District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-06-20
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on Lake of the Woods and the Roseau River. Fishing on the big lake remains good throughout most depths. A calf depredation was confirmed to have been caused by wolves. Violations for the week included angling with extra lines, fishing without a license, and possessing an illegal length walleye.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers and following up with various complaints involving calf depredations and nuisance bears.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) started the week off by assisting with an AIS (aquatic invasive species) check station near Baudette. Fontes, an Honor Guard member, traveled to Golden Valley to assist in paying tribute to a member of their Police Department, Sgt. Sleavin, who passed away earlier this month off-duty. Upon return to his station, Fontes was electrified to discover the local lady slippers (the state flower of Minnesota) were in full bloom, and the walleye fishing on Lake of the Woods was still hot!
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) responded to calls of an injured eagle, ill swan, and multiple nuisance bear complaints. Bears are appearing in areas not traditionally known as bear habitat and homeowners are encouraged to remove outside food sources like bird feeders and garbage to limit the attraction to residences. Woinarowicz also patrolled for angling and boating violations taking enforcement action for no life jackets on watercraft and multiple angle without license violations.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling and boating activity on special regulation lakes this past week. Time was spent handling assorted calls of nuisance wildlife, patrolling area recreational vehicle trails, and assisting forestry with a fire investigation of a permitted burn which got away from the permittee. Violations encountered and addressed this past week included fail to control a permit fire, various angling license and watercraft registration violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports slower angling success on Upper Red Lake. Time was spent working angling and ATV enforcement.
Baudette East vacant.
Baudette West vacant.
Thief River Falls East vacant.
Karlstad vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-06-20
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking anglers and watercraft operators this week. Time was further spent instructing at the Conservation Officer Academy. Various trespass related complaints were followed up on.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored angling and boating activity on area lakes. Officer responded to a motorhome on fire that was parked on State Forest Land. The incident is being investigated.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) attended an active threat training with several EMS, fire, and local police agencies at the Detroit Lakes High School this week. Time was spent going over different emergency medical and rescue techniques, along with other law enforcement training. CO Swedberg also spent time working commercial leeching, boating, and ATV activity in the area.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent conducting white-tailed deer farm inspections.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent the week assisting academy staff at camp Ripley. Equipment transfers were completed.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week conducting boat and water safety enforcement and checking anglers. Walleye activity has slowed some, but the panfish bite has been excellent as they are feeding post spawn. Time was also spent at Camp Ripley for the CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for watercraft registration violations, angling without a license, and angling without a license in possession.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for angling, boating, and ATV activity. CO Fox responded to a call regarding a bear coming into someone?s home. Violations this week include no license in possession, boat registration issues, and transportation of aquatic macrophytes.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-06-20
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) took several calls on baby raccoon and fawn deer potentially abandoned. People are urged to leave baby animals where they found them. Bear calls continue to come in as well. ATV, fishing and boating enforcement was focused on with good compliance and limits of fish being taken. A couple TIP calls were investigated through the week on fishing complaints.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) focused this week?s enforcement efforts on angling and boating activity. Brown also followed up on a TIP call investigation. Enforcement action with week included taking fish without angling license and no fishing license in personal possession. Fishing success this week appears to have slowed down for anglers compared to recent weeks.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) arrested an intoxicated boater one evening this week on Lake Victoria. People are reminded that motorboats are still motor vehicles and boating while over the legal alcohol limit will result in your arrest. CO Lawler also contacted an angler on the water who failed to keep count of his sunfish he?d kept that day. After all the fish were tallied by Lawler, a citation was issued for being several over his limit.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) reports heavy boating and angling activity over the Father?s Day weekend. The walleye tournament on Lake Osakis had nearly 60 boats participating on Saturday. CO Znajda is happy to report no violations were encountered during the tournament.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the week focused on boat and water and angling enforcement. Activity has been steady with angling success and nice weather. She would like to remind anglers that border waters have special regulations and it is important to know what you can/ can?t do compared to inland fishing.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing and boating enforcement. Time was also spent on training.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-06-20
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked boating, angling, invasive species enforcement, and off-highway vehicle patrol. Enforcement action was taken for angling, boating, and off-highway vehicle violations.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) prepped for academy training and spent time following up on Weed Roller and Hydro jet issues in the Park Rapids station.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass and Crow Wing County lakes for angling and boating activity. CO McGowan also spent time following up on cases and conducting deer farm inspections. Enforcement action was taken for numerous angling and boating violations.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) worked ATV, AIS, boating, and fishing activity in his station and surrounding area. Several citations were issued for fishing without a valid license.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports attending training and assisting with a K9 demonstration to cadets at Camp Ripley.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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