District 1 – Baudette area
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods. Huener also attended training at Camp Ripley and checked boaters and anglers on Lake of the Woods with the U.S. Coast Guard. A citation was issued to two anglers who were not married but who purchased a combination license.
CO Eric Benjamin (Warroad) returned from assisting with wildfires in Colorado and Wyoming.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) was honored to present an award to a local youth firearms safety instructor commemorating his 50th year as a volunteer instructor with the DNR’s youth safety program. Woinarowicz also monitored area angling activity, attended training at Camp Ripley, and responded to a complaint about an individual removing rock rip rap from the Thief River Falls city dam area to bring home to create his own rock structures at his house.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) monitored angling and boating activity on area lakes. A restoration order for a wetland violation was delivered to a landowner.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) followed up with aquatic plant management violations and attended a refresher training class. He also responded to a complaint about a large bear in a dumpster at a resort on Rush Lake. That area has several resorts and multiple calls about the bear were fielded by the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. Vinton met with the resort owner and conducted a mini “bear wise” clinic for the campers, reminding them to keep a clean camp, pull in their bird feeders, and store their barbecue grills if possible. Vinton also assisted the county with the investigation of an abduction of a rural Fergus Falls woman who was taken from her home at gunpoint. The suspect, with the woman still in the vehicle, was pursued by Vinton and deputies from the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. The chase went through a wheat field and into a cattail slough. Vinton assisted with the pursuit and helped remove the woman from the vehicle, walking her to safety. Deputies took the suspect into custody.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on AIS compliance checks and patrolled White Earth State Forest trails for off-road vehicle activity. Warren also worked boating and angling activity on area lakes. Assistance was provided to White Earth police in an attempt to locate an individual who ran on foot during a traffic stop.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week following up on invasive species, vegetation, and shoreline violations. He received calls from the public regarding concerns about a commercial weed harvester on a lake and other public water-related issues. Landmark assisted Becker County deputies with a commercial burglary alarm, participated in a radio interview with a local radio station, and assisted CO Quittschreiber with a TIP call regarding commercial minnow violations.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters, and ATV riders. Several weed roller, aqua jet, and aquatic plant removal complaints were investigated. Several citations were issued, and more are forthcoming.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) monitored AIS and angling during the week. Time also was spent following up on violations related to aquatic plant removal.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, boaters, and monitoring AIS compliance. Baumbarger attended training at Camp Ripley and worked the Wall of Shame trailer at the Pope County Fair.
District 4 – Walker area
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) reports a complaint about an oil slick on Leech Lake turned out to be the naturally occurring decaying of wetland material due in part to high water. A separate complaint about trash burning was investigated, and enforcement action was taken.
CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling, boating, and ATVing activity.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) reports anglers continue to be active on area lakes. Invasive species regulations were monitored, and contact was made when two vehicle operators pulling boats passed the officer on the right shoulder of the highway as he was waiting for traffic to turn left in front of him. As the boats went by, it was noted both had their drain plugs in. Contact was made with both parties, with appropriate enforcement action taken.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports area forest roads were checked and public access sites monitored. Equipment work is ongoing.
CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) spent much of the week instructing at the CO Academy. The rest of the time was on Lake Vermilion. Hopkins worked loud-boat enforcement and dealt with some violations.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) reports primarily working anglers, boaters, and ATV riders. He also followed up on non-compliant Wetland Conservation Act restoration order violations and worked complaints at the state park. Bozovsky assisted the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and the State Patrol on a call about an intoxicated/under the influence of drugs, which also involved a domestic dispute.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) reports speaking about the importance of wearing life jackets at a Take a Kid Fishing event on Lake Vermilion. Training at Camp Ripley was attended. At one public access, as Frericks was checking a few people, he noticed that one of the people in the group was acting particularly suspicious. After Frericks obtained that person’s information, the CO went back to his squad to check for warrants. As Frericks was doing this, the suspicious person ran off. A short foot chase followed. Frericks caught and arrested the person, who had numerous warrants for his arrest.
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) reports being called to Fishermen’s Point campground in Hoyt Lakes regarding a bear that climbed a tree after being scared up it by individuals. Once the area was cleared of people, the bear climbed down and walked off.
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO John Velsvaag (Ely) received several calls about injured and nuisance animals. He also followed up on previous violations from the Cook area, completed some required annual training, and took several complaints about the new northern pike regulations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) attended annual use of force instructor training and in-service planning at Camp Ripley. While at Ripley, Manning also assisted with scenarios for the CO Academy. She also took calls regarding BWCA camping, nuisance animals, and the upcoming bear season.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and angling activity during the week. Murray also investigated illegal garbage dumping at a state campground and personal watercraft being operated too close to shorelines.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) worked ATVing activity, boating, AIS, and sportfishing. He patrolled state park and state forest areas, answered questions, took complaints about various wildlife issues, and checked public water accesses.
