District 1 – Baudette area
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) attended annual in-service training and answered questions at the State Fair.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette) reports time was spent checking anglers and boaters. Prachar also assisted Lake of the Woods County with a methamphetamine investigation that led to the arrest of an individual.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) attended annual in-service training, investigated an area wildfire, monitored area bear-baiting activity, and answered numerous questions regarding the upcoming deer and bear seasons.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports working on a wildfire investigation in Marshall County. Time also was spent working on a litter case and a deer case from the 2017 deer season. Anglers were checked on area lakes.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) and COC Shane Zavodnik worked fishing, boating, and ATVing enforcement during the week. Many verbal warnings were issued to individuals for not having their fishing licenses in possession during the time of being checked. Enforcement action was taken for individuals operating their personal watercrafts past legal operating hours.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) and COC Garrett Thomas issued nuisance-beaver permits to local trappers, inspected aquatic plant-management concerns related to hydro jets and weed rollers, conducted ATV enforcement patrols, and inspected bear-baiting trails. Additionally, enforcement action was taken on a variety of cases, including allowing a child to ride an ATV without a helmet.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) and COC Mike Lerchen report following up on a dispersed camping violation. Time also was spent preparing for a BWCAW work detail.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) reports a complaint of illegal firewood in a state park was investigated.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) provided the interactive laser shot for many youngsters during the annual Kid’s Day at McCollum’s Hunting Preserve. A call about a boat that had sunk at a dock at a local resort was received. Warren also received a report about a moose sighting in Mahnomen County.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports checking anglers and boaters. He also gave a presentation for the summer Fergus Falls firearms safety class. Time also was spent at a meeting discussing permitting for special events on area lakes.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent the week in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on an enforcement detail with COs Bermel, Peterson, and COC Lerchen. Several citations were issued for no fishing license, cans and glass in the BWCAW, and an expired canoe registration. The annual Youth Outdoor Day was held in Alexandria. Lawler spoke with many kids and their parents interested in outdoor activities.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) monitored AIS compliance and followed up on a wetland violation. He also assisted with armoring division-issued shotguns at Camp Ripley during in-service training.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) continued field training of a conservation officer candidate. They attended a border water meeting in Ortonville that included a fish population presentation, proposed South Dakota regulation changes, and AIS concerns.
District 4 – Walker area
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley and worked on a background investigation for a CO applicant. Bear baits, AIS, and ATVs also were checked. Enforcement action was taken for ATVs on the roadway and transporting watercraft without the drain plug removed.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) started his second week of field training with COC Blong Lor. Time was spent assisting other agencies, checking anglers on Rainy Lake, a fire investigation, working the port of entry, public waters violations, and bear-bait checks.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports checking area forest roads and monitoring boating, angling and public access sites. Wild rice locations continue to be checked.
CO Duke Broughten (Cook) spent the week monitoring angling, boating, ATVing, and bear-baiting activity. Broughten also assisted local law enforcement with a suicidal individual.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers, ATV riders, bear-baiting activity, and aquatic invasive species and state park enforcement. While checking bear-baiting activity, CO Bozovsky already started locating bait placed for deer. Enforcement action was taken on baiting bear with solid waste (not biodegradable), operating an ATV in a state park, no park permit, no helmet on passengers under 18, transporting aquatic macrophytes, and failing to yield.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) reports an incident in which a contractor was installing riprap along a shoreline was investigated. There was no violation, and as Frericks spoke with the contractor, he told the CO he got in trouble for doing it wrong several years ago and wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports the people responsible for a fire on Bear Island Lake came forward. They had started a campfire late in the day and believed they had put it out, but the fire had traveled through the peat and rekindled. He also monitored bear-baiting activity in the Ely area.
CO John Velsvaag (Ely) checked anglers and bear baits this past week. Several calls came in about deer-hunting regulations as well as the new statewide pike regulations. Velsvaag also took several nuisance-animal calls.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) helped with and attended annual training in firearms, defensive tactics, first aid, and evidence examination at Camp Ripley. She also spent time in the woods checking bear bait stations and state forest campgrounds. Manning also worked a special detail at the Grand Portage Port of Entry with other COs, K9s, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents to inspect bears, fish, and watercraft being brought into the state. Upon being checked, one gentleman declared, “I remember you! And I remembered to pull my drain plug this time!”
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling activity and bear baits with COC Karon.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked a border detail with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors and U.S. Customs officers. Several violations were detected, including fish overlimits, illegal bear importations, and AIS drain plug violations.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) and COC Nathan Benkofske report working ATV enforcement and checking bear bait stations in the Bigfork station. Enforcement action was taken for allowing youthful operation of recreational vehicles, juveniles not wearing helmets on ATVs, burning prohibited materials, and timber trespass.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) spent time at Camp Ripley this week as part of the training team conducting annual training for the division. Off-road vehicle patrol also was conducted in the district.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) reports more complaints about wolves attacking dogs and sheep were received.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked a detail at the Grand Portage Port of Entry during which overlimits of fish and big-game violations were detected.
