The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report from Sept. 15 - Sept. 21 includes incidents in the Lake Okeechobee area. This report represents some events the FWC handled over specified weeks; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

Hendry County

• Senior Officer Polly was patrolling in Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area, and responded to a call from dispatch regarding two subjects attempting to check in two deer at the WMA check station. It was discovered a quota holder and his guest each harvested a deer. The bag limit for a quota permit is one deer. Officer Naules also responded to assist. The quota permit holder was charged with a bag limit violation. Both subjects were also issued citations for not filling out their harvest report log.

• Officer Ciprich was patrolling a rural roadway for illegal hunting activities and observed a vehicle on the side of the road with people using flashlights in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of game. He stopped the vehicle and noticed a subject outside the vehicle with a cross bow and two other subjects were also present. The group admitted they were riding around in the bed of the pickup truck trying to shoot wild hogs. They claimed to have shot at a wild hog on the side of the road and it ran onto the adjacent private property. All subjects were issued a notice to appear for hunting from a roadway.

• Officer Naules was on patrol when he received a tip regarding several subjects in Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area illegally harvesting saw palmetto berries. Upon arrival, Officer Naules located several subjects fitting the description given. The group fled on foot upon seeing the officer. Officer Naules relocated towards the entrance and waited for the subjects to exit the WMA. Officer Naules saw two of the subjects walking down one of the trails and apprehended them after they attempted to flee again. One subject had a warrant out of Hendry County for failing to appear in court on a prior driving under the influence charge. The subject was arrested on the warrant and given an additional charge of resisting arrest and issued a citation for not paying the forest entry fee.

Okeechobee County

• Officer Dziewiatkowski and Officer Hudson were on patrol when they observed a vehicle displaying a light while traveling on the road. The officers conducted a traffic stop and found the vehicle operator was in possession of a scoped rifle, spotlight, fillet knife and saw palmetto berries. The officers discovered the subject did not have a permit to harvest the saw palmetto berries and he had been hunting wild hogs along the roadway. The subject was cited for attempting to take wildlife from a road right-of-way and harvesting saw palmetto berries without a permit.