Weekly conservation report

[Lee Borgersen]

  Mn DNR Conservation Officer Weekly Report -

 April 24, 2018


 CO Randy Posner (Staples) checked turkey hunters afield; reports of success have been poor. The snow has slowed the Tom turkeys’ activity. CO Jim Guida (Brainerd #2) worked fishing and turkey hunting enforcement. Some hunters in the “A” season found success despite the existing crunchy snow on the forest floor. BrainerdDispatch.com Illustration
District 4 - Walker area

CO Randy Posner (Staples) reports there have been a few anglers out trying their luck on the ice. The catching has been poor. He investigated complaints about garbage dumped on public land. Vehicles on closed roads in the Pillsbury State Forest have received some enforcement time. He checked turkey hunters afield; reports of success have been poor. The snow has slowed the Tom turkeys’ activity.


CO Chelsey Best (Remer) worked ATV enforcement, forest closures, turkey hunting and fires. Enforcement action was taken for operating ATVs on closed trails and state highways, operating motor vehicles on closed forest roads, failure to obtain burning permits, failure to abide by permit restrictions and transporting a loaded firearm. Assistance was also provided for the annual prescribed burn at the Boy River.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling and trapping activity. Anglers reported moderate success. Ice is deteriorating with the recent warm weather. Very few spring trappers seem to be out. Broughten also spent time arranging youth safety classes.

District 9 - Brainerd area

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd #2) worked fishing and turkey hunting enforcement. Some hunters in the “A” season found success despite the existing crunchy snow on the forest floor. Guida reminds ATV operators on the grant-in-aid trail system that the trails are currently closed for spring thaw. Damage and rutting were also observed on area township gravel roads from increased ATV traffic. An overlimit complaint was reported and is being investigated. A litter complaint on public county ground was closed with charges.

CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling, ATV and turkey hunting activity.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports checking area lakes for late ice fishermen around the Crosby area. He also attended a Coffee with a Cop event hosted by the Crosby Police Department. The officer answered several law-related questions and handed out stickers to kids who attended. Assistance was given to the State Patrol on a vehicle crash with injuries and assistance was given to the local sheriff’s office on a call for service. Time was spent patrolling the recreation area for closed trail violations and also for illegal ATV and ORV activity. Enforcement action was taken for ATV violations.

CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) spent time monitoring ice angling and turkey hunting activity throughout the week. McGowan also spent time responding to TIP complaints, prepared training materials for the upcoming Academy, and assisted other local law enforcement agencies with calls for service.


CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) reports ice on area lakes is starting to melt rapidly. The melting snow and ice exposed litter violations on area lakes and the cases are being investigated. Sullivan also made contact with turkey hunters and addressed questions about the upcoming season.

District 10 - Mille Lacs area

CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked on spring road closures and turkey season activity. Enforcement action was taken on dogs running loose in a WMA and a separate case in the Pierz station of a dog that killed a deer. Fishing activity was also worked and Starr observed two full-sized trucks driving on Lake Mille Lacs. An ATV safety class was also given in the Isle station.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) checked turkey hunting activity during week and weekend. Snow conditions made it tough for sneaking around in the woods but most fields were melted. Time was also spent assisting the State Patrol with an accident and the sheriff’s office with a search and rescue call.

District 11 - St. Cloud area

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time during the week monitoring ice conditions in the station. The ice on most lakes is deteriorating rapidly and anglers are reminded to be extremely cautious if they are going to attempt to go fishing. A TIP complaint regarding some dumped garbage was investigated. The individual left identifying articles in the mess. Also included were parts from multiple deer that had not been registered from last season. Silgjord noticed a heavy increase in ATV activity in the area with the warmer weather. The increased activity also brought some unsafe and illegal activity, including multiple violations for youth passengers without helmets. Time was also spent preparing for an upcoming firearms safety class.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked angling and trapping activity and covered a firearms safety class in a neighboring station. The officer also noticed many more people out enjoying the spring-like weather, which has been long overdue.

CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports speaking to youth firearms safety/ hunter education classes, checking ice fishermen, and monitoring area streams for the spring fish run. ATV enforcement contacts were also made for no safety training permit.

Aviation Section

NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) worked on helicopter maintenance, online training, and received training in agricultural spray turning techniques and equipment setup. This will help improve efficiency in cattail spraying on WMAs later this season.

CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports flying a wolf telemetry flight and a big-game evidence flight. Jensen also supported officers along the Minnesota-South Dakota border water opener. Many more ice anglers than boats were noted. Jensen both gave and received IFR flight training and flew a rotary training flight. Jensen was called to assist with a fleeing vehicle in progress and a possible snowmobile falling through the ice but was cancelled both times before arriving on scene.

Water Resource Enforcement Officers

WREO Robert Haberman (North Central) continued administrative work on non-RMS cases and digital transformation of cases. Haberman also helped with watercraft inspector training in Brainerd, Walker and Park Rapids. He checked turkey hunters and ATV riders and assisted other agencies with public safety calls.