Weekly conservation report

[Lee Borgersen]

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity this week included handling dead and injured raptors, disability hunting permits, an abandoned ATV, somebody trying to prevent public access to an area lake by posting an illegal "no trespassing" sign at a place where the lake and road beds meet, crop damage by bears, checking waterfowl, bow deer, small game, fishing activity, and illegal ATV operation. Surveillance of a crappie bite on an area lake resulted in enforcement contacts for not only fishing violations of over limit and extra lines, but also a guy dumping yard debris at the public access.


CO Jim Guida (Brainerd 2) continued checks on waterfowl hunters and monitored some pan fish activity. Officer Guida issued permits for car killed deer and spent time working on administrative tasks. Officer Guida worked with the local county prosecutor on a misdemeanor boating violation case settlement.


CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked small game, big game, waterfowl and angling activity. He also assisted with a search warrant and handled various wildlife calls.


CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) reports prime weather this week brought out lots of angling activity to check. He also worked the opening week of duck season, spoke at a lake association meeting, and monitored big game complaint areas.


CO Chris Tetrault (Isle) assisted a neighboring officer with a search warrant. Small game, deer and bear hunters were checked. The officer checked two people who were transporting loaded firearms on their ATV. Several other violations were detected. Ensure that when transporting your firearms, that they are transported legally as it is a safety issue. Enforcement action was taken.


CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) with assistance from area officers hosted an ATV course and trail ride for the Camp Ripley Stand Down (Safety) Day and handled a wetland violation where the contractors failed to submit a contractor responsibility form before working in a wetland area.

                CO Report: Sock sacrificed for boat plug
A TIP call of a hunter illegally party hunting is being investigated and three young duck hunters were checked and were found to have one life jacket for the three of them, one had no small game license, and one forgot to bring any licenses with him. When they went to pull the plug on the boat they pulled out a sock instead. They had forgotten to bring the boat plug and one of the hunters sacrificed his sock so they could still go hunting.


CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity this week included handling dead and injured raptors, disability hunting permits, an abandoned ATV, somebody trying to prevent public access to an area lake by posting an illegal "no trespassing" sign at a place where the lake and road beds meet, crop damage by bears, checking waterfowl, bow deer, small game, fishing activity, and illegal ATV operation. Surveillance of a crappie bite on an area lake resulted in enforcement contacts for not only fishing violations of over limit and extra lines, but also a guy dumping yard debris at the public access.


CO Jim Guida (Brainerd 2) continued checks on waterfowl hunters and monitored some pan fish activity. Officer Guida issued permits for car killed deer and spent time working on administrative tasks. Officer Guida worked with the local county prosecutor on a misdemeanor boating violation case settlement.


CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked small game, big game, waterfowl and angling activity. He also assisted with a search warrant and handled various wildlife calls.


CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) reports prime weather this week brought out lots of angling activity to check. He also worked the opening week of duck season, spoke at a lake association meeting, and monitored big game complaint areas.


CO Chris Tetrault (Isle) assisted a neighboring officer with a search warrant. Small game, deer and bear hunters were checked. The officer checked two people who were transporting loaded firearms on their ATV. Several other violations were detected. Ensure that when transporting your firearms, that they are transported legally as it is a safety issue. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) reports assisting a neighboring officer with a big game case during the week. Small and big game hunters were checked throughout the week and weekend with most having some luck. Assistance was given to local agencies and also the State Patrol with various calls. Numerous outdoor law related questions were fielded and patrol was done for ATV traffic around the Malmo Station. A nuisance beaver permit was issued for beaver doing damage and an ATV permit was issued for the upcoming rifle deer season. Area lakes were checked for fishing activity and a few waterfowl hunters were checked during the week and weekend also.


CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) and other DNR enforcement officers, Pine County Sheriff's Department and a Mille Lacs Tribal CO executed a search warrant on a local bear guide.

Officer Speldrich investigated a possible wetland violation/public waters violation. While on the property, a deputy assisting her observed equipment that was recently reported as stolen. Officer Speldrich worked bear hunters taking enforcement action for unsigned baits. She also worked recreational vehicle enforcement. Violations detected included OHM on roadway and parent allowing illegal operation. Officer Speldrich attended the Law Enforcement Ecumenical Service with the LEMA Honor Guard.


CO Starr (Onamia) worked duck hunters and small game hunters to find compliance good. One novice hunter had lost a duck, which CO Starr coached him on spotting and searching for downed game. Luckily the duck was found by CO Starr. Road kill bear were handled, along with road kill deer permits. Nice weather brought many folks out to find colorful leaves.


CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) checked late season bear hunters that reported slow hunting activity and bear baits not getting hit as often as during the early part of the season. Black bears in the area continued to cause problems for farmers as complaints of bear damaging crops continued. Minimal fishing activity was found on lakes and rivers and a few archery deer hunters were checked. Time was also spent executing a search warrant that involved bear hunting violations and illegal possession of firearms and drugs.


CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) spent the week checking small game and waterfowl hunters. He assisted with the execution of a search warrant and also took calls on nuisance animals. CO Wynn issued nuisance beaver permits, and followed up previous ATV and big game hunting complaints. Numerous calls and questions were answered about upcoming hunting seasons and recreational vehicle licenses.


CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) patrolled area duck lakes and WMAs. Hunters reported seeing less ducks this weekend with few seen in the bag. Some grouse hunters were out having some luck. Time was spent assisting neighboring officer with a big game case and a public waters violation was investigated.


CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) worked several deer shining complaints and investigated a report of individuals hunting ducks over a baited area. Officer Kuske checked out a complaint that started with a Facebook photo of two hunters posing with a large number of ducks, supposedly taking an over limit. Unfortunately the photo did not show the entire hunting party that was able to account for all the birds shot. Several inquiries about CWD protocols when bringing big game in from other states were handled and a trespass call that involved a property line dispute was addressed.