District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2023-12-11
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) attended training at camp Ripley and a recruitment career fair at the University of North Dakota with CO Fontes, He also worked area trapping. Enforcement action was taken for trapping pine marten out of season and using a cubby trap with insufficient overhang.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week following up on various property and wildlife-related complaints. Area anglers are starting to venture out on Lake of the Woods.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) reports that angling activity in the area has increased, with folks fishing Upper Red Lake, Lake of the Woods, and the Rainy River. Enforcement action was taken for using an extra line, transporting fish without skin patches, and driving after suspension.
CO Jamus Veit (Baudette East) spent time getting to know his new station and checking ice anglers on Upper Red Lake. Anglers had mixed results throughout the week. With the warmer weather, ice thickness varies, and he wants to remind anglers to be careful when venturing out onto early ice.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) attended firearms training at Camp Ripley, responded to a TIP complaint of multiple stands left in a wildlife management area, and checked area anglers.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time getting to know her new station. Time was also spent working trapping, muzzleloader hunting and early ice fishing. Enforcement action was taken for burning of prohibited materials.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) began his first week in his new station. Time was spent exploring the station boundaries and meeting local staff. Ice anglers were checked on the river. They were having limited success.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working muzzleloader-hunting, trapping and angling activity this past week. Regas noted lots of traffic headed towards Upper Red Lake. While anglers he encountered on local lakes had varied success for a variety of species, many were experiencing a slow bite. Regas encountered and addressed a few angling license violations this past week.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports that warm and inconsistent weather has resulted questionable ice conditions on Upper Red Lake. Fishing success has slowed as well. Time was spent working angling, ATV, and furbearer activities.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2023-12-11
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking deer and small-game hunters. Time was also spent responding to wildlife-related complaints. Anglers were checked on area lakes.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) checked anglers on some area lakes. Caution is advised when traveling on Bemidji-area lakes as ice depths vary greatly. Some lakes still have open water. Areas were also checked for trapping activity.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) observed a quiet end to the muzzleloader season, with more seasonable weather moving in. Ice conditions deteriorated throughout the week, reducing the number of anglers attempting to fish and spear. Additional time was spent working with Wildlife staff on area concerns.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking ice anglers and completing annual training.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) spent time on an off-highway motorcycle-related investigation and patrolling for trapping activity. Very few muzzleloader hunters have been seen over the season, but some trappers were encountered over the weekend with the light snow.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) worked muzzleloader and pheasant-hunting activity. Ice angling and ice conditions were monitored. Ice conditions continue to vary and people are reminded to use caution. Annual training was completed.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week checking pheasant hunters and muzzleloader hunters. Warm weather deteriorated ice conditions significantly, and in one instance a fish house melted through the ice. Anglers should wait for conditions to improve before venturing onto the ice again. A wolf-depredation report was also investigated and confirmed. Calls from the public included reports of dead swans, injured deer, deer stuck on the ice, and reports of deer-hunting violations.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked ice anglers on some of the small lakes in the area. Ice varied by location, from approximately 4 to 7 inches thick. Please be safe and use caution. Property left on public lands was followed up on, forestry burning regulations were enforced, and the area was patrolled for the final week of the muzzleloader deer season. Time was also spent meeting with some of the local area police departments, sheriff?s deputies, and State Patrol.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for ice fishing activity. Ice on area lakes remains thin in many places. Early season ice anglers should remain cautious. Violations this week included no fishing license in possession.
Moorhead vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2023-12-11
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week continuing follow up from the deer season. She?s spending time getting familiar with her new station and getting to know those who recreate within it. She continues to urge people to focus on safety when venturing out on the ice.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) worked muzzleloader hunters, ice anglers and area trappers. Ice conditions continue to be unstable with warmer weather through the week. She responded to a call of a possible angler through the ice but found they had just folded up a portable fish house and left it on the ice for another day of fishing. No injuries or safety concerns were found. Training was completed through the week.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) spent his enforcement efforts with angling, pheasant hunting and deer hunting. While Brown was on patrol, he observed a permanent fish house attached to an ATV partially submerged near the shore with the owner standing on the ice nearby. Two uninvolved anglers ran over to assist the fish house owner before Brown arrived. The fish house and ATV was removed, and there were no injuries. A reminder to check ice thicknesses as ice is very unstable and thin in some spots.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers and pheasant hunters. Trespass and water-access questions were received and are being investigated with the township and county authorities. Ice conditions vary across the area with lakes being open and others with thin ice.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) completed the field training process with COC Scholz this past week. Scholz is now stationed in Malmo. Anglers were cautiously venturing out, but midweek warm weather put an end to that. Pheasant hunters were monitored. They were having decent success.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) followed up on end-of-firearms-deer-season complaints. She?s beginning to see a few more ice anglers out each day. Various reports of ice conditions are coming from anglers, with the consensus of still very thin ice all over the Osakis station. Several wounded-animal calls were handled.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports completing inspections and moving equipment for the region throughout the week. Calls were handled regarding muzzleloader-hunting and injured-animal questions.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking pheasant and deer hunters. Additional time was spent issuing a restoration order for a wetland violation and attending training at Camp Ripley.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2023-12-11
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked angling and hunting activity. She reminds people to use caution when travelling onto the ice.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) spent time checking ice anglers on Upper Red Lake and a handful of smaller local lakes. Enforcement action was taken for taking an overlimit of walleyes and operating an unregistered ATV.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked big-game hunting and ice angling and finished annual training. Cross worked ice angling on Upper Red Lake over the weekend. Enforcement action throughout the week was taken for angling and ATV violations.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports checking big- and small-game hunters, but reports a decrease in hunting activity this week. As ice anglers venture out on local lakes, he would like to remind them to check ice conditions and depths for themselves rather than rely on reports of others since conditions are changing daily.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked Cass County lakes and Upper Red Lake throughout the week. There is very little ice fishing around the Leech Lake area due to poor ice conditions and open water in spots. Anglers on upper red lake were reporting a good walleye bite. Numerous violations were addressed throughout the week.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent time patrolling Huntersville State Forest. A complaint of shooting from the roadway was taken. The suspect was located and enforcement action was taken. A TIP call regarding people muzzleloader deer hunting without license was fielded. The people were located and had the appropriate licenses.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers. Lakes continue to slowly build ice. Hazardous areas exist all over as the ice thickness is variable; cracks and ridges have also developed. Mathy has seen a small amount of ATV traffic on a small portion of some ice sheets near the shallow shorelines. Enforcement action was taken for angling and ATV violations.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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