Minnesota #DNR Conservation Officer Reports-April 7, 2026

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports spending time this week monitoring angling activity on area lakes and rivers. Time was further spent working on open game violation cases. Vehicle operators were assisted when they became stuck in the snow after recent weather events.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #1) patrolled closed forest roads and ATV trails, monitored ATV and snowmobile activity, handled wildlife-related complaints, and completed online training.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) prepared for upcoming safety classes around the area. A law and ethics talk was presented for firearms safety students who braved a snowstorm to complete their field day. Additional time was spent working ongoing cases.

CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) monitored ice conditions and angling activity. WMAs and waterfowl production areas were patrolled for activity and ATV and off-road vehicle activity were worked.

CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week switching equipment over from winter to summer gear. Time was spent checking anglers and conducting an ice safety interview. Ice conditions in the area have degraded to the point where they are no longer safe. Anglers should start waiting for open water. Calls from the public included reports of feeding deer in a county with a deer ban.

CO Grey Corbus (Pelican Rapids) spent the week investigating an ATV trespassing complaint, participating in a career fair at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead, attending a firearms safety class, and working snowmobile activity with the recent snowfall. Ice angling has slowed significantly with the current ice conditions. However, Corbus has seen good success among those angling on the late ice.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked public lands and accesses this week for angling and trapping activity. ATV trails were also checked before the snowfall. Questions were answered on licenses, public water use, and animals. A career fair was attended at Menahga High School this week with CO Saewert.

CO Ryan Schaefer (Bemidji #2) spent this past week checking local anglers and following up on past action deer cases. Enforcement action was taken for using an invalid antlerless bonus tag on a deer harvested during the 2025 season.

Osage – vacant.

CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week focused on angling and recreational vehicle enforcement. She also attended a career fair at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spent time monitoring coyote hunters, spring trappers, and snowmobile activity. Coordination was done with volunteer safety instructors for upcoming ATV safety classes and current firearms safety classes.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling and trapping during the week. Ongoing cases from the past deer season were worked and nuisance-wildlife complaints were fielded.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked area lakes for fishing activity. Ice has started pulling away from shore on most lakes. Firearms safety classes are being scheduled in the area. Please check the DNR website for upcoming firearms safety classes.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County for trapping and ATV activities. Time was spent following up on ongoing cases. Enforcement action was taken for an overlimit of deer.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) patrolled public lands and ATV and trapping activity. She issued several possession permits for deer and completed training. She also conducted equipment maintenance.

CO Curtis Jepson (Wheaton) spent time checking area anglers. He has observed more walleyes in buckets this week. Various calls for service were also received.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) completed tasks that involved helping Camp Ripley staff with various background work. Help was also provided on district needs.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Glenwood) spent his time on recreational vehicle and trapping enforcement. He followed up on a complaint of illegal removal of aquatic plants from a lakeshore. He received a complaint of a trap not being tended to in the required timeframe.

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked snowmobile patrol and trapping and checked area lakes. The ice is rapidly deteriorating, and conditions vary on every lake. Cross worked on multiple open cases and answered multiple questions from people.

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the local area for angling and recreational vehicle traffic. He found reduced angling pressure around the area with weather and ice conditions rapidly changing. Baum found some snowmobilers enjoying the late snowfall. Baum wants to remind snowmobilers that trails are closed, and area gates have been closed on grant-in-aid trails on private property. Baum took enforcement action for various angling and recreational vehicle violations.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent the week checking anglers and spring beaver-trapping activity. Warm weather has deteriorated shorelines and ended the ice fishing season. Calls from the public included reports of illegal burning, requests for permits for found deer skulls, and a report of a dog caught in a trap. Saewert also spent the day at the Menahga career fair talking to high school students about becoming a conservation officer.

CO Patrick McGowan (Cass Lake) worked on Cass County lakes for angling activity. Poor ice conditions have resulted in very few anglers out fishing. McGowan also attended division training.

CO Jack Lien (Walker) focused on late ice fishing and snowmobile activity as the area received a good snow accumulation. He reports a few fish house/shelter, snowmobile, and ATV violations. Lien also assisted a neighbor CO with an illegal dumping case.

CO Corey Sura (Remer) monitored spring beaver-trapping activity and began equipment preparations for the transition to the spring season.

CO Levi Brown (Staples) patrolled the area for ATV activity over the past week. Earlier in the week, Brown responded to multiple fires at the request of DNR Forestry regarding violations. Enforcement action was taken for burning of prohibited materials.

ATV rec officer – vacant.