Featured Update
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods, assisting with Police Week-related details, and assisting other agencies. Fontes assisted the Law Enforcement Memorial Association at the Peace Officer Memorial in St. Paul for two days of standing guard, and then laid a rose at the Northern Valley Police Week Memorial, in Grand Forks, in honor of all Minnesota conservation officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Fontes assisted with a serious injury crash in Clay County, as well as a fatal ATV crash in Roseau County. Fontes and CO Hams responded to a report of several fox kits that had been abandoned. The kits were taken into the CO’s custody and will be transported to a center for rehabilitation. Enforcement action was taken for using an extra line and no angling license in possession.
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2024-05-20
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) patrolled the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods during the first week of the walleye season. Fishing has been fair. Multiple overlimit cases have been made on the east side of Lake of the Woods and the Wheeler?s Point area. Assistance was given with the Warroad first-grade field trip to Norris Camp, and also a career fair in Warroad.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers, following up with various wildlife-related complaints, and helped with the Warroad first-grade field trip to Norris Camp. Four orphaned fox kits were removed from a property and will be transported to a wildlife rehab center. Sadly, one of the kits was too malnourished and did not make it. Violations encountered were possessing fish in an uncountable state and three anglers were cited for an overlimit of walleyes.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports continued angler success after the opener. Time was spent patrolling for angling activity. Prachar followed up on investigations from fishing opener. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a vehicle, and for ?noodling? for sturgeon. It is unlawful to catch fish by hand in Minnesota, particularly sturgeon when they are in shallow water to spawn.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) investigated a gray wolf depredation complaint and responded to a nuisance black bear complaint. Area residents are reminded to take in bird feeders this time of year to limit the enticement for hungry black bears. He also checked area anglers and ATV operators.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) handled various wildlife-related complaints throughout the week. A laws and ethics talk was given for a firearms safety class in Halma. A big-game case was also wrapped up from last deer season. Anglers started seeing more success on the rivers in the area. Enforcement action was taking for failure to register deer and operating an ATV without lights.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week patrolling the area for ATV and sport fishing activity. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, angling with an extra line, and various ATV violations.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) spent the week working Upper Red Lake. Angling success improved until the strong west winds started blowing on Saturday. Several individuals were cited for possessing overlimits of walleyes. He worked two different work details on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes near Pine River. Several boating violations were encountered. Individuals are reminded to check boating safety equipment before going out onto the lake.
Baudette East vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-05-20
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports speaking at an ATV safety course in Clearbrook. Time was further spent taking various bear-related complaints and working on a wildfire case. Anglers and watercraft operators were checked.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) completed administrative and follow-up work following the fishing opener. Wildlife-related concerns and complaints were handled. The public is reminded to leave what may appear to be orphaned wildlife where they lay until DNR staff have been contacted. Goodman also spoke at a Perham City Chamber?s meeting and presented at the Menahga School regarding boating safety.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week working fishing, boating, and aquatic invasive species patrol. Area anglers have not had a lot of luck chasing walleyes, although some are being caught in the evenings. Swedberg also attended the landowners meeting for the Midnite Riders Snowmobile Club, where he talked about trespass and best practices for landowners. Swedberg assisted COs Anderson and Saewert with a fishing event for Menahga fourth graders.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) spent time patrolling area lakes and local ATV trails. There were mixed reports on fishing success locally. Local officers also assisted with a ?Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs? event where Menahga Elementary fourth-grade students were paired with local volunteers for a few hours of fishing.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking on commercial minnow and leeching activity. Time was also spent handling miscellaneous nuisance-wildlife calls and assisting State Patrol and local agencies with a crash in Clay County.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling and boating activity. Areas were worked for ATV and off-road vehicles. Leeching and minnow trapping was monitored.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) worked opening season of angling. A sixth-grade class was spoken to about fishing regulations and water safety, in Fosston, and the class had a field day fishing at an area lake this week. TIP calls on dumped deer carcasses and illegal fish possession were followed up on and dead calf calls were investigated. Enforcement action was taken on angling and water safety violations, ATV registration, and youth with no helmets.
CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) spent the week patrolling area lakes for angling activity, working a boat and water detail on Gull Lake, responding to wildlife-related incidents, and fielding calls from the public. Anglers reported mixed results throughout the week. Enforcement action was taken for watercraft registration, sunfish overlimit, personal floatation device required, and failure to have a Type IV PFD (throwable).
Bemidji #1 vacant.
Pelican Rapids vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-05-20
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week in St. Paul assisting with interviews for the CO Prep hiring process.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) worked with a Wildlife Services trapper on a wolf-depredation case, registered an ATV safety class for the area, and checked fishing and boating activity.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling and boating activity throughout the week. Fishing success on area waters improved towards the end of the week.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters, and ATV riders. Nuisance-beaver trapping permits were issued and calls about lake access were received. Fishing complaints were received and are being investigated.
CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County, mainly by water. With the warm weather and the fishing season in full swing, there were plenty of people on the lakes. Enforcement action was taken on numerous boating and angling violations.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) spent the busy week and weekend patrolling surrounding lakes. She reports lots of activity and is happy to see all juveniles 10 and under wearing their life jackets. Various violations encountered. She attended the Osakis Lake Association meeting and participated in the Osakis firearms safety field day. She also served on Honor Guard at the Police Memorial in St. Paul for Police Memorial Week.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were focused on checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Additional time was spent following up on wetland cases and bear sightings.
Wheaton vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-05-20
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for angling, ATV, and boating activity. Baum found numerous ATVs on the trails with this week?s recent rain keeping down some of the dust. Baum investigated a call about a potential aquatic plant removal violation. Baum urges people to call the DNR about questions related to shoreline alterations and removal of aquatic plants.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent the week patrolling area lakes for angling activity, responding to wildlife-related incidents, and fielding calls from the public. Two citations were issued for burning prohibited material. The hooked-on-fishing event in Menahga was attended. Saewert also worked a shift on the Gull Lake chain. Several boats were checked, and few fish had been caught.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) took part in the annual ATV safety class for the fifth graders at Northland School. As always, a big thank you to all the great local volunteer instructors! Sura also patrolled area lakes and ATV use areas. Enforcement action was taken for fishing with extra lines, and expired watercraft registration. Sura also assisted local law enforcement on several motor vehicle accidents.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked angling and ATV activity. She also investigated multiple shoreline-related violations. Enforcement action was taken on various boating and fishing violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked Cass and Crow Wing county lakes throughout the week. Fishing was fair in most areas, and recreational boating activity was higher over the weekend. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating and angling violations.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked angling, boating, and off-highway vehicle enforcement. The nice weekend brought out a high number of anglers and ATV traffic. Enforcement action was taken for angling, boating, and ATV violations.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers and recreational vehicles. A problem-bear complaint was received, and an aquatic plant management alteration incident was investigated. Enforcement action was taken for angling and recreational vehicle violations.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports assisting with nuisance-bear and -beaver complaints. Seifermann and K9 Jet attended a media event with the Governor and Commissioner?s Office to show the importance of the AIS detection work the K9s do to help protect Minnesota?s waters. Seifermann and K9 Jet also conducted a zebra mussel demonstration for youth as part of the schools Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs program.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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