District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2021-03-22
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and ATV operators. Additional time was spent preparing for upcoming firearms safety classes and patrolling area public lands for activity/violations.
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports safe ice fishing is no longer an option in the area. Ice and open-water anglers were checked over the weekend and past week. Bowfishing enthusiasts are reminded that river locations are not open until the general spearing/bowfishing opener. Light geese and other various species of waterfowl were observed in good numbers. Turkeys are starting to be found away from the wintering flocks and beginning spring rituals. The snow is mostly gone and the potential of spring fires getting away is probable now.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the majority of the week focused on angling, snow goose hunting, and recreational vehicle enforcement. With the nicer weather, more people have been observed out riding ATVs and angling at area dams. Wood encourages people to brush up on the ATV regulations before heading out for a ride. She?s observed varied angling success at the area dams and has received questions regarding the ?bubbles? that seem to be around the eyes of the walleyes being caught. According to the Ortonville Fisheries supervisor, the bubbles are likely the result of gas bubble disease. The fish that have these most likely wintered in Mud Lake, which has high oxygen levels. Violations encountered during the week included angling without a license, angling without a license in possession, operating an ATV without headlights, operating an ATV without ATV safety, juvenile passenger on an ATV without a helmet, operating an unregistered ATV, failure to display ATV registration, and failure to notify of transfer of ownership of ATV.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) finalized an investigation where a fish house was left on the lake after the deadline without any identification on it. Plautz continues to work on litter, ATV enforcement, injured-animal calls, and fishing enforcement. Some time was spent at Glendalough State Park with more and more folks enjoying the trails. Spring ATV courses are getting organized with much interest in attending.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, ATV riders and trappers. Firearms safety classes in the area have been scheduled, so please consult the DNR website for upcoming classes. A dead bald eagle and illegal deer stands in WPAs were turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) worked angling and ATV enforcement throughout the previous week. Ice conditions continue to deteriorate on area lakes. Time was also spent following up on ongoing cases. A meeting was held with volunteer safety instructors regarding an upcoming firearms safety class.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) checked the last few ice anglers this week as conditions by the end were unfishable. Ice on lakes is starting to pull away from shore, with as much as 50 feet observed on smaller lakes. With assistance from DNR Forestry, several illegal/abandoned tree stands were seized off the Forada WMA. They had been left out from past deer seasons. A call about an accidentally trapped otter was taken from a spring beaver trapper.
CO Emily Leeb (Morris) focused enforcement efforts on fishing and ATV activity. Fire conditions were also monitored and area public lands were patrolled for litter violations. Preparations are underway for spring firearms safety classes.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2021-03-22
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending the Fisher firearms safety class. Time was also spent checking anglers and investigating a fire.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) attended in-person and online trainings. He also checked anglers and for shelters left on the ice.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) checked anglers on area lakes. The ice conditions continue to deteriorate, but anglers are having good success catching panfish. He completed online training and returned several phone calls regarding land-use questions.
CO Hannah Mishler (Bemidji #2) spent time patrolling local ATV trails and checking late-season anglers. Time was also spent in Lake Bemidji and Itasca state parks, and assistance was given with various fire and burning related complaints/incidents.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports ice conditions have deteriorated, nearly to the point anglers can?t access. Please use caution and plan on rescuing yourself if you fall through. Life jackets, ice picks and a plan to crawl out should be thought about. Vinton discussed possession limits with a couple of out-of-state anglers and took enforcement action on unpermitted fires. Vinton assisted the Otter Tail County Sheriff?s Office with a call in rural Otter Tail County where it was reported someone was threating to burn another?s house down and now their house was on fire. The sheriff?s office apprehended one person at the scene.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the past week patrolling for fishing, ATV, and fire activities. With the spring season coming on strong, Swedberg wants to remind ATV riders to check state trails status before riding. Many area trails are closed during the thaw season and all snowmobile trails that allow ATV access are closed until at least April 1. Ice conditions are expected to worsen this week with rain in the forecast. Be sure to check ice conditions and realize the ice might not be as good at the end of the day as it was in the morning.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) attended training, worked ongoing cases and met with the county attorney?s office to discuss an upcoming trial.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the past week working sport fishing, trapping and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent responding to miscellaneous wildlife-related calls.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) monitored angling activity and ice conditions, with lakes having varying amounts of ice breakup. The station was patrolled for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Patrol was conducted for fire activity, and wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas were checked for activity.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week monitoring ice angling and ATV activity in the Pelican Rapids station. Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly and the ice is honeycombed and pulling away from shore. Anglers should either use extreme caution and fish with a friend or hang up their ice fishing gear for the season. ATV operators looking to enjoy a ride on a nice spring day are encouraged to read the regulations, register their ATVs, and make sure anyone under the age of 18 is wearing a helmet. Landmark and CO Vinton investigated a potential overlimit of sunfish, and a possession permit for a road-killed fisher was issued. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, angling without a license in possession, failure to display ATV registration, and a juvenile under the age of 18 on an ATV without a helmet.
