Weekly conservation report

[Lee Borgersen]

  MnDNR Conservation Officer Weekly Report -

 Feb. 21, 2018

 
District 9 - Brainerd area

CO Randy Posner (Brainerd) reports working on fishing enforcement this past week. Ice anglers are out but many are starting to remove permanent houses because of poor ice conditions and a slow bite. Complaints of garbage and wood blocks left behind were reported and investigated. Some of the fishing violations observed included unattended lines. He checked numerous aeration permits on area lakes and snowmobilers on the lake, and assisted one rider who lost part of his hood while driving across the lake.

CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling and snowmobile activity. Assistance was given to the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office with a kids’ ice fishing day. One individual was contacted regarding the deer feeding ban.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd 2) worked sport fishing and miscellaneous nuisance animal complaints this week. Guida discussed some litter and public nuisance concerns with an event coordinator of an area fishing tournament. A couple of animal possession permits were issued for road killed deer.

CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) continued checking anglers and observed an increase in snowmobile activity in the Cass County area. CO Sullivan also received TIP reports of illegal length walleyes being kept and an angler double-tripping and keeping over the limit. Enforcement action included angling with extra lines, possession of a controlled substance, no shelter license and illegal deer feeding.

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports patrolling snowmobile and ski trails, checking fishing activity, and monitoring the Cuyuna Country State Recreational Area. Numerous enforcement contacts were made for violations including no trout stamps, licenses and stamps not in possession, ATV registration, operating an ATV on a grant-in-aid snowmobile trail and within a state recreational area, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and consuming alcohol in a state recreational area.

CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) worked on trapping and deer hunting cases from this past fall and winter. McGowan also spent time presenting snowmobile and ATV laws to local law enforcement officers, and patrolling for snowmobile and angling activity.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports working area lakes for fishing activity throughout the week and weekend. Some nice northern pike and panfish were seen, along with some trout. Fitzgerald patrolled area snowmobile trails, which were pretty rough with the lack of snow and warm weather. He saw a few people out riding. He fielded a call about a dead owl found in a backyard and answered many outdoor law-related questions. He patrolled the CCSRA park and saw quite a few bikers out enjoying the nice weather and trails. Fitzgerald assisted a local agency with several calls for service and spent time at the Aitkin Rippleside School Fishing Day at a local lake where around 70 kids came out to ice fish. Some panfish and northern pike were caught and many of the kids enjoyed trying ice fishing. Enforcement action for the week included various fishing and SRA rule violations.

CO Tim Collette (Crosslake) checked anglers and snowmobilers, appeared in court on a case from last summer, and assisted on a work detail for the Fishing for Ducks event in Garrison.

District 10 - Mille Lacs area

CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) worked angler activity including the Ducks Unlimited fishing contest on Garrison Bay. Marginal snowfall continues to coax out snowmobile riders, whether their machines are registered or not.

CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) spent the week checking anglers. She saw some crappies and a few perch. Enforcement action was taken for no fishing license in possession. Speldrich investigated a TIP call of leaving a portable ice shelter up overnight without a shelter tag. The shelter tag was present but was faded by the sun. Littering still remains an issue on the lakes. Several deer possession tags were issued and a nuisance beaver call was handled. Snowmobile trails are in nice condition after the recent snowfall.

CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked fishing, snowmobile and ATV activities. He made plans for firearms safety, snowmobile safety and ATV safety classes. Enforcement action was taken for extra lines, unattended lines, no fishing license, failing to display snowmobile registration, and expired ATV registration. Starr also started gathering GPS data on fish houses with possible removal issues and possible litter cases if the owners are not attentive.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) worked area state forests, checking timber permits and looking for fuel wood theft. The Fishing for Ducks tournament was Saturday near Garrison, with good numbers of anglers participating in the event. A fair number of fishermen around the lake were preparing to have houses removed before upcoming weather makes it more difficult. Fish house owners are reminded to remove all blocking under their houses so area residents don’t have to do shore clean-up. Croatt arrested an individual who had several outstanding warrants. The man stated it would have been nice if the Croatt would have been a few minutes later because he was packing up to leave.

District 4 - Walker area

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked anglers and snowmobile riders. Angling success remained limited and snowmobile trails improved with the recent snowfall. Time was spent working on a public water case file. Enforcement action was taken for angling with extra lines, unattended lines, illegal-length walleyes and fish house violations.

CO Chelsey Best (Remer) checked fishermen and snowmobile riders. Activity remained slow but the fresh snow improved trail conditions quite a bit. Enforcement action was taken for registration issues in the vacant Park Rapids station. Incidental fur was again collected.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling and snowmobile activity. Anglers continue to report limited success. Snowmobile trails could use more snow. Fishermen are reminded to check ice shelter removal dates and plan accordingly. Vehicles on snowmobile trails continue to be a problem. Enforcement action included no angling license in possession, angling with an unattended line, operating a motor vehicle on a snowmobile trail, failure to display snowmobile registration and possession of drug paraphernalia.

District 7 - Grand Rapids area

CO Jimmy Van Asch (Hill City) monitored area snowmobiling and angling activity, and worked a snowmobile enforcement detail with neighboring officers. Anglers are reporting steady success on area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for various angling and snowmobile violations.

District 11 - St. Cloud area

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) received calls regarding a trespass complaint of people pulling fish houses onto a private lake. But the neighbors were allowing access through their property, so there was no trespass. Kuske is still finding many fish houses with no shelter license or no identification on them. She also investigated a TIP call of a contractor doing work in a wetland. The work being done was legal, but the contractor had failed to file the required liability form with the local soil and water conservation district office. It was the sixth time the contractor had been cited for the same violation.

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time monitoring angling activity. He also gave a presentation at Melrose High School for career day. Silgjord fielded and investigated a small game hunting complaint that resulted in a wanton waste violation. He also conducted follow up on a big-game investigation that resulted in the discovery of multiple violations, including taking a deer without a license.
CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports checking ice fishermen and following up on a possible deer hunting license violation. Enforcement contacts during the week were made for angling without an angling license, litter and failure to display ice shelter identification.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) spent the week checking anglers. Enforcement action for the week included no angling license, extra lines, no snowmobile registration, no trapping license and using an aeration system on a public water without a permit. He also conducted a game farm inspection.

District 12 - Princeton area

CO Angela Londgren (Cambridge) checked anglers on local lakes. One angler who was cited for an illegal length northern pike claimed the fish grew in size overnight outside his shelter. Londgren investigated a complaint of working within a wetland/river bed and responded to calls about injured animals.

CO Brandon McGaw (Mora) checked ice anglers during the week. Shelters are slowly being removed from local lakes and fishing success has slowed. Enforcement action was taken for driving an ATV while revoked and operating an off-road motorcycle on the roadway.

CO Mike Krauel (Milaca) spent the week checking anglers and following up on big-game violations. He took enforcement action for several violations.
CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) checked ice anglers and ice fishing shelters. He found violations for angling with extra lines and no shelter ID/licenses. Follow up was done regarding an ongoing big-game case.

Aviation Section

Standby NR Pilot Jessica Holmes (Grand Rapids) continued training with CO Pilot Jensen out of Brainerd.

CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports a week of wolf and bear telemetry flights. Jensen also continued flight training for another pilot trainee.

CO Pilot Christopher Lofstuen (Grand Rapids) reports flying flights related to maintenance and proficiency. He attended a training seminar with other divisional partners.

NR Pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) flew a bear telemetry flight to locate hibernating bears so wildlife managers can visit the dens to get vitals such as weight and change their transmitter battery. Heineman also flew a wolf pack count.
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CO Pilot Bob Geving spent the week at Thief River Falls flying census surveys of the state’s elk herds.
NR pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) worked on helicopter maintenance and administrative projects. He also researched future articles for pilot training.
Reminder: 2017 fish, game and trapping licenses expire Feb. 28

Complaints of garbage and wood blocks left behind were reported and investigated. Fish house owners are reminded to remove all blocking under their houses so area residents don’t have to do shore clean-up. Littering still remains an issue on the lakes. Mn DNR file photo.

           

Dis is totally disgusting!

enlarge photo if you want to get more angry:

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