
MN DNR Conservation Officer
Weekly CO report
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2024-10-14
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked duck hunters on Thief Lake and walleye/sauger anglers on Lake of the Woods. Participants in both activities have had fair success. Area grouse hunters are reporting a below-average number of birds. Enforcement action taken for using an extra line.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area small-game hunters and anglers. Small-game hunters are reporting limited success.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) assisted with hiring interviews in St. Paul. Fontes also spent the week following up on various cases. Most notably, he investigated a case of a buck that was illegally shot with a firearm. Anyone with information is urged to call the TIP hotline at 800-652-9093.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports increased angling activity on the Rainy River. Time was spent working angling, boat and water safety, and ATV activity. Enforcement action was taken for angling with an extra line and no angling license in possession.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) gave presentations on ATV and snowmobile safety to the fifth and eighth grades at two local schools, checked area anglers enjoying the mild temps, and monitored ATV activity. Enforcement action taken for angling without a license, possessing illegal-length fish, taking fish while privileges are suspended, operating an ATV on a public highway, no ATV safety training, and no motorcycle endorsement.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time finishing up taxidermy inspections and working waterfowl, small-game, and angling activities. Talks were given to fifth and eighth graders in Thief River Falls regarding ATV safety.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent time completing commercial taxidermy inspections as well as checking waterfowl hunters throughout the week. Time was also spent investigating a trespass complaint and assisting local law enforcement agencies with calls for service.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) attended wildland fire investigation training in Willow River.
Baudette East vacant.
Blackduck South vacant.
Weekly CO report
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-10-14
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking archery deer hunters and small-game hunters this week. Anglers were contacted on local lakes. Time was also spent checking waterfowl hunters on area waterbodies. Various wildlife-related calls were received.
CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) followed up with ongoing cases and questions from the public. He worked with other officers on problem areas for deer shining. Taxidermy inspections were completed.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) checked waterfowl hunters and shore anglers out embracing the long-awaited change of seasons. A new flush of birds provided a variety for hunters, while bigger fish have entered fall patterns. Additional time was spent assisting at a firearms safety class and conducting commercial inspections. Goodman responded to injured-wildlife calls and advised landowners on the finer details of trespass laws.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) patrolled the station for hunting activity, with numerous seasons currently open. Many small-game hunters were checked, and burning related violations were addressed. Outdoor users are reminded to pay attention to the burning restrictions before burning, as the area is very dry. Enforcement action was taken for several violations, and assistance was provided to the Becker County Sheriff?s Office at a fatal ATV crash.
CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week attending a wildfire investigators course, where fire behavior and investigative techniques were learned. Time was also spent answering miscellaneous law questions, complaints, and reports of injured animals.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) worked waterfowl-hunting activity, with hunters reporting few birds. Anglers and boaters were monitored. Pheasant opener was worked, with hunters reporting fair to poor success. Wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas were patrolled. Warren worked areas for possible illegal shining activity and assistance was provided to the Becker County Sheriff?s Office with lost juveniles on an ATV. The juveniles were located, and education was provided.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked waterfowl hunters, who were having some good results. Buffleheads, wigeons, mallards, pintails, and teal were harvested. Animal-possession permits were written, and TIP calls and a wolf-depredation call for a killed calf were investigated. Small-game and archery hunters were also checked, and firearms safety was taught to a youth class. Toxic shot in possession while hunting waterfowl was addressed.
CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) had the honor of attending the funeral for fallen United States National Park Service Ranger Kevin Grossheim. Time was also spent checking waterfowl and grouse hunters, and monitoring ATV activity. Enforcement action was taken for ATV youthful passengers without helmets.
Pelican Rapids vacant.
Weekly CO report
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-10-14
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) continued field training COC Sara Mooers. They checked area WMAs and public lands, conducted local taxidermy inspections, and worked the pheasant season opener. Hunters reported seeing pheasants, but the number of pheasants harvested was low. The officers also checked waterfowl hunters, archery (deer) hunters, and anglers who were out on the waters enjoying the weather. Panfish anglers were successful in area lakes.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports spending most of his enforcement effort on small-game and angling activity in the area. Brown saw a lot of hunters out for the pheasant opener but did not see many birds in the bag. Enforcement action this week included juvenile passengers on an ATV without a required helmet worn, taking small game without a small-game license, and transporting loaded firearms in a motor vehicle.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) and COC Petersen checked several waterfowl and small-game hunters. Violations found were no PFDs, and not having required licenses or stamps. Mixed success was found among hunters checked.
CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas and Traverse counties. Time was spent checking shore anglers, waterfowl hunters, and pheasant hunters. Time was also spent assisting other local agencies on several significant medical calls.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) reports a very busy weekend with duck and pheasant hunters and heavy angling pressure. A search warrant was served on an ongoing investigation and numerous taxidermist inspections were completed. Assistance was provided to the Osakis Police Department with a vehicle crash and to the Grant County Sheriff?s Office on a report of a domestic with possible shooting. Znajda provided Honor Guard duties at the funeral for fallen United States National Park Service Ranger Kevin Grossheim.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working small-game and recreational activity over the weekend. A lot of pheasant hunters were out, with limited numbers of birds seen. Enforcement action was taken for hunting without licenses and stamps. Assistance was also given to local authorities.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, ATV operators, and waterfowl hunters. Additional time was spent checking pheasant hunters over opening weekend, with hunters having limited success.
Wheaton vacant.
Weekly CO report
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-10-14
CO Corey Sura (Remer) attended wildland fire investigation training. Duck hunters were checked and found to be having success thanks to some cold weather and north winds moving through.
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for angling, small-game, waterfowl, and recreational vehicle activity. Baum found an increase in small-game hunters and recreational vehicle traffic with the cooler weather. Baum has found varying success for small-game and angling activity. Baum took enforcement action for various violations.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports investigating TIP calls and patrolling area lakes and rivers for anglers and duck hunters. He also reports attending the funeral service for Voyagers National Park Ranger Kevin Grossheim.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) answered calls for service, and patrolled area lakes and woods checking big-game, small-game, and anglers and hunters. Taxidermy inspections were conducted, and equipment was prepared for the winter months ahead.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Leech Lake for waterfowl and angling activity. High winds over the weekend limited opportunities and most people were reporting limited success. McGowan also investigated a fire and taught a portion to the wildland fire arson school. Enforcement action was taken for a variety of boating, angling, and waterfowl-hunting violations.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent time patrolling local lakes, WMAs, and WPAs for waterfowl hunters in the station. Saewert responded to a grass fire; enforcement action was taken for failure to obtain a burning permit, burning prohibited materials, and failure to extinguish a fire. The public is encouraged not to burn with the dry/windy conditions and to make sure all campfires are fully extinguished.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers and small-game hunters. Perch fishing continues to be good overall. More hunters were seen in the woods as the leaves have started falling. Mathy also assisted with response to a wildfire incident. Enforcement action was taken for angling, boating, and small-game-hunting violations.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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