DNR ENFORCEMENT REPORT 1/22/13

[Lee Borgersen]

 January 22, 2013,
 
      MN DNR conservation officer weekly report
 
 Eveleth area


CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports spending time monitoring area lakes with little activity noted. Snowmobile trails remain in poor condition due to lack of snow. Area forest roads were monitored.


CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports about four or so inches of new snow brought a few snowmobilers to the area; however, the area snowmobile trails are far from being in good shape. Not much ice fishing going on. A snowmobile safety class was addressed in Cook.


CO Dan Starr (Tower) began training with COC Tetrault. The officers addressed a variety of common fishing and snowmobile violations. Snowmobile enforcement action was taken for operation of snowmobiles on a state highway, operation of an unregistered snowmobile and failure to stop at a stop sign. Fishing enforcement action was taken for unattended lines. The officers also assisted with snowmobile safety training in International Falls. Assistance was also given to a citizen with a broken down vehicle.


CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) spent most of the week finishing up open cases and attending a day-long meeting in the metro. Enforcement action was taken on no fish shelter license, littering, trapping without a license, fail to check snares, take over limit of fisher, fail to validate otter site coupon, and take bobcat out of season.


CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent time checking anglers and those spearing on Virginia area lakes. Few anglers and dark house fishermen were seen out due to a slow bite. The Virginia area received a few inches of snow and some snowmobilers were out on area trails despite them still being in poor shape. Reports were turned into court for enforcement action taken.


CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) worked a detail in Ely checking lake trout fishing. Angler success was spotty but the trout seen were quality fish. Violation of no angler license, no trout stamp, and expired ATV registration were found. He checked night fishing activity on an area lake with a few small walleye being caught. He also addressed a violation of a non-resident fishing without a license.


Ray - vacant.


I. Falls # 2 - vacant.




District 6 - Two Harbors area


CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking snowmobilers and anglers. The trails were in tough shape until the recent snow fall. Remote trout and walleye lakes were checked with decent success. The Officer helped teach the riding portion of snowmobile safety. Enforcement action was taken for extra lines, no snowmobile registration and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.


CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked some very hardcore trout anglers who braved the -47 degree wind chill to find some trout. A few snowmobilers were out also. Some said it was better to be outside than inside no matter what the weather. Enforcement action was taken for failing to display snowmobile trail sticker and for no fishing license in possession.


CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) responded to a report of an accidental catch of a wolf after the close of the wolf season. The report was given by the trapper and after further inspection the animal turned out to be a large coyote that the trapper was happy to be able to keep. Murray also checked other trapping and fishing activity and attended a meeting in the metro area during the week.


CO Brad Johnson (Silver Bay) reports that he checked snowmobilers and anglers over the holiday weekend. The lack of snow and cold temperatures kept some people away. Enforcement action was taken for an unregistered snowmobile. The violator was warned verbally while unloading his sled. CO Johnson met him on the trail about two hours later. He also spoke to the youth snowmobile safety class in Silver Bay.


CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked snowmobile and fishing enforcement as well as assisting with traffic accidents due to the recent ice problems. Officer Stage also worked on some ongoing cases. Fishermen are reminded that they still need their ID information on fish houses when they leave them unattended.


CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt/Ely) reports attending division taser training. Anglers and beaver trappers were checked and station trout lakes were monitored. A motorist was cited for litter when he threw a lit cigarette butt out of his vehicle right in front of the CO.


Ely #1 - vacant.




District 7 - Grand Rapids area


CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) finished step 2 of field training with COC Grewe, checked anglers, monitored snowmobile activity and worked a detail on Pokegama lake in the Grand Rapids Station. The area walleye and perch bite was on the down side this week. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession and snowmobile registration issues.


CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) assisted with a big game investigation in Northome. He patrolled area lakes for angling activity and investigated a complaint of highway vehicles using the snowmobile trail. Bitter cold and wind kept outdoor activity low.


CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked a week busy with multiple ice angling checks. The panfish and the walleye bite seem to be steady at best with many sportsmen afield. CO Sutherland took enforcement action for angling without a license and for leaving garbage on a lake. CO Sutherland also helped work the Minnesota Hockey Day which took place on Pokegama Lake this year. The 40 mile an hour winds and below zero temperatures kept many people at home, but for some this was part of being a Minnesotan and there was still good attendance at the event.


