District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2021-10-11
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked duck hunters on Thief Lake and the Roseau River WMA. Hunters had spotty success, but the most success is coming from people who are putting in more effort to get back in the shallow water. Bags are almost completely dabblers and geese, with very few divers. Anglers were checked on Lake of the Woods with a good sauger bite. Trapping and archery deer-hunting activity was also monitored. Violations for the week included taking an overlimit of pintails, possessing lead, not enough life jackets in a watercraft and illegal party hunting of waterfowl.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) checked waterfowl hunters and anglers throughout the week. There has been a decent bite on Lake of the Woods. Most anglers are fishing in 24 to 30 feet of water using a jig and minnow.
CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) worked mainly small-game enforcement this past week. Brown fielded calls regarding the upcoming deer season. He spent time investigating several suspicious dead deer around Oslo. It?s suspected they died from EHD.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) investigated archery deer- and bear-hunting violations this week. An illegal-burning investigation was started. More ruffed grouse are being seen with the underbrush starting to thin, and in the open country, sharp-tailed grouse numbers are looking good.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports checking duck, grouse, archery deer hunters and anglers this past week on special regulation lakes. Regas received reports of hunters seeing fair numbers of grouse, while the fall bite has started to pick up with anglers catching crappies, bluegills and walleyes on area lakes. Time was spent investigating TIP information, patrolling area ATV trails and monitoring complaint areas, with enforcement action taken for ATVs operating on non-motorized hunter walking trails.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports hunting activity is still increasing. Time was spent work big-game, small-game and waterfowl-hunting activity. Enforcement action was taken for transporting a loaded firearm and no license in possession.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2021-10-11
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a firearms safety class in the Mentor area. Time was also spent checking waterfowl and grouse hunters. Anglers were checked on area lakes.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) handled multiple calls and addressed various questions and concerns from the public.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports taking calls of off-highway motorcycles running on county highways and in the ditches. He also answered questions related to the archery deer season and trespassing. Vinton also continued work on a CO Prep background investigation.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing, waterfowl- and small-game hunting and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent responding to miscellaneous wildlife-related complaints.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) checked waterfowl hunters and monitored fire activity in the Pelican Rapids station. Duck numbers remain low with mostly wood ducks and mallards on area sloughs. Plenty of scouting is the key to success. Time was also spent working on a background for the upcoming CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for burning prohibited materials.
Bemidji #2 vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2021-10-11
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) worked a waterfowl complaint where hunters failed to retrieve their downed game. Plautz assisted the State Patrol with a two-vehicle crash involving injuries, handled nuisance-animal calls and issued car-killed deer permits this week. Plautz also spent time on a background investigation. Fall fishing reports have been positive in the area.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) reports his primary focus for the week was waterfowl-hunting and angling enforcement. Wildlife activity picked up around a strong weather front that moved through the area, with most waterfowl-hunting parties finding a mixed bag of duck species. Anglers checked were having success targeting fish in their typical fall patterns. Reports of trespass on a waterfowl refuge and illegal deer stands were investigated. Enforcement action for the week included various license violations and taking ducks out of season in the Central Zone.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) received a call of individuals hunting ducks in the closed zone south of Highway 210 near Dalton. CO Goodman and Osborne responded and found three people hunting ducks during the closed season. Deer-season tagging questions were received and answered, with a lot of people advocating for simpler deer-tagging options. Those people were referred to Wildlife staff.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) checked small-game hunters and recreational vehicle riders during the past week. Time was also spent checking angling activity and waterfowl hunters. Holt followed up on various complaints and continued working on a background investigation.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the week working on her assigned background investigation. She took calls from people with questions regarding trapping, nuisance animals, and deer hunting. Wood also gave the CO talk at a firearms safety class.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working small-game and recreational vehicle enforcement. The number of waterfowl seen were low compared to numbers earlier in the season. Douvier is also completing a background investigation for the upcoming CO Prep program.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and bowhunters around the area. Additional time was spent on equipment maintenance and answering questions about the upcoming early antlerless deer season. Duck numbers around the area are still low, with no new birds seen.
Fergus Falls vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2021-10-11
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for hunting and recreational vehicle activity. He assisted local law enforcement with the search for and apprehension of a person. Baum assisted the Hubbard County Sheriff?s Office with an ATV accident. He continues to investigate a big-game violation. He assisted with an ATV class in Park Rapids and certified 13 youth riders.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) checked hunting and angling activity. Enforcement was taken for a fishing overlimit.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked area lakes for angling and boating activity. Anglers are reporting mixed success. Enforcement action was taken for numerous angling violations.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) conducted training, answered numerous questions, and performed equipment maintenance. Outdoor activities were monitored and an increase has been seen in hunting participation as fall continues. As we enter into the last week of the bear season, hunters are reminded to clean up bait stations and leave the woods as you found them once you are done hunting.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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