District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2021-12-13
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked area muzzleloader, trapping and angling activity. Angling on Lake of the Woods was overall good, but inconsistent. Ice depth for the most part is 5 to 11 inches. Violations for the week included possession of marijuana, failure to register deer and possession of an overlimit of walleyes and sauger.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) spent days checking anglers on Upper Red Lake and Lake of the Woods. Average-to-good fishing success was found on both bodies of waters. Violations encountered included an overlimit of walleyes/sauger, overlimit of walleyes greater than 17 inches (on Upper Red Lake), fishing with extra lines, possessing marijuana and ATVs without current registration.
CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) spent most of his time with angling and snowmobile enforcement. A report of a bobcat in a body gripping trap was also worked. Some waters now have a good amount of ice, although caution is advised when venturing out. Some decent success was observed among anglers who went fishing this weekend.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) answered numerous calls with questions concerning the upcoming disease management deer hunt in permit areas 261 and 261. He also checked anglers on the Red Lake and Thief rivers and continued monitoring muzzleloader deer-hunting activity. Enforcement action was taken for no identification on an ice shelter, no license in possession and shelter licensing violations.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling, trapping and the now-closed muzzleloader deer-hunting season throughout this past week. Anglers had fair-to-good success on area lakes for bluegills, crappies and walleyes as ice conditions continue to improve. Violations encountered and addressed included angling license and ATV registration violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) worked angling, ATV and snowmobile activity on Upper Red Lake.
Warroad #1 vacant.
Warroad #2 vacant.
Baudette #1 vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2021-12-13
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking ice anglers this week. Time was also spent checking small-game hunters and deer hunters during the last weekend of the muzzleloader deer season.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) attended training at Camp Ripley.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) checked anglers on area lakes. Snowmobile trails have been groomed, but conditions deteriorated over the weekend with the 40-degree weather.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports ice conditions improved but anglers should check ice thickness often as they venture out. Muzzleloader deer hunters were contacted and area wildlife management areas were checked for activity. A call of a swan, possibly stuck in the ice, was handled. Required training was completed.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) attended training, worked ongoing cases and handled trapping and hunting calls.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing, small-game-, goose- and deer-hunting enforcement. Time was also spent preparing for and answering questions about the late-season CWD deer hunts in permit areas 261 and 262.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) worked small-game and muzzleloader-hunting activity. Area WMAs, waterfowl production areas and state forests were patrolled for activity. Ice angling activity has begun to pick up, but ice conditions continue to vary and caution is advised.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week checking pheasant hunters, deer hunters, and ice anglers in the Pelican Rapids station. Anglers are finding 5 inches or more on most early ice locations, but areas of 3 inches or less were reported over deeper water and under snow drifts. Anglers were finding a good bite for all species on area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license in possession.
Bemidji #2 vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2021-12-13
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spent time this week checking ice anglers atop a varying amount of ice. Plautz worked with deer hunters on the retrieval of game onto neighbors? property, took complaints about goose hunters, finalized some Division training, and scheduled snowmobile safety classes with area instructors. Plautz seized an incidentally taken fisher and performed snowmobile-equipment maintenance. A buck mule deer was reported seen in the area.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) reports an active week of checking anglers and hunters. Success among muzzleloader deer hunters remained high while fish and pheasants were less consistent. Goodman fielded calls regarding incidentally taken furbearers, injured and sick wildlife and road-hunting complaints.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers and ATV riders. Ice thickness varies across the area with some lakes just freezing over. Please be careful when venturing on the ice. Bring safety equipment. The muzzleloader deer season ended without a bang.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) monitored ice conditions this past week with foot traffic observed on several smaller lakes in the area. Anglers need to be very cautious on the ice since thicknesses vary from 8 inches down to 1 inch, sometimes in close proximity. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, illegal-length northern pike, and trespassing. Muzzleloader deer and pheasant hunters were also monitored throughout the area.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working small- and big-game enforcement throughout the week. Douvier also responded to and answered numerous animal-related calls and questions.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking deer and pheasant hunters. Additional time was spent checking anglers on a few area lakes. With recent light snow, it?s now difficult to see newly formed ice. Anglers are urged to use extreme caution if venturing onto area lakes.
Osakis vacant.
Fergus Falls vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2021-12-13
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports seeing anglers beginning to get out on area lakes and rivers. He would like to remind anglers that upcoming weather will play a role in ice conditions and to always check ice thickness before venturing out. Calls from the public included trapping questions, injured animals, deer-possession permits, a possible panfish overlimit TIP call and general hunting questions.
CO Calie Kunst (Remer) spent time checking ice anglers and following up on big-game cases from the firearm deer season. Kunst took enforcement action for taking an illegal-length walleye. Some snowmobile riders have been out on the trails in the area but they lack snow and are in poor condition.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled area lakes for ice anglers. Time was also spent following up on cases from this past deer season.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) checked hunting and fishing activity, and also responded to a call of an eagle with lead poisoning. She also reminds people to use caution when going out on the ice.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) spent time during the week patrolling local public lands for hunting and trapping activity. Numerous illegal structures were documented in the Huntersville State Forest and will be subject to removal. Some time was spent on the snowmobile, but snow conditions are poor in the area. A deer case was investigated.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked angling and snowmobile activity. Ice varies from 1 to 13 inches and remains very uneven depending on location. Snowmobile trails are fair but getting worse with the warm weather. Assistance was provided at an injured-eagle call and a big-game case was worked on. Enforcement action was taken for angling, ATV, and snowmobile violations.
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for hunting and angling activity. Baum found less muzzleloader hunting activity as the week went on, with limited success. Baum has observed an increase in angling activity with ice conditions becoming more consistent. He continues to urge ice anglers to check conditions as they go out to ensure safe ice. Baum has made contact with plenty of snowmobilers taking advantage of the first decent trail conditions. He wants to remind individuals going out snowmobiling to check over their machine for equipment and registration. Baum took enforcement action for various snowmobile-related violations, from expired registration to no out of state trail pass.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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