District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-01-03
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) and COC Anthony Hams spent the week checking ice anglers as the season is in full swing. Violations encountered were angling without a license, possession of dressed fish on the water, possession of a small amount of marijuana, failure to display ATV registration, angling with extra lines, and littering.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) continued field training with COC Matt Paavola. Time was spent checking angling and snowmobiling activity in the area and on Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action for the week included angling with multiple extra lines, overlimit of walleye, no shelter license, and possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports significant fishing activity on Upper Red Lake. Angler success was spotty.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-01-03
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a snowmobile safety class in Plummer. Time was also spent checking anglers and snowmobile operators on area lakes and rivers. Various wildlife-related complaints were received.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) continued field training with COC Andrew Ladzinski. Multiple days of patrol were conducted on Upper Red Lake. Increased angling activity was present with kids having the week off for the holidays. Enforcement action was taken for angling with an extra line on a tip-up. Multiple shelter violations were addressed.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) continued field training COC Znajda. The officers received a report of a shelter going through the ice on Rush Lake. Anglers and snowmobilers are reminded that ice is never safe. More activity out on the lakes and fish in the buckets are being seen.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing, small-game and snowmobile enforcement. Time was also spent conducting deer farm inspections.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on snowmobile activity. Trails are in fair-to-good condition. Ice angling was worked with area lake conditions continuing to vary.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent time working area snowmobile trails and lakes. Snowmobile clubs have been busy clearing trails after recent heavy snow created some tough conditions on the trails. Many trails are in great condition now and snowmobile riders have been out enjoying the great weather and snow. Ice anglers have started to bring permanent houses onto area lakes with cold weather helping to clear up slushy conditions. Fishing has been OK, with those anglers who are willing to put in the work finding quality fish of all species in the area.
Bagley vacant.
Bemidji #2 vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-01-03
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) worked a busy holiday weekend checking anglers and snowmobile riders. Fishing success was limited but mild weather facilitated plentiful recreational opportunities. Snowmobile trails are showing wear and could use fresh snow. A few hunters were checked trying to bag their last pheasants of the season. Violations encountered ranged from transporting loaded firearms, to no angling license, to possession of drug paraphernalia.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) focused efforts on snowmobile trail enforcement and fishing through the holiday weekend. Plautz followed up on trapping complaints, coyote-hunting complaints, and more dogs-running-at-large complaints. Reports of thefts from fish houses were documented, as were thin-ice areas on some lakes.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) investigated complaints regarding fishing, trapping and shooting from the vehicle. An increase in permanent fish houses on area lakes has been observed with better ice conditions. Enforcement of snowmobile regulations was a priority over the holiday weekend with a focus on registration, trespass and loud mufflers.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent time this week working the heavy angling pressure most lakes are experiencing since the nice weather arrived. Movement on most lakes is very good so wheelhouse anglers seem to be setting up almost everywhere. Citations were issued to some anglers for no license, extra lines, unattended lines and possessing drugs. Snowmobile trails were busy as well, with multiple operators cited for expired registration.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the week working on angling and snowmobile enforcement. Assistance to local agencies was given and small-game enforcement was also worked.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) spent time completing various station tasks. A deer farm inspection was also completed.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, pheasant hunters, and snowmobile operators. Baumbarger assisted CO Osborne with investigating a complaint of people shooting pheasants from motor vehicles. Additional time was spent working with CO Wood checking anglers and fish houses on lakes in Stevens County.
Osakis vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-01-03
CO Corey Sura (Remer) reports angling activity has increased in the area since the last cold spell, which helped freeze a lot of the slush on most lakes. Anglers and spear fishers were having moderate success over the weekend. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license. More miles of local snowmobile trails are being cleared by the day thanks to the efforts of many volunteers.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) continued training a conservation officer candidate for the final phase of field training. The officers worked Cass and Beltrami county lakes and trails. Area activity has increased with the New Year?s holiday weekend. Enforcement action for the week included possession of drug paraphernalia, snowmobile/ATV registration violations, shelter tag, and numerous angling violations.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) spent time working fishing and snowmobile enforcement in the Wadena and Park Rapids stations. Shelter license violations were common both on unattended portables and permanent shelters.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked snowmobile, ice angling/spearing, and small-game enforcement. Many people were out enjoying the trails and lakes over the week. Enforcement actions were taken for angling, spearing, dark house, snowmobile, and ATV violations.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued to work on a background investigation of a CO applicant. Some time was spent checking anglers and many were found to have good catches of walleyes. Enforcement action was taken for angling violations.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports primarily checking ice anglers. Anglers had some success with mixed bags of sunfish, crappies, walleyes, and pike. Some enforcement action consisted of unregistered recreational vehicles, angling with extra lines, angling without a license, no license in possession and unmarked/improperly marked shelter.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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