MNDNR State Parks
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2024-03-04
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on Lake of the Woods and assisted a stranded person on the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area. The stranded person was looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the East Coast and drove to a remote area south of Warroad to be with his cat. Other enforcement action included citations that were issued for angling with extra lines and possessing an overlimit of walleyes.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers and following up on various complaints. Violations encountered were angling with extra lines and littering.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods and the surrounding area. Enforcement action was taken for an overlimit and use of an extra line. Fontes spent a portion of the week assisting with Honor Guard duties at the memorial service for the three fallen Burnsville first responders.
CO Jamus Veit (Baudette East) spent the week monitoring angling activity on Upper Red Lake and following up on various complaints. Time was also spent attending the funeral for fallen Burnsville police officers and firefighter-paramedic. With warmer weather forecasted, anglers are urged to use caution when venturing out onto the ice.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) worked ATV and snowmobile activity. Enforcement action was taken for camping at a public water access.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time working various wildlife-related complaints, snowmobile enforcement, and assisting other agencies. Enforcement action was taken for failure to display registration on a snowmobile.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week working ATV enforcement out in the warmer weather. Bruesewitz traveled and joined other officers to pay respects to the fallen Burnsville first responders. The week was ended continuing work on an ongoing big-game case.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports monitoring angling activity and recreational vehicle trail activity throughout the patrol area. Time was spent handling wildlife-related calls and working a big-game investigation. Enforcement action was taken investigating an ATV complaint for operating in a wetland and registration violations.
Baudette West vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-03-04
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking anglers and ATV operators. Most fish shelters on area lakes have been removed early. Small-game-hunting and trespass complaints were checked.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored angling activity on area lakes. Anglers are reporting mixed success and ice conditions vary greatly from lake to lake. He continued with an investigation from the fall deer season.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) patrolled area lakes in search of any remaining ice shelters before the upcoming removal deadline. Thin ice and open water were encountered on many lakes in unsuspecting areas. Caution should be used by anyone continuing to chase panfish on hard water. Additional time was spent monitoring coyote hunting and he assisted with the release of an incidentally caught wolf.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking ice anglers. The bite has slowed down and ice conditions have been getting worse by the day. Most anglers seem ready to move on to open-water season, as few anglers have been seen through the week. Swedberg also assisted with water survival training for the State Patrol Academy.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) patrolled area lakes, which saw little activity, and spent time in the Two Inlets and Smoky Hills state forests. Fire restrictions will likely continue with warm weather and little precipitation predicted.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking anglers in the Moorhead and Pelican Rapids stations. The panfish bite is picking up and anglers are having success, however strong winds and Sunday?s rain have taken a toll on ice conditions. Anglers should only walk out at this point and exercise caution as conditions have changed fast. Time was also spent following up with a deer-dumping complaint. Enforcement action was taken for littering on the ice and angling without a license.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time working angling and ATV activity. Areas were monitored for fire activity. Due to dry conditions and winds, people are reminded to follow burning regulations. Information was provided to Forestry about removal of an abandoned vehicle. Equipment inventory was completed.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked area lakes for fishing activity and addressed ATV registration display and questions. A class at Bemidji State University was spoken to about the job details of a conservation officer and the application process the DNR. Training for ice and water rescue was attended with the Shevlin and Solway fire departments. Manteufel would like to remind everyone it?s time to purchase new angling licenses and be safe and check the ice before heading out.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for angling and ice fishing activity. Fox also conducted maintenance on his patrol vehicle and other equipment. Fox would like to remind everyone to update their fishing license.
Pelican Rapids vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-03-04
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) focused time this past week on angling and recreational vehicle enforcement, as well as continued follow up from the deer season. Time was also spent investigating wetland and public waters violations.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) followed up on complaints of dogs running at large and a trapping complaint. A few anglers are still venturing on the ice, but ice conditions continue to deteriorate. ATV activity was monitored through the week.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports checking angling and ATV activity in the area. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a fishing license. Time was also spent with equipment maintenance and assisting local agencies with wildfires.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, ATV riders and ice conditions. Ice conditions have deteriorated rapidly across the area and people need to take extra precautions before trying to venture on area lakes. Injured-animal complaints took were received and handled.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent time monitoring the remaining bit of ice fishing traffic in the area. Foot traffic is almost essential now with ice thicknesses under 5 inches in a lot of spots. A landowner was cited for burning his wooded lot without a permit, with multiple homes nearby. Lawler also found several large bags of garbage thrown into a rural township road ditch. After looking through it, the person responsible was easily located as they unknowingly included some Amazon boxes showing their address. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) attended the funeral for the three first responders in Burnsville. She expresses her condolences to all the families. She assisted in teaching an Officer Water Survival class to the current State Trooper Academy, with a day spent in a pool learning survival tactics for winter and summer. She noticed the ice conditions significantly deteriorate over the week and there?s now lots of open water. She was also able to chat with crow hunters and shed hunters.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working on various tasks for the district. Questions and complaints from the public were also fielded.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, ATV operators, and small-game hunters. Additional time was spent following up with ongoing cases, and answering questions about ice conditions. A few anglers are still venturing out onto area lakes, with foot travel being the only means of transportation.
Wheaton vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-03-04
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports checking area lakes for ice shelters and checking small-game activity. He also attended the public safety memorial service for Burnsville Police officers Elmstrand and Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Finseth.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) checked fewer ice anglers throughout the week as ice conditions continue to quickly deteriorate. There were several reports of ATVs going through the ice in the north-central region. A TIP call was investigated where an angler was found to be over the legal possession limit of sunfish.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked fishing activity. She also investigated complaints relating to deer and fire.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked Cass and Beltrami county lakes for angling activity. Ice conditions are poor in most areas. Enforcement action was taken numerous violations.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked late-season angling, investigated open cases, and assisted with training at Camp Ripley. Ice conditions continue to deteriorate.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continues to check anglers. Ice conditions continue to worsen with the spring-like weather. Mathy responded to one incident where an ATV went through the ice. Fortunately, the occurrence happened in shallow water and the driver was not injured. Mathy also checked a couple of squirrel hunters on the last day of the season.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) assisted the Menahga Police Department with the search for two missing juveniles. Time was spent on ATV in the Huntersville and Smokey Hills state forest. Enforcement action was taken for operating an unregistered ATV and operating without headlights. Online training was also completed throughout the week.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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