Minnesota #DNR Conservation Officer Reports-Jan 10, 2023

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2023-01-10

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on Lake of the Woods. Enforcement contacts were for possession of frozen, uncountable fillets while on the special regulations lake, illegal-length walleyes, and various minor license issues.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) successfully completed field training and has settled into his station. He spent time checking anglers and following up on deer-feeding complaints. Fishing reports continue to be slow. Violations encountered were no shelter license, possession of a small amount marijuana, illegal-length walleyes, and possessing dressed fish on the water.

CO Coby Fontes (Baudette East) successfully completed field training and has settled into his station. Time was spent getting familiar with the area and working ice fishing activity. He reports that violation rates were high.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) monitored angling and snowmobiling activity. He also conducted follow-up investigations from this year?s deer season and responded to calls of possible wolf depredation and car-killed deer.

CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling activity on area lakes and snowmobiling activity on area lakes and trails this past week. Regas noted the trails are in good condition. Violations encountered and addressed included snowmobile registration and angling license violations.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports great snowmobile trail conditions in the area. Time was spent working snowmobile and angling activity.

Warroad #2 vacant.

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2023-01-10

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports speaking at a snowmobile safety class in Crookston and attending a meeting at Itasca State Park this week. Time was also spent working deer-hunting related violations. Anglers, ATV operators, and snowmobile operators were also checked.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored angling activity on area lakes. Ice conditions vary greatly, but individuals are finding places to sneak out and fish. Snowmobile and cross-country ski trails were patrolled. Follow up on a deer-season case was conducted and assistance was provided to the local snowmobile club, which hosted a snowmobile safety class.

CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports the completion of training with CO Znajda. Vinton attended a district meeting and received a report of a snowmobile that went in the open water on Otter Tail Lake. There were no injuries, and the person was also asked to advise the Otter Tail County Sheriff?s Office about the location. Vinton has begun work on a potential new-hire background.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week working area snowmobile trails and anglers, and continued looking into deer cases from the previous season. Swedberg also worked with other area COs on details in Otter Tail County. Activity levels were high and plenty of enforcement action was taken, including a DUI after a motorist drove into a ditch while the COs were returning to the boat access they parked at.

CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing and snowmobile enforcement. Area snowmobile trails are in good shape.

CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on snowmobile activity. Area trails are in good condition and lake crossings continue to improve. Angling activity was worked with anglers having fair success. Information was provided regarding an injured deer and snowmobile regulations. Warren attended a district meeting, with training on safety and regulations.

CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week working on a background investigation for the upcoming CO Academy and checking anglers. Ice conditions have improved on area lakes, though there are still small pockets of slush that anglers need to be aware of. There are more fish houses on area lakes than most normal years. An angling detail was worked on Lida Lakes with CO Swedberg and CO Goodman. The officers took enforcement action for numerous violations including illegal-length fish, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as angling with extra and unattended lines. The officers also arrested a driver of a vehicle for gross misdemeanor DWI. Calls from people included reports of dead or injured deer and requests for road-killed otter possession permits.

Bagley vacant.

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2023-01-10

CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) continued enforcement efforts on snowmobile and angling activity. Fresh snow and sunshine improved trail and riding conditions ahead of the weekend, which brought out an increase in riders. Angling success remained limited but many shelters remain on area lakes. Additional time was spent teaching a snowmobile safety class, monitoring a snowmobile race on Otter Tail Lake and working a detail on Lida Lakes with COs Landmark and Swedberg. Enforcement action included a DWI arrest, illegal drug possession, and various snowmobile registration and angling violations.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spoke to a snowmobile safety class on laws and regulations with 35 students in attendance. Plautz worked the snowmobile trails, which are in pretty good shape. Anglers and coyote hunters were monitored and an incidentally caught fisher was seized.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, ATV riders, snowmobile riders, and fish houses. He taught at snowmobile safety classes in Fergus Falls and Evansville. Snowmobile-related violations were high when snowmobiles were checked.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) is seeing a lot of angling activity on most surrounding lakes. A lot of crappies and sunfish were in the buckets, though there was slower activity in the spearing houses. Anglers are reminded to lock their shelters and not leave valuables behind due to recent burglaries in fish houses.

CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the past week focused on angling and snowmobile enforcement. Time was also spent on training.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) spent time on trainings and work was continued on a background investigation.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and snowmobile operators. Additional time was spent investigating deer-feeding and littering complaints.