The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources K9 unit. Left to right: Lt. Phil Mohs and K9 Mack; Conservation Officer Mike Krauel and K9 Bolt; Conservation Officer Mike Fairbanks and K9 Fennec; Conservation Officer Adam Seifermann and K9 Jet; and Conservation Officer Luke Gutzwiller and K9 Earl.
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-07-24
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers, monitoring ATV traffic, and following up on various complaints. Violations encountered were driving after revocation, no PFD, no ATV safety, operating an ATV on a public roadway, transporting fish without a patch of skin, and no proof of insurance.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling and following up on various calls. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession, no navigation lights past sunset, and driving after revocation. As part of the DNR Honor Guard, Fontes attended the funeral for fallen Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin. Rest in peace, Officer Wallin.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) investigated a gray wolf depredation, prepared for upcoming instruction at the CO Academy, and instructed a youth ATV safety class during the Marshall County Fair.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports focusing enforcement efforts on angling and boating activities throughout this past week. Time was spent patrolling area recreational vehicle trails and investigating a wolf-depredation complaint. Violations encountered and addressed this past week included angling license, a variety of boating equipment, PFD and personal watercraft operation violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports increased ATV activity throughout the area. Enforcement action was focused on ATV and AIS activity. Prachar responded with Beltrami County to a physical domestic that turned into a vehicle rollover about 5 miles away from the residence of the initial call.
Baudette East vacant.
Baudette West vacant.
Thief River Falls East vacant.
Karlstad vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-07-24
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports working on public water and water appropriation complaints. Time was also spent checking anglers and boaters and working AIS enforcement.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) spent time at Camp Ripley for the CO Academy. The new officers worked on boat handling and trailering. Time was spent completing a deer farm inspection.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week assisting at the DNR Academy for the second week of watercraft training. Cadets worked on nighttime operation and had an afternoon of practicing specialty boat operation. Over the weekend, Swedberg spent time working boating and fishing enforcement on area lakes during the busy Water Carnival weekend in Detroit Lakes.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent conducting a falcon and raptor propagation facility inspection.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week assisting with watercraft week instruction at the CO Academy. Calls from the public included reports of injured animals and possible wetland violations. Landmark also followed up with ongoing wetland and shoreline cases.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for angling, ATV, and watercraft activity. He assisted Beltrami County with an investigation into dispersed campers causing a nuisance on state land and gave a ride-along to a Minnesota State Park ranger. Violations this week included ATV registration issues.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) worked ongoing cases and commercial enforcement, assisted with a search warrant, and handled calls about abandoned property.
Perham vacant.
Bagley vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-07-24
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) reports working area lakes for angling, watercraft safety and aquatic plant removal permits. TIP reports of illegal dumping were addressed along the Central Lakes Trail. He also received general calls concerning wildlife.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spent time working on a background investigation and preparing for CO Academy instruction. Several meetings were attended for upcoming fishing week and the field training process with the new Academy. Plautz worked with area individuals and the ELS system trying to get fishing licenses to local Amish individuals. Fishing and boating enforcement was conducted, and some shoreline management complaints were handled.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports checking angling and boating activity this week. He also spoke at the Grant County fair about boating and water safety. Enforcement actions this week included taking bass within the slot on Ten Mile Lake, no license in personal possession, and no personal floatation device onboard watercraft. Nuisance-wildlife calls were also received and fielded.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, ATV riders and boaters. Injured- and dead-animal complaints were received and handled. Follow up on a wetland complaint was completed.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent time this past week instructing cadets with watercraft enforcement at the CO Academy. Busy lakes around Alexandria also kept Lawler busy. He worked alongside CO Bermel enforcing fishing and boating laws. Numerous citations were issued to people for watercraft, PFD and angling violations. Angling without a valid license is still the most common violation Lawler encounters day to day.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the week working on a background for employment as well as assisting with the CO Academy.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent on commercial inspections. Enforcement action was taken for illegal minnow traps, burning garbage, and various ATV-related issues.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and boaters and monitoring AIS law compliance. Additional time was spent attending training at Camp Ripley, checking ATV operators, and organizing an upcoming ATV safety class.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-07-24
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked ATV patrol, fishing and invasive species enforcement. He also investigated multiple complaints while also taking calls for service. Training was completed and maintenance on equipment was handled.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) assisted with specialty watercraft training for the ongoing CO Academy and handled a variety of calls throughout the Park Rapids and Wadena stations. Enforcement action was taken for illegal camping in Huntersville State Forest and a variety of ATV violations. An individual operating a motorboat was arrested for driving while intoxicated.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily worked on a background investigation of a CO applicant. Some time was spent preparing training materials for instruction at the CO Academy. Mathy also checked boaters, anglers, and recreational vehicles. Enforcement action was taken for personal watercraft and ATV violations.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) patrolled area ATV trails and checked anglers on Leech Lake. Several warnings were given for boating safety equipment violations.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) found a missing 5-year-old, who was uninjured and safely returned home. Enforcement action was taken for no throwable, no fire extinguisher, and no license in possession.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports patrolling area lakes and checking anglers. He reports investigating possible public water and wetland violations that were observed by the Aviation Unit. He attended K9 training at Camp Ripley and attended Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin?s funeral services in Pequot Lakes.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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