District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2021-04-13
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) did follow-up work on a couple of arson cases. Contact was made with a turkey hunter who was putting out bait to attract turkeys. The hunter was informed of turkey baiting laws, which are very similar to deer-baiting laws. Online training was completed.
CO Marc Johnson (Warroad South) primarily worked angling activity on the Rainy River and at local public accesses. In addition, time was spent patrolling the station and monitoring for smoke/fire and ATV activity. Fortunately, the area received some much-needed precipitation throughout the week, which helped offset the extremely dangerous fire conditions from the week prior. Anglers reported mixed success for walleyes and sturgeon while fishing on the river.
CO Aaron Larson (Baudette West) worked primarily angling enforcement. Larson spent time checking anglers on the Rainy River. Angling success varied throughout the week due to changing water clarity. Enforcement action was taken for various boat and water violations, angling with an extra line, keeping walleyes during the closed season and for a littering violation.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) checked anglers fishing the Rainy River, investigated a deer-carcass litter complaint and completed miscellaneous equipment maintenance. Violations encountered for the week include various boat-registration issues and fishing without a valid license.
CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) investigated a grass fire that took place around the Lancaster area. He also completed training and monitored fishing activity. He spent a considerable amount of time with ATV enforcement this past week. Reminder to put DOT-certified helmets on your kids under the age of 18 while operating or riding on an ATV. We also highly encourage everyone to a wear a helmet, regardless of their age.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) monitored the spring fish run and area ATV activity. He responded to calls of nuisance badgers, burning prohibited materials and wildfires. Enforcement action was taken for no helmet on a juvenile ATV passenger, no ATV safety training, allowing illegal operation of an ATV by a juvenile and ATV registration violations.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) spent time with seasonal equipment changeover and preparing for the upcoming turkey season. Shore anglers were checked and boaters on the Red Lake River were found to be in good compliance with regulations. A few angling violations were dealt with.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports monitoring ATV activity, spring closures and checking anglers on special regulation lakes. Time was spent monitoring angler AIS compliance, checking spring beaver trappers and taking several calls of incidental catches of otters and muskrats. Violations encountered and addressed included ATVs operating on the roadway and registration violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) attended EMT refresher training at Camp Ripley. Time was also spent working sport fishing and AIS enforcement.
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports following up on wildfire cases. Time was also spent checking anglers and watercraft operators. ATV operators were also contacted. Various angling and watercraft-related violations were encountered.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) checked fish run activity, spring trappers and a few anglers.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) worked boat and water safety shifts with CO Larson on the Rainy River over the weekend. The river was busy and several large sturgeon and walleyes were observed being caught. Anglers are reminded to check for boating safety equipment and registration before going on the water. Vollbrecht followed up on a complaint of individuals filling a wetland and patrolled areas for ATV activity.