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) attended use of force in-service training, answered calls about many boats traveling too fast in no-wake zones, and taught at the CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for license issues.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked angling activity with the local walleye lakes heating up. Sutherland also attended training at Camp Ripley, gave an ATV and youth firearms safety law talk, and took enforcement action for an individual who burned a trailer house.
CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) reports working boating, ATVing, AIS, and sportfishing. Enforcement action was taken for burning prohibited materials, no angling license in possession, and an insufficient number of PFDs.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) assisted in training conservation officer candidates at the current CO Academy. Calls were fielded regarding nuisance animals, and questions were answered about a career as a conservation officer.
CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth) spent much of the week working anglers on area lakes. Nuisance-animal complaints involving bears and deer were handled, and ATV complaint areas were worked. Time also was spent working a trespass complaint.
CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent time working ATV enforcement in past complaint areas. Fishing and boating enforcement continue to be worked throughout the week. One day was spent at Camp Ripley training. AIS was worked at area accesses, and while patrolling the Duluth area.
CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked OHV and AIS enforcement. Humphrey also assisted local law enforcement and EMS in attempting to locate a person in a reported heat-related medical situation on the Soo Line Trail between Denham and Moose Lake. Humphrey received calls about a nuisance animal and a trespass complaint. He also followed up on several cases, including a big-game case in which evidence was transferred.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) investigated complaints regarding a waters violation and a nuisance beaver on an area roadway. Extra patrols were conducted in area state parks. One case of vandalism is under investigation at Jay Cooke State Park.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) spent the week on angling, AIS, and boating safety enforcement efforts. The highlight of the week was responding to the report of a pickup truck and empty boat trailer completely submerged at the Abbott Road public access on Island Lake. A tow truck was able to recover the rig quickly and without any injuries or environmental concerns. The owner took the mishap in stride. Olson also assisted the Two Harbors Police Department with an overdose situation along the shoreline of Lake Superior.
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers and boaters on Lake Superior. Water levels are dropping and mud is starting to decrease on the big lake. Assistance was given to the Two Harbors Fire Department with a structure fire.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) investigated a report about emergent aquatic vegetation being harvested and not removed from the water. The responsible party was located, and enforcement action was taken. Sullivan also contacted a person who was burning garbage illegally and issued a citation for the violation. Illegal use of hydraulic jets also continues to be addressed.
CO Jim Guida (Brainerd) worked with Camp Ripley training staff in preparation for upcoming in-service training. Guida also attended field training. An injured fawn was transported to the Garrison Animal Hospital, and a call about an injured loon was received.
CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports patrolling the recreation area for illegal ATVing activity and park violations. Fitzgerald also assisted park staff with a call in the campground, and many outdoor law-related questions were fielded throughout the week and weekend. A call about a cow possibly killed by a bear was investigated, and time was spent patrolling for AIS and ATV violations.
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity this week included looking into bridges placed over a river in a manner that illegally obstructed navigation. The CO also investigated a situation in which a lake service provider sold a used boat lift contaminated with zebra mussels to an unknowing customer and sent the customer down the road illegally, with the lift to be put into another lake. He also dealt with injured and nuisance wildlife, patrolled the CCSRA and Crow Wing State Forest, and monitored boating, fishing, and ATVing activity. Hadrits looked into a report of a strange-looking, unidentified wild animal that was shot after exhibiting threatening behavior toward a dog and person. However, the critter was disposed of so it can’t be positively identified. A photo was taken of the animal and has wildlife experts, veterinarians, and Minnesota Zoo personnel guessing and in disagreement as to what exactly it is.
CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) worked a complaint regarding the obstruction of navigable water, patrolled Leech Lake, and responded to ATV-related complaints in the Outing/Emily area. Enforcement action was taken for multiple instances of transom/gunwale riding and licenses not in possession.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) reports vacationers and water recreation may be at their yearly peak. Aquatic vegetation is also getting thick and trailers where checked for stowaways.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) focused on ATV enforcement in state forests in her area. The Nemadji State Forest has closures by which some riders are not abiding. Please check the DNR website for trail and road closures before your trip. When a trail or road is marked closed, that means do not drive around barricades and go on your merry way. The trails and roads are closed because they are not safe.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked problematic areas for ATV damage and found enforcement efforts to be paying off. An abandoned-canoe situation was handled. The owner forgot the canoe on Lake Mille Lacs, but later was found to have been arrested for DUI near Mankato.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) spent some time checking remote lakes and found a couple of individuals from out of state trying their luck at fishing from kayaks. As the kayakers were paddling back to the public access, they noticed Grundmeier waiting at the dock to do a check. They pretended not to notice an officer standing there, turned around, and started paddling the other way. Eventually they were tracked down and cited for fishing without a license.
CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) spent the week dealing with high-water issues in the Pine City area. The area is still under a no-wake declaration by the Pine County sheriff, and boaters are urged to continue to use caution as water levels continue to drop. Wynn also investigated a wolf-depredation complaint and a report about a dead deer stinking up a neighborhood along the Snake River.
District 11 – St. Cloud area
CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports patrolling lakes and rivers in Wright and Stearns counties. He also responded to various calls about wildlife and spoke at firearms safety classes in Annandale and Kimball.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) reports a group fished in the morning and came out again in the afternoon to catch more sunfish. After an investigation, the group was found to be over the limit with what they had in the boat and what they took in the morning. A citation was issued and the fish were seized.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Trent Seamans (Big Lake) spent the week patrolling for boat and water safety and sportfishing. Seamans fielded ATV complaints and followed up on wildlife-related calls. Enforcement action was taken for various boating violations.
CO Phil Mohs (Center City) worked fishing and boating activity. Training was attended at Camp Ripley. CO Mohs also conducted follow-up on several public waters and aquatic vegetation-removal violations.
CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) checked anglers and boaters. A wetland complaint was investigated. The CO also assisted with training at Camp Ripley and followed up on a dumping complaint.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO Arnaud Kpachavi (Mound) primarily worked boating enforcement. A BWI arrest was conducted on Lake Minnetonka with a neighboring officer.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) spent the past week participating in training and assisting with the CO Academy. Follow-up was conducted on invasive species reports. A stored boat on a public access also was investigated.
CO Brent Grewe (Minnetonka) spent the week checking anglers, monitoring boating activity, and following up on complaints. Grewe received complaints about anglers using game fish as bait and spoke to a group of kids about CO duties.
CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) patrolled west metro-area lakes and the Mississippi River for angling and boating activities. He also patrolled Fort Snelling State Park for trail usages.
CO Vang Lee (ELCOP) investigated a complaint regarding dead geese in a pond in north Minneapolis and responded to a TIP complaint in Burnsville about people keeping too many northern pike and using too many lines.
District 14 – East Metro area
CO Scott Arntzen (Forest Lake) taught the laws and ethics portion of firearms safety to a class at the Kiwanis Scout Camp. Arntzen also attended advanced training at Camp Ripley and spent time checking anglers and boaters.
CO Joe Kulhanek (Hastings) spent a busy weekend monitoring boaters and anglers on area rivers. He also responded with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office to reports of juveniles attempting to stow away on barges in the area. Enforcement action was taken for fishing violations and boating while under the influence of alcohol.
CO Chris Tetrault (Maplewood) attended training at Camp Ripley and checked anglers on area lakes and rivers.
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored angling, boating, and OHVing activity during the week. Miska also assisted with the CO Academy at Camp Ripley. Littering issues continue to be a problem at public accesses and shore-fishing locations.
CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) spent the week working anglers and ATV riders. No-wake ordinances are still in effect for Lake Shetek and Bloody Lake.
District 16 – New Ulm area
CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) worked with other DNR divisions to check on possible aquatic vegetation violations. Other time was spent at Camp Ripley, getting ready for conservation officer cadets to graduate and start field training. Klehr also followed up on possible wetland violations, illegal shoreline work, and checked into ongoing restoration of previous wetland violations.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Chad Davis (Owatonna) reports assistance was given to the Rice County Sheriff’s Office with setting up a landing zone for a helicopter after the sheriff’s office rescued a kayaker in distress who needed to be airlifted to a hospital.
CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) patrolled for fishing, boating, and ATVing activity and spent time helping with a Take a Kid Fishing event.
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Kevin Prodzinski (Wabasha) worked the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin as well as the state forest areas.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) is investigating the first reported illegally shot deer of the year. Hemker also attended a firearms safety class and field day, along with a Kicking Bear day at a local sportsmen’s club.
CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) reports assistance was given to Dodge County with recovery efforts of a juvenile drowning victim. Hill also responded to a call about a possible poached buck near Winona. Assistance is needed from the public in locating the suspect. Anyone with information should call the TIP line at (800) 652-9093.
The post Minnesota Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – July 27, 2018 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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