This report represents some events the FWC handled Dec. 1-7 in the North Central Region. (There were no cases reported for Wakulla County or the Northwest Region.)

BAKER COUNTY

  • Officer Waychoff was patrolling Osceola Wildlife Management Area when he performed a resource inspection of two hunters. The inspection of a cooler revealed a recently harvested deer. One of the hunters claimed the deer and said it was an antlerless deer. Charges of failure to provide sex evidence, failure to comply with harvest reporting requirements, and possession of antlerless deer during closed season will be filed.
  • Officer Burnsed was on patrol when he saw a deer on a pickup truck dog box. He stopped the vehicle to conduct a resource inspection. During the inspection, he determined the deer was harvested in Georgia and transported into Florida in whole condition. Possessing or importing deer, elk, moose or caribou carcasses or high-risk parts from anywhere outside of Florida is prohibited to reduce the risk of chronic wasting disease.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

  • Officers Fanelli and Shope were working at Osceola Wildlife Management Area when they located a pack of hounds pursuing deer in the still hunt-only area. Four hunters were found and charged with allowing dogs to pursue deer in the still hunt-only area.

LEVY COUNTY

  • Officer Dean and Lt. Johnston were on night patrol in a remote area bordering Goethe Wildlife Management Area. They observed a vehicle shining a spotlight from the county-maintained road. The subjects in the vehicle were shining trails and clearcuts of the surrounding hunt clubs in a manner consistent with night hunting for deer. The driver of the vehicle shined his spotlight directly on the marked patrol truck and then fled the area at a high rate of speed. The passenger threw several objects out the passenger side window of the truck. After about two miles, the driver stopped the truck and Lt. Johnston and Officer Dean made contact. Inside the vehicle were three loaded guns and a spotlight. Further investigation revealed the suspects had killed an illegal antlerless deer earlier in the day. The driver was arrested and booked into Levy County Jail. Multiple charges are pending with the state attorney’s office including attempting to take deer at night with gun and light, taking antlerless deer in closed season, flee and elude, and tampering/destruction of evidence.
  • Officer Bell responded to a complaint of night hunting and road hunting on county road 326. Officer Bell found two subjects in possession of an illegal antlerless deer. The investigation revealed the subjects had illuminated the deer with the vehicle’s headlights and shot it from the road. Charges include taking deer at night with gun and light and taking antlerless deer in closed season.