CO Hannah Mishler (Bemidji #2) patrolled for ATV activity and followed up on a complaint of ATVs operating on wildlife management area land. A report of an accidental otter catch was handled and assistance was given to the Bemidji Police Department. Time was also spent training with K9 Storm.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports scouting for turkeys that hunters may be pursuing for the approaching 2021 spring turkey season. Vinton assisted with putting together training from the EVOC team. ATV and spring fire patrols were conducted and complaints of a public water access that had ATV damage done were investigated. A possible violation of aquatic plant removal is under investigation. Questions were fielded about the new sunfish regulations.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week working sport fishing, ATV, and fish run activities. Water temperatures were rising through the first part of the week. The surface water temperature in a lot of areas lakes is in the mid-40s. Some anglers were having success with crappies, but for the most part it was still difficult to find crappies in shallow areas. Swedberg also worked a TIP complaint with CO Landmark on early bowfishers along the Pelican River. The COs were able to make contact with two groups of bowfishers who did not realize the season starts in two weeks (April 24). Enforcement action for the week included angling without a license, bowfishing out of season, illegal operation by a youth on an ATV and OHM, operating an OHM on a county highway, and expired boat registration.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) handled calls of a dead eagle and trespass. He also worked beaver and minnow trappers as well as early open-water anglers.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent issuing wildlife-possession permits and answering questions about the upcoming spring turkey season.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling, leeching and fish run activity. Boating safety regulation checks were performed. Patrol was conducted for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. A call of a car-hit eagle was received. Upon investigation, it was identified as a Canada goose. WMAs and waterfowl production areas were monitored for activity.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week monitoring the spring fish run, checking anglers, and patrolling for ATV and OHM violations. Anglers are finding a few crappies in the shallow bays, but the water temperatures need to warm up some for the activity to pick up. Early season boaters are reminded to make sure every occupant has a life jacket. It does not take long for hypothermia to set in with the current water temps. With the early ice-out, bowfishers are reminded that the early bowfishing season is only for lakes south of Highway 210. While on patrol, Landmark and CO Swedberg observed bowfishing boats on an area lake. The anglers were surprised to see the officers and were unaware of the early bowfishing regulations, as they did not read the regulations thoroughly. It was discovered that the anglers were taking rough fish out of season, taking rough fish in a closed spawning area, and had no life jackets onboard their watercraft. Enforcement action was also taken for multiple life jacket violations, watercraft registration violations, angling without a license, and several ATV/OHM violations.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2021-04-13
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports boats and anglers are getting out for some early panfish action. Despite low water temperatures, crappies were still being caught in shallow bays. Richards took reports of incidentally caught otters and fielded questions related to turkey hunting. Contacts were made on the water with reminders on boat registration and safety items.
CO Emily Leeb (Morris) reports working fishing and recreational vehicle enforcement. Enforcement action for the week included fishing without a license, failure to report taking a nuisance beaver within 24 hours, and failure to have a throwable PFD on board a watercraft.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) monitored fishing, boating, and invasive species throughout the week. ATV traffic was worked and Plautz assisted with a firearms safety field day in the Battle Lake area. Incidentally caught muskrats from multiple trappers were handled.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, fish run activity, boaters and ATV riders. Calls about trapping, firearm safety classes and boating were received. The local streams and lakes are at full capacity after this week?s rain, so boaters should be careful of hazards while on the water.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and boaters. Calls were handled about the upcoming fishing opener and the husband/wife fishing license.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) checked anglers, recreational vehicles and trapping throughout the previous week. Time was also spent organizing a firearms safety class and monitoring spring fish run activity. A TIP complaint was received and an investigation is ongoing.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) again spent the week on angling enforcement. She took calls from the public with questions and concerns. She is working with the area Fisheries office to get signs for the Mustinka River to clearly identify where the line is for the border waters. The rain during the week caused the water levels in the area to increase significantly. Wood continues to work on follow up, and some commercial inspections were completed.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) worked throughout the week checking panfish anglers both from shore and boats. With heavy rains, it was hard to get outside most of the week, but by the weekend anglers were enjoying nicer weather and some mixed crappie success. A few anglers were reminded that targeting bass before fishing opener is not allowed. Another angler was cited for possessing marijuana and paraphernalia while fishing with his children.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2021-04-13
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) checked spring trappers and anglers, and responded to numerous incidental catches. An illegal bridge that was blocking navigable river waters was also investigated. Cross responded to an ATV accident and attended emergency medical training at Camp Ripley.
CO Calie Kunst (Remer) spent time enforcing ATV laws throughout the week. Violations that were found were addressed to drivers. Kunst also took phone calls on incidental otters trapped in beaver sets. She also responded to a fire in Aitkin County.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers, ATV riders, and fire activity. Activity was relatively low due to the cold and wet weather. Mathy investigated a report of littered snow goose carcasses along a roadway. Mathy also assisted at an ATV accident in the Paul Bunyan State Forest. Enforcement action was taken for an angling violation and driving on closed forest roads in the state forest.
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