4/29 DNR ENFORCEMENT REPORT

[Lee Borgersen]

WEEKLY DNR ENFORCEMENT REPORT: Annual training, Wildfire investigations etc.


CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) received call of a sandhill crane killed out of season with the investigation ongoing. A number of wildfires are under investigation.

Here is the weekly report from Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in northwest Minnesota for April 30:



District 1 - Baudette area


CO Ben Huener (Roseau) investigated an arson fire near Karlstad and attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. A sheep/goose depredation was also investigated which turned out to be killed by coyotes.


CO Larry Milbridge (Warroad) investigated numerous fire investigations and checked ATV activity in the state forest. A Firearms Safety presentation was given to students in Warroad. Enforcement action taken for burning and ATV violations.


CO Jeff Birchem (Baudette) attended annual training at Camp Ripley, followed up on wildfire investigations, and checked boaters for AIS compliance. Sturgeon anglers on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River were checked. Enforcement taken for insufficient PFDs in watercraft.


CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) attended division training at Camp Ripley and taught the law and ethics portion of a Firearms Safety class in Middle River. Anglers on the Red Lake and Thief rivers were checked. A call of a sandhill crane killed out of season was received with the investigation ongoing. A number of wildfires are under investigation.


CO Keith Backer (Blackduck) checked area anglers and monitored AIS compliance. Forestry was assisted with wildfire calls and the Firearms Safety field days in Blackduck and Kelliher were attended. CO Backer worked Wildfire Investigative Team assignments during the week.


CO Robert Gorecki (Baudette) monitored fishing and fire activity throughout the week. Sturgeon anglers are reporting good success with several sturgeons being kept. Wolf depredation complaints were investigated and invasive species inspections were done.


Blackduck #2 - vacant.


Karlstad - vacant.


Warroad #2 - vacant.


District 2 - Bemidji area


CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) checked anglers, boaters, and ATVs. Complaints of wolf depredation, a property line dispute, and stolen snares were investigated. Malinowski spoke with boaters and anglers about the AIS laws and new boat decal. He also spoke to a Firearms Safety Class about laws, safety, and ethics. Malinowski assisted other law enforcement officers with a call involving a mentally ill person.


CO Tim Gray (Bagley) assisted with training efforts during Conservation Officer in-service held at Camp Ripley.


CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) checked anglers, ATVs, and trappers. A number of anglers were attempting to catch suckers on area streams. Complaints of people fishing in closed fish spawning areas were investigated. Closed ATV trails were monitored for law compliance. Nuisance beaver complaints continue to come in.


CO Stacey Sharp (Bemidji) checked anglers, boaters, beaver trappers, and ATVs. AIS boat inspections were done and AIS boat decals distributed at public accesses. Several suspicious wild fires were investigated.


CO Chris Vinton (Perham) attended in-service training at Camp Ripley. A background investigation of a conservation officer applicant was started for the next Conservation Officer Academy. A TIP call resulted in the detection of two anglers fishing without licenses and taking northern pike out of season. The two anglers had seven pike in possession.


CO Phil Seefeldt (Moorhead) attended the annual CO training. He also assisted with minnow enforcement training. Two wetland alteration complaints were investigated where wetland filling was occurring. A complaint of a person shooting rabbits with a bow in the city limits was investigated. The person videoed the shooting and posted it on YouTube and Facebook. Angling activity is increasing. Catfish anglers on the Red River are having the best success. Enforcement action was taken for expired ATV registration and allowing illegal youth operation of an ATV.


CO Joe Stattelman (Detroit Lakes) assisted with the annual CO in-service at Camp Ripley and training at the Conservation Officer Academy. Anglers were checked and spring fish run monitored.


CO Al Peterson (Osage) assisted with the annual CO in-service at Camp Ripley and provided training at the Conservation Officer Academy. Anglers were checked, and walleye spawning is nearly over in the area.


CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) checked anglers, attended the annual CO training. Complaints of taking over-limits of fish, and leech trapper trespass were investigated.


Water Resource Officer Traci Hanson (Northwest Region) assisted with lake service provider training in Fergus Falls with approximately 20 companies attending. The training focuses on AIS laws and AIS spread prevention. Hanson met with DNR hydrologists regarding public waters alteration cases in Becker and Norman counties. A complaint of someone filling a wetland after dark was investigated. Hanson attended the annual CO training at Camp Ripley.


Crookston - vacant.


Natural Resources pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) finished the statewide goose survey, flew wetland photos for Forest Assessment and attended to administrative tasks.