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: 2024-04-08
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked northern pike and walleye anglers on Lake of the Woods. Last-ice walleye fishing was good most days. Enforcement action was taken for an overlimit of walleyes and sauger.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week monitoring ATV traffic and working a fire detail. Violations encountered were failure to tend a trap, leaving a trap after the season, failure to obtain a burn permit, and burning during a ban.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods by snowmobile and the Rainy River by boat. Fontes reports ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly on the lake, and open water has expanded greatly on the Rainy River. Violations encountered were the use of an extra line and the use of a tip-up more than 200 feet away. Fontes also notes that enforcement action was taken regarding the new litter-on-ice law. Many English muffins, and other things, were strewn about on the lake.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports that ice-out on Rainy River has brought a significant number of anglers. Time was spent working angling activity on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) taught the law and ethics portion of youth firearms safety classes in Warren and Oslo. He also investigated deer license violations from the previous season. Enforcement action was taken for taking deer without a valid license, untagged big-game animal, and taking deer prior to license being valid.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time working on fire-related enforcement. Dry conditions in the area continue and extreme caution is needed with any fire. Enforcement action was taken for burning prohibited materials. Time was also spent teaching the laws and ethics portions of a firearms safety class.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) reports monitoring ATV activity throughout much of the week. Bruesewitz reports increased ATV activity with the warmer weather. Time was spent following up on a wildfire investigation and working a fire-detection detail.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling activity and spring beaver-trapping activity throughout this past week. Time was spent patrolling area recreational vehicle trails, investigating a wolf-depredation complaint, issuing wildlife-possession permits, assisting the Kelliher firearms safety instructors with classroom presentations and assisting Forestry with fire detection details in the northwest part of the state. Regas reported making progress on an ongoing big-game investigation. Violations encountered and addressed included angling in a designated trout lake during closed season, no trout stamp, and open burning violations.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-04-08
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking shore anglers this week. Time was further spent contacting ATV operators. Burning and commercial enforcement was also worked.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored area ATV trails and forest roads. He worked a detail on the Rainy River. Anglers reported catching smaller walleyes and sauger. Time was spent assisting the Division of Forestry with a detail in the northwest part of the state.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) monitored popular spawning areas for signs of fish run activity while checking a few shore anglers looking for panfish. The first boats and paddle craft of the season were observed over the weekend despite waters remaining frigidly cold. Additional time was spent conducting a ride-along with a potential future conservation officer candidate and scouting turkeys for the upcoming spring hunts.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) worked on deer cases from the previous season and spent time checking area rivers and streams for fish spawning activity. Swedberg wants to remind anglers that seasonal closures are beginning to go into effect on area rivers until spawning season ends. Pay attention to signage along the rivers and the seasonal closure portion of the DNR website to see what bodies of water are included.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) attended training and worked on a fire investigation.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week following up with ongoing wetland cases. Time was also spent investigating a violation from the deer season. Several wildlife-related calls were also handled.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time patrolling area wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas for activity. ATV trails were monitored for off-road vehicle use. Area lakes and streams were worked for angling and fish run activity. Nuisance-wildlife calls were received.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) worked with area representatives on a potential wetland violation. Calls and questions about wildlife were addressed. Area lakes and public lands were patrolled this week. A large variety of waterfowl has been seen throughout the region on area lakes. Education was also provided on burning restrictions.
CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) was introduced to Itasca State Park staff. Time was also spent monitoring for ATV activity, trapping enforcement, and fielding calls from the public.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-04-08
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week working on equipment maintenance, training updates, and prep for another week of training.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) monitored fishing and fish run activity in area streams and rivers. Illegal burning was monitored, and an ATV safety class has been scheduled with an area community education at a school. An incidentally taken otter was handled as well.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) spent his week focusing mainly on trapping and ATV activity in the area. Angling activity was also monitored with a few folks getting out during the warmer weather, with mild success.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked area lakes for fish run activity. A firearms safety class presentation was scheduled in Millerville. A complaint of trespass on public property was received and investigated.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) monitored ATV activity while prepping for upcoming safety classes. She collected incidentally taken animals and received yet another dog-chasing-deer complaint. Various wounded-animal calls were handled.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) attending wildland fire investigator training this past week. Additional time was spent setting up a firearms safety class and fielding questions about the turkey season.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-04-08
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled area forest roads for ATV and vehicle traffic. Baum found various tracks throughout the area forest and wants to remind the public to check the DNR website for current road and trail closures. With the warmer weather, Baum found some ATV riders and took enforcement action on some ATV violations.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) checked spring traps, conducted training, fielded questions from the public, and conducted equipment maintenance.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) worked activity related to ATVs, small game, and fishing. He patrolled campgrounds and trails. Numerous game and fish-related questions were answered. He also responded to wildlife-related complaints.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked anglers on the Rainy River and attended Division meetings. McGowan also assisted with wildfire investigations, and prepared training materials for upcoming Division trainings. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating violations.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) responded to a report of an injured deer. She also investigated a shooting complaint.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) handled vehicle and equipment maintenance. Sura patrolled the Rainy River, where anglers were having good success for the catch-and-release walleye season. Several sturgeon anglers were checked as well. Compliance was good, with only several minor boating safety equipment violations. One angler was cited for fishing with an extra line.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily worked ATV and fishing related activity. The last of the ice on the lakes is just about gone. Mathy monitored rivers and creeks for fish run activity. A complaint was also received about a deer-feeding ban violation. Fire danger remains a concern as the snow has mostly melted once again.
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