Northern Region
Ashland area
While on patrol in October, warden Amie Egstad, of Bayfield, received information about a burned-out car in the Bayfield County Forest. Upon finding the vehicle, Egstad contacted the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department. A deputy arrived at the location. The burned car had actually been reported as stolen within the previous two days in Douglas County. Evidence was gathered by the deputy and turned over to Douglas County Sheriff’s Department.
Wardens Adam Stennett, of Brule, and Matt Koshollek, of Drummond, received a call from a bobcat trapper that he caught a black bear in his bobcat trap. The wardens were able to coordinate with DNR wildlife staff to safely release the 60-pound black bear uninjured from the foot-hold trap.
Warden John Krull, of Superior, received information in October from a trapper who located a small outboard motor abandoned in a very remote location near Solon Springs. The new motor was eventually turned over to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department for follow-up into its possible stolen status.
Warden Stennett received information from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department that a hunter had harvested two turkeys near the Cloverland Covenant Church, and that the hunter may not have had the proper harvest authorizations. Stennett learned that the hunter had shot one turkey under one harvest authorization and another under an expired agricultural damage permit. Stennett also found that the hunter shot the turkeys behind the church; the hunter did not have permission to hunt turkeys on the property.
Park Falls area
Wardens Kirk Konichek and Steve Pyfferoen, both of Ladysmith, completed an investigation into a complaint of late shining and night hunting activity in October. The wardens caught the subjects shining after 10 p.m. and determined the subjects had possessed two deer illegally.
Wardens Dan Michels, of Park Falls, and Tom Heisler, of Winter, investigated road hunting complaints near Clam Lake. One subject was cited for loading and discharging a firearm from inside a vehicle and another was cited for intentionally running over state property with his vehicle. The individual agreed to pay for the destroyed property.
Warden Michels heard from a citizen in October complaining of someone allegedly shooting at a grouse from their vehicle. Michels was able to locate the suspect and enforcement action was taken.
Warden Joe Paul, of Phillips, delivered a mount of a 500-pound bear and cleaned skull to the Brillion Nature Center that was confiscated in a Price County case from the fall of 2014. The defendant in the case had agreed to mount the bear and display it publicly. The defendant paid the $3,500 taxidermy bill.
Warden Paul stopped a vehicle in October and observed the passenger hanging outside the vehicle and vomiting. The Price County Sheriff’s Department arrived and arrested the passenger for violating bond conditions and for possession of marijuana. The driver was arrested for several traffic violations. Paul determined that the driver had also been intentionally running over deer with his truck and seized a deer from the driver’s freezer. Paul seized venison from the same person last spring after he intentionally hit five deer with his truck. Three days later, Paul contacted the two men again due to a report of dead deer at their residence. The investigation revealed that an additional six deer had been run over since July and that one of the deer was shot at night using a rifle and a spotlight.
Woodruff area
Wardens Matt Meade, of Mercer, and Ryan Mannes spoke with a man who was observed to shoot at a ruffed grouse from a paved road near Mercer. The hunter admitted his mistake as he failed to get 50 feet off the roadway before discharging his shotgun.
While checking waterfowl hunters, wardens Mike Sealander, of St. Germain, and James Moore encountered a subject standing near his vehicle in an intersection. The person was intoxicated and was subsequently arrested by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department for his seventh offense OWI.
Warden Timothy Ebert, of Minocqua, responded to a call for assistance in October from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department regarding two male juveniles operating an ATV on the road with a loaded crossbow. They found that one youth had shot a deer in the backyard and they were attempting to locate the injured deer by driving the roads with the ATV and crossbow.
Warden Chris Bartelt, of Lake Tomahawk, responded to an illegal burning complaint in Oneida County. During the contact, Bartelt observed a mineral block in the yard, which is presently prohibited due to the baiting and feeding ban in effect in Oneida County.
Wardens Rich Thole, of Boulder Junction, and Aaron Koshatka contacted two waterfowl hunters after they finished hunting. Neither hunter had a life preserver in their kayak. One hunter did not have a plug in his shotgun and the other had not signed his federal waterfowl stamp.