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) continued field training with COC Elwell. They checked bear baits on ATVs and patrolled area ATV trails. The Minnesota State Fair booth was worked, with many questions about upcoming deer seasons and licenses.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports continuing training with COC Hughes. Time was spent patrolling the SRA for illegal motor vehicle operation and park violations. A call about a person putting out corn in an area where there is a wildlife feeding ban was investigated, and a call about some litter left in the park area was taken. The officers also seized a wild deer that someone had been raising in their home since it was a fawn without a permit. The deer was transported to the Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) investigated multiple trespassing complaints in the Emily area pertaining to accessing water bodies.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) scouted bear baits this week and made other preparations for Sept. 1 hunting openers. He also attended training, assisted at a highway crash, and investigated a burning complaint.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) attended training and took care of equipment maintenance. Assistance was given to the local sheriff’s office with a large litter case. A possible deer poaching, trespass, and illegal camping situation also were documented. Starr also consulted with a federal trapper on two separate farms of wolf depredation in which numerous wolves were trapped.
District 11 – St. Cloud area
CO Chad Thesing (Albany) returned to work in the Albany station after spending the summer assisting with the CO Academy. Time was spent at Camp Ripley on annual training involving defensive tactics, firearms, and medical training. Area lakes were checked, as were wildlife management areas.
CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports checking anglers and investigating aquatic vegetation, public waters, and Wetland Conservation Act violations. Enforcement action was taken for unlawful removal of aquatic vegetation and failure to comply with a wetland restoration order.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Phil Mohs (Center City) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Time also was spent checking bear baits in the area. Bear hunters are reminded they must register bait sites within 24 hours.
CO Mike Krauel (Mora) worked on wetland complaints in which an individual was dredging a wetland. He also checked anglers and ATV riders.
CO Trent Seamans (Big Lake) spent the majority of the week patrolling for sportfishing. He also followed up on a fish-kill complaint and staffed the DNR booth on the opening day of the State Fair.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO Tim Maass (Osseo) investigated a public waters violation and a wetland violation. Enforcement action was taken for removing cattails from a public water and failure to obtain a Contractor Liability Form.
CO Arnaud Kpachavi (Mound) assisted the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Minnetrista Police Department with a vehicle that drove into an area lake.
District 14 – East Metro area
CO Scott Arntzen (Forest Lake) spent the week investigating several public waters and wetland violations that resulted in the issuance of a cease and desist order. Arntzen also continued checking boaters and anglers and doing off-road vehicle enforcement.
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored angling, boating, and OHV activity during the week. He also attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. Questions regarding upcoming hunting seasons are becoming more frequent.
CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) reports an invasive species detail was worked at Hendricks. He also conducted several investigations throughout the week.
CO Luke Gutzwiller (Madison) spent time this past week working angling, littering, and ATVing enforcement. Gutzwiller also attended a deer meeting held at the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area office. Numerous questions were fielded regarding the upcoming hunting seasons. A commercial minnow inspection was conducted.
District 16 – New Ulm area
CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) spent time working AIS and angling enforcement. Other time was spent following up on aquatic plant and shoreline issues. Beaver permits were issued. A
CO Thor Nelson (New Ulm) checked a game farm for certification and assisted a local sheriff’s office with a suspicious-person call.
CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) conducted checks of anglers and boaters. Angling complaints were investigated, and beaver permits were issued.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Chad Davis (Owatonna) checked anglers, boaters, and ATV operators during the week. He also attended training at Camp Ripley and worked on a DNR applicant’s background investigation.
CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) spent the week checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Ihnen also patrolled for AIS violations. Additional time was spent staffing the TIP trailer at area events.
CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato) and COC Tony Flerlage helped staff a booth at the Shooters Roundup event in Rice County.
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Kevin Prodzinski (Wabasha) reports continuing field training with the new Rochester officer. The officers performed checks of anglers at Rochester-area ponds, the Zumbro River, and Lake Pepin. Additionally, the officers checked ATV and horse activity in the state forest areas of Snake Creek and the Zumbro Bottoms.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports spending time on the river checking fishing and boating activity. He talked to a boater who was floating down the main channel in a small blow-up raft with four full-size dogs. The boater would not give his name to officers and eventually jumped into the river with his dogs and fled to an island. It was determined the boater had a felony warrant. The boater eventually was found by the Winona County Sheriff’s Office and will be charged.
The post Minnesota Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – Aug. 31, 2018 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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