Weekly CO report
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2026-04-20
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week checking Turkey hunters in the field during the opening week. Time was spent providing insight on becoming a conservation officer at the Northland Job Expo. Enforcement action was taken for various ATV violations.CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area turkey hunters and following up with various complaints.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week monitoring turkey hunting activity. Fontes reports a lot of birds, a few hunters, and bitterly cold winds towards the end of the week. Contact was made with several hunters who braved the elements to try and bag a bird. Enforcement action was taken for no turkey license in possession.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports continued angling pressure on Rainy River. Many sturgeon anglers are braving the weather in hope of landing a record. Enforcement action was taken for angling with extra lines, no license in possession, and failure to remove drain plug from boat.
CO Bobby Stringer (Thief River Falls West) reports a slower turkey season opener as cooler temperatures set in. Turkey flock sightings endure as bachelor groups were noted throughout the area. ATV activity on local trails has picked up as trails become navigable. Stringer attended a Tri-State Game Warden meeting in Wahpeton, ND where coordination and case studies were the focus. Enforcement actions for the week included angling, ATV, and watercraft violations, fail to validate a turkey harvest tag, and trespass on agricultural property without permission as required.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls West) Law and ethics talks were given at a firearms safety class in Argyle, and ATV safety classes in Grygla and Newfolden. Spring trapping activity and spring turkey season was worked. Several wildlife complaints were handled.
Baudette East – vacant.
Blackduck South – vacant.
Blackduck North – vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2026-04-20
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a meeting with ND and SD Game Wardens. Time was further spent working on TIP complaints. Turkey hunters and anglers were also checked.
CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #1) spent his time patrolling roads and trails for ATV activity. Recreational activity was slow throughout the week, with the colder temperatures. Time was also spent checking a handful of stream trout anglers and completing online training.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) patrolled the area for ATV and fire activity. A few shore anglers were checked, while wind driven ice out continued at a rapid rate, despite cooler temperatures. Turkey hunting participation appeared sporadic for season A.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) attended a meeting with North and South Dakota Game Wardens, where they discussed different cases, training methods, and other ways to improve and coordinate enforcement efforts across state lines. Other time was spent working spring fishing activity and patrolling state lands for ATV activity.
CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on leeching activity and monitoring streams for fish run activity. Patrol was conducted in area WMAs and WPAs . Trails were worked for ATV and off road vehicle activity. Assistance was provided to Mahnomen County Sheriff’s office, with locating an ATV involved in a crash.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week working commercial leeching activity and checking spring turkey hunters. Spring turkey hunter success was slow over the first half of “A” season. Hunters reported the wind and colder weather hindered the hunt. Ice is now off area lakes and a few people were out braving the cold over the weekend, searching for early panfish and taking advantage of the new continuous bass season. CO Landmark and CO Corbus also attended the Pelican Valley Pheasants Forever’s annual youth turkey hunt and spoke on law and ethics. Calls from the public included reports of leeching complaints, trespass complaints, and a report of a person shooting a turkey out of the window of a vehicle.
CO Grey Corbus (Pelican Rapids) spent the week attending an event with bordering state Conservation Law Enforcement Officers from North and South Dakota. He also spent time working turkey hunting activity, helping with a youth turkey event, and patrolling for ATV and angling activity. The weather started to warm up, and lakes are now mostly open. Enforcement action was taken for burning violations. CO Corbus reports many fires occurring in the area, due to the dry conditions, and encourages the public to stay up to date on the status of burning in the state, in addition to obtaining permits.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked turkey hunters for the first week of the spring season, along with additional activity on public lands. The Raptor Center was assisted with an eagle rescue. A call about dogs chasing deer and litter on a WMA was addressed. Questions were answered about licenses and wildlife.
CO Ryan Schaefer (Bemidji #2) spent this past week patrolling forest roads and checking beaver trappers. CO Schaefer investigated a trespassing complaint / property dispute and assisted with a local house fire.
Osage – vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2026-04-20
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked spring trapping and turkey hunting throughout the week. Equipment maintenance was conducted. An ongoing dumping case was handled and closed. Enforcement action was taken for speeding.
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the local area for angling and recreational vehicle traffic. CO Baum found many anglers having success in local shore fishing spots. CO Baum wants to remind the public that Forest Roads in the area are closed for spring thaw and to check the MN DNR website for most up to date road closures. CO Baum took enforcement action on various angling, recreational vehicle, and public waters violations.
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) checked turkey hunters in the area, hunters in the A season appear to be having success. A report of a juvenile who had shot a hen turkey was taken. CO Saewert responded to several wildfires throughout the week. The public is reminded to use caution when burning and to be sure any intentional fires are out cold before leaving them unattended.
CO Patrick McGowan (Cass Lake) worked turkey hunters and ATV activity throughout the week. CO McGowan also completed annual training and prepared his station patrol boats for the upcoming open water season.
CO Jack Lien (Walker) made time to conduct equipment maintenance as the season continues to transition. Lien acquired his patrol boats from storage and put his snowmobile away for the snowless seasons. Ice on Leech as well as other large bodies of water still have ice on them, but it is receding from the shoreline rapidly bringing more open water by the day. Lien has spotted a small number of people with boats on the water already and suspects the number will increase throughout the week. ATV patrols brought light activity as the only enforcement actions addressed were a child on board without a helmet on a county road and registration display. Lien wishes to remind the public there are still burning restrictions implemented and fire season has commenced as the dry weather and wind have been present.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) continued to monitor spring trapping activity. Several trappers who had already caught their limit of otter called to report incidental otter catches. Sura followed up with an individual where enforcement action was taken for trapping violations. An investigation from the 2025 firearms deer season was also completed when it was found that the individual had harvested a doe in an antlerless lottery permit area without being awarded an antlerless permit for that season.
ATV rec officer – vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2026-04-20
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) checked area streams for fish run activity, worked ATV activity and followed up on a trapping complaint. Turkey hunting activity was monitored with success in the area. Injured animal complaints were handled and a dead bald eagle was reported.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked ATV’s and ATV trails in the area. A trapping complaint was received and investigated. Firearm safety class talk was given at the Brandon Firearm Safety Class.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) continues to see lots of rainbow and brown trout in the buckets from the trout stream in her station. Turkey opener and continued trapping enforcement has kept her busy. CO Znajda represented the DNR Honor Guard as Commissioner Sarah Strommen presented the 2025 Operation Excellence Award to her in Willow River.
CO Curtis Jepson (Wheaton) spent the week attending a Tri-State meeting. Met with bordering Dakota Game Wardens to discuss highlighted cases and standard operating procedures. The remainder of the time was spent checking anglers and a few turkey hunters. Also assisted Wilkin County on a structure fire.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) monitored turkey hunting and fishing activities throughout the week. A funeral was also attended. Planning for an upcoming FAS class was done and assistance was given to the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Service.
CO Andrew Ladzinski (Glenwood) spent his time on trapping and angling enforcement. Anglers are starting to get out on the open water, finding some sunfish and a few crappies. A complaint was handled of a raccoon in a trap in Villard. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession and failure to have identification on a trap.
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