Wardens Thole and Koshatka responded to a call of a deer with a tire around its head in a person’s backyard. The small lawn tractor tire was wedged on the deer’s head because of two small antlers pinning it there. Numerous people held the deer on the ground while one person worked successfully to finally get the tire off.
West-Central Region
Eau Claire area
Wardens Kevin Christorf, of Cornell, and Bob Kneeland, of Chippewa Falls, investigated an illegal deer hunting complaint in October. It was found that one person illegally harvested one deer over illegal bait near Cornell and did not register the deer. That person also shot an additional antlerless deer on public property in Chippewa County and registered the deer for Barron County.
Wardens Jake Bolks, of Eau Claire, and Kevin Christorf completed an investigation in October where it was found that two groups have been illegally hunting deer from the road and shooting the deer from inside their vehicles since 2016. Enforcement action is pending in Clark and Taylor counties.
Warden Ken Thomson, of Fall Creek, attended a trial in October for five individuals who had pushed a car into the Eau Claire River at a popular public area after damaging it while “mudding” on local logging roads. All five defendants were found guilty of the violation and, along with paying a fine amount, were ordered to pay the $10,000 in costs to remove and properly dispose of the car.
Wisconsin Rapids area
Warden Erika Taylor, of Marshfield, attended a career day at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids and met with high school students about jobs the DNR has to offer.
The Wisconsin River team wardens participated in scenario training for an environmental law enforcement course field day at UW-Stevens Point.
Warden Jon Scharbarth assisted with coordinating the fourth annual learn-to-hunt (LTH) deer program at Standing Rocks County Park in conjunction with the Portage County Parks Department, Bill Cook Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, UW-Stevens Point Student Law Enforcement Program, and the Almond Rod and Gun Club. This year, five of the 10 new hunters were successful in harvesting their first deer.
Wardens Scharbarth and Vong Xiong gave a law update to members of the Almond Rod and Gun Club at their monthly meeting.
Warden Bryan Lockman gave a talk to the Izaak Walton League in Stevens Point about hunting, boating and trapping law changes.
Warden Lockman gave presentations to Stevens Point high school fish and wildlife classes where he discussed the challenges in managing fish and wildlife. Lockman also discussed careers in the DNR.
Warden Lockman responded to a call from the Portage County Sheriff’s Department about a stranded duck hunter on the Point Flowage. Lockman located the lone hunter and towed him back to the boat landing.
Wardens Paul Leezer and Austin Schumacher investigated eight illegal baiting complaints during the last half of October. Baiting and feeding is prohibited in Marathon County.
Wardens Leezer and Schumacher investigated a complaint of illegally placed stands and cameras on Voluntary Public Access lands. The DNR Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) provides financial incentives to landowners who open their property to public hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife observation. Treestands and cameras must be removed from VPA properties at the end of shooting hours each night.
Wardens Leezer and Schumacher donated approximately 60 pounds of venison to a food pantry in Spencer. The venison had been seized as part of an illegal deer hunting case.
Warden Josh Litvinoff, of Schofield, assisted the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department and local agencies search for a missing child.
La Crosse area
Warden Meghan Jensen, of Trempealeau, investigated an ongoing littering case in October. Over the course of about a year, somebody had been dumping truckloads of wooden debris onto leased property resulting in somebody else having to remove it and pay for proper disposal of the material. Through investigation, and assistance from the Winona Police Department, Jensen was able to locate the individual responsible for depositing the waste materials.
While working waterfowl enforcement on the Mississippi River, warden Jensen contacted a hunter who was found to be hunting waterfowl without a small game license, state waterfowl stamp or HIP. The hunter did have a federal duck stamp. The hunter was also found to be hunting with a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells. The hunter thought another family member had purchased their license for them and the hunter borrowed the gun from a different family member who had failed to put a plug into the gun. Jensen provided the hunter an opportunity to buy the necessary license/stamp/approval to legally hunt waterfowl, which the hunter complied with almost immediately. Enforcement action was taken for the unplugged gun.
Warden Jensen and federal wildlife officer Rob Hirschboeck responded to a citizen complaint of fishermen possibly keeping undersized bass on the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Upon contact, the wardens found that the fishermen had eight largemouth bass in their possession and six of them were under the legal limit. The fishermen stated they had only been fishing for about 45 minutes and when they were contact by law enforcement they were still actively fishing, despite already being over the legal daily bag limit.
