MN Weekly DNR Report

[Lee Borgersen]

      MN Weekly DNR Report 

 - August 28th, 2015


District 1 – Baudette area

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) reports assistance was given to Roseau County Sheriff’s Office with a drug bust.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Bear hunters are reminded that they are required to register all baits – even those on private land – by the next postal day following the establishment of that bait.

District 2 – Bemidji area

CO Brian Holt (Bemidji) worked bear baiting and ATVing activity throughout the week. Complaints were received regarding ATVers operating in areas they shouldn’t be. CO Holt also investigated a complaint about two dogs that had chased down a fawn and killed it.

CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports collecting an injured loon for a local vet to check out, assisting the State Patrol with a multiple-vehicle crash on U.S. Hwy. 10, and taking a trespass complaint about target shooting within 500 feet of a corral. 

CO Angie Warren (Detroit Lakes) followed up on complaints about possible wildlife harassment, poached deer, vehicle operators tearing up forest roads, and worked with the area hydrologist regarding a possible public waters violation. 

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) worked multiple complaints about wetland ditching and tiling. Plautz worked with SWCD, NRCS, the Otter Tail County Board, and the county attorney’s office on these issues.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) assisted the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office with a search for a domestic assault suspect who fled on foot.

District 4 – Wadena area

CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) reports a wolf depredation complaint was investigated, as was a possible wetland violation. An ATV complaint was investigated near a wildlife management area.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) investigated public waters violations, aquatic plant violations, a possible stolen ATV, and nuisance beaver complaints.

District 5 – Eveleth area

CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) assisted CO Fredin with a TIP call on Lake Vermilion that resulted in a fish overlimit case. The officer also responded to Aurora to assist police with a nuisance-bear complaint.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spoke with a federal wolf trapper who was removing problem wolves from a farm where the owner suffered losses of cattle. The trapper reported removing six wolves from one piece of land alone. CO Frericks met with another landowner only about a mile away who is also reporting aggressive wolf behavior.

District 6 – Two Harbors area

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) assisted with teaching firearms training during in-service at Camp Ripley. The officer also responded to multiple calls regarding nuisance animals.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling, big game, and ATV enforcement efforts during the week. A trapping incident was investigated, and a report of illegal beaver dam removal was taken.

District 7 – Grand Rapids area

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked bear-baiting activity during the past week with some baiters having early success. CO Sutherland also attended a local lake association meeting where invasive species concerns were discussed.

CO John Velsvaag (Northeast Region ATV officer) attended training at Camp Ripley this past week. CO Velsvaag also checked ATV complaint areas on the Mesabi trail.

District 8 – Duluth area

CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) received several complaints about wolves making appearances around people’s homes and livestock.

CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) assisted COs Speldrich and Staples in working the annual off-highway motorcycle enduro event held in the Nemadji State Forest. CO Humphrey also received calls about wolves killing livestock, bear bait registration, and a loon tangled in fishing line.

WREO Michael Scott (Northeast Region water resource officer) provided information for a local government unit regarding a wetland violation and a public waters violation in which a person was trying to install an access on his property to a lake.

Lake Superior Marine Unit

Sgt. Keith Olson (Marine Unit) checked boaters on Lake Superior and worked AIS enforcement. He also assisted a local sheriff’s office regarding the assault of a paramedic in Canosia Township, responded to a call about an injured black bear in Rice Lake Township, and answered questions on bear-hunting regulations.

District 9 – Brainerd area

CO Tim Collette (Pequot Lakes) monitored bear baits, checked boats for aquatic invasive species at boat landings, followed up on litter found on state land, helped at the academy, and answered calls about possible wetland draining and an injured osprey that turned out to be a sea gull.

CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) patrolled Cass and Crow Wing counties for boating activity. CO McGowan also assisted in teaching the watercraft operation course to the new conservation officer cadets at Camp Ripley.

District 10 – Mille Lacs area

CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) reports a call regarding wild ricing issues was investigated, and a call about several ATVers causing problems was fielded.

CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) continued to receive complaints about bears damaging corn. He also assisted the Pine County Sheriff’s Department with a fleeing suspect, and a shoplifter who ran from Walmart security.

WREO Rob Haberman assisted area officers with ATV enforcement in Brainerd for the Brainerd Nationals.

District 11 – St. Cloud area

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) with assistance from CO Silgjord investigated two deer-poaching TIP calls. In one case the suspects were located with charges pending for transporting illegally taken big game, gross misdemeanor shining, taking deer out of season, driving after revocation, trespassing, and felon in possession of a firearm. The second deer-poaching case is still under investigation. 

CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) reports assistance was provided to Morrison County officials with an injury accident in which a person was run over by a tractor.

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) assisted Aquatic Plant Management staff with weed roller inspections on an area lake where a large number of violations were found.

District 12 – Princeton area

CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) reports a lakeshore owner was concerned with the high water level on a local lake. A beaver had dammed up the outlet to the lake.

District 13 – West Metro area

CO Chelsie Leuthardt (Prior Lake) spent the week following up on TIP complaints, attending firearms safety classes, and conducting angling and boating checks around Scott County. She also assisted the State Patrol and Scott County Sheriff’s Office with a motorcycle accident. 

District 14 – East Metro area

CO Lisa Kruse (White Bear Lake) is working on two aquatic vegetation cases on White Bear Lake and a wetland complaint in Lino Lakes.

CO Vuthy Pril (ELCOP) participated with the boat noise enforcement detail with neighboring conservation officers on the St. Croix River and checked anglers around metro lakes and rivers.

District 15 – Marshall area

CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) checked anglers, boaters, off-highway vehicle operators, and early goose hunters. Questions about upcoming hunting seasons are becoming more frequent.

CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) reports security issues for DNR Wildlife personnel were investigated.

District 16 – New Ulm area

CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) took a call from dispatch about a large 12-point buck that was hit by a vehicle and people wanting a permit to have the deer. While the CO issued the permit for the deer some people passing by would stop and ask to take a picture of the large deer.

CO Thor Nelson (New Ulm) armored DNR Enforcement Division handguns. Other time was spent working aquatic invasive species enforcement.

District 17 – Mankato area

CO Chad Davis (Owatonna) assisted with staffing the DNR booth at the Steele County Fair. A TIP trailer was staffed at a local event with a neighboring officer.

CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) spent the week checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Additional time was spent investigating a fishing complaint and monitoring AIS compliance on area lakes.

District 18 – Rochester area

CO Joel Heyn (Plainview) worked on case followup and checked anglers during the week. Heyn also assisted at the academy, teaching watercraft enforcement.

CO Kevin Prodzinski (Wabasha) reports working fishing and boating safety as well as continuing work on open investigations. Enforcement action was taken for trespass, license, safety equipment, and undersize fish violations.