Weekly DNR Reports

[Lee Borgersen]

                            Weekly DNR Reports


District 5 - Eveleth area

CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) spent time on background investigation for future conservation officer position. Several fishing violation complaints were handled at US Customs, Port Of Entry, and International Falls. Several nuisance animal complaints were also handled throughout the week. Fishing enforcement activity on Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, and Namakan Lake was monitored. Enforcement action was taken for no fishing license in possession, transport filleted fish while on the water, transport uncountable/unidentifiable fish, over limit, and possess/transport illegal fish taken from Canada.


C0 Troy Fondie (Orr)

reports monitoring angling and boating activities over the week, wind and rain kept activities minimal. Public access sites continued to be monitored. Area forest roads were checked after the rainfall. ATV activities were checked with little observed in light of inclement weather over the week.


CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports angling for muskies and bass has been quite good. Parks and Trails was contacted to remove a beaver dam that was causing flooding at a local public access. Numerous calls/questions about the grey wolf hunting/trapping season were received. An injured eagle was transported to a rehab facility.


CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers, ATV’s, finished related forms for a BWI arrest from the previous weekend, checked for flooding problems from over four inches of rain in one day and handled the usual numerous nuisance wildlife calls. Enforcement action was taken on angling without an angling license and failing to stop at a stop sign.


CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spoke at a Firearms Safety Class and two ATV safety classes. A majority of CO Frericks’ time was spent on area lakes and rivers checking anglers and boaters. A high number of boaters are neglecting to have a sufficient number of PFD’s on board their watercraft. These boaters are being issued citations to remind them to bring the correct number of PFD’s the next time they get on the water. CO Frericks received an email from a person who assisted him in releasing a wolf from a snare two months ago. At the time the snare had cut through all of the wolf’s muscle and was firmly attached to its leg bone. The email advised CO Frericks that he just saw the wolf and that it was alive and well and running with its pack but with a limp.


Ray - vacant.


I. Falls # 2 - vacant.




District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Marty Stage (Ely) assisted Duluth and Moose Lake in their flood response efforts, and worked on both a nuisance bear complaint and a Border Patrol detail in the BWCAW. Fishing has been slow but the mosquitos are plentiful. Don’t forget your bug dope and empty the water out of everything before you transport it.


CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area lakes, boat accesses and campgrounds. Officer Manning participated in a site visit looking at potential wetland and public waters violations-none were found and landowners and public employees will be working cooperatively to improve stream conditions in the area. Officer Manning also assisted Cook County emergency personnel with a medical call in the BWCAW and assisted with flood response in Moose Lake and Jay Cooke State Park.


CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers on inland lakes around the Finland area. The officer fielded many calls about nuisance bears. Most of the problems were human error, leaving trash and food outside. Officer Wahlstrom spent time on Lake Superior checking anglers and transported biologists out to Gull Island to band Peregrine Falcons.


CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) assisted with the flood response along the North Shore as well as in Moose Lake. North Shore streams and rivers are back down to normal levels, but large amounts of debris is present both in the river beds and in Lake Superior. CO Thomasen worked in Silver Bay over the weekend as an attempt was made to set a world record for the longest ATV parade.




District 7 - Grand Rapids area

Water Resource Enforcement Officer Tony Arhart worked aquatic invasive species, sport fishing, boating enforcement activities at Red Lake and at area lakes. Angler success was mixed again this week with the wild weather patterns. Enforcement action was taken for angling license, boat equipment, and for gunwale riding violations. Officer Arhart also attended a WREO meeting at Camp Ripley and followed aquatic plant management and wetland conservation act cases.


CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) spoke at an area lake association meeting, checked anglers, responded to injured eagle call, monitored OHV traffic, worked boat and water enforcement, and assisted the county with a reckless discharge of firearm call. While checking some shore anglers, a female angler said that she didn’t think she needed a license since she didn’t plan on keeping any of the fish she had caught. The walleye bite on Winnie has turned on. Enforcement action was taken for youth under 18 operating ATV without helmet, youth under 18 operating ATV with passenger, angling without license, angling with extra line, no angling license in possession, and fail to have navigational lights illuminated after sunset.


CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers, worked ATV trails, and investigated wolf complaints. Enforcement action was taken for angling without license in possession, possess fish without license, transport fish without skin patch, and over limit.


CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, watercraft, ATV’s, state parks and campgrounds. He also worked invasive species and boating complaints during the week.


CO Jayson Hansen ( Bigfork) began field training new CO Shawn Wichmann. Officers patrolled the Bigfork area for boating, angling, and ATV activity. They also investigated a possible over-limit complaint. The officers encountered numerous violations including boat registration, ATV registration, no license in possession, small amount of marijuana, no fire extinguisher, fail to transfer ownership of a watercraft, and bow riding. The officers also made a DUI arrest, and assisted Itasca County on a dispute between neighbors where one fired a shotgun to threaten the other. Officer Hansen also assisted with an apprehension of a suspect that fled from a deputy into the Prairie River. The officers pulled the man from the river into their boat, and turned him over to deputies on shore.


CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked localized flooding activity with all the rain received in the Grand Rapids Area. CO Sutherland cleared river passages that were clogged to free up river systems that weren’t properly draining. CO Sutherland also worked anglers over the past week with enforcement action taken for over limit of bluegills and northern pike. CO Sutherland also attended a firearm safety class and gave a law talk.


Officer Speldrich (NE ATV) assisted the Carlton County and Moose Lake Police Departments with flood duty. He also worked a series of closed trails in Carlton and Aitkin Counties for illegal ATV operation.


Hill City - vacant.




District 8 - Duluth area

CO Duncan and COC Mueller (Duluth) reports this past week the area was hit hard with massive amounts of rain. The beginning of the week was spent assisting other agencies with flood relief. This weekend was Operation Dry Water. CO Duncan and COC Mueller focused on checking anglers and boaters for possible impaired operators. They also spent time checking fishing licenses, PDF’s, jet skis and registrations. They also patrolled problems ATV areas.


CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) worked with other officers, St. Louis County, and the city of Duluth on the flooding that swept through the area last Wednesday. Unprecedented rain fall resulted in record water levels flooding massive areas in the St. Louis, Duluth, Carlton and Moose Lake areas. Officer Schmidt provided security and assisted other emergency personnel.


CO Scott Staples (Cloquet) worked with Carlton County Sheriff’s Department and city of Moose Lake during the floods from the huge rain event last week. Officer Staples provided security, conducted liaison work with the Sheriff’s department, as well as Moose Lake Police Department. Officer Staples conducted photography flights with DNR aviation for documenting flood conditions in the Carlton County area.


Water Resource Enforcement Officer Mike Scott (NE MN) attended the new Conservation Officer Academy graduation at Camp Ripley. Officer Scott worked with Emergency Operations Center in Duluth/St. Louis County and Carlton County allocating DNR resources and equipment for use in the flood areas of NE Minnesota. Officer Scott coordinated conservation officer’s response to the flood area working with local government units augmenting their staff for public safety as well as damage assessment. Officer Scott worked with Jay Cook State Park staff in closing the park due to damage from the floods that are making the park inaccessible and dangerous for people to visit.




Lake Superior Marine Unit

Sgt Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked the flood disaster with other district officers in St. Louis and Carlton Counties. Officer Olson was accompanied by rescue personnel from the USCG Station Duluth.

CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) assisted local agencies with flood response in Lake County, Duluth, and Carlton County. The incredible amounts of rain will certainly change the face of some area rivers for the coming years, and many area roads will remain closed for some time. Debris in Lake Superior will slow fishing efforts for a week or two. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and traffic violations.

CO Troy Ter Meer (Lake Superior Marine Unit) finished up a background investigation for a possible candidate, attended the graduation ceremony at the Conservation Officer Academy, assisted with duties involved in the flooding in St. Louis and Carlton Counties, prepared boats, and worked boating enforcement on inland lakes focusing on impaired operation as part of a national focus during Operation Dry Water weekend. Officer Ter Meer also prepared for an attended court on a case from November. Enforcement action taken for AIS, boating, and angling violations.