District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2022-07-05
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers across Lake of the Woods during the busy holiday weekend. Fishing was a bit slow. High water levels are impeding lake access in many places. Violations for the week included angling with extra lines, possessing illegal-length walleyes, allowing illegal operation of an ATV by a juvenile and various personal watercraft violations.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) continued work on an ongoing investigation, as well ongoing work on wetland violations. Sura worked with other area officers over the holiday weekend patrolling Lake of the Woods focusing efforts on boat and water safety, in addition to checking anglers. Overall compliance for boat and water safety was very good. Fishing success was moderate to good, with many reports of a lot of slot fish being caught. Enforcement action was taken for fishing with extra lines, insufficient number of flotation devices and expired registration.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) worked the Independence Day weekend on Lake of the Woods seeing moderate angling success. Enforcement action for the week included no helmet on a juvenile ATV passenger, angling with extra lines, insufficient PFDs, no fire extinguisher, unregistered watercraft and angling license violations.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports focusing enforcement efforts on angling and boating activity throughout the past week and the Independence Day holiday weekend. Regas reports boaters and anglers were out in numbers enjoying excellent weather conditions during the holiday weekend. Time was spent handling a number of incidents involving the removal of aquatic vegetation without a permit and unpermitted lakeshore alterations, working with the local government units and the lakeshore owners getting the work compliant with state regulations and local ordinances. Violations encountered and addressed this past week included an overlimit of bluegills, removal of aquatic vegetation without a permit, watercraft registration, insufficient PFDs and angling license violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports a significant amount of ATV and boating traffic. Time was spent working both.
Warroad #1 vacant.
Warroad #2 vacant.
Baudette #1 vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2022-07-05
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports following up on aquatic plant management and public water-related cases this week. Time was also spent checking watercraft operators, anglers, and ATV operators. Work was started on a deer hunting related investigation. Various boating and angling violations were encountered.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) worked a busy Fourth of July weekend. Area lakes were patrolled and numerous individuals were stopped for boating violations. Individuals are reminded to check for boating safety equipment before heading out onto the lake.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports working with local government units on ongoing wetland and public waters potential violations. Vinton had contact with the local county attorney about an on-going case. The Independence Day holiday weekend saw lots of activity with high compliance in both boating and angling. Vinton and RTO Greg Oldakowski assisted local law enforcement with a burglary and stolen boat call where two suspects took a small boat in an attempt to flee from the scene. Vinton and Oldakowski, along with a local deputy, recovered the boat ditched on shore and returned it to the owner. Enforcement action was taken for riding an ATV on a public highway, no angling license, failure to display valid watercraft registration and no PFD as required.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing, boat and water safety and ATV enforcement. Time was also spent working with district officers in support of Operation Dry Water over the Independence Day holiday. Enforcement efforts focused on apprehending impaired motorboat operators.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) worked boating and safety checks, angling checks, ATV enforcement and attended training. Activity levels were high and various violations were handled.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling and boating activity. The holiday weekend provided nice weather and many contacts on the water. ATV patrol was conducted with checks performed. Warren, along with White Earth police, responded to an ATV crash. Assistance was provided at Itasca State Park. An injured eagle was shuttled to a rehabilitation center. AIS compliance was monitored.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week following up with wetland and shoreline violations and the Fourth of July weekend conducting boat and water safety enforcement. He teamed up with neighboring officers to conduct alcohol enforcement patrols during Operation Dry Water on several busy lakes in Becker and Otter Tail counties. Several individuals were found to be operating watercraft over the legal limit of 0.08 and were not able to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. All boaters should have a designated driver to operate the watercraft and keep everyone safe. Landmark would also like to remind boaters that the back decks on wake boats are not a legal place to sit while the watercraft is underway. Calls from the public included numerous nuisance animals taking up living quarters around residences where they were not welcome. Enforcement action was taken for boating while intoxicated, gunwale riding, over capacity on a watercraft and numerous other boat and water violations.
Bagley vacant.
Bemidji #2 vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2022-07-05
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) spent the week and holiday weekend patrolling by boat monitoring watercraft activity on various waterways. Compliance was fair, with a few boaters not having enough life jackets. Various PWC-related violations were encountered. A few late-night boats were checked without proper navigation lights and were found to be well over capacity limits in an attempt to boat-pool with designated drivers. While their efforts were appreciated the operators were educated on the importance of following all boating rules to keep their passengers safe. Additional time was spent on ATV and AIS enforcement.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) spent time on boating enforcement over the holiday weekend. Lakes remained busy with boating recreational traffic. Plautz handled miscellaneous wildlife-related calls and responded to an aquatic vegetation violation complaint. Anglers remain successful in the area with most having some success. Weed roller compliance checks were conducted on area lakes.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports seeing a lot of people out enjoying the nice weather for Independence Day weekend. Fishing success was very slow throughout the week. Brown received a call regarding several abandoned cygnets (baby swans) on the side of the road. A short time later the caller called back after a thorough look on the road, only to discover it was dried up paint spots on the side of the road.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters and ATV riders. Osborne responded to a call at the Christina Lake Public Access where two people were found to be living in a handicapped porta potty. The couple was also found to be in possession of a stolen ATV and in possession of meth.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) worked busy lakes and waterways this week as the holiday approached. Lots of anglers were contacted and in good compliance having fun. A few anglers were issued citations for not having valid licenses to fish, and several PWC operators were contacted for being on the water after legal operating time.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the past week focused on angling and boating enforcement. Over the busy holiday weekend she worked with area COs to patrol lakes with heavy activity. Several law enforcement contacts were made.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports spending the holiday weekend focused on high activity levels in the surrounding counties. High numbers of recreational boaters and anglers were seen in the Alexandria and Osakis areas, with enforcement action taken for fishing without a license, various PWC and PFD violations, gunwale riding, liquor consumption by people under 21, and no navigational lights after sunset. A boating under the influence arrest was also made in the Alexandria area. Douvier would like to give a strong reminder that while drinking and boating is allowed, the legal limit of 0.08 still applies for those operating the watercraft.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and boaters, and monitoring AIS law compliance. Additional time was spent checking PWC operators and following up on injured-animal complaints. Area lakes were busy over the holiday weekend with a lot of boaters and anglers taking advantage of the nice weather.
Osakis vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2022-07-05
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked recreational boating, angling, and enforcement of off-highway vehicles. Cross additionally responded to multiple nuisance-bear calls. Please secure all food sources that bears could possibly eat. Enforcement action was taken for angling, watercraft, off-highway vehicle, minor consumption, and minor possession violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass and Crow Wing county lakes for boating activity. He also spent time investigating TIP calls on Leech Lake. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating and angling violations.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily worked recreational vehicle activity on the busy Fourth of July weekend. Nuisance-bear complaints continue to come in. Enforcement action was taken for littering, underage alcohol, boating, angling, and AIS violations.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) worked boating and ATV enforcement during the week. Enforcement action taken for various violations including operation of a PWC after hours, illegal youthful operation, over capacity, no navigation lights, open container in a ATV, and a DWI investigation.
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for angling, boating, and recreational vehicle activity. Baum observed increased activity with the holiday weekend on area lakes and trails. He spent a majority of time enforcing boat and water safety with Operation Dry Water this weekend. Baum took enforcement action for various angling, boating, and recreational vehicle violations. He wants to remind boaters to review the Minnesota Boating Guide prior to operating watercraft to ensure required equipment is onboard and operation is legal.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) checked ATV, angling, and boating activity. Enforcement action was taken for multiple kids without helmets on ATVs, expired ATV and watercraft registration, and illegal use of an aqua thruster.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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