District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2022-08-29
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods. ATV activity was monitored around the Beltrami Island State Forest, and assistance was given at an ATV safety class at Carp Pit and a firearms safety class in Warroad. Minor fishing and ATV violations were addressed during the week.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) spent time checking bear-bait stations for the approaching bear season. A meeting was attended regarding the second year of the experimental early teal season. Watercraft and equipment maintenance was taken care of as well.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) monitored bear-baiting activity and attended training for the upcoming new cadets? field training. Area bear hunters are reminded that trail cameras may not be left unattended overnight in wildlife management areas. Enforcement action was taken for bear-bait and state park violations.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) spent time monitoring bear-baiting activity. Anglers were checked and hunting related calls also were taken.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling, bear-baiting and boating activity this past week. Time was spent monitoring boating traffic, AIS compliance, area wild rice beds for ripeness, and patrolling area ATV, off-highway motorcycle, off-highway vehicle trails and complaint areas. Violations encountered and addressed this past week included juveniles not wearing helmets while operating ATVs on public lands and trails and angling license violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports working big-game and ATV activity. Time was spent working area trails where enforcement action was taken for ATV and OHM violations.
Warroad #1 vacant.
Warroad #2 vacant.
Baudette #1 vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2022-08-29
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports responding to various wildlife-related complaints this week. Time was also spent working ATV-complaint sites. Anglers and AIS enforcement were also worked.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) spent time at Camp Ripley for the CO Academy. He worked on boat operations and reviewed Minnesota laws. He also patrolled area lakes and ATV trails.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports attending a field training officer meeting and meeting with the current DNR Enforcement Academy cadets. Vinton continued work on a background investigation and answered calls of sick and injured animals. Calls with questions related to ATVs were handled.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) assisted with Academy training.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling and boating activity. AIS compliance checks were performed. Patrol was conducted on area trails for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Bear-baiting activity was worked.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent most of the week at Camp Ripley assisting with watercraft week. Other time was spent patrolling complaint areas for ATV violations, investigating miscellaneous animal-related calls, and continuing to work on wetland and shoreline violations. ATV operators are reminded that anyone born after July 1, 1987 is required to complete safety training and that Class 1 ATVs are not allowed to be operated on the paved surface of trunk, state-aid, or county highways. Calls from the public included reports of an individual with a Canada goose as a pet, dogs chasing deer, watercraft operators harassing ducks, and other questions related to upcoming hunting seasons. Enforcement action was taken for speeding, failure to display ATV registration, operation of an ATV without safety training, and operation of a Class 1 ATV on a highway.
Bagley vacant.
Bemidji #2 vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2022-08-29
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) reports investigating potential wetlands violations with CO Brown. Additional time was spent on boating safety and angling enforcement. Goodman observed a few docks and lifts being removed from area lakes over the weekend. Goodman would like to remind people that a permit is required to move docks/lifts with invasive species attached unless they are placed on the adjacent property to the lakeshore. Also, washing docks/lifts in a lake or at a public access with toxic chemicals is not an acceptable method to remove aquatic species.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) prepared and met with upcoming field training officer teams and candidates. Plautz responded to a potential wetland violation and is working with local government units on permits. Plautz prepared for some upcoming CO Academy instruction and set up safety education classes with local firearms safety instructors.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling, ATV and boating activity throughout the week. Calls regarding the upcoming hunting seasons and numerous wildlife-related complaints were fielded. Time was also spent investigating wetland violations. He presented at a firearms safety class in Hoffman.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters and ATV riders. Questions about CWD in Douglas County were received and answered. Training at Camp Ripley was attended.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent lots of time training CO candidates in watercraft enforcement techniques this past week at Camp Ripley. Additionally, personal watercraft and evening boating activity was monitored. Enforcement action was taken for various fishing and boating violations. A ride-along was conducted with a first-year law enforcement student interested in natural resources.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) continued to work on her background investigation for a new hire. Angling and recreational vehicle enforcement was also worked. Wood attended a border waters meeting with Fisheries staff from Minnesota and South Dakota. There was lots of good discussion. Minnow permits were issued and lots of questions about the upcoming hunting seasons were answered.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking ATV operators and anglers. He also attended a border-waters Fisheries meeting and spoke at the annual kid?s safety day camp at Minnewaska Area High School.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2022-08-29
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked bear baits and recreational vehicles. A nuisance-beaver complaint was received. Some time was spent working on Bear Committee-related items.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) spent time on ATV and boating enforcement as well as Academy training. Enforcement action was taken for numerous recreational vehicle violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) assisted at Camp Ripley with instructing watercraft training for the new Conservation Officer Academy. He also spent time following up on cases from this past spring and summer.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports checking bear-baiting and ATV/ORV activity. He also assisted with training at Camp Ripley and continues to conduct a background investigation. Some enforcement action consisted of no headlights on an ATV, no headlights on an ORV, operating an unregistered ATV, and failure to complete an ATV safety course. He also did a law/ethics presentation at a firearms safety class.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked angling, boating, off-highway vehicle traffic, invasive species, and bear baiting. Additionally Cross investigated a nuisance-trapping incident, and assisted farmers with dead cattle. Finally, Cross continued working on a background investigation. Enforcement action was taken for angling and off-highway-vehicle violations.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) checking angling and big-game activity. She also released a great blue heron from a foothold trap.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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