District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2024-03-11
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked northern pike and walleye anglers on Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action on the lake was taken for possession of illegal dead bait and unattended lines. Assistance was given to the Roseau firearms safety class with the ethics and laws portion of the class. Follow up was done for a license issue that occurred during the muzzleloader deer season.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent time checking area anglers and following up with various complaints. Violations encountered were possessing dead bait without labels, unattended lines, and no license in possession.
CO Jamus Veit (Baudette East) spent the week monitoring angling activity on Upper Red Lake and Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action was taken for extra line violations, angling without a license, and for an overlimit of walleyes/sauger.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time working ice fishing enforcement and completing various administrative duties. Time was spent on Lake of the Woods, where anglers saw good success. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, fishing with extra lines, an overlimit of sauger, and no shelter tag.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) reports prioritizing efforts on checking ATV operators with the warmer weather. While out patrolling, Bruesewitz reports many individuals enjoying the warm weather looking for sheds on local wildlife management areas. Additional time was spent working a big-game investigation. Enforcement action was taking for failing to register deer taken in the previous deer season.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports monitoring area lakes for angling activity, shelter removal progress and checking anglers. Time was also spent monitoring recreational vehicle trail activity and making preparations for spring firearms safety and ATV safety classes/field days.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) worked snowmobile and ATV activities in the area. Time was spent monitoring walleye and northern pike angling as well.
Blackduck North vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-03-11
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a meeting at Camp Ripley. Anglers and ATV operators were checked. Follow-up work was done on open wetland violation cases.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored angling activity on area lakes. Time was also spent patrolling forest roads and trails.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) responded to a pair of fires over the weekend. Extremely dry conditions and wind contributed to campfires escaping containment and burning several acres while scorching vehicles and buildings. Goodman checked on an area ice fishing tournament, in which anglers noted ice rapidly deteriorating, even with cooler nights leading up to the event. Nearly all are lakes have some open water and many could see ice-off this week.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week working fishing and burning activity. What is likely one of the last weeks of the ice fishing season brought many people to the area. Most people were following all of the laws and staying safe on the thinning ice. Swedberg also spent time monitoring fire activities and several fires were handled by area fire departments.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) worked fishing, recreational vehicle and fire enforcement. Ice conditions are poor with several area lakes that now having large areas of open water.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking anglers in the Moorhead and Pelican Rapids stations. Panfish anglers have been doing well on the few lakes that still have walkable ice. However, anglers will likely be waiting for open water moving forward as ice conditions are poor and deteriorating fast.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling activity and public access checks. Fish house removal is almost complete on area lakes, as ice conditions continue to deteriorate. People are reminded that storing fish houses or equipment at public accesses is not allowed. WMAs and waterfowl production areas were patrolled for activity. ATV activity was worked, with checks performed.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) attended an event for recruitment at an area college this week. ATV activity was also worked, as it has picked up. Enforcement action was taken for multiple violations. Please remember to register your ATVs and review the regulations. Manteufel would also like to remind everyone to obtain a burn permit and pay attention to the conditions.
CO Brett Fox (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling for ATV and angling activity.
Pelican Rapids vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-03-11
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the past week focused on wetland/ public waters violations and angling enforcement. Though licenses expire at the same time, year after year, there are still people who do not know when they need to get new licenses. With warmer weather approaching, people are likely to get out and ride their ATVs. This is your friendly reminder that all kids under 18 need to be in helmets. Safety first!
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) followed up on trespass complaints and dogs chasing deer complaints. The fish house removal deadline had good compliance with the deteriorated ice conditions.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling and ATV activity in the area. Nuisance-wildlife calls were answered and fielded. Enforcement action was taken this week for fishing without an angling license and no license in possession.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked area lakes on the fish house removal deadline. For the first time in his career, Osborne did not have a fish house on the ice after the deadline and had lakes that were completely free of ice. Firearms safety class preparation has begun in the area. If you need to get a student into a firearms safety class, please check the DNR website for upcoming classes in your area.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) reports no ice fishing activity remains around Douglas County. Many lakes are well over half open, with only very weak ice pockets floating around. Lawler attended the Outdoor News Deer and Turkey Classic. Lots of good contacts with the public were made and many questions were answered.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) reports most of the lakes in her station are wide open, but she has yet to see a boat. She responded to various calls throughout the week, from garbage dumped on state land to permits for road-killed critters. Enforcement action taken for careless operation on an ATV.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking ATV operators and beaver trappers. Ice on area lakes had deteriorated to the point that anglers are no longer able to get from shore to the ice.
Wheaton vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-03-11
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) attended a Minnesota Darkhouse and Angling Association meeting and answered questions about fishing regulations. Area lakes were checked for fishing activity. A wildlife rehab facility inspection was completed. Saewert assisted DNR Forestry with a fire call in Hubbard County.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked some remaining late-season angling, conducted equipment maintenance, prepared for training, and responded to illegal-burning complaints. Ice conditions are very dangerous and there are numerous spots around the Park Rapids and Bemidji area that now have open water.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) saw little to no ice angling activity throughout the week in the Remer area. Spring beaver-trapping activity was monitored.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass County for angling activity. Ice is poor in most areas, and angling pressure is low. McGowan also spent time at Camp Ripley preparing for upcoming Division training.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked angling and ATV activity. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession and operating an ATV on a state highway.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continues to check a few anglers. Some were finding good catches of panfish. The ice, however, is getting very bad in some spots. Travel is getting very hazardous on the ice with use of any recreational vehicle.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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