Wardens Cody Adams, of Crawford County, and Mike Williams investigated a shine-and-shoot case in October. Two men were determined to have shot at a deer at 11:30 p.m. with a rifle out of a vehicle. It also was determined that a female party shot an antlerless deer with a crossbow without a license. One of the men was arrested for criminal disorderly conduct and taken to the Iowa County jail. This man also had warrants for his arrest out of Grant County. Enforcement action is pending on the hunting violations.
Warden Edward McCann, of La Crosse, assisted Vernon County first responders in attempting to locate the occupant of a swamped boat that was found abandoned on the Stoddard breakwall. All were concerned that the hunter fell from or lost his boat. The subject was located safe at home. He left his boat along the shoreline because he could not battle the waves and wind. He did not inform anyone of his actions or safety while several hours of searching ensued.
Wardens Shawna Stringham, of Viroqua, and Trevor Tracey, of Stoddard, received a complaint of an individual trout fishing during the closed season. The wardens identified the individual and he was found to have caught three trout.
Wardens Nate Ackerman, of Pepin, and Hans Walleser conducted an investigation on ginseng violations. Wardens found two violations of selling for someone else / provide false information, and acting as a dealer as one subject paid the person up front for the ginseng root before he sold it to a licensed ginseng dealer.
Warden Trevor Tracey and Lt. Tyler Strelow were working waterfowl enforcement on the Mississippi River near Desoto when they made contact with four hunters. It was discovered that the hunters were in possession of two pied-billed grebes. It was also discovered that one of the hunters was using a shotgun that could hold more than three shells. The hunters were able to identify the birds as grebes. The hunter whose gun could hold more than three shells presented the wardens with a tube plug that he had in his boat with him.
Wardens Bob Jumbeck, of Alma, responded to a call of a lost hunter on the Mississippi River well after dark. The hunter found deep water and was wet and unable to locate his boat after an evening of archery hunting. With a good location, Jumbeck was able to locate the hunter and return him to his vessel. On a positive note, the archer successfully harvested a buck during the hunt.
Warden Jumbeck assisted DNR wildlife management staff by working with a landowner who shot a sick buck during the archery season. The deer was submitted for CWD testing and the results came back negative. Hunters are encouraged to submit lymph node samples to assist wildlife management in determining disease prevalence.
Black River Falls area
Warden Michael Weber, of Mauston, and supervisor Roy Zellmer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for shining after hours in October. During the contact, the wardens found that the vehicle operator was illegally in possession of a handgun and compound bow while shining. In addition, the wardens found that the passenger had a warrant out of Rock County. Enforcement action was taken and the passenger was arrested on the Rock County warrant.
Wardens Weber and Zellmer contacted an archery hunter from another state who had been hunting private land in southern Juneau County. The hunter harvested three deer, but had not registered any of the deer, as required. In addition, the wardens found the hunter had been hunting over an area that was illegally baited and had harvested two antlerless deer without the proper antlerless deer harvest authorizations.
Warden Weber and Zellmer and Juneau County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a call of a deer stuck in a pool at a residence near New Lisbon. Upon arrival, the wardens found the adult doe had broken through the top pool cover and could not get back out of the pool. The wardens and deputies were eventually able to secure the deer by hand and remove it from the pool.
Warden Molly Detjens, of Adams, investigated a person suspected of harvesting two bucks with a bow in the fall of 2016. Detjens found the suspect had shot the two bucks in 2016 and also used his daughter’s archery buck tag to illegally tag a deer he had shot during the fall of 2017.
Northeast Region
Wautoma area
Warden Jonathan Kaiser, of Waupaca, attended “Run with the Cops” to support Special Olympics with other wardens and multiple public contacts were made regarding the DNR and warden recruitment.
Warden Jonathan Kaiser, of Waupaca, attended an LTH deer event. A hunter with disabilities who was able to harvest a deer. Kaiser worked with a generous landowner and meat processor to organize the hunt and have the deer processed for the hunter.