District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2021-03-22
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked pike anglers on Lake of the Woods. Several arsons were investigated in Marshall and Kittson counties. Charges are pending for a grassland arson in Kittson County.
CO Marc Johnson (Warroad South) spent time working angling activity on Lake of the Woods, patrolling state parks and forests, and assisted with a fire detail with DNR Forestry due to extreme fire conditions. After a weekend of warm weather and high winds, the ice on Lake of the Woods is no longer safe for travel as much of the shoreline and accesses are now open water. Multiple reports came in of ATVs and people on foot falling through the ice. Fortunately, no major injuries were sustained. Violations encountered included fishing with unattended lines, possession of non-VHS-certified bait, no angling licenses in possession and various ATV registration violations.
CO Aaron Larson (Baudette West) worked primarily angling and fire enforcement. Larson spent time checking the last few anglers remaining on Lake of the Woods. Ice conditions have become unsafe with several ATVs falling through the ice. Larson also spent time west of his station checking for illegal burning activity.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) worked angling activity on the Rainy River. Anglers showed up in strong numbers, as did the fish. Walleye fishing was a little better towards the end of the week, slowly declining into Sunday with some rainy weather. Most anglers targeting sturgeon did quite well over the weekend.
CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) spent time conducting fire investigations. With very little precipitation and windy weather, fires will spread rapidly. ATV activity was also monitored and enforcement action was taken.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) investigated multiple wildfires with charges pending for arson. He also investigated a complaint of feral swine and took enforcement action for untagged snares and failure to tend snares as required.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) concentrated on angling and fire enforcement this past week. Elwell also worked on annual training. Enforcement action was taken for negligent acts causing a wildfire.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports checking anglers and monitoring for ATV activity in seasonally closed areas for spring thaw. Regas reports ice conditions continue to deteriorate on area lakes and reminds anglers to use caution when venturing out on the ice of area lakes.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2021-03-22
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) spent time on a variety of activities during the past week. Enforcement action during the week consisted of ATV violations, burning without a permit, litter and failure to register deer. A controlled substance DUI arrest was made. State forest roads and trails are closed in the area until further notice and burning restrictions are in place so refer to the DNR website for updated information.
CO Mike Cross (Lake George) worked primarily on training, equipment maintenance, and checking late-season anglers. Ice conditions are different all over the area and continue to deteriorate daily. Enforcement action was taken for multiple ATV violations and Cross assisted the sheriff?s office and State Patrol with traffic control during a large structure fire.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) responded to calls about an injured owl, people feeding deer, an accidental catch, and a fish house left out past the deadline. She also investigated a big-game violation and shoreline violations.
CO Calie Kunst (Remer) spent time working ATV and sport fishing enforcement. Multiple ATVs were found riding on closed trails. Enforcement action was also taken on expired ATV registration, failure to have ATV safety training and operating in the road right of way. Kunst also conducted a follow-up interview from deer season.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued training COC Nicholas Baum this week. Mathy and Baum patrolled Park Rapids and Cass Lake area. Mathy and Baum observed angling activity on Pike Bay, Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish. Mathy and Baum had violations including no license in possession, failure to display ATV registration, and ATV operator/passengers under 18 without helmets. Mathy and Baum investigated big-game cases from the previous fall related to an invalid bonus deer tag, failure to submit a bear tooth, and failure to register a bear bait. Mathy and Baum want to remind anglers to check ice conditions as temperatures increase.
Walker vacant.
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