MN DNR Conservation Officer

Weekly CO report

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2024-10-08

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) investigated an agricultural burn that got away from the person who lit the fire. Duck hunters were checked on the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area and Thief Lake. Duck numbers have been decent. Violations for the week included using a motorboat that exceeds the horsepower limit on Thief Lake, unplugged shotgun, no small-game license, and no federal stamp.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area small-game hunters and anglers. Fishing continues to be good right out in front of Warroad.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week speaking with waterfowl hunters and following up on miscellaneous cases. Enforcement action was taken for no federal duck stamp and for hunting with an unplugged shotgun. Fontes investigated several instances where timber was cut down on state lands.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) and COC Matthew Boyle spent time patrolling for small-game, fishing, and commercial minnow-trapping activity. Emerald Shiners are beginning to run as trappers are awaiting lower water temps to harvest. There were mixed reports from grouse hunters, with most having some luck as the leaves are falling. Local ducks have been migrating out of the area with high winds and lower temperatures. Violations including taking an overlimit of grouse and transporting loaded firearms were found and enforcement action was taken.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) continues to train with COC Stringer monitoring area waterfowl and small-game activity. A radio interview with call-in questions and answers was conducted at KTRF radio as well. Enforcement action for the week included WMA rule violations as well as ATV registration and migratory waterfowl stamp violations.

CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time completing commercial taxidermy inspections. A complaint regarding a possible wolf depredation involving a donkey was also investigated. Small-game hunting and waterfowl-hunting activity continues to be monitored.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) reports checking successful waterfowl hunters throughout the week. Time was also spent teaching the laws and ethics portion to a youth firearms safety class in Humboldt.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) monitored angling activity on Blackduck-area lakes and worked with CO McGowan on Leech Lake. Due to strong winds, angling on Upper Red Lake has been limited. He also worked ATV and grouse-hunting activity on area forest roads and trails.

Baudette East vacant.

Blackduck South vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2024-10-08

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking duck hunters this week. Prairie chicken hunters were also checked during the last weekend of this year?s hunt. Archery deer hunting activity was also monitored.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) spent time patrolling public lands and trails. He followed up on reports of illegal baiting. Enforcement action was taken for juveniles without helmets on ATVs and failure to display registration.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking anglers, small-game hunters, and waterfowl hunters. Swedberg was also a guest on a local radio station to talk about ATV safety. He also joined a podcast to talk about the fall hunting seasons. Ducks seem to be moving through the area and small-game hunters are having better success now that leaves are starting to fall.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking waterfowl hunters and archery deer hunters in the Moorhead and Pelican Rapids stations. The wind has prevented many people from taking advantage of the fall bite on area lakes, but those braving the wind have been rewarded with fish. Time was spent following up with ongoing wetland cases and responding to complaints related to waterfowl hunting, archery deer hunting, commercial minnow trapping, and nuisance beavers.

CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on small-game, archery deer, and waterfowl-hunting activity. Patrol was conducted for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. The law and ethics portion of firearms safety was taught at a firearms safety class near Lengby. Areas were worked for illegal shining activity and angling and boating activity was monitored.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked waterfowl hunters, who had mixed success rates. Reminder to hunters to have life jackets in your duck boats. A TIP call regarding game birds disposed of near a retail store location was addressed with enforcement action. Information about baited areas on public lands was investigated. A call about potential trespass was addressed, and some calls about injured and dead eagles were handled, with one injured eagle being transported to a rehab team.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) spent the week checking duck, grouse, and bear hunters. Many grouse hunters are reporting a reduced number of grouse in the area. Time was also spent monitoring ATV activity, answering calls from the public, and following up on complaints.

Pelican Rapids vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2024-10-08

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) and COC Mooers responded to a littering complaint where a deer carcass, plastic, and rubber gloves was dumped. The investigation is ongoing as to who did the littering. The officers met with the local soil and water conservation district regarding a restoration order for a wetland violation, and monitored ATV, fishing, and hunting activities. Several calls were handled on upcoming deer season questions.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) received multiple complaints of hunting waterfowl within the closed season this week and enforcement action was taken. Time was also spent on miscellaneous wildlife- and trespass-related complaints.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked waterfowl, small-game, and archery hunters. High winds in the area for the week have slowed down fishing activity. Public hunting area questions were numerous throughout the past week.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County. Time was spent patrolling local lakes, WMAs, and waterfowl production area for waterfowl hunters in the station. Many hunters were out for the start of the second portion of the waterfowl season in the Alexandria area. Individuals were having good success with some diving ducks being harvested. TIP calls were followed up on. Homan continued to follow up on an ongoing big-game case.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) noticed a drop in anglers and hunters this week. High winds over the weekend kept people away. The few duck hunters out had a couple ducks in the bag. Various enforcement taken throughout the week, including transporting waterfowl without a wing attached.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working waterfowl and recreational vehicle activity throughout the week and weekend. The hunters checked were found with their limits. Many questions were answered regarding the upcoming deer season.

CO Dan Baumbarger (Glenwood) continued training COC Chad Ziegler. Time was spent working ATV, grouse-, and waterfowl-hunting enforcement. Time was also spent checking areas for fishing activity. A taxidermy inspection was completed.

Wheaton vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 4 – Walker area

Last updated: 2024-10-08

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checking hunting and ATV activity. Enforcement action was taken for various ATV violations.

CO Corey Sura (Remer) worked waterfowl and small-game hunters as well ATV activity. Some folks managed to harvest a few birds, but overall bag numbers were low for both grouse and ducks. However, the number of birds in the pouch or on the strap did not seem to diminish anyone?s spirits. Enforcement action was taken on a handful of violations, including no state waterfowl stamp and no small-game licenses, and no PFDs on board a watercraft while duck hunting. Two duck hunters were unable to make it off a lake due to gusting winds and motor issues. When located by Sura and asked to put on life jackets before heading back to shore, they stated they did not have any.

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the local area for small-game, angling, and off-highway recreational vehicle traffic. Baum found several ATV and off-highway motorcycle riders enjoying some nice weather even with the dry conditions around the area. Baum took enforcement action for various ATV and OHM violations.

CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) worked Leech Lake throughout the week. Waterfowl hunters and fall anglers were checked, with most reporting limited success with the strong winds most of the week. McGowan also maintained station patrol equipment and prepped for an upcoming training.

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) conducted taxidermy inspections and took numerous calls for service. Additionally, big -game, small-game, angling, and off-highway vehicle traffic was worked.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) continued to work the variety of hunting seasons currently open. Calls from the public included various law questions pertaining to waterfowl season and small-game seasons. A special permit was issued to train hunting dogs afield with domesticated/game birds. ATV enforcement was also conducted throughout the week.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued to check anglers and various hunting activities. Perch fishing has been pretty good in the area. A call about an injured hawk was also received. Some time was spent attending meetings regarding the new ELS licensing system.

ATV rec officer vacant.