Warden Schraufnagel, of Clintonville, contacted a hunter who had been illegally operating an ATV on DNR land to check a bear bait and camera. The subject had placed a blind without a customer ID number and had not removed the blind. The camera also did not have a customer I.D. number. The subject was also crossbow deer hunting without blaze orange during the youth deer season.
Warden Schraufnagel participated in a pheasant LTH event sponsored by the Belle Plaine Sportsman’s Club.
Warden Kaitlin Kernosky of New London partnered with Heroes Hunt for Veterans and Rudolf Ranch Game Farm, of Ogdensburg, for a disabled veteran’s deer hunt. The veteran hunter served active duty for the U.S. Army for nine years as a radio communications specialist and air traffic controller. She served during Operation Desert Storm and was also stationed in Panama and Saudi Arabia during her career. She was successful and harvested a white-tailed deer.
Wardens John Schreiber, of Green Lake, Bill Hankee, of Campbellsport, and Michael Williams, of Dodgeville, investigated a fisherman who fished the Rush Lake area for over possession of panfish.
Wardens Schreiber and Ryan Caputo, of Madison, completed an investigation of an abandoned vehicle dumped on state land in Green Lake County. The vehicle was found to have changed hands multiple times for repair, then for parts, then for scrap. The responsible party was located who lived in Green Lake County.
Warden Schreiber contacted a hunter in Marquette County who was found to be placing illegal deer bait in a baiting prohibited area, as well as placed bait well before the deer season. Bait to attract deer cannot be placed until 24 hours prior to the archery deer season, and only in bait-legal counties.
Peshtigo area
While on routine patrol in October, wardens Timothy Werner, of Crivitz, and Austin Schumacher, of Madison, contacted the operator of a vehicle driving on a forest road in a remote area of Marinette County. Upon contact, the passenger was found to have a loaded crossbow between his legs. The occupants of the vehicle were also attempting to harvest deer from the roadway. One of the passengers had shot a deer the previous day using the same technique.
Warden Timothy Werner, of Crivitz, assisted warden Dale Romback, of Wausaukee, with an illegal shining stop near Dunbar. The driver of the vehicle was shining deer after hours and while in possession of a compound bow. A search of the vehicle revealed several arrows sitting on the dash, as well as the archery release in the center console. The wardens also located marijuana, and found illegal possession of prescription pills, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken, and several criminal charges have been referred to the Marinette County D.A.
Green Bay area and
Northeast Operations Marine Unit
Warden Alyssa Neff-Miller, of Manitowoc, was patrolling the West Twin River after dark and located five individuals at the Shoto dam. Two were actively fishing and the other three were assisting by handing them equipment and netting fish.
Warden Neff-Miller followed up on a complaint of a family fishing on the East Twin River with large fishing hooks. Neff-Miller made contact with the group in the parking lot and determined that they were all in possession of fishing poles set up with fishing hooks that had a gap greater than one-half inch. Neff-Miller also found that two of the fishing poles were set up with snag hooks.
Warden Mike Neal, of Sister Bay, contacted an individual who had dumped a number of waterfowl carcasses on the state land in October. It was also determined that he had dumped a deer carcass a month earlier. Initially he stated that his brother had shot the deer with a crossbow, but his brother didn’t have a license upon checking. The individual then stated his nephew had hit the deer with a vehicle. Eventually, he admitted he had picked up the car-killed deer and never called the deer in.
Wardens Jeff Lautenslager, of Peshtigo, and Jake Zach contacted a deer hunter documented for illegal baiting. The individual was found to be hunting over corn, apples, and a mineral/feed block. The individual was using a firearm during bow season and also failed to register an 8-point buck from 2017.
Wardens Dave Allen, of Kewaunee, Jordan Resop, of Sturgeon Bay, and Neff-Miller participated the 2018 UW-Stevens Point river watch program on the tributary streams of Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties, which resulted in a number of enforcement actions for failure to release foul-hooked fish, and fishing tributary streams at night.
Warden Jake Zach, of Fish Creek, received a call of two individuals snagging fish in the Kewaunee River near Bruemmer Park. Zach found the two individuals matching the description. No snagging violations were observed, but the two individuals were fishing in the Kewaunee River Fish Refuge.
The post Wisconsin Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – Nov. 30, 2018 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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