MN DNR Conservation Officer

Weekly CO report

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2024-11-26

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) along with COC Calli Oberg continued working the firearms deer season. Lower numbers of hunters were seen with mixed hunting success. Many hunters reported gearing up for muzzleloader season. Violations seen this week included: burning without a permit, inadequate blaze orange, possessing an open bottle and illegal shining. Multiple TIPS were also fielded.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area deer hunters and following up with various complaints.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) reports a busy end to the firearms deer season. Fontes reports that another gross misdemeanor level shining case was made. Enforcement action was also taken throughout the week for transporting a loaded firearm, un-helmeted juveniles in an ATV, and operating an ATV during restricted hours.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) continued monitoring area deer hunting activity taking enforcement action for no headlights on ATV, operate ATV in closed hours, operate ATV on State Highway, transport loaded firearm in motor vehicle, and fail to register deer as required.

CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) worked the end of firearms deer season and handled TIP calls. Enforcement action was taken for group shining deer resulting in seizure of a firearm and a deer. A trapping case was also started for an individual preempting trapping spots.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) continued to monitor deer-hunting activity throughout the area. Nuisance animal calls were also handled. Enforcement action was taken for multiple ATV violations, failure to register within 48 hours of harvest, and gross misdemeanor shining.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) continued training with COC Sara Mooers. Officers investigated numerous violations related to the firearms deer season, which included, but were not limited to the following offenses: hunt without a license, overlimit possession of deer, transport loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, fail to register deer, blaze orange required, feeding and use of attractants in prohibited area, hunting over bait, and hunting while intoxicated.

Baudette East vacant.

Blackduck South vacant.

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2024-11-26

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports following up on deer season related cases. Various wildlife related complaints were also received.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) spent time patrolling and following up with open big game cases. A TIP call resulted in an overlimit of two bucks being seized, along with a crossbow used in the violation. Enforcement action was taken for shooting at a big game decoy from a motor vehicle, transporting loaded firearm, hunting deer without a firearm license, and various ATV violations.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) continued deer season follow up and investigations. Trapping activity was monitored and an illegally taken otter was seized. Preparations for the snow and hard water seasons began. Those after geese in open water are urged to use safety equipment as water temperatures are near freezing.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week following up on cases from the deer season. He also assisted with K9 training and participated in a work detail in the Blackduck area.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) and COC Bobby Stringer report mixed harvests, as the waterfowl season closes throughout the region. Some local lakes are still open; however, the ice is starting to form. Both officers want to remind the public of the dangers of walking on early ice. Enforcement action and investigations for the week included driving after revocation, no license in possession, hunting with no small game license, ATV violations, and blaze orange/pink violations.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week following up with cases from the firearms deer season and completing reports.

CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) worked WMA and WPA activity and post firearm deer season rules compliance. ATV and off road vehicle activity was worked. Officer Warren completed annual online training and questions about White Earth Reservation and hunting regulations were answered.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) Patrolled for firearms deer activity in zone 684, for the final week, and for archery activity. TIPs on property on public lands were followed up. An overlimit of deer TIP case was also worked, which resulted in enforcement action taken and seizure of the deer. Questions about license and bonus permit use in specific zones were answered.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) spent time checking hunters during the last week of the firearms deer season. He worked two deer decoy details with area Conservation Officers. Enforcement action was taken for two separate discharge firearm from motor vehicle at decoy cases and multiple transporting loaded firearms.

Pelican Rapids vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2024-11-26

CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week working on trainings, checking waterfowl hunters, and fielding deer disposal complaints. CO Wood would like to remind people to take the proper route in disposing of deer and not to dump them in the ditches or on private property without permission.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spent time following up on after deer season complaints with several involving the illegal dumping of deer carcasses. Wetland cases are still under investigation with the local government units following up with surveys. Pheasant hunters and goose hunters were found over the weekend having some success. A TIP was investigated with the possibility of a hunter taking two bucks. Investigation and work with an out of state game warden revealed the bucks were taken in another state. Time was also spent on squad maintenance this week.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) checked waterfowl hunting as well as investigated ongoing cases from the firearms deer season. Nuisance animal calls were also received and fielded.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) followed up on deer season complaints. Investigations on deer and goose carcass dumping were investigated. Ice fishing and fish house questions were received.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) patrolled Douglas County for waterfowl, pheasant hunting, and small game activity. Time was spent following up on complaints and TIP calls. CO Homan received a call regarding two mature bucks that had their antlers locked together. CO Homan was able to free the antlers and one of the deer was likely to survive.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working waterfowl and pheasant hunters over the week and weekend. Violations encountered included no federal duck stamps, no small game license, and burning prohibited materials.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) spent the week following up on big game violations and checking small game hunters. Several WMA/WPA/AMA violations encountered and being investigated. Busy weekend consisted of numerous duck hunters with minimal ducks for the last weekend. Various violations encountered.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking trappers, waterfowl, and pheasant hunters. Additional time was spent investigating potential wetland violations and answering questions about the upcoming muzzleloader season.

Wheaton vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 4 – Walker area

Last updated: 2024-11-26

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) continued to work the Firearm deer season. Success remained consistent throughout the week to hunters that Cross spoke with. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and Deer hunting violations.

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) assisted neighboring partners with the final weekend of firearm deer season. CO Baum worked multiple details with several COs resulting in two shoot at decoy from motor vehicle violation and transport loaded firearm violation.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) continued working deer hunting this week. Saewert spoke with numerous hunters, most of whom reported low, but slightly improving, deer numbers. Follow up is being conducted on trespassing complaints, along with other issues. Time was spent in District 2 assisting with the final week of deer season. A citation was issued to an individual for transporting a loaded firearm.

CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) spent the week checking hunters as both the duck and firearm deer seasons came to close. CO McGowan continues training a conservation officer candidate from the last academy, and time was spent checking deer hunters around the area. Enforcement action was taken for numerous deer hunting violations.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked deer hunters. Some time was spent attending meetings and working on items related to the new licensing system. Mathy also attended a court meeting on an existing public water alteration case.

CO Corey Sura (Remer) checked duck hunters some of the last few days of the season for the north zone. Sura investigated deer hunting related complaints and information. Enforcement action was taken for transporting loaded firearms in a motor vehicle.

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked deer hunting activity. Investigated ongoing cases and took multiple calls regarding hunting and trapping concerns.

CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports attending monthly K9 training, checking firearms deer hunters and investigating on-going complaints.

ATV rec officer vacant.