Weekly CO report

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2025-05-27

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) talked to Warroad Elementary students at the School Forest and Norris Camp. Officer Huener spent the busy Memorial Weekend on Lake of the Woods, seeing mostly good reports from anglers. Violations for the weekend included no registration on watercraft, possessing illegal length walleye, angling with an extra line, litter, possessing an over limit of walleyes, and obstruction.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers and following up with various complaints. Violations encountered were no license in possession, angling with extra lines, failure to have sufficient PFDs, angling without a license, overlimit of walleye, and illegal length walleye.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods and the surrounding area. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession and no State Park permit.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports high success rates for walleye anglers in Lake of the Woods. Time was spent working angling activity and nuisance animal complaints. Prachar worked with CO Shaw on a nuisance bear complaint, and they rescued 2 orphaned bear cubs. The cubs were transferred to a local rehab center for care. Enforcement action was taken for expired watercraft registration and angling with no license in possession.

CO Paul Kennedy (Baudette East) assisted with a trapping and furs presentation along with a wildland safety class for kids at Big Bog and Norris Camp this week. He checked anglers on Lake of the Woods with most anglers having success. Enforcement action for the week included several watercraft safety violations, angling with extra line, illegal length fish, and no life jackets.

CO Bobby Stringer (Thief River Falls West) reports an active week and Memorial Day weekend. Some success was reported for shore anglers with the bite towards the evening hours. Boaters were active on the Red Lake River and neighboring waterways. Boat accesses were congested; however, there was a neighborly approach used by most. Enforcement actions for the week included no angling license in possession, extra lines, no personal flotation devices on a watercraft, and several ATV related violations.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the Memorial Day weekend monitoring ATV and angling activity. Nuisance animal calls were handled throughout the week. Enforcement action was taken for angling with an extra line, possession of an over-limit, possession of an illegal length walleye, and operating an ATV with juvenile passengers without helmets.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) monitored angling activity on Upper Red Lake. The bite improved throughout the week as weather conditions improved.

CO Brianna Shaw (Blackduck South) spent the week patrolling for recreational vehicle and angling activity. Additional time was spent successfully capturing and rehoming orphaned black bear cubs to a rehabilitation center with CO Prachar. Shaw also worked Lake of the Woods with CO Kennedy.

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2025-05-27

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports checking anglers and boaters throughout the week. Multiple contacts were made during the holiday weekend. Time was also spent attending a public speaking event in Crookston. Various boating and angling violations were encountered.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) dedicated his patrols to angling and boating enforcement during the busy Memorial Day weekend. Many contacts were made with everyone enjoying the perfect weather. Enforcement action was taken for taking a northern pike in a protected slot length, anglers not having their license in possession, and various ATV violations. He also fielded calls about problems bears in the area.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) reports working a busy holiday weekend, for boat and water safety enforcement. Angling success was limited on the bluebird days but many boaters were out to enjoy it. Compliance was high amongst boaters, with the most common violation being no Type IV PFD (throwable device) and display of expired registration. Additional time was spent on ATV enforcement and alcohol enforcement training at Camp Ripley.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week training with K9 Axel at their last week of K9 School. CO Swedberg spent a busy Memorial Day weekend checking fishermen and working AIS around the Detroit Lakes area. He also answered questions for a local radio station regarding boating safety and the DNR?s K9 program.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) worked boating and recreational vehicle enforcement during the week. Numerous Off-Road Vehicles (ORV) were encountered operating illegally. Owners/operators are reminded they are responsible for knowing what type of machine they are operating and where it is allowed to be operated. As a reminder, current law defines ATVs as no more than 65? wide or more than 2000 pounds. Enforcement action for the week included operating an ORV on a public roadway, Violate ignition interlock restriction (on ORV), no youth helmet on ATV and No PFD.

CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) worked angling and boating activity. Patrol was conducted for ATV and off road vehicles. Leeching activity was monitored. WMA and WPAs were patrolled for activity and a complaint of driving a motor vehicle on a WMA was investigated. Questions were answered about wildlife disposal, license requirements and limits.

CO Matthew Boyle (Pelican Rapids) spent time checking area anglers and answering numerous ATV and fish and game questions. Boyle saw mixed reports of success, with surface water temps dropping approximately 10 degrees on many lakes after the rain. The consistent warm weather towards the weekend has improved the panfish bite.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked area lakes by boat and on shore this week and watched for ATV activity. Registrations on watercraft and ATVs were very good overall. Fishing success was mediocre, with more northerns now being caught and some bass activity increasing. Life jacket use for youth was good out on the lakes. Violations encountered were no license in possession, no lights on operated ATVs, and no Type IV throwables immediately available.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) checked anglers on area lakes throughout the week and over the Memorial Holiday weekend. Walleye fishing continues to be a bit slow since the cold front, while pan fishing continues to be decent. Time was also spent working with the DNR Enforcement intern, providing a ride along to an individual interested in becoming a CO, and handling various wildlife-related complaints

CO Curtis Jepson (District #2) reports much of the week was spent checking boating, shore anglers, and ATVs in the Pelican Rapids and Detroit Lakes stations. Memorial Weekend was busy, with pontoons and personal watercrafts cruising the lakes. The most common violation was angling without a fishing license.

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2025-05-27

CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) spent the week focused on angling, recreational vehicle, and turkey hunting enforcement. She would like to remind people to take a picture of their angling license so they can use that if checked in the field by a CO. The busy weekend was decent for both anglers and recreational boaters.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) worked a beautiful holiday weekend focusing on boating, invasive species, fishing, and ATV enforcement. The weather kept all lakes booming with traffic. A Turkey hunting complaint was handled and a possible wolf depredation case was worked.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) reports focusing his enforcement effort on boating and angling during the week, into the holiday weekend. Local anglers report slow fishing success during the beginning of the week but it gradually increased going into the weekend. Various boating and angling violations were encountered during the week including, angling without angling license, expired watercraft registration, and no life jackets on board watercraft.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked fishermen, boats, and ATV?s. Injured and nuisance animal complaints were received and handled. Please leave baby animal alone as their parents aren?t too far away.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent a busy week patrolling Douglas County for angling and recreational boating activity. The warm weather contributed to many individuals on the water. Enforcement action was taken for a variety of angling and boating violations.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) spent the busy Memorial Day weekend patrolling her lakes in Douglas, Todd, and Pope Counties. Success for anglers was low, but great weather made for happy boaters on the water. Numerous violations encountered. Most popular being fishing without a license and safety equipment violations.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing and boating activity. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, keeping slot northern and bass out of season, and various PFD violations.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were focused on checking fishermen, boaters, and ATV operators. Additional time was spent monitoring AIS law compliance and fielding calls about nuisance wildlife. Nice weather over the Memorial Day weekend brought out a lot of boaters and fishermen on area lakes.

Wheaton vacant.

District 4 – Walker area

Last updated: 2025-05-27

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked angling, boating, and recreational vehicle traffic. Cross saw many people out enjoying the great freedoms we have been awarded by those that made the ultimate sacrifice this Memorial Day. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating, angling, and recreational vehicle violations.

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for Angling, Boating, and Recreational Vehicle traffic. CO Baum attended a public speaking event in Mora with the DNR Enforcement Aviation Division Helicopter. CO Baum saw an increase of ATV, OHM, and ORV activity with the Memorial Day weekend. CO Baum found anglers having varying success on area lake. CO Baum worked Leech Lake for angling activity over the holiday weekend. CO Baum took various enforcement action over the busy weekend for Angling, Boating, and recreational vehicle violations.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) attended the spring otter registration day in Wadena, approximately 35 otters were registered. Several calls were fielded for nuisance bear, the public is reminded just the spotting of a bear doesn?t mean it?s considered nuisance. Other wildlife calls were fielded.

CO Patrick McGowan (Cass Lake) worked Winnibigoshish, Leech and Cass Lakes over the holiday weekend. Weekend boat traffic was high with numerous people out enjoying the nice weather. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating and fishing violations, including a perch overlimit.

CO Corey Sura (Remer) patrolled ATV trails and area lakes during the Memorial Holiday weekend. Enforcement action was taken for violations to include illegal length northern pike, fishing without a license, expired registration, and allowing juvenile ATV passengers to ride without a helmet. As a reminder, all children under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet on both class one and class two ATV?s when on public lands, waters (ice), and trails.

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) checked angling and ATV activity. She took reports of nuisance bears and other wildlife concerns.

CO Levi Brown (Staples) spent time this weekend on the water monitoring the holiday weekend activities. Anglers were having better luck this week than the previous weeks both from shore and from watercraft. Brown would like to remind boaters to check their watercraft for required safety equipment prior to the getting on the water. Enforcement action was taking for multiple ATV violations.

Walker vacant.

ATV rec officer vacant.