MN DNR Weekly Report

[Lee Borgersen]

   MN DNR Weekly Report for Sept. 5, 2017

 


 
District 5 - Eveleth area


CO Darrin Kittelson (Int’l Falls) reports bear hunting is in full swing with success seen by most in the area.  Lots of people out enjoying the long weekend before school starts.  Enforcement action for the week included transport untagged bear, hunt over an unregistered bait, establish a bear bait without license, littering, and illegal transport of sturgeon.


 






CO John Slatinski (International Falls #2) reports the majority of the week was spent monitoring bear baiting activity and then checking bear hunters. Hunters are reminded to know and understand the requirements when establishing bait stations. Officer Slatinski also followed up on complaints of illegal camping, monitored AIS compliance, and worked at the MN State Fair DNR information booth talking with many individuals about a wide variety of topics. Enforcement action included bear bait station violations, hunting in unauthorized area, and ATV equipment violations.



CO Coleen Adam (Ray) reports she met with the county attorney on pending cases, handled calls related to bear season, and contacted ATVs riding in the road right of way.


CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area forest roads and lakes.  Bear hunting activity was checked as was ATV traffic.


CO John Velsvaag (Cook) checked bear hunters and anglers this past week.  Fishing has picked up on area lakes.  Officer Velsvaag received several calls about tagging and registration for bear hunters and slot sizes on Lake Vermilion.



CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) reports with the opening of bear season, the officer spent the majority of his time working bear hunters.  The officer took enforcement action on some bait issues.  The officer was able to get out on Lake Vermilion this weekend.  A number of walleye were being caught, however many anglers were struggling to find fish.  The officer attempted to save an injured Bald Eagle, however, it succumbed to its injuries on the way to the rehabilitation facility.


CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked bear and early goose openers, anglers, ATV’s, and investigated two wetland fill violations and issued an RPN.  Bear and goose hunters enjoyed success out in the field and in the woods.  One non-resident hunter had multiple violations, most of which were baiting violations, in his quest for a bear.  Enforcement action was taken on no state duck stamp, no HIP certification, bait bear with solid waste not bio-degradable, no bait station sign, hunt within 150 yards of an unregistered bear bait station, fail to register bear bait station, transport loaded handgun, no trout stamp, no fishing license in possession, trespassing, and a number of ATV violations.






CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent a busy Labor Day weekend checking goose and bear hunters. Bear hunters report their baits getting hit but so far only marginal success in harvesting a bear. Cooler weather over the weekend brought out high numbers of ATVs. Of those ATV’ers, one of them was arrested for 3rd degree DWI by CO Frericks. The operators BAC was .24, 3 times the legal limit.   
 
District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Sean Williams (Ely 1) reports an active start to the bear season.  Most hunters contacted reported a good amount of activity on their baits and success for hunters was overall high. Violations included bait with solid waste and no I.D. on a bear bait station.


CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) worked a busy start to the bear hunting season.  The officer checked bait stations, hunters, and bear camps.  Enforcement action was taken against a hunter who illegally killed two bears. CO Manning also checked anglers, campers and ATV operators during the holiday weekend.


CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) saw first-hand why sometimes humans need to override their navigation systems.  When the road you’re on turns into a snowmobile trail, which turns into a two track trail, which turns into a muddy jungle, it’s time to override.   Even rocks scraping parts off the bottom of the car couldn’t stop this person from not relying on his navigation system.  The two door convertible eventually bottomed out in deep muddy ruts.  The officer assisted the couple in getting their luggage so they could make their flight to Chicago the next day.  Officer Fagerman found a bear bait violation at a bear stand with no one around.  He waited for the man to return because normally, people don’t leave their lunch box and coffee thermos behind for very long.


CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) focused on bear baiting/hunting activities and OHV enforcement. Enforcement contacts were made for allowing illegal juvenile OHM operation, unregistered OHM, OHM on roadway, unregistered ATV, too many passengers on ATV, illegal juvenile operation of ATV, unregistered bear baits, and bait with non-biodegradable materials.


CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area bear hunting activity this week.  Time was also spent on area ATV trails during the Labor Day weekend.


CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) worked bear hunters, remote trout anglers, and ATV riders. The officer patrolled campgrounds, state parks, and responded to a burning complaint. Enforcement action was taken for big game, traffic, and burning violations.


CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked bear hunting, fishing, and wild rice harvest activity over the holiday weekend. Some bear hunters were having success with most at least seeing bear. Fishing was fair on some area lakes and poor on others. Enforcement action was taken for unattended lines and licensing violations.
District 7 - Grand Rapids area
CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked bear hunters and patrolled for illegal ATV operation. Enforcement action was taken for transporting a loaded firearm and failure to validate bear site tag.


CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) worked bear hunting activity, checked anglers, and responded to animal complaints. CO Fairbanks, and his K9 partner Si, also provided demonstrations at the Bovey Farmers Day event. Bear hunter success was very good in the area. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession and fail to display valid registration on ATV.


CO Sarah Grell (Grand Rapids) spent time checking bear hunting activity this past weekend. She also spent time working goose hunting and fishing activity.  Enforcement action was taken for boating violations.


CO Jimmy Van Asch (Hill City) reports time spent working big game, migratory waterfowl, angling, ATV, and wild rice activity.  The weekend brought many hunters to the area, as both bear and early goose seasons opened up this past week.  Bear hunters were slowed down by heavy rains, while goose hunters experience success throughout the long weekend.  Enforcement action was taken for unregistered bear baits, no I.D. on bear baits, no small game license, no state/federal duck stamps, no HIP certification, no license in possession, and youth passengers under 18 without helmets/seatbelts.


CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked a busy bear opener with some success had by local bear hunters.  Baits were being hit by bears up until opening day, but a rain storm came through right during prime time on opening evening.  Enforcement action was taken for failing to register a bear bait station, failing to ID a bear bait station, and hunting without a license for bears.  Early goose season also opened over the weekend with the local goose population very high.  Enforcement action was taken for hunting without a state waterfowl stamp, hunting without a federal waterfowl stamp, hunting without a small game license, and not having H.I.P. certification.


Pengilly – vacant.
District 8 - Duluth area

CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth West) spent much of the week working ATV enforcement including working a detail with other district officers in the Nemadji State Forest.  CO Schmidt worked opening weekend of bear hunting and continued checking bait stations.  Nuisance animal complaints were handled. Questions about the upcoming deer seasons were answered.


CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) spent time earlier in the week checking bear bait stations for law compliance.  A few days were also spent on ATV working area trails.  Fishing and boating activity was monitored.  Numerous office phone calls were answered and returned.  Several bear hunters were checked over the weekend.  Two public waters concerns were investigated.


CO Nicholas Prachar (Brookston) reports a busy start to bear season.  Bear hunting activity was worked and a citation was issued for hunting bear in the wrong zone.  CO Prachar responded to complaints of jet skis operating in a swimming area.  Appropriate enforcement action was taken.


CO Scott Staples (Carlton) attended the state fair with K9 Schody and spoke with people about the DNR K9 unit and assisted with a short demo. A TIP call of an illegally taken deer was taken and the investigation is ongoing with assistance from local tribal wardens.  Bear hunters are reportedly having decent success in the area. Some bear baits were checked in the area and found to be in compliance with the law. A complaint of early goose hunters hunting in the city limits of Moose Lake was investigated with the local police department. The hunters were gone when officers arrived and were not able to be located. Local enforcement action was taken for no ATV safety certificate and hunting without license in possession.


CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked AIS, boating, angling, OHV, bear and goose hunting enforcement during the week.  Calls were taken on bear hunting and baiting questions/concerns. Bear baits continued to be checked in the area.  Several hunters reported harvesting bears opening weekend.  CO Humphrey checked early goose hunters, many of which reported good opening day shoots.   CO Humphrey also investigated a possible wetland violation and took an injured animal call.  Violations for unregistered bear bait station, miscellaneous waterfowl, angling, boating, and OHV violations were encountered.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked lake trout anglers on Lake Superior and worked on commercial fishing investigations.  Early goose hunters and wild rice harvesters were checked and bear baits monitored.  ATV violations were addressed as many people were out riding during the nice holiday weekend.  Enforcement action taken for ATV and angling violations.