District 1 – Baudette area
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) spoke at the Greenbush firearms safety class. Area ATV activity was monitored in the Roseau, Warroad, and Northwest Angle areas. A series of grass fires were investigated in the Warroad area.
CO Eric Benjamin (Warroad) worked OHV, boat and water safety, AIS, and angling enforcement. For those of you bringing your OHVs out for the first time this year, be sure to check that your registration is valid and displayed correctly.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) reports the sheriff’s office was assisted with a vehicle pursuit that continued through three counties. Calls about the illegal dumping of horse carcass were fielded.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) reports time was spent handling several reports about incidental catches of otters while spring beaver trapping, investigating a wolf-depredation complaint, and fielding other wildlife-related calls. Regas gave the laws and regulations presentation and assisted the Blackduck and Kelliher firearms safety instructors with classes and the firearms safety field day. Regas investigated a turkey-hunting overlimit violation. The youth hunter learned a valuable lesson about identifying your target and what is beyond. Enforcement action was taken.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports that a complaint about a person illegally driving inside a scientific and natural area was investigated.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) monitored spring fish run activity. He also worked a detail with CO McGowan on the Rainy River. He observed several sturgeon being caught.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports monitoring area creeks and rivers for fish run activity. Vinton contacted several anglers attempting to harvest suckers and other rough fish with bow and arrow.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) monitored the spring fish run, handled wildlife-related complaints, and checked some beaver trappers and turkey hunters.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time monitoring angling and fish run activity with area lakes now ice-free. Patrol was conducted for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Warren assisted White Earth tribal police with a Life Flight landing zone. A complaint about burning without a permit was received.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) talked with folks at the Ducks Unlimited Green Wing youth duck fair held in Fergus Falls during the weekend.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) checked area bowfishers and folks dip-netting and spearing. An incidentally taken otter was seized and donated to the Minnesota Trappers Association for its Tanned Fur Project.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) reports checking shore anglers and turkey hunters. The warm weather has taken the ice off the lakes, but the panfish bite remains slow.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, bowfishers, ATVers, and people spearing and dip-netting.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) worked on monitoring spring fish-run activity on area lakes and streams throughout the week. Bowfishing and spearing seasons opened with lots of anglers working the banks of local streams for carp and suckers. However, a couple of irresponsible anglers dumped a pile of dead fish at a local access. This careless act gives all bowfishers a bad name with local residents.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Additional time was spent responding to complaints about spearing out of season in the Morris and Alexandria areas.
District 4 – Walker area
CO Jacqueline Hughes (Longville) reports checking for turkey-hunting activity. She also investigated trash dumped in a state forest and a trespassing complaint. She took multiple calls about bear activity and checked for anglers on lakes with open water.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked trappers, turkey hunters, fire activity, spring fish run and sucker spearing, and ATVers. A minnow trap in a trout stream was seized.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) reports sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is in full swing. Enforcement action for the week included boat and water safety violations, license issues, taking walleyes during a closed season, and failure to tag sturgeon.
CO Shane Zavodnik (International Falls) spent time focusing on fire and OHV enforcement during the week. On one particular event, an individual started what was intended to be a small ditch burn. But it got away from him and burned an entire field and also spread into the woods. Luckily, the fire was slowed enough and suppressed shortly thereafter. The individual admitted to starting the non-permitted fire, and it was apparent that he knew it could have ended up being something much more serious. Zavodnik cautions individuals to be especially mindful when starting fires during dry conditions.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports taking calls about ATVs, accidental otter catches, beaver problems affecting lake levels, and suspected illegal burning.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent a majority of his time working on Honor Guard duties in the memory of CO Eugene Wynn. Follow-up investigation on litter, dumping, and wetland issues was performed.
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) is 10-7 – retired!
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO Sean Williams (Ely) assisted the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office with a recovery on the Echo Trail near the BWCAW. Several agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Border Patrol and the St. Louis County Rescue Squad, spent hours searching the area after a suspicious abandoned campsite was found. Several articles were located that required further investigation, and the results are still pending.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) followed up on a wetland investigation during the week. Lake Superior rivers and inland accesses were checked.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) assisted as part of the DNR Honor Guard with the funeral for CO Eugene Wynn. The outpouring of support for the family, friends, and fellow officers by local folks in Pine City and officers from around the country was very much appreciated and makes the loss a little easier to bear.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt), CO Williams, and local officers busted an underage drinking party at a U.S. Forest Service remote campsite with many underage consumption citations issued.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked stream fishing and trapping activity during the week. A complaint about night shooting is being investigated, as is the illegal dumping of trash.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers and trappers, patrolled for illegal ATVing activity, responded to injured-deer calls, and processed incidentally taken furbearers.
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, responded to calls about debris left at public accesses, investigated trapping complaints, and attended the funeral service for CO Gene Wynn. Enforcement action was taken for license issues.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) helped area officers work trapping cases in which multiple violations were present.
CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) assisted the Range Riders ATV Club with its annual youth ATV safety class.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) spent a large portion of the week on division Honor Guard details regarding the loss of CO Eugene Wynn in the line of duty. Colors were posted at the both the House of Representatives and at the Senate during the week.
CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth) spent much of the week attending Honor Guard preparations for CO Eugene Wynn’s funeral. He also worked shore anglers and North Shore rivers.
CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) helped arrange for a local beaver trapper to assist with the removal of beavers that were causing water damage to a driveway.
CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) served as an Honor Guard member honoring CO Eugene Wynn in Pine City and at the state Capitol in St. Paul.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers along the North Shore. Boat anglers on Lake Superior are having success with coho salmon. Smelters have arrived during the evening hours at Duluth and Two Harbors rivers.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Tim Collette (Brainerd) investigated a complaint about the illegal filling of public waters, checked panfish anglers and turkey hunters, responded to a call about a capsized sailboat with two people in the icy water, and towed to shore the floating floor of an abandoned fish house that couldn’t be taken off the lake before the ice was unsafe.
CO Amber Ladd (McGregor) checked on a young ATV operator who got stuck in a wetland while operating the ATV on a snowmobile trail. His father responded to help get him out and got stuck with his SUV.
CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) checked spring crappie anglers, turkey hunters, and ATV operators this past week. Enforcement action was taken for OHM (dirt bike) violations. A dumping case was investigated involving multiple waterfowl species and deer parts.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
CO Ashley Whiteoak (Malmo) spent time assisting the Aitkin Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association with a Forkhorn youth event at the Wealthwood Rod and Gun Club. At the event she educated youth about wildlife identification by using various furs, skulls, and antlers.
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) patrolled area forest roads and checked turkey hunters. Time was spent filling out minnow dealer permits and tagging equipment.
District 11 – St. Cloud area
CO Annette Kyllo (Pierz) contacted four juveniles riding two unregistered dirt bikes in a ditch and jumping a field drive for a YouTube video. They had deliberately disobeyed their parents by riding to the area, thinking they would be able to get a better jump for the video. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Chad Thesing (Albany) worked anglers, trappers and ATV activity. A talk was given to the Royalton ATV class. The funeral of CO Wynn was attended. An accidentally taken otter was turned in by a beaver trapper.
CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports checking anglers, investigating a crappie overlimit complaint, and taking calls regarding dumped non-game fish within road rights of way and on public lands.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) spent most of the week handling calls. These included an illegal fire, a person who allowed manure to be discharged into a lake, and a swan that flew into a power line and broke its neck.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Nathan Benkofske (Milaca) reports working anglers and ATV riders throughout the week. Illegal fires were investigated, where warnings and citations were issued. Several turkey hunters were checked, including a young girl who accidentally shot two tom turkeys with one shot. Benkofske also received a call about an otter incidentally taken by a beaver trapper. Several trapping-related issues were found and dealt with accordingly.
CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) responded to several TIP calls this past week and followed up on a possible wetland violation.
CO Trent Seamans (Big Lake) reports a dumping complaint turned into a deer and turkey investigation involving multiple unregistered animals taken during several years of hunting. Enforcement action was taken for the unregistered animals.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO James Fogarty (Prior Lake) received several TIP complaints about anglers keeping bass out of season. Education and enforcement action were taken for an overlimit of crappies, no angling license, and angling with more than one line.
CO Vang Lee (ELCOP) responded to TIP complaint in Washington County regarding an overlimit of trout.
CO Tim Maass (Osseo) spent time investigating a complaint of possible hunting turkeys over bait. Maass also assisted with an illegal trapping complaint investigation.
District 14 – East Metro area
CO Luke Gutzwiller (White Bear Lake) spent time working angling and small-game hunting/trapping activity. Enforcement action was taken for taking fish in a closed season, taking fish by snagging, false information on a license, no angling license in possession, and knowingly allowing a minor to violate fish and game laws.
CO Chris Tetrault (Maplewood) checked anglers across his station. Some anglers had success with crappies and others found themselves in a pinch when they targeted bass during the closed season.
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) responded to a diesel pipeline leak near Cottonwood. Trout fishing, turkey hunting, and ATVing activities also were worked.
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored angling, boating, and turkey-hunting activity during the week. Miska joined other Minnesota COs and many other law enforcement officers from around the country in attending the funeral of fallen partner Minnesota CO Eugene Wynn.
District 16 – New Ulm area
CO Shane Vernier (Willmar) worked fishing and turkey-hunting activity. He spoke with hunters about public land use and followed up on a wanton waste complaint.
CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) worked ATV and angling enforcement during the week. TIP calls were followed up on, and carp-dumping complaints and a possible wetland violation were investigated.
CO Dustin Miller (Windom) focused enforcement efforts during the past week on spring turkey hunting. Angling activity was worked, with several violations encountered.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Jamie VanThuyne (Mankato) focused on angling and turkey-hunting activity this past week. He also checked boats for AIS compliance, assisted local agencies, and followed up on a wildlife management area complaint.
CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) reports a swamped and loose sailboat was recovered, bailed out, and brought to its owner’s cabin. Wildlife management areas were checked for litter and “mudding.”
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Clint Fitzgerald (Rochester) spent most of the week handling various wildlife-related complaints. Time also was spent checking turkey hunters and anglers.
Tyler Ramaker (La Crescent) conducted an investigation of a fire on state forest land started by fireworks. The source of the fire was identified, and enforcement action was taken. Other enforcement action was taken for snagging fish.
CO Brittany Hauser (Red Wing) reports time was spent assisting the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office with a domestic assault incident.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) was the first on the scene of a car accident in which a very impaired driver glanced off three different vehicles. Fortunately, nobody was injured. Hemker received a call from a person who advised him that she had an injured duck in her yard and when she tried to talk to the duck, he would lay his head down like a cat would do. The CO visited the residence and observed two mallard ducks going through their courtship rituals.
The post Minnesota Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – May 3, 2019 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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