Weekly CO report

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2025-03-31

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) monitored tip-up northern pike fishing, patrolled area wildlife management areas, and checked coyote hunters. A citation was issued for transporting a loaded firearm.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers and following up on various complaints. Violations encountered were no shelter license, walleye overlimit, and an angler being more than 200 feet from a tip up. Anglers are reminded to check ice conditions before venturing out as warmer weather is causing accesses to deteriorate.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling the Beltrami Island State Forest and the surrounding area for coyote-hunting activity. He assisted CO Ben Huener with a regulatory check that led to enforcement action being taken for transporting a loaded gun.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports continually changing ice conditions. With ice on the Rainy River continuing to open westward, tributaries are starting to show signs of lessening ice. Anglers have not been deterred and are still venturing out to chase northern pike and walleyes. Time was spent investigating illegal bait and checking ice anglers.

CO Paul Kennedy (Baudette East) checked ice anglers throughout the week. Anglers were also taking advantage of open water along the Rainy River farther to the east. Enforcement action for the week included possession of illegal bait.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) worked a detail on Lake of the Woods with CO Hams and responded to a nuisance-bear and injured-eagle complaint. Enforcement action for the week included angling with extra lines, no shelter license, angling with an unattended line, and an angler being more than 200 feet from a tip up.

CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) spent time continuing to work cases from the previous deer season. She spoke on laws and ethics in Hallock for a firearms safety class. Presentations were done in Sleepy Eye with CO Thor Nelson at the Dyckman Library.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week training in Grand Rapids. Enforcement action was taken for an individual burning prohibited materials.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) monitored angling activity on Upper Red Lake. He attended a Furbearer Committee meeting and prepared for an upcoming firearms safety training course.

CO Brianna Shaw (Blackduck South) spent the week patrolling for angling and recreational vehicle activity. Additional time was spent planning a firearms safety field day.

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2025-03-31

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports presenting a 50-year firearms safety award to a Crookston-area instructor this week. Time was also spent checking anglers and monitoring prior ATV-complaint areas. Various wildlife-related complaints were received.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) spent time checking anglers who were hoping to reel in some panfish. Investigations into illegal aquatic plant removal were also continued and he attended aviation training in Grand Rapids. While local lakes still have a fair amount of ice, access points are melting fast. He urges anglers to tread carefully when venturing out during the late-ice season.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) found a few anglers still braving the ice for panfish this past week. Conditions are highly variable and anyone venturing out on a lake should use caution. Deer-hunting investigations and follow up continued. He also fielded complaints of dogs chasing deer.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking anglers and burning activity and walking wildlife management areas. Swedberg also trained with K9 Axel and completed some online training. He also answered questions about nuisance/injured animals.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) continues to work an ongoing wildfire case. Ice conditions are degrading drastically across the station and only a couple anglers were checked during the week. A few wildlife-related complaints were handled, and time was also spent preparing for upcoming CO Academy instruction.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week finishing field training with CO Jepson. Ice is no longer safe, and anglers are starting to try spring shore-fishing locations. So far, fishing has been slow. Time was spent checking spring beaver-trapping activity as well. As spring conditions lead into ATV season, riders are reminded to read the regulations and ensure every occupant under the age of 18 is wearing a helmet. Calls from the public included reports of an injured deer and permit requests for car-killed furbearers.

CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on ice angling activity, monitoring area streams/rivers, and public access compliance. Area WMAs and waterfowl production areas were patrolled. Area forest trails were monitored, and ATV and off-road vehicle activity was worked.

CO Matthew Boyle (Pelican Rapids) spent time patrolling his station in preparation for turkey season. Boyle reports a good turkey population in the area and expects a successful season. Ice fishing pressure continues to dwindle, with only a few anglers out over the course of the week. He spoke on laws and ethics to 18 students in the Rothsay firearms safety class.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) patrolled public lands for activity and checked area lakes. Miscellaneous calls about wildlife were also addressed.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) spent the week monitoring recreational vehicle activity, following up on a big-game-related case, and answering questions from the public. He also attended a funeral for a retired Red Lake conservation officer. Enforcement action was taken for an overlimit of big game.

CO Curtis Jepson (District 2) spent the week patrolling the counties of District 2 for late ice angling and ATV enforcement. With the deteriorating ice conditions, angling activity was extremely limited. Enforcement was taken for no fishing license and a sunfish overlimit, as well as no headlights on an ATV traveling on the roadway. Time was also spent patrolling temporary road closures in the state forests, which are in place due to the spring thaw.

Weekly CO report

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2025-03-31

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spoke to two firearms safety classes on laws and ethics. Awards were given to three volunteer safety instructors for their dedicated 30 years of teaching. An ATV safety class was scheduled, equipment maintenance was performed, and ice conditions were monitored.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) spent the week focusing on angling and ATV activity. Time was also spent on nuisance-animal calls and answering questions regarding lake turnover. Brown attended a career fair for upcoming law enforcement students.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) continued an investigation into a fishing violation complaint. A firearms safety class was attended in Brandon. Osborne spoke to the class about laws and regulations. ATV-operation questions were received and answered.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County for angling and trapping activity. A few people have been out attempting to locate late-ice panfish. Station equipment maintenance and training were completed during the week. Enforcement action was taken for a variety of trapping violations, as well as an overlimit of sunfish.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) monitored the few anglers still out on the ice. She patrolled ATV activity and investigated reports of public access violations. She responded to miscellaneous animal-related complaints.

CO Bobby Stringer (Wheaton) reports an increase in boat traffic on Lake Traverse as the weather warms and the accesses open. All accesses on the Minnesota side of Lake Traverse are open, with docks in place. Although the docks are in place, boaters must be aware of slight fanning and damage to slabs from previous ice. Stringer reports slight angling success at the Reservation Dam and the Mustinka River. Enforcement action for the week included operation of an off-road vehicle on public road rights of way, failure to display watercraft registration, and failure to have a required lifesaving device immediately available.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing and recreational vehicle enforcement. Tactical flight training was also attended.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were focused on checking anglers, ATV operators, and spring beaver trappers. Additional time was spent on nuisance animal complaints and follow up on commercial cases.

Weekly CO report

District 4 – Walker area

Last updated: 2025-03-31

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the local area for angling and recreational vehicle activity. Baum found many anglers enjoying the area lakes with nice weather and good late-season ice. Baum found varying success among anglers around the area. He patrolled the closed forest roads and took enforcement action for operating on closed forest roads and failure to renew ATV registration. Baum wants to remind people to check online for road closures within the forest and to check for road closed signs on forest roads.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) checked people ice fishing on local lakes. Ice conditions continue to deteriorate. ATV traffic continues to rise as the weather warms. Riders are reminded to check their registration prior to riding. State forest roads continue to stay closed for the spring thaw.

CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass County Lakes for angling activity. Activity was slow in the area due to deteriorating ice conditions. Enforcement action was taken for numerous violations.

CO Corey Sura (Remer) reports fishing activity had slowed quite a bit over the past weekend. Sura worked on closing out old cases, completing equipment inventory, and beginning prep work on boats.

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked angling and ATV activity. She also took calls regarding litter, angling, and hunting concerns.

Staples vacant.

Cass Lake vacant.

ATV rec officer vacant.