MN DNR K9 Conservation Officer
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-10-23
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week enforcing sport fishing, sturgeon, small-game hunting, deer-hunting, road vehicle, and ATV regulations, as well as assisting state and local law enforcement agencies. Enforcement action was taken for angling without an angling license, failure to register a sturgeon, transporting illegally taken game into Minnesota, egregious vehicle speed, and permitting youth without helmets on an ATV. Enforcement action was also taken against an individual who harvested a lake sturgeon more than two weeks after the close of the keep season. Fontes reports that although the majority of the leaves have gotten dull in the area, and the northern lights have been shining bright!
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls-West) monitored hunting activities during the early antlerless and youth deer seasons over MEA. Success for deer was moderate and small-game hunters were successful on ruffed grouse. Enforcement action for the week included angling without a license, transporting a loaded firearm, no small-game license, no federal waterfowl stamp, allowing a juvenile to commit a game and fish violation and ATV registration violations.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling and small-game, big-game and waterfowl-hunting activity throughout this past week. Time was spent patrolling complaint areas of the recreational vehicle trails, issuing wildlife-possession permits and patrolling shining complaint areas.
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on Lake of the Woods as well as grouse and deer hunters later in the week. A fair bite on Lake of the Woods was observed, and citations were issued for anglers using an extra line and possessing an overlimit of walleyes and sauger. Several successful youth deer season hunters were contacted, and overall the youth hunters saw mixed results with the warm weather keeping deer from moving much. Multiple grouse hunters were checked and found to be transporting loaded firearms.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports continued success among grouse hunters. Time was spent working small-game-hunting activity as well as deer-hunting activity during the youth hunt. Prachar assisted Beltrami County with multiple calls for service including a call of a vehicle vs. pedestrian.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area small-game hunters, youth deer hunters, and following up with various complaints. Fontes and CO Hams responded to a call of an injured bald eagle. The eagle was captured and turned over to the Raptor Center.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-10-23
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) continued field training with COC Brady Manteufel. Follow ups on trespass calls, wildlife-related complaints, and property left unattended on public lands were handled. Angling, waterfowl, archery and youth deer hunter checks were conducted. License questions regarding the youth deer season were fielded. Hunting laws, regulations, and ethics were also taught to a firearms safety class.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) worked angling activity on Leech Lake. Time was spent patrolling area ATV trails and forest roads.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) worked the long MEA weekend monitoring deer- and duck-hunting activity. A few small-game hunters afield needed a reminder that a firearms deer season was in progress and additional blaze clothing was needed. Anglers were contacted who were enjoying the mild weather to target the fall fishing patterns. Additional time was spent investigating TIP calls and answering general calls from the public.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking small-game hunters and youth deer hunters. Small-game hunters continue to find grouse and have opportunities at shooting, now that the leaves have fallen off most of the trees. Youth hunters had great weather and many had an opportunity to take a deer this weekend. Swedberg also assisted the DNR K9 Unit with training during the week.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) spoke to duck hunters, who reported a slow week for duck activity. He also worked shining/shooting complaints, assisted with a search warrant, followed up on reports of baiting and checked deer hunters.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working small-game and migratory waterfowl enforcement. Time was also spent completing assigned training tasks.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) continued field training with COC Veit. Officers spent the week checking duck hunters, deer hunters, pheasant hunters, and anglers. The fall walleye and panfish bite has been heating up and nice weather provided anglers plenty of opportunity to catch a few fish. Duck hunters are finding enough ducks around to keep their interest. Time was also spent following up on a wolf that was shot near Toad Lake in Becker County. If anyone has any information related to the deceased wolf, please call Turn in Poachers at 1-800-652-9093.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for ATV, angling, and small-game activity. Time was spent answering questions about the upcoming deer season. Enforcement action was taken for motor vehicle use in a non-motorized area in a state forest.
Bagley vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-10-23
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week working on small-game and waterfowl-hunting enforcement. She participated in a waterfowl/pheasant saturation over the weekend hosted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service federal wildlife officers. This saturation included South Dakota conservation officers, federal wildlife officers, U.S. Park Service rangers and Minnesota conservation officers. It covered the eastern part of South Dakota and the far west central and southern parts of Minnesota.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) fielded several questions on the youth deer hunt regarding licenses and limits. Plautz found several youth hunting and having good success. Fishing activity continues with the warmer weather. She assisted the State Patrol with an injury crash and took several injured-animal calls.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor the waterfowl and angling activity in the area. Waterfowl hunters have been reporting very little bird activity throughout the week. Fall fishing is starting to yield success on some area waters. Brown also received a call about an injured red-tailed hawk. He coordinated with the Raptor Center and got the hawk transported to be rehabilitated.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) saw a drop in pheasant hunter numbers throughout the week, but continued to see some birds in the bag. She also saw a drop in waterfowl-hunting and angling activity. Lots of archery and youth deer hunters were out over the weekend, with some positive harvest reports. Various violations were encountered throughout the week.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) helped Camp Ripley training staff with various tasks. Douvier also handled an injured-owl call and seized a hen pheasant that someone reported shooting. A duck identification and law refresher course was also attended.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, ATV operators, pheasant hunters, and waterfowl hunters. Additional time was spent checking deer hunters during the early antlerless and youth seasons. Waterfowl-hunting and fish-overlimit complaints were investigated.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-10-23
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked angling, ATV enforcement, small game, big game, and took calls for service. Cross saw success throughout the week with small game hunting and fall fishing and additionally met a few successful youth hunters during the youth deer season. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and hunting violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass County for angling, hunting, boating and ATV activity. The weekend drew lots of activity on the lakes and in the woods with nice weather. McGowan also continued field training with a new conservation officer. Numerous angling, boating, and hunting violations were addressed.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued field training a new conservation officer. The two checked anglers, small game and big game hunters throughout the week. Grouse hunters are continuing to see more birds as the leaves fall while waterfowl hunters were having success on area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for various angling, boating and hunting violations.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) continued a wetlands violation investigation with local authorities. Grouse and duck hunting activity was monitored with moderate success seen in the field. Great compliance among ATV riders was observed over the weekend, especially with youth riders and operators wearing their helmets. Sura also assisted the Aitkin county Sheriff?s Office with several other COs on a search for a lost hunter.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked hunting and angling activity. She assisted with a car vs. deer accident, and investigated various hunting complaints. Enforcement action taken on a juvenile without a helmet on an ATV.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports investigating trespassing, dogs chasing deer and big game complaints. K9 Jet was utilized for evidence detection.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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