District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2024-04-15
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) patrolled area wildlife management areas and took a local ATV-related complaint. Preparations were made for the upcoming turkey season, and assistance was given to local law enforcement at a couple local calls for service.
CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week monitoring ATV traffic and angling activity. Various complaints were also followed up on.
CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. Fontes reports the ice fishing season has finally ended on Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action was taken for keeping walleyes during the closed season, the use of an extra line, taking fish without an angling license, and driving after cancellation – inimical to public safety. Fontes notes he encountered a group of anglers on the Rainy River who were keeping walleyes because they did not know the season was catch-and-release only. He urges people to consult the fishing regulations book, or the signs posted at public accesses, before fishing waterbodies with special regulations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports continued angler success on the Rainy River with the ice-out. Time was spent working angling and ATV activity.
CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) handled complaints of dumped deer and beavers. A talk was given at the University of Minnesota Crookston to a senior seminar class and a law enforcement class. A law talk was given at an ATV safety class in Newfolden. Time was also spent working ATV and off-road vehicle enforcement and working a fire detail. Enforcement action was taken for operating an ORV on a state highway and burning prohibited materials.
CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent time throughout the week working ATV enforcement. Dry conditions, low humidity, and high winds have caused red flag warnings to be issued in the northwest. Time was spent working fire enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for unlawful incinerator, various ATV violations, and angling without a license.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working spring trapping activity throughout this past week. Time was spent patrolling station recreational vehicle trails, handling reports of incidental catches of otter, and attending spring in-service training at Camp Ripley. Regas also assisted Forestry with fire detection details in the northwestern area of the state.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. Time was spent checking rivers and creeks for spring fish run activity. He assisted with a detail in the Grygla and Fourtown area.
Baudette East vacant.
Blackduck North vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-04-15
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports spending time at Camp Ripley for annual in-service training. Time was further spent checking anglers and watercraft operators. Spring beaver trappers were also checked.
CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) patrolled area lakes, checking panfish anglers and boaters. Success was still limited over the weekend, despite rising water temperatures. Goodman focused on ATV enforcement with a handful of off-highway motorcycles encountered on county roads. Enforcement action was taken for spearing in a river, registration violations and juvenile ATV passengers without helmets.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week checking anglers and working on cases from the deer season. Swedberg also assisted patrolling for fire activity in the area. Spring fishing closures are in effect in the Detroit Lakes area and anglers need to stay out of the spawning areas. Several anglers learned about the regulations, after walking past the closed-no fishing signs, when Swedberg checked their angling licenses. Enforcement action was taken for fishing in a closed area and fishing without a license.
CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) responded to several fire-related calls during the week. The stream trout season began over the weekend and several anglers were checked. Time was also spent on recreational vehicle enforcement.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week working on a deer investigation, teaching firearms safety classes, and working the spring fish run in the Moorhead and Pelican Rapids stations. The warm weather started the panfish bite on area lakes and the Red River of the North is producing walleyes. Anglers intending to shore fish along the Red River are reminded they must possess the license of the state they are standing in, whereas anglers in boats can possess either a North Dakota or Minnesota license. Those looking to spear or bowfish are reminded the season north of Highway 210 doesn?t start until April 27. Enforcement action was taken for bowfishing out of season, angling without a license, illegal-length crappies on a special regulation lake, and boat registration violations.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) worked on follow up of open cases. Angling activity and fish run activity was monitored. Time was spent at annual training.
CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) attended annual training at Camp Ripley, addressed questions about new Minnesota statutes, nuisance beavers and wetland damages and addressed the requirement for lights to be on when riding an ATV. He also patrolled a couple of lakes in the region by boat.
Bemidji #1 vacant.
Pelican Rapids vacant.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2024-04-15
CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the past week assisting with training at Camp Ripley for spring in-service as well as with a female-only firearms safety field day with other female COs.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Plautz monitored fish run activity and reminds people that bowfishing is not open until April 27. Some anglers were found catching suckers with hook and line. ATV enforcement was taken for youth without helmets, failure to transfer ownership, and operating unregistered ATVs. Wetlands-related complaints were handled, as was a litter case of several snow goose carcasses dumped along a township road. A firearms safety class was attended with a laws and ethics discussion with the youth.
CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports spending time monitoring boating and angling enforcement. Time was also spent with ATV enforcement and annual training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action this week included a juvenile passenger on an ATV with no helmet worn, expired boat registration, and too many passengers on a Class 2 ATV. Calls related to incidentally trapped animals were also fielded.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked anglers, boaters, and ATV riders. Burning complaints and investigations were handled over the weekend. A fishing complaint in Otter Tail County was received and assisted on.
CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County. Time was spent checking anglers and responding to several fires in the area. People are reminded that with the dry, hot, and windy weather that small fires can turn large quickly. Enforcement action was taken on numerous violations throughout the week.
CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) worked the trout opener and is pleased to report seeing lots of children putting fish in the buckets. There was overall good success opening day with fewer anglers the second day. Various violations encountered with enforcement action taken. Other enforcement efforts were focused on panfish anglers and ATV activity.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and ATV operators. Additional time was spent at Camp Ripley and investigating a couple of illegal fires.
Wheaton vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-04-15
CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent time responding to grass fires. Enforcement action was taken for burning prohibited materials and burning without a permit. Due to the dry conditions the burning permit system was not allowing permit fires. Campfires are still allowed but discouraged. Saewert located two bow fishers who were bowfishing in the closed season. Enforcement action was taken for several violations. The local rivers are starting to show spawning activity.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked trapping, attended training, and monitored early season walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River. Enforcement action was taken for boating and angling violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. He also assisted with training at Camp Ripley for Division officers, and time was spent preparing open-water equipment.
CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) hosted a female-only firearm safety field day. She also received multiple trapping related reports and investigated a fishing TIP. Enforcement action was taken on operating an unregistered ATV.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports checking anglers and documenting any winter damage at local public accesses. He and K9 Jet spent an evening with local Boy Scouts conducting a K9 demonstration and educating them on invasive species like zebra mussels. Seifermann and K9 Jet also spent the week preparing for the annual K9 Game Detector trials held in Red Wing. On Saturday the entire K9 Unit successfully obtained their certificates.
CO Corey Sura (Remer) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Sura patrolled ATV activity in the Remer area, and spring beaver-trapping activities were monitored. Enforcement action was taken for operating an ATV with expired registration. Preparation for spring has begun with boat and other equipment maintenance.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) found the activity to be picking up in the area as the lakes are ice-free and the weather was good. Anglers and ATV riders were primarily worked. Mathy also investigated a litter and trapping complaint.
ATV rec officer vacant.
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