District 1 – Baudette Area
Last update: 2022-09-19
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) did field training with COC Anthony Hams. They spent the week working on ATV enforcement and monitoring small game hunters, fishermen and goose/crane hunters. It was a slow start to small games with reports of little success.
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) helped with training at Camp Ripley and participated in a firearms safety class where 15 youth received their safety certificates. He spent time checking out the bird catchers and the bow catchers.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) did field training with COC Paavola. They attended a public viewing event in East Grand Forks, taught the law and ethics portion of Grygla’s firearms safety class, investigated complaints of illegal bear baiting, and policed small game hunters over the weekend. small game opening week. Enforcement action was taken for unplugged shotgun, no waterfowl stamps, no helmet on juvenile ATV passenger, and ATV light and registration violations.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports last week checked fishermen and hunters of geese, bear, bow deer and small game. Regas noted that there is still plenty of low cover for game birds to hide. He received similar comments from grouse hunters, who reported seeing some birds but were unable to shoot them. Time was spent handling a variety of wildlife-related calls, answering questions from the public about upcoming seasons and the opening of the small game and bow deer seasons, tracking TIP information, and patrolling vehicle trails. area recreation.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports that a rainy small game opener kept some hunters out of the woods, but others were able to locate birds. He dedicated time to working in the big and small game business as well as in the ATV business.
District 2 – Bemidji Area
Last update: 2022-09-19
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports bear hunting activity this week. He also spent time working on commercial compliance activities. Fishermen were contacted in area lakes and rivers.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) began field training with a conservation officer candidate. He spent time patrolling the ATV trails and lakes. Grouse hunters struggled over the weekend as foliage is still thick and very few leaves have fallen in northern Minnesota.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking up on goose and small game hunters. Many squirrel catchers were reviewed, and most were successful. Swedberg also attended training for the operation of ATVs and patrol trucks. Other time he devoted himself to following up on complaints about the management of aquatic plants, monitoring fishermen and following up on complaints about lake service providers. The week’s enforcement action included burning without a burn permit and operating a water jet without an APM permit.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) worked with bear hunters, small game hunters, fishermen, and ongoing cases. He also launched an investigation into a complaint of dead and injured sheep.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working on sport fishing, early goose hunting and ATV enforcement. He also spent time working the openers for small game and archery over the weekend. Chihak gave a presentation on law and ethics at a firearms safety class at Hawley. He attended the Clay County Pheasants Forever Chapter youth hunt near Downer.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time angling and AIS compliance. She monitored the wild rice harvest. Wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas were worked for early goose hunters, bow deer hunters, and small game hunters. A patrol was conducted for off-road vehicle activity. Open cases were followed up. Online training completed. Various questions related to wildlife were answered.
District 3 – Fergus Falls Area
Last update: 2022-09-19
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) worked on angling and AIS enforcement all week, in addition to attending training at Camp Ripley. The hints of fall have begun to change the patterns of fish and wildlife and have people thinking about the seasons to come. Goodman encourages people to get an up-to-date regulation book when they get their licenses to keep up with the regulations.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) attended mandatory training at Camp Ripley and worked the opening day of the small game and deer archery seasons. Plautz spent time on the lake working fishing and boating and took a high school student who is potentially interested in working for the DNR for a ride.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling and ATV activity throughout the week. Brown also introduced area fifth graders to Minnesota mammals and reviewed small game hunters who ventured out this weekend. Questions related to waterfowl were received and answered.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) verified small game and archery anglers and deer hunters. Emergency vehicle operations training was completed at Camp Ripley. An overfishing complaint was investigated.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent much of the week on an enforcement detail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with CO Bermel. Both boaters and fishermen were controlled and coercive measures were taken in several cases. Small game hunting and archery opening weekend were monitored, with some hunters verified in the field.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) attended the EVOC training last week and spent time finishing her background investigation. Time was also spent on ATV enforcement and hunter control during the last weekend of the early goose season.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports helping training staff with different tasks at Camp Ripley. Douvier also continues to work on a background investigation for the Division.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports that the week’s enforcement efforts focused on policing fishermen, boaters and ATV operators. He spent extra time attending training, taking calls about the next waterfowl opener, and answering questions related to ATV operation. An over-limit complaint was investigated, as was an incident that occurred at the state park.
District 4 – Walker Zone
Last update: 2022-09-19
CO Jacqueline Hughes (Longville) checking out hunting and ATV activity. She also investigated a complaint related to waterfowl. Coercive measures were taken against a minor without a helmet in an ATV.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports that he patrols public lands and lakes/rivers for seasonal activity. Some enforcement actions consisted of ATV riders under the age of 18 without helmets, registration violations, no license in possession, and resort requirements for boat rentals. He also received various animal-related complaints and responded to a nonsensical complaint about the dumping of geese.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) began training a new conservation officer candidate who graduated from the CO Academy. Officers worked lakes and logging roads in the Cass County area throughout the week. Activity in the area has picked up with a decent bite of fishing in early fall and the start of opening small game and bow deer hunting. Enforcement measures were taken for numerous infractions related to boating and angling.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) began field training with COC Znajda. He spent time working with the archery deer opener and small game opener as well as the related OHV application. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and big game registration issues without a valid license. A case of dog hunting was investigated.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked on big game hunting, angling, ATV traffic and invasive species. He also responded to calls for service. He spent a lot of time doing background research. Cross reminds boaters and fishermen to pay special attention to boat trailers for hidden invasive species like zebra mussels, which can be hard to see, especially on carpeted berths.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked fishermen and boaters. A fishing TIP was investigated. Mathy also checked activities related to hunting, ATVs and AIS. Enforcement action was taken for angling, navigation and AIS violations.