries have also rebounded. Sustainable harvest quotas and many other efforts have also increased viable populations in every species.
Hunting and fishing in florida has never been better.
Learn to be a responsible sportsman and enjoy the bounty.
I certainly have.
Compared to other crimes game violations are ridiculous. Don’t keep draining the swamps polluting the waterways and then complain about somebody having a 19-inch grouper
Fines are Rediculous compared to other crimes. Also the rules for fishing is silly! We can drain swamps,pollute the waterways,but heaven forbid you have a 19″ grouper!
Too many times I see small fines, and the person cannot get a fishing or hunting license for a period of time.
They are out there hunting or fishing illegally, and taking away their license is expected to stop them ?
Get real, with a real punishment that will make them think twice.
I agree fees & fines should be lifted for bank or bridge fishing right now. Many fish and crab for survival at this point . Groceries are too high. Putting fish and crab above Humans nutritional needs is a malicious act by Government. Americans are taxed, tagged, licenses, fined and jailed too much.
Night hunt…go to jail, take guns and vehicles, lifetime loss of hunting privilege and 30 days in jail. Deterrent is best medicine.
Yep I understand that common sense goes a long way on making fish and game laws, but when people can walk in a store take 999 bucks worth of stuff and not be bothered , by law enforcement, then fishing without a license seems like a non offense, but I really appreciate the the game wardens , and respect the jobs they do in Fla, Ala, and Ky, but not all is using common sense , they are bad apple out there, but all in all they have a job to do, and when I sign my license, I agree to let chips fall where they may, all stay safe,
I believe all fines are too light, they should be tripled, and jail time for repeat offenders, we need to protect our resources for all to enjoy, or we won’t have any. I’m born and raised in so Fla. My family has been here since 1835, we’ve seen a lot of change, and I’m sure more changes are to come.
Commercial fishing has destroyed the fisheries!!! Especially, shrimp boats!! It’s not the average citizen fishing without license that is raping the waters. Supposedly, they aren’t Suppose to operate in Pensacola or Escambia bay, but I still see one every now and then while fishing bob sikes or the 3 mile bridge. These shrimpers caught and killed anything that was trapped in the nets and not much gets out once the nets start filling up, fingerlings and juveniles never had a chance in their nurseries.
I am old enough to remember when there were very few rules and limits on Florida game and fish. Thise days were great but, if we want our children and grand children to have a chance to experience what we took for granted, we need to put some parameters on how we share our resources. If you love it protect it. Follow the rules, clean up after yourself and others who do not respect what a gift Florida and its sportsman’s roots are all about.
This is so crazy…when I was little u didn’t have any laws on blue or rock crab except the rock crab u had to leave one claw on them but come on now…..that man may of had kids to feed….the groceries are so high now days people need to fish I just wish there were no laws on the waters period…its a MONEY thing this world is just gone its just so sad…..
Great job by the wild life officers. I live near a hunting area and I am not fond of hunting season. dead prey gets pulled out to dirt roads on a tarp, the animals are gutted there and then all the bloody mess , bones and empty beer cans are left behind.
What difference does it make of the time of day a crab trap can be checked? Its no wonder so many tickets are given out for infractions. I know you are supposed to no the law but some of these rules are absurd and seem to change by the minute.
unregistered homemade motorized vessel – sounds like a 21st century Huck Finn. I would like to see that.