CO Sarah Sindelir (Grand Rapids) worked the Minnesota Hockey Days on Pokegama Lake this past week. It was frigid outside with the cold air and gusts of high winds, but there was still a good turnout of fans. Snowmobiling and ATV activity was worked over the weekend with some violations in registration. Despite the cold temps, anglers were out but not finding a lot of luck on area lakes. Officer Sindelir is still investigating an ORV complaint of someone driving a 4X4 vehicle in the cross country staging area at Sugar Hills.


CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers, worked on a case from the firearm deer season, seized accidentally caught fur, and patrolled snowmobile activity. Enforcement action pending on the deer case and enforcement action taken for failure to display snowmobile registration.


Water Resource Enforcement Officer Tony Arhart (Grand Rapids) worked anglers, dark house spearers and bait on infested and other area waters, CO Arhart also tracked Wetland Conservation Act cases and he worked snowmobile enforcement efforts on area trails. A dead deer complaint was investigated and equipment was maintained. Enforcement action was taken for angling without licenses and for possessing protected slot sized northern pike.


CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, snowmobiles, state trails and trappers. He also handled various complaints during the week and started prep work for a safety instructor banquet.


CO Shawn Wichmann (Hill City) attended training at Camp Ripley and checked area anglers. Inclement weather and bitter cold reduced the number of anglers and those out reported slow fishing. Wichmann also conducted a trapping investigation where enforcement action was taken for failure to check a trap.


CO John Velsvaag (Region II ATV officer) worked area lakes around Ely, following up on a litter complaint and fish house violations. CO Velsvaag reports that trail conditions improved over the weekend and fishing has been good. CO Velsvaag took several calls about litter and fishing complaints.




District 8 - Duluth area


CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) started training with COC Silgjord. Angling activity was monitored throughout the area. Activity was moderate with some success being found. An incidentally caught fisher was recovered and education on legal cubby sets was provided to a father/son trapping team. CO Schmidt and COC Silgjord attended a District 8 meeting. Enforcement activity for the week included allowing illegal juvenile operation of an ATV, failure to display ATV registration and allow juvenile to commit a game violation.


CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) checked anglers on area lakes. Some issues with ice ridges have been reported so use caution when driving across lakes especially at night when they are difficult to see. A district meeting was attended. Several calls of aggressive wolves and coyotes where fielded. Often these animals become more territorial toward domesticated dogs during their breeding season.


CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) attending training to carry a taser. He met with a wolf specialist for an expert opinion on a grey wolf identification. Officer Duncan also attended a district meeting. Enforcement activity included following up on an illegally taken wolf case, winter fishing, and snowmobile enforcement.


CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) patrolled area frozen lakes for ice anglers, snowmobilers and ATV users. Fishermen were finding varied success. A midyear district meeting was attended. CO Humphrey also attended taser training and use certification. Enforcement action for the week included registration violations and license violations.


CO Scott Staples (Carlton) attended a district meeting and taser training. Assistance was given to the Wisconsin DNR in searching for a missing snowmobiler. He was found walking out of the woods after spending two nights out in the woods in frigid temperatures. Fishing activity is slow in the area. Several anglers were checked in the area but the fishing success was reportedly slow. Compliance with the law was good. Some snowmobile activity in the area. Complaints of operating snowmobiles in the median of a four-lane highway were worked in the Esko area.


Water Resource Enforcement Officer Mike Scott (NE MN) provided taser training for Conservation Officers around that elected to carry a taser. A district meeting for the Duluth area was attended where winter and upcoming spring enforcement activity was being planned. Wetland and public water cases were dealt with at the district level and closing of some wetland cases was conducted.




Lake Superior Marine Unit


Sgt. Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) attended training for use of force at the Hermantown PD. He also attended a district meeting and checked anglers along the North Shore and in the Duluth/Superior bay.


CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) attended District 8 training at the Border Patrol Office in Duluth. Assistance was given to State Patrol with multiple vehicle crashes on a very icy morning in Duluth. Taser training was completed, and questions answered about winter ATV use.


CO Troy Ter Meer (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers throughout the week, attended training, and a